LTMacikų lagerių istorija ir įvairių šaltinių pritaikymo galimybės tampa aktualija. Tai susiję su šios vietos daugiareikšmiškumu ir šio objekto svarba daugelio valstybių istorijoje. Čia kalinti ir mirę belaisviai yra įvairių šalių piliečiai, tad ir jų atminimas yra ne tik Lietuvos, bet ir Jungtinių Amerikos Valstijų, Didžiosios Britanijos, Prancūzijos, Vokietijos, Lenkijos, Rusijos ir kitų valstybių istorinės atminties dalis. Tad 2020 m. Klaipėdos universiteto Baltijos regiono ir archeologijos institutas pradėjo vykdyti Lietuvos mokslo tarybos finansuojamą projektą „Tamsiojo paveldo“ panauda Lietuvos atminimo kultūroje: Macikų lagerių atvejo tyrimas“. Straipsnis yra šio projekto dalis, kuria siekiama atkreipti dėmesį į archeologinių duomenų panaudojimo galimybes tiriant ir vystant tokio pobūdžio memorialus. Reikšminiai žodžiai: Macikai, lageris, archeologija, belaisvių stovykla, Lietuva, Klaipėdos kraštas, memorialas. [Iš leidinio]
ENBased on the concept of landscape archaeology, the article analyses the data of archaeological research in Macikai camps. An overview and critical evaluation of archaeological sources is provided. This allowed to state that only a part of the archaeological research data is reliable and representative in the context of the me morialization of the Macikai camps. The first part of the study analyses the structure of Macikai camps and the data revealing it. It is noted that during Nazi Germany period, the camp was made up of several components: the main camp, the Red Army war prisoners sector, settlement of serving personal, and others. The article questions the established tradition, which is claiming that the existing cemetery was established as early as 1941–1945, as no supporting data were found. Historical data show that prisoners of war were buried in various places, so the systematic burial of the dead in a place set up for that purpose can be considered an element of the Soviet period. The comparative analysis showed the takeover of the camp infrastructure and its adaptation to very similar functions in 1945–1955. Although the boundaries (fences) were changed, most of the buil dings were used to hold captives and prisoners. The buildings of the former Nazi war camp of prisoner were also used for the needs of the Soviet hospital, which was established here. After discussing all this and presenting the data, a coordinated plan was given and proposal formula ted to use the data on the infrastructure in creation of a path for the future memorial visitors.This could create a narrative in the current landscape by indicating where and what buildings or other facilities were. As the study continued, artefacts from archaeological research, their evaluation, and their possible use in creating exhibits or individual stories about the daily life, supply, and life of the prisoners were pre sented. Artefacts such as the buttons of the uniforms of Belgian and Lithuanian armies provide an opportunity to create a story about the fates of different states and their citizens. The exhibition and creation of stories about the multi-ethnicity and the fact that the Macikai camps have become an object of historical memory in many countries must be taken as the goal of future memorial. This make it possible to create an engaging and meaningful historical narrative for this place, which can be reflected or enhanced using arte facts discovered during archaeological research. [From the publication]