Lithuanian Culture Minister to visit former Macikai camp to discuss preservation

Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys is set to visit the former Macikai camp territory, a site bearing witness to the atrocities of both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The visit, accompanied by Deputy Culture Minister Lina Baublienė and directors from the Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum and Šilutė Museum, will focus on assessing the current state of the remaining heritage objects within the complex.

The primary objective of the visit is to discuss solutions for the preservation and maintenance of this significant cultural heritage. Discussions will also revolve around future plans for the Macikai camp complex, aiming to determine how this historically crucial area can be adapted to meet contemporary societal needs while honoring its past.

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During the visit, the Minister of Culture will also visit the territory of the Macikai camp itself. Together with Deputy Minister of Culture Lina Baublienė, ministry representatives, and the heads of the Kaunas Ninth Fort and Šilutė museums, the condition of the existing heritage objects will be assessed.

The Ministry of Culture emphasizes the unique and tragic nature of the Macikai camp complex as a site of historical memory. During World War II, it served as a prisoner-of-war camp for Nazi Germany. Following the war, the Soviet repressive structures took over the complex, establishing a Gulag camp. Thousands of people of various nationalities were imprisoned, suffered, and died within its confines.

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The Macikai camp complex is a unique and tragic site of historical memory, marking the crimes of two totalitarian regimes – Nazi Germany and the USSR.