From November 1939 to June 1940, there was a selection camp, where Polish citizens were “allocated”. There were people of different nationalities and religions (Poles, Belarusians, Russians, Jews, Catholics, Orthodox and others), which the Lithuanian authorities considered unreliable for political and other reasons.
The Lithuanian camp was widely known for its inhuman conditions, where many prisoners died even before the allocation. The exact number of victims is still unknown, but according to the preliminary investigations, it amounts to tens of thousands.
Representatives of various Polish social movements held a memorial event in Pabradė. About 70 people made their trip from Bialystok, Warsaw, Lodz, Suwalki and other Polish areas to honor the memory of those slaughtered during World War II. However, not all groups managed to reach the venue. The organizers report that one of the buses was pulled over by people in uniform on Lithuanian territory. The reason for the stops and the questions asked were not stated. Thus, this group was unable to attend the event.
That cold Saturday night in Pabradė, about 40 people met to commemorate the victims of the Lithuanian camps, which were located in this area. Different people from a variety of organizations, which sometimes even have conflicts among themselves, gathered together.
The participants brought two wooden crosses. The crosses, both Catholic and Orthodox, were meant to eternalize the memory of Polish citizens who perished in the camps. This was followed by the laying of wreaths.
The official part of the event ended with a prayer for the repose of the souls of the deceased and for all victims who suffered in the Pabradė camp.
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