For several decades now Jews have been gathering in the Pivonija pine forest near Ukmergė on the first Sunday in Sept. to pay tribute to their families, friends and neighbours who were killed at the end of Aug. - beginning of Sept. 1941.

This year the members of the small Ukmergė Jewish community gathered in the Pivonija woods on Sept. 4. They were joined by chairman of the Lithuanian Jewish Community Dr. Simonas Alperavičius, members of the Vilnius Jewish community, Jews from Israel and the USA whose families were murdered here, townspeople, and pupils from the Dukstyna secondary school, led by co-ordinator of the school Tolerance Center, teacher Vida Pulkauninkienė.

The quiet sunny day was disturbed at 12 noon by the sound of a great many car horns all beeping at the same time. The horrible prolonged din was a reminder of the victims, who seemed to rise from the long, weed-covered trenches lying between the hundred-year old pines. The echo of the horns travelled throughout the entire forest, where innocent people had been killed on just such a clear morning 64 years earlier, and thrown into the deep, 20-30 metre long ditches.

The commemorative meeting was opened by chairman of the Ukmergė Jewish community, 25-year old Artūras Taicas, who spoke about the tragedy in the Pivonija woods. LJC chairman S.Alperavi¨ius urged that the memory of those who were killed be honoured, and appealed to the town mayor, Algirdas Kopëstas, present on the occasion, for help in rejuvenating the monument.

G.Pekelis, a native of Ukmerg«, talked about the killing of the Jews here in 1941. He said that the Nazis and their local collaborators exterminated more than 12,000 Jews at this site. Although it is known that 317 "white-ribboners" participated in the killing, their names have not been made public, nor have they been found.

Leah Jacovskaja, a graduate of the gymnasium in Ukmerg«, spoke, with tears in her eyes, about her school friends, teachers, and neighbours.

Teacher Vida Pulkauninkienė asked the Jews of Ukmerg« to take part in fostering a spirit of tolerance among the students.

Historian Solomonas Atamukas, author of The Way of Lithuania's Jews, and now a resident of Israel, said: "Ukmerg« had a large and vibrant Jewish community before the War. With sorrow in our hearts we say - it had... The dead do not hear me, but they are in our hearts, souls and minds. Perhaps some find it uncomfortable to listen to accounts of the tragedy. Let us accept history with our hearts, and become more generous towards each other. We cannot revive the dead, but together we can make a new life, and be better people. Let us try to preserve the truth, no matter what that may be, for the future generations. Let us make Ukmergė a good place for all people to live. May you be proud of your city, and not forget the painful lessons of history."

Kaddish and Yizkor were spoken, and flowers, wreaths and lit candles were placed at the gravesite and monument.

On that day the Jews from Ukmerg« who survived the Holocaust, and their descendants throughout the world lit candles of remembrance and sadness.

Newspaper of the Jewish Community of Lithuania “Jerusalem of Lithuania” 2005.