about the country I live in. Lithuania, anti-semitic? No, not a country that in its spring carnival has people dressing up as Jews (and Roma people), and where in some towns anti-semitism is almost encouraged (Siauliai)....
It seems now that one or two elderly Jews might be prosecuted for war crimes. I say 'might' because the story is from the Jewish Chronicle and it does not actually say a prosecution is pending. It 'just' says that the Lietuvos Aidas newspaper has called for Fania Branstovski to be put on trial for war crimes, on account that as an anti-Nazi partisan she committed crimes against Lithuanians (but what if those Lithuanians were Nazis? It's not unheard of in Lithuania, not even today.). Lietuvos Aidas is a bit of a funny newspaper, I think. Has an extremely basic website, and I could have sworn that one of its journalists, Sigitas Geda, has collaborated with the Jewish composer Anatolijus Senderovas over one or two pieces, quite some time ago.
Not sure how much of this is smoke without fire. The embassy in London has said that Ms Branstovsky may be invited as a witness in a case involving Soviet partisans alleged to have carried out a massacre in the village Kaniukai. Two other people, both of whom live abroad and may well have done so for many decades, are in fear of being prosecuted. One of these is the former chairman of Yad Vashem. Apparently he is reluctant now to return to his home town. But, given that many of his relatives may have been killed in this home town, what actual feeling would he have for it anyway.
I think I've met Ms Branstovsky. If anyone were to prosecute her I suspect it might cause quite a few political waves...Then again, the massacre....we don't let off concentration camp guards just because of age. I don't know - it's really difficult.
You cannot quite imagine this sort of thing happening in Germany, can you?
It seems now that one or two elderly Jews might be prosecuted for war crimes. I say 'might' because the story is from the Jewish Chronicle and it does not actually say a prosecution is pending. It 'just' says that the Lietuvos Aidas newspaper has called for Fania Branstovski to be put on trial for war crimes, on account that as an anti-Nazi partisan she committed crimes against Lithuanians (but what if those Lithuanians were Nazis? It's not unheard of in Lithuania, not even today.). Lietuvos Aidas is a bit of a funny newspaper, I think. Has an extremely basic website, and I could have sworn that one of its journalists, Sigitas Geda, has collaborated with the Jewish composer Anatolijus Senderovas over one or two pieces, quite some time ago.
Not sure how much of this is smoke without fire. The embassy in London has said that Ms Branstovsky may be invited as a witness in a case involving Soviet partisans alleged to have carried out a massacre in the village Kaniukai. Two other people, both of whom live abroad and may well have done so for many decades, are in fear of being prosecuted. One of these is the former chairman of Yad Vashem. Apparently he is reluctant now to return to his home town. But, given that many of his relatives may have been killed in this home town, what actual feeling would he have for it anyway.
I think I've met Ms Branstovsky. If anyone were to prosecute her I suspect it might cause quite a few political waves...Then again, the massacre....we don't let off concentration camp guards just because of age. I don't know - it's really difficult.
You cannot quite imagine this sort of thing happening in Germany, can you?
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