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<br />A5122
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<br />CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-APPENDIX
<br />
<br />1\ OYEMBER 7
<br />
<br />emlUlD.th:;rg from the propaganda 5en-lcu or
<br />Moscow, kndlng to pmve Illat LJlhUanla.
<br />had "nttre<! theS<lvlet Union "t Ita own free
<br />wlll. lite unfounded. W.. ourselvee lived In
<br />Lithuania at thDt tllne and. togethu with
<br />our people. endured the tenor of pf'necullons,
<br />\'uatloru. and humiliations. Nobody cared
<br />In Ihe leUt abell! the real dwre of the
<br />Lithuanian people and all """Ii b<>tng dlllp05ed
<br />of with Ihe help of th.. Red urn)'. the Soviet
<br />emlsUrl.... and the ~cret pollee; OPU-
<br />NK\'D.
<br />Or.e mun CoM,," lhat there Were Com_
<br />mUnll!: collabon.lon III LlIhuanla. but
<br />theIr I1llmber..-u relllly lnslgnU'l.cant. The
<br />grl:'flt muu ot Llthulnl"ra near clred about
<br />dealings ",Itb the Communh.!a. The real n..
<br />pression (If the wlll of the ....hole fllltlon ''.-all
<br />evidenced during the generalIIUUlTfl:\lon or
<br />Jun.. 22_21'1, 1941. al:alnn lh~ &Jvln InVll<lel"J,
<br />wb~n A ne..... L!thuanlan G;;l\'"rll:ll"n~ W:\I
<br />COnstltUlt'l!. by represenlat!vel of all pa_
<br />triotIc partl....., The Oovernment proclaimed
<br />ther~toratlon of alaI.. aoverel~IHI' ami dIS-
<br />avowed the Soviet r~glm". Unfortun..tely,
<br />thl>fln;;toccup..llou....a"'fW{)n followed by tbKt
<br />or Nazi Oermany. "..bleb Immedlately IUp_
<br />p.......ed the ne.....ly formed Llthullnlan Oov_
<br />ernment and IntrOduced Ita o"'n allmlnlll_
<br />lration under the title ot "Oen~ralbezlrk
<br />L1U.uen" (General Olstrlct of Lithuania).
<br />Although lhe Soviet occupatlon did not
<br />Iut long (June l~. l!HG-June 22.19-11). It
<br />prov~d to have been quite allllklent to dlS.
<br />rupl the We ot our people and 10 ruin tha
<br />religIous, cultural. social. eronomlc. and
<br />political me. Thl.. evll y~lIr (If l~lT(lr WI\l
<br />forever remain d"lplcabl~ by It.l toll of human
<br />lcu.e..: thouund.o; ot Lllltuanlan. w"re Ilter_
<br />allYllll.ughtt>rPd.lmprlllOn..d. or b..nl.hoo to
<br />dlM..nt region! of Ihe Sm,let Union. Wah-
<br />In Ih" "p..ce of 3 day~, I. e.. I).,t......en JUll"
<br />H Imd 17. 19-41. nurly "'0.000 perllOns ....ere
<br />deporte-d. 1r!""P"Ctln ot lhelr I'.ge. pmfeaslon,
<br />or health. Children ..nd old people. women
<br />and men. all w..r.. cramme-d and 6hllt Into
<br />freight can Wllhout food or ..'..ter. A l..rll"
<br />number of thest< poor wr..tch.... dIed "'hlle
<br />BUll III Lllhuhnl.." r..llroad at..li"'nll. where
<br />thec..rasUly..dforae,'erllld..ya. TIlefUeot
<br />the "UrvlVOI"J l.S Mill unknown. 80m" rare
<br />leUera Wlllch rea{'hed Lithuania informed
<br />III that men \lien contllled toroncentratlon
<br />ellmp". \liomen were sent Into hewrl... or to
<br />eollet'tl~e fll.rm8. ..nd the chUdr..n. ~p..rate<l
<br />trom th~lr pareDtI!. viete entrusted to So,.:..t
<br />orphanllge..
