From the very first year of Soviet occupation, diverse measures have been used in Lithuania to tear, shred, burn and otherwise destroy Lithuanian and other language books, which in their contents, through various thoughts and ideas, hinder the occupant and local collaborators from implementing their fatal plans for Lithuania— break the Lithuanians morally and then deprive them all of their national identity.
This persecution of the Lithuanian printed word and its physical destruction is still being implemented today. It is true that this printed word does not always "offend" the occupant. It sometimes passes through three censorship filters (author, editor, state censor). However, even then it can be destroyed. It is destroyed through special directives if the author later somehow transgresses against the government or is simply not pleasing. This time, this fate befell author and poet T.(omas) Venclova, a courageous defender of human rights in Lithuania who was forced by KGB persecution to emigrate to the United States.
We reprint below the shameful documents, sent to library directors and book store managers, which disclose the lack of logic and the "culture" and morals of those at whose initiative such directives and orders are issued.
We omit the date of issue, number, copy number of the directive and address of the person to whom the following documents were sent.
For internal use. Copy No.
Chief Administration in Charge of Monitoring State Secrets in the Press under the Lithuanian SSR Council of Ministers (LSSR Glavlit).
(Addressee of letter and directive) Re: The withdrawal of T. Venclova's books from libraries and the book sales network.
Enclosed please find directive No. 1-nt dated May 10, 1978 of the Chief Administration in Charge of Monitoring State Secrets in the Press under the Lithuanian SSR Council of Ministers, regarding the withdrawal of T. Venclova's books from libraries and the book sales network.
Please issue the appropriate instructions so that the libraries within your jurisdiction will withdraw from their stock without further delay and use the necessary procedure to delete the books named in the directive.
Enclosed — Directive No. 1-nt, copy No ....
B. Gurvičius
Assistant Director of the
Chief Administration
Chief Administration in Charge of Monitoring State Secrets in the Press under the LSSR Council of Ministers.
Directive
No. 1-nt May 10, 1978
Re: The withdrawal of T. Venclova's books from libraries and the book sales network.
Withdraw from libraries and the book sales network the following books by T. Venclova:
Golemas, arba dirbtinis žmogus (Golemas, or the Artificial Man). Vilnius, Vaga publishers, 1965, 272 p. 12 ill. p., 8,000 copies.
Kalbos ženklas (Symbol of Speech). Poetry. Vilnius, Vaga publishers, 1972. 64 p. 8,000 copies.
Raketos , planetos ir mes (Rockets, Planets and We). Vilnius, State Belles-Lettres pub. 1962. 167 p. Illustrated. 10,000 copies.
M. Slizevičius
Director of the Chief Administration
