Macikai labor camp complex management to be transferred to Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum

The management of the Macikai labor camp complex is set to be transferred from the Šilutė District Municipality to the Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum. This decision follows meetings involving the Minister of Culture, deputy minister, ministry chancellor, municipal leaders, and museum directors, who assessed the condition of the remaining heritage objects.

The primary focus has been on practical steps to implement the recommendations of the commission for the upkeep and development of the Macikai camp complex. The plan involves transferring the territory from the jurisdiction of the Šilutė District Municipality (and the Šilutė Hugo Šojus Museum) to state control, assigning it to the Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum.

"The Macikai labor camp complex is an object of exceptional importance, requiring state-level attention and comprehensive solutions for its maintenance and development," stated the Minister of Culture, L. Alsys. "Through today's meetings, we have clarified the action plan, clearly defining our respective responsibilities during the transition period and identifying the necessary legal and administrative steps. Smooth cooperation between the state and local government is key to ensuring this memorial site is properly managed and becomes a space open for historical memory preservation and public education."

Once property transfer and other legal procedures are completed, the complex will operate as a division of the Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum. It is intended to be a memorial site adapted for visitors and educational purposes, ensuring due respect for historical memory. The Ministry of Culture believes that integrating the Macikai complex into the Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum's structure will strengthen historical memory policy, expand research and educational activities, and raise public awareness about Lithuania's complex 20th-century history, which includes crimes committed by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.