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While Lithuania and its people celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Restoration of Independence today, Jurate Kazickas shares her and her father’s recollections of that special day.
“Thirty years ago, on March 11, my father Joseph Kazickas and I had the great honor of sitting in Parliament in Vilnius when Lithuania passed the Act for the Reestablishment of Independence.
It was such an emotional moment for those of us in the diaspora who had worked so hard to keep alive the dream of a free Lithuania. When the hated symbol of communism, the hammer and sickle, was covered up by a giant yellow, green and red national flag of Lithuanian, my father and I hugged and wept and cheered.
We left the Parliament building about one o ‘clock in the morning. Hundreds of people were standing in the cold and rain waving flags, singing the national anthem and shouting “Aciu,” thank you, to the government officials who had made this bold move of defiance to tyranny and the declaration of freedom.
“Lithuania, our fatherland
Home of heroes grand…
May your children forward stride
Always on the path of virtue.
May their service be in your name
For the betterment of all people…
May the love of Lithuania
Burn forever in our hearts.”
-from the Lithuanian national anthem:
Jurate Kazickas”
From dr. Joseph P. Kazickas‘ memoirs in 2007:
„...I do not know how to best describe this historic moment. At that time, one had to be there to be able transmit that feeling, that spiritual tension, that tremble that took over not only the heart but the whole body, the longing, the dream becoming a reality, which could be finally seen with your own eyes and reached with your own hands. Was it really the same enslaved and trampled upon body, whose spirit was resurrecting and filling every fiber. We were there with the whole Lithuania.
Then Mrs. B in national costume entered the Hall holding the Bible of Faith and Freedom. Everyone lost their breath because of the tension, and tippy toed as if walking on the glass step by step to put their hands on it while making an oath to respect the resurrecting Angel so it would never be enslaved again or hurt but would carry freedom, happiness and the joy of life for generations to come...
P.S.
Just the same I am one of a few who joined life of the Independent Lithuania in its economic, social, charitable and political spheres. (With my character I did it more behind the scenes than in the public.) I do not claim being able to make a critical evaluation, while I am not disappointed in the progress we have achieved over the past 17 years. Summa summarum, I can see a beautiful and progressive Lithuania, a valuable member of EU, although in the constant shadow of Russia constantly causing internal and external problems. A teaching about the soviet period, should be a mandatory course in our schools.“
Photo: Jurate and Joseph Kazickas at the Lithuanian Parliament on March 11th, 1990.