By Roy Lie A Tjam.
To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the first mass deportation of Lithuanians to Siberia, the Embassy of Lithuania organized a Chamber Music Concert at the chancellery. The date coincided with the original deportation date, 14 June. A concise group of Ambassadors, Lithuanians, Dutch entrepreneurs/civil servants, and other persons responded favorably to Ambassador Darius Semaska invitation and attended the concert. Simultaneously, there are two exhibitions going on at the chancellery, a bronze sculptures exhibition by Mr. Stasys Čepė and Works in leather and acrylic and oil by Ms. Violeta Damen-Sverdiolienė.
H.E.Darius Senaska’s welcome address was followed by Prof. Egidijus Aleksandravicius, director of the Lithuanian Emigration Institute, Vyttautas Magnus University, Kaunas. Prof. Aleksandravicius, bubbling over with enthusiasm, delivered a thundering expose on the history of Lithuania prior to World War II
It is very unfortunate to see so much ignorance about Lithuania’s history. Prof. Aleksandravicius related what deportation was all about. Deportation is a punishment. As was the case with the deportation of Armenians, many of the Lithuanian Jewish subjects never returned home. This story needs to be told.
Prof. Aleksandravicius made mention of the book “Blood lands”, the blood lands, is the region which comprised what is modern-day Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and the Baltic states, is the area where the regimes of Stalin and Hitler, despite their conflicting goals, interacted to increase suffering and bloodshed many times worse than any seen in western history. Aleksandravicius also referred to Jacob Robertson. The Embassy of Lithuania is set to contribute to the eradication of the ignorance about Lithuanian history.
Performers at the concert were: Ms.Takahashi (flute), Misha Furman (violin), Itamar Shimon(alto viola) and Wladislav Warrensburg (cello)
The musical program:
Ludwig van Beethoven – serenade for flute,violin&viola Op.25
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – duo violin&flute Op.75/ k.v.156
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – flute quartet in D/k, v.285 for flute, violin, viola&violoncello.
In conclusion, Ambassador Darius Semaska invited his guests to a degustation of Lithuanian wine, snacks, and delicacies, including Baum-kuchen (tree cake) known as Sakotis, a desert. Baum-kuchen was introduced into Lithuania by the Germans. Curiously, it no longer exists in Germany itself.
Indeed, a dignified commemoration of a dolorous epoch.