<br />Thu.. Ihe methodical e'(termlnatlon of the
<br />BaltiC pt'(Iples premedilal.,d by the O. S, S. R.
<br />wu In full awing. According to &l'Cret docu-
<br />ments found Intact alter the abQUUon ()f
<br />the So"let r~lme. It appe..r. that M""cow
<br />h"d plann..d and ordered the deport..tlon, In
<br />tbe ahortest poaslble Ume. 01 about 700,000
<br />Llthuanlanl to tll,. hrth..~t r"llon~ ct Ih..
<br />5(I"I..t Union.
<br />Although th.. 3 yPflrs ot OerlJUln occ:upa-
<br />UOII Ull4144l did not a<"('mlngly prc...e to
<br />be ruthl..lSI. Iher "'ert' nOlwlthstanrl1ng a
<br />rell.l ....ay ct Iht' Cr06ll tor our pec>ple. Stub_
<br />born (lpposltlon to Nazi Itleolog)' IInd the
<br />l]..w ord..r. untllnchlr.ll r..,,!st.ance to the re-
<br />peated aummona 10 declare war and to col_
<br />laborate C':I pol!tlcal grounda with Germany
<br />were ftl\vllllely retallaled. Catholic Lithull.nl_
<br />ana mad.. new acquaIntance wah prl$Onl and
<br />concelltrll.t1on camp..; more than 100.000 C'f
<br />Ihem "'ere d..ported to G..rman... and en_
<br />sla.ed. no....enr. all the$ehlU"dshlpll dId not
<br />In the leut dlmlnlB!1 our paMlln' reS,Mance.
<br />The pro;nI5C'& cot liberty uttered In faHlt or
<br />al\ the "10"11 nllllons and states IInd boldly
<br />&hOUl~ercd by :1;e grellt western dem~raCles
<br />tlph~ld Ule Llthu..nlan people In Its dl'terml_
<br />lllllion to set fonh 1n an uneqU~1 battle tor
<br />liberty and pol1tlcallndf'pend~llce.
<br />In Jul)" 01 j9H Cllr nation ,,;as onc(' mort'
<br />.Ifolt..d b)" .. l:~w ",our~e. as Sm'let-G('tman
<br />forces ";I;'C~ tlgbllnll 011 our soil ..nd the Red
<br />Annl; ter the leCond time Q\'ertlo.....ed !lnQ
<br />occupl~d our tath...rhnd. Cot1fltle~ ~It:e:s
<br />
<br />and vlllallu were camplelel}' destroyed Our_
<br />lnll th..lr relreat Germlln trocp.3aet IIf~ 1'-5
<br />tllr as thpy hat! Urn.. to do OQ Ie all thllt wa!
<br />m..t on their paaage. Twice the Ironl well.
<br />stabilIzed In LlthllJrnla ..nd, ..sCh t~mp. the
<br />Germans. Ilk~ thp So"lets. ..vscuated the pop_
<br />ulaUon at Ih.. occ:upied regions. Thus. thou.
<br />sanda of lJU1U..nlsllJl ..-er.. eOnntalfled to
<br />lea..e for Cermany. "..hHe II gteat number had
<br />to live unll...r ntrem"l)" dlmcUIt eandltlOnll
<br />and to loll fn!,:1"1hl"r with Wlr p>l,one:' In
<br />....-:t.on or mllltary operations. The Sovlet
<br />aUlharltl..s did the sam.. "'lth th.. Llthuanl_
<br />ana c..ugbt by th..m.
<br />A certaIn numb'f ot L(thu:mlans_ ftee!ng
<br />frcom the So"!et terrer, extt>rm1nallon. prlB_
<br />ona. and deportation. ....!lllngl)" left lor O..r-
<br />m..n)'. Among them may be r..ckon~d &Orne
<br />theu.sand.. ot Llthuanl..ns ....ho had ..Iready
<br />IlIn;o:lll'hl"<:l ill Sot.!..t 1:.lls In lnln~l fe,r a
<br />met(' InCUlpatIon Ot not bdng COmulUnlJ;ta
<br />and Ih..tr unwillingness 10 -adhue to th..
