The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-02
The Jews in Lithuania.
tBy Konrad Bercovici.)

AS early as 1880, when the Jews
were burned on the auto-da-fe In
Spain and tortured to death In Ger
many. Fytantas, King OF Lithuania,
understood their value and attracted a
considerable number of Jews TO his
country by offering them religious
freedom and security. He enacted
laws Furnishing with death whomso-
ever attacked a jew. injured or
murdered him. Such magnanimity In
those early days. when the. rest of the
world offered but little security and
still less redress to the Jews. was not
disregarded Today Lithuania is
seeking recognition from the world
and the Jews are an intregal part Of
her.
The percentage Of Jews in Kovnc is
today 35 per cent, in wilma Al per
cent and in Suvalka 81 per cent The
Jews constitute II per cent of the
total population in Lithuania, It was
through them that the Lithuanians
transacted their business and they
are to be found in every activity. In
the timber and poultry trade they
have been active for hundreds OF
years.
In wilma and in Kovno are some OF
the most celebrated Talmudical
schools around which the Yiddish
poets have woven a thousand legends
The fact is that nowhere did Jews en-
JOY as much religious freedom as In
! Lithuania
The Lithuanian Jews are reowned
as good Hebrew scholars and consider
themselves superior because they stu
died in Jeshibas' of old traditions. OF
all the Pocroms the Jews have suf-
fered not one could be traced To
Lithuanian origin. Lithuania was a
haven of security. II was in Lithuania
that Yiddish became a language in
which the people expressed themselves
and 1t was there that II was frs,
turned into literary value. As Z mat
| ter of fact. fully two-thrds of the
Yiddish literature. most of the pub.
fishing houses and most OF the Yid.
dish writers were born In Ilthuania
! Compared to Lithuanian Jews. the
Jews OF all other nations are Ham
orazim. ignorants. and the Litvakes
as the Lithuania Jews call themselves
are Unfortunately proud OF their
! birthplace.
There were and there are many
Jews active in the tight for Lithuanian
independence. The Jews OF I4ith.
uania have always appreciated the
liberal spirit OF the I.ithuanians and
they always maintained that they were
Lithuanians and not Russian Jews
The Yiddish papers of this countr,
publish daily letters that reach their
from the warning countries. The tales
of murder and prosecution that are
now taking place in Independent
F., Poland" under the eyes of the must
cianly president are so horrifying one
shudders and clenches his fists read
ing the first words There were pog
roms and incepttons of pograms al.
most everywhere. Men. women and
children are murdered daily. But We
have not yet heard that the Jews IL
], Lithuania suffered with the rest a,
+, the Lithuanian population in thi.
cruel war. The Jews living in the bis
cities OF Lithua MIA were SO well or.
ganized they did not mead half Of tn.
relief that we have sent to other cities
! At the third conference Of Nation
alists which was held in Lausanne II
June. 1915. the Lithuanian delegate
proposed and carried through resolu.
tons guaranteeing to each individual
his language. his religion and politi.
| cal and civil equality. Free -associa.
ton and trattons were recognised u
| rights"
! There are Indications that the new
Lithuanian Republic win continue II
the traditions Of their King vytantAs
and that Wilma. Knovo. Grodho. and
Suvalkt win remain the Calmud1cA.
-oenfoE14 ~ TIA 00E1A