This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Greetings Internet Stranger! But I will say that Vilnius is a city that rewards an adventurous spirit, a willingness to explore, and a sense of humor.
Curse you, Vilnius tourism bureau! The Museum of Occupation and Freedom Fights has stirred up strong emotions since its creation. Its original name was the Museum of Genocide Victims. You might be wondering why the Soviet secret police would have a building in Vilnius. As with the other Baltic countries, Latvia and Estonia, Lithuania was under Soviet occupation from the s to Under the Soviet occupation, Lithuanian partisans fighters for a free Lithuania and political dissidents were punished severely.
There were several ways political dissidents were punished by the Soviets. Many were brought to the KGB building where they were imprisoned, tortured, or worse. When you visit the museum, you can see the former KGB prison cells, as well as the room where executions took place.
I would not publish a photo of a room like that on this blog. Lithuanians were also sent to labor camps, where many died from poor treatment. Above you can see a letter that a woman wrote to her brother who was imprisoned in a labor camp.
The parts that have been scratched out in black were removed by the Soviet censors. Big Brother was always watching. On August 23, , an amazing event occurred in the Baltic countries that helped change the history of the entire region.
