Memory Office: B. and B. Gomberg
In 1953, when the regime in Lithuania became more liberal, self-expression of local and Jewish people became possible - art collectives and ensembles began to emerge. About 1970, when the emigration wave broke, a large part of them discontinued and artists had emigrated. However, the break was short and already in 1975, new Kaunas Jewish Art collectives were officially commenced. Batya and Boris Gomberg share their memories. A couple, who is already counting 43 years together, did belong to and managed a vocal ensemble in Kaunas. Boris was born in Vilnius, when his parents had moved from Ukraine. Later, in December 1954, all of them moved to Kaunas, and after his father had left for the army, the family remained in the city. Boris's wife, Batya, boldly calls herself kaunasian - she grew up, studied and later had been working with an ensemble in