"Pogromas" Leipalingyje 1939 m. birželį

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: ,,Pogromas"; Laikraštis ,,Lietuvos ūkininkas"; Leipalingis; Lietuviai; Lietuvių ir žydų santykiai; Pogromas; Tarpukario Lietuva; 20 amžius; Žydai; 'Pogrom"; Interwar Lithuania; Jews; Leipalingis; Lithuanians; Lithuanians and Jews relationships; Newspaper 'Lithuanian Farmer'; Pogrom; The 20th century.

ENOn June 22,1939 the newspaper "Lietuvos ūkininkas" (Lithuanian Farmer) published the following information, entitled The Incident in Leipalingis: On June 18, there was a big indulgence feast in Leipalingis. 3,000 people took part in it. About 3 o'clock Pranas Pilvelis, a 28 years old farmer from Vainiūnai village (Seirijai district), went to the shop of Jew Kravec Perec. The two men started the dispute and the shopkeeper together with his son wanted to push out the uninvited guest from the shop. Pranas Pilvelis did not want to give up, and this triggered a struggle. During the struggles Pranas Pilvelis broke a window and hurt his hand. He left the shop and went out into the street. He was going around, showing his bleeding hand and shouting that Jews wanted to kill him. The people responded by breaking windows in several Jewish homes and causing damages. The police immediately took measures to supress riots. Nobody was hurt except Pranas Pilvelis. The event is interrogated. The incident received a wide response.The investigation was carried out by the police as well as by the State Security Department. The most active participants of the incident were found and the governor of Seinai County ordered to impose administrative fines on 39 people issuing the Order No 165 on July 8,1939. The incident was presented by the national newspaper "Lietuvos aidas" (The Echo of Lithuania) in the article "Tolerance and Exaggerated Sensitivity" and described as the local problem. The Jews were encouraged to differentiate the government's policy from the activities of scoundrel and to devote themselves to the common creative work for the country. It has been 80 years since those days; however, the incident has not been forgotten. It constantly appears in works of historians who analyse the relationships of Lithuanians and Jews in the 20th century. The elderly people of Leipalingis remember the event as well. The historians who investigate the incident give it more colour, value and weight, calling it simply "pogrom". [From the publication]