<br />Communi"t Party. Their ftl!l:hl tv Oermany
<br />..xplalns l!Self by the n....rne... oflhat coun_
<br />try ..nd th.. hap.. ot nndlug tempor..ry relit
<br />and &helter lh"re. The number ar Lllt.ua_
<br />nlara deported. evacullted. or n"e1011 to ON_
<br />mliny !nay be ..stlmllt~d ..t about 200.000----
<br />Ih~ majOrIty (If which are InteUl'ctuals.
<br />Among them may be tound Ihree bishop. ..nd
<br />appruJllmately 250 PrJetlt5. All Ihe Ulhua.
<br />m..n refugees ..re Catholl"" of all IIg..,. pra_
<br />t.....looa. IInd OCcUpa.tJona.
<br />Uthuanlana. Lat~lalla. or Esto~'lnns who
<br />sUcceed"d In ..scaplng from Ih\' SOViet 8r..sP
<br />llfe cooCi'ntrBted In th.. t~rrltDrles occupied
<br />by the American. En811sh, and French armlu.
<br />Th..y tear to relurn to their countries o.a
<br />long u theae IIr,! rul"d by &>\'let Commu_
<br />nlsa.
<br />Fr(lm OUt own ..xperiences We know whKt
<br />bolshel'lsm me..ns and ".e c..nnot help It It
<br />(lUt optnlOllJl strongly diverge trom thQOle
<br />f(lrmed In c..rtalnsplrltaunder thelntlueuce
<br />ot Sovipt propaGsnda.
<br />A.a tllf 8& we C..n Judge. It dOf>/1 not llf'near
<br />Ihat th.. .......t"'lI United Sauons h..I'e iore_
<br />aeen the presence In G..rmnlll' ot forell;'nera
<br />Unable t.o return to U'elr SoI'let-QCeUPled
<br />eoUntrl.... II t..ct liable te aggrantte {"(lllald_
<br />erably the fale ot OUr dIBlr".,;ed brethren
<br />beretto!thplrtDth..rland. We. theIr putcrs.
<br />andconSlsnl ...Itn..sa""of th..lr gr....t ml&l':Y.
<br />d~ep aorrow. and smlettOI1Il. can anly express
<br />our mOllt s..rloua appreh"nslon to Your M"'"t
<br />P.e\'ennd Exc~llencJes and ta ltee ,,'hole
<br />Catholic world.
<br />If we are ullll.....re of what Ill. aClual!y go_
<br />Ing on In oUr ~cupled falht'rland. naw rf'_
<br />Hmhltng II hUll" prl!l(ln e!l>&ely guatded by
<br />the nUS!llan ltatl! police (NKVDI. we know
<br />pertectlr W..II Ihat athel.St!c C(lmmunl$m
<br />haa In no Wa)' Impro,'ed and a\1l1 remaIns on
<br />th~ stllll~ of 1941. Now. tlIl ht'rctotore. ..II
<br />book.. and n.....-.p~pPf'l. unle~ they IIrll com-
<br />mUnistic. art' prohiblled IInd th" ...'hole COUll_
<br />try Is hermetlc..lly ahut to every communlc-a_
<br />tlontralnllbroad.
<br />Dur1ng Ihe tltst SoYlet occupallon Ihe &(I.
<br />called r..llglous liberty that we were per.
<br />mluPd to enjoy In Lithuania consl.Sted In
<br />Ih.. e!oslng Ot -all the euttur..1 aasoelatlolla
<br />IOnd putllng do"'n of all rellol....hlp. Imd
<br />b:(ltherhoods. The nt'w ..uthor:t!~ "'er..
