To the editorial staff of the website of the Lithuanian Jewish Community,

The Vilnius city council adopted a decision to rename “Kazys Škirpa Alley” “Tricolor Alley” on July 24 of this year.

A report about this on the Delfi.lt website caused us much concern. We quote:

“The city council also approved a proposal from the Labor Party faction to erect a commemorative plaque on Tricolor Alley which would tell of the efforts by Škirpa and his compatriots to organize resistance to the Soviet regime.”

It is clear that commemorative plaque will mention Kazys Škirpa was the first to hoist the [Lithuanian] “tricolor” on the Hill of Gediminas, on January 1, 1919.

A question: will it also indicate that, according to a finding by the Genocide Center (and we quote):

“The Lithuanian Activist Front commanded by Škirpa raised anti-Semitism to the political level, which might have incited some Lithuanians to take part in the Holocaust”?

In our opinion, in the absence of the latter, historical truth would be distorted, and therefore the act of renaming the street could become politically damaging.

Sincerely,

Ruta Kaplinskaja
Pinchos Fridberg

July 24, 2019