<...> <...> ouour work r work dodoesesn‘t stay n‘t stay unnoticed: watchful unnoticed: watchful inhabitants phoned inhabitants phoned to Jonas Katauskisto Jonas Katauskis( ( local prefect) local prefect) immediately immediately with with a a question: „ why question: „ why those kids those kids are are there, in Jews there, in Jews cemetcemeteeryry??“.“.

Such Such alertness alertness shows a shows a positive positive attitude to the attitude to the graveyards graveyards that something that something wrong wonwrong won’’t t happen, that happen, that monuments monuments stay stay undamageundamaged at d at restrest

Most of Most of monuments were monuments were taken duringtaken during the the first days of first days of expedition expedition because we because we had had been been workworkinging after after lessonslessons. Even . Even the the afternoon sun afternoon sun helped for helped for our our photographer photographer Aureja Aureja NovogreckyteNovogreckyte – – the sun the sun lighted up lighted up the monuments the monuments which were turned which were turned to the west side.to the west side.

The The oother ther 13 13 gravestones gravestones Aureja Aureja photographed photographed in the in the morningmorning

According to According to the the Jews Jews traditions traditions aa reburreburial is ial is forbiddenforbidden. . A A relocation relocation the the remains remains is is called like called like disturbing his disturbing his rest in peace, it rest in peace, it also shows our also shows our lack of respect lack of respect to to that personthat person

Jews Jews don’don’t t cut the grass cut the grass in cemetriesin cemetries,, but the but the cemetcemeteeries ries ddoon'tn't look look untidyuntidy, the , the trees and trees and grass grass give a give a look of look of wildness and wildness and peaceful peaceful mood...mood...

<...> you won<...> you won’’t t find any flower find any flower therethere,, also Jews also Jews ddoon't plant it n't plant it iin n cemetcemeteeries ries unless unless they put they put stone – the stone – the symbol of symbol of timeless, timeless, emphasisemphasis

In the west In the west side side the the mouds are mouds are very clearvery clear.. IIn n the east the east part part the the landland is is moremore plain plain, , the the tombstonetombstones s areare set thinly set thinly

In accordance with Jewish religious tradition, In accordance with Jewish religious tradition, the deceased person had to be buried on the the deceased person had to be buried on the day of death, before dusk. In Akmene day of death, before dusk. In Akmene synagogue there was a black wooden coffin synagogue there was a black wooden coffin with handles on the sides. When someone died, with handles on the sides. When someone died, the Jewish undertaker, with horse carriage, the Jewish undertaker, with horse carriage, brought the coffin to the dead man’s house, brought the coffin to the dead man’s house, put the body inside, closed it and carried it to put the body inside, closed it and carried it to the three bridges, without any flowers or the three bridges, without any flowers or wreaths. Next to the three bridges (there were wreaths. Next to the three bridges (there were three bridges over the local river) the three bridges over the local river) the procession would wait. The coffin was uploaded procession would wait. The coffin was uploaded to the carriage and, followed by the procession, to the carriage and, followed by the procession, they would go to the Jewish cemetery.they would go to the Jewish cemetery.

Near the gates of the cemetery there Near the gates of the cemetery there was a wooden shelter, where the was a wooden shelter, where the ceremony was being performed. A very ceremony was being performed. A very shallow pit would have been dug there. shallow pit would have been dug there. The body was taken from the coffin, The body was taken from the coffin, placed into the pit and covered with placed into the pit and covered with stones. The empty coffin was returned to stones. The empty coffin was returned to the synagogue. After some time, that the synagogue. After some time, that place turned into the knoll of grass and place turned into the knoll of grass and young trees. The richer Jews used to put a young trees. The richer Jews used to put a stone slab with an inscription and build a stone slab with an inscription and build a small stone obelisk.”small stone obelisk.”

(from the memories of the witness Augustina Rusinaite, written in 2001, Akmene)

Now Now studentsstudents will will search who search who could read could read those those inscriptions inscriptions of of tombstone tombstoness

In 1941In 1941,, at the end of July or at at the end of July or at the the begbegiinning of August all Jews were nning of August all Jews were carried to carried to Mazeikiai. They were Mazeikiai. They were devideddevided in two groups in two groups. .   TThe police guard was the chief he police guard was the chief assistantassistant.. Healthy  Healthy jews jews were were taken on taken on footfoot, sick, elderly and children transported , sick, elderly and children transported by carts. by carts. They were They were   locked into locked into the the barn and were shobarn and were shootot the next day the next day..  Executioners Executioners tootookk the part of  clothing from the victims, the part of  clothing from the victims,then then went back to Akmenewent back to Akmene. Some v. Some valuable items aluable items (( watches, shoes, etc. watches, shoes, etc.)) were were taketakenn away from  away from the Jews the Jews at the beginning at the beginning in thein the camp camp

 before transportation to Mazeikiai. before transportation to Mazeikiai.