<br />moreo",,: urging ptl..s!.S to SIgn an enga~e-
<br />m..nt wht'reby they ...oUld pl..d!!e Ihemselves
<br />to dlscontlnu.. \.earhlnll catechJ&m l>lther
<br />prlvlIl..ly or In ehllTch.... Furthermore, the)"
<br />"'ere Strictly forbidden to ..Iller 6ehool~.
<br />where up to that time. rehglous Instruction
<br />,,'uoblll!ator)'. An I'!llb"rllo(lf p:-lllllng ....a.s
<br />put On p:a~'er bOoka, Ctlll'Ch!sm. or Catholic
<br />publ!rallon~. Th~ hNt and rare~~ rell~IOIII
<br />..dltl(lnafound In sHlre$arln the nallonallzf'd
<br />libraries ....fTl' contl5eated and. ,,'llhout excell-
<br />tlon, dCl;troy.-d. lmprl!!omnentll.. torturl'S.
<br />a:>dotberm....n&oft..rrcra1mooatllltimidftt.
<br />Ing the pllests. and compellIng th"m t<.l JOin
<br />the ~'K\"D &eniC.... lIS lnformen ""M1!.e com_
<br />mon praCtlct'. Semlnar:"s w..,e CIO/led ar.d
<br />all the bl>;hopa. tegethcr ",.lth . COllSplcuo;;s
<br />~Utr.b~r ct p.lr.!i~. were e~':cte4 Irvlu tllelr
<br />
<br />rfSld..nees Bnd dWel!lllg place. wlthaut any
<br />chu~ce t(l ""ttie dewn el"-"where In dec~llt
<br />abode.
<br />Thill. ".u, mu;;l:l~ dffcrlt.f'::I. "lhe rel!glous
<br />liberty" we persoll:ll1y p"perlenced undcr the
<br />8o"let reglm.. of 1940-''''
<br />In~lleof lI!loUr rights and InOpp04ltlon
<br />to the llI.<,red 1"".0. at JU&lIee !lnd humanlt)',
<br />oUr f..therland, Calhollc Lllhuanla. 11l~'a Ull-
<br />der th~ thre..t a beccmlng legall)' and poUll-
<br />eally rec"Knized lIS all !lllti::;l1 pan G! tt.e
<br />So\'let Union. At Ilny rate. we IIOlemnly de-
<br />cl..~ betore God the Almighty and (lUr
<br />8"":O\Ir. His Son. that Uthualllllns are nrmly
<br />d('Cldt'd to reeanr th"lr national and politl-
<br />ralllbeny ..nd to re-create a real free 6tat".
<br />Wthuanlana will nnt'r C(lluent to becom.. a
<br />COlony Of Ru...la, ..galn"t which they atrull-
<br />gled In the Pd.t centuries In order to main_
<br />ta!n th...!r ell';,;l..r.c.. rH:tuc.., In<:l CathoU"
<br />Ja!t!], Thl. Is Why H..,y LlthUl.nl..n r..bel&
<br />agalnM any and all EU'l:llesllOna that h.. lil:_
<br />derllo the atrocio\l5 yuke of athel&tlc SoViet
<br />"ommunl&m.
<br />We dllte now point OUt to Yeur Mo"t Rev_
<br />erendE:tcelleIlCi""lhatth..WCOtldWarfiet'ms
<br />to be a\"l't. Vlctorllms ..nd v"nqulshed 1\11_
<br />tlona Ilte looking torward to peace In con-
<br />Jerencea and congre"","". Leaete", of nllUC'ns
<br />IIrp meellng With.. vIew at ~ttlnll down Ihe
<br />terms ot pe..r... M"ny 1I. poUtlcsl dlscuS6I(1n
<br />..nd dellberat1an r..fers to natlOIU which
<br />h..ve "ulferCd "ggresslon durtng thl" WlIr and
<br />mayexp"ctrepalrlat!on.but...l:J05ellberty IS
<br />111 "uch a m..nner jeopllrdLc~d thot they re_
<br />qUIre a new Ife..ratlnn. Among the nations
<br />ne,'..r referred to. figure In the f1ut place
<br />the thr.... B..ltlc RepUbll"s, t"ereund..r our
<br />mOllt t'ht'rl'hed L1thUil:ll... Tta "lIence. In
<br />OUr ...le.... looms as II bUrlKI of OUr p<llltlclll
<br />It!>~rt~.. We d..re not admit Ihat th~ plen!.