FFrom rom th thee „ „work done’’each executorer work done’’each executorer earned 300 roubles (earned 300 roubles (says Pranas Maigyssays Pranas Maigys, , who participated in this who participated in this execution)execution)  -- (3, 8-9) „ (3, 8-9) „Also we were given Also we were given meals and drinks in Mazeikiai meals and drinks in Mazeikiai towntown. Then the next day, early in the . Then the next day, early in the morning, all the rebels from the Akmene morning, all the rebels from the Akmene were driven home.were driven home. For shooting  For shooting in in Akmene Akmene I  got a fur coat, a suit. "- from I  got a fur coat, a suit. "- from S. Cichanavicius S. Cichanavicius testimony testimony of  August 28of  August 28, , 19581958 (3.30). (3.30).

How How to live further to live further , what to , what to do with the bloody earning, do with the bloody earning, how how to to sit sit withwith a stranger  a stranger by the by the table or table or to wear this to wear this  fur fur coat? coat? 

…… our generation is our generation is watching watching filmsfilms, read, readinging,writ,writinging and organizand organizinging Memory Menorah Memory Menorah on 23on 23rdrd of of September from the September from the autumn leaves on our hautumn leaves on our highigh school hill.. school hill..

,,<...>stones leave,,<...>stones leave alonealone

no one no one ssharehare them them– –

like like some some heavy furnitureheavy furniture,,

someone is sleeping in the same beds someone is sleeping in the same beds as as they did they did before the death before the death

They are They are waiting for kidswaiting for kids -now in -now in cemeterycemetery...“...“

Vytautas P. BlozeVytautas P. Bloze

Some students of Akmene gymnasium Some students of Akmene gymnasium arranged an expedition to the Jewish cemetery arranged an expedition to the Jewish cemetery in spring of 2011( May- June months) .They in spring of 2011( May- June months) .They cleaned the gravestones, which were covered cleaned the gravestones, which were covered with moss and lichens. They also made some with moss and lichens. They also made some pictures of them. Now the students are looking pictures of them. Now the students are looking for somebody who could read and even for somebody who could read and even decipher the inscriptions on the gravestones. decipher the inscriptions on the gravestones. The slides are made according to the material The slides are made according to the material of written memories, which were found in the of written memories, which were found in the written facts about the Holocaust of Akmene written facts about the Holocaust of Akmene Jews. The research work is sacred to the Jews. The research work is sacred to the memory of Ona Simaite as the Righteous of the memory of Ona Simaite as the Righteous of the World.World.

LiteratureLiterature1. Akmene Jews. Akmene gymnasium museum 1. Akmene Jews. Akmene gymnasium museum

material 2001-2011material 2001-20112. Akmene Jews Holocaust . Milda Jakulyte –Vasil 2. Akmene Jews Holocaust . Milda Jakulyte –Vasil

produced material in the Inernet according to J. produced material in the Inernet according to J. Levinson,,The book of the pain“, Vilnius, 1997Levinson,,The book of the pain“, Vilnius, 1997

3. Brandisauskas Valentinas. Mazeikiai region Jews 3. Brandisauskas Valentinas. Mazeikiai region Jews destiny in the Word War years.,,Genocide and destiny in the Word War years.,,Genocide and rezistence, 2006, 2 (20)rezistence, 2006, 2 (20)

4. . Death, recitative and blue butterfly. Lithuanian 4. . Death, recitative and blue butterfly. Lithuanian poets about the Holocaust. Antology. Compose poets about the Holocaust. Antology. Compose Sigitas Geda, ,,Vaga“, 1999Sigitas Geda, ,,Vaga“, 1999

5. www.issigelbejesvaikas.lt5. www.issigelbejesvaikas.lt

Slides Slides of the of the expedition expedition material and Aureja material and Aureja NovogreckyteNovogreckyte photos photos, Jurate , Jurate Stoniene photos, createStoniene photos, created byd by Rita Rita RingieneRingiene and and translatetranslatedd by by Dalia Dalia KaziunieneKaziuniene

Akmene, 2011Akmene, 2011