<br />potenu..nu of the Jlow..r& present at the
<br />San FranCI6CO Conl"rence did not It....p In
<br />mllld lh~ ..lxl.e-menUon..-d nations as Ihey
<br />were ..olemnly assuring the world that onc..
<br />the .....r Is (.nded. lIb..ny would be returned
<br />to..ll nallOn" ....Ithout any el:cept\on.
<br />Too..). Llthu:inlala In such II. state that It
<br />cannot e'l't'n thInk otel:pre""lng publicly ..nd
<br />(lpen1)' 11.& ,,'j'he5. Therelore we dare 1-0 call
<br />on you. Moat Rpv..rend furcellencl~., ..nd en_
<br />tteat ~'ou to COme to t",,:escu.. of our Catho_
<br />111'1 brethr..n. In lendpTlng thll short descrtp.
<br />Uon of the ntIIlCtlons ...hleh have Visited ..nd
<br />are allll "I"ltlng our Jleople, .....beg to appeal
<br />to your merclfulne"" to t'nllgllten through
<br />your pW'lwnl word y(lur t..lthtul people on
<br />our dolorous tat.. ..nd to lntereede In thl!
<br />measure I'll your PtlMlblllllea wIth your llov-
<br />..rnm..nu In h"or co! our dlatrl>ssed pKlple,
<br />110 tbat at thll peac..conference the del<'gllU1l
<br />ot the governm..nts may Illter"~ne In hvor
<br />Ot Ihe rlllhta af our pp(lple to rfl:(lnstltule II
<br />tree ..nd Independent Ilfe and not recognlza
<br />UnT :&tHy th.. IIlfpmptPd ImfKl!'...d lnc(lrpt:'r.._
<br />tlon of L1lhuanJa Into Ihe U. 8. S. R. llII ..
<br />rew..rd for the Ru_Ia parl1Clpatlon In th..
<br />.....ar agalllat Oerman)'.
<br />It ever Lllbuania. Ilke the olher llat!OIl&
<br />pllrtaklng It.e MID.. f..t.... Wrt~ to be rllCOll-
<br />nll'.ed lit the peace cconfl'rence llII subject t<l
<br />th~ ttll..lltulan and d..~potle SoViet regime,
<br />Ill.. would b.. :in InjUstIce CtYlng for e..lt'&_
<br />Hal vengeanc... Ihts would be the trlumpb ot
<br />Jals..hOOd ..nd brutallly. Ihe negatIon Ot the
<br />m~t natural human rll;;ht,.. This ....Ou!d be
<br />t'qual to.. verdict 01 dtam for (lur ".hole
<br />nation. ~or deponatlOfl6. and other well_
<br />kno.....n met1too. or utermlnatton would in
<br />a .1I0rt tlme ,,-cble';e the annlhllatlan of cur
<br />Pff'p:e.
<br />WII kindly bell }"(IU, rn~t Unrend excel_
<br />lenCieS, to take Ibe n..cf'SSll.ty .:"p" In order
<br />to pllt llII aoon "5 posalbl... en end to thl6
<br />11au<;hter. ""!liCh '\111 C(lr:UI:;\;es Under 8o\'let
<br />oo:upatl"n,
<br />For 5 years Uth:JallllllS SUr.'erlng under lhe
<br />ye:k.. at OCCupation and ....iln~a th~ de.
<br />fitrUCllon ot Ita nlltlonal hfl'. HUlldreds of
<br />Utousnnlill or m:-'e<:ent peo;>le l>ltClure the
<br />h"frlfihlplf or ex.11e In l.h.. far rellml\s of the
<br />SOI':et Cnlon ..,:et 1,1 O.'rmal.;.}'. lbey AUlolIg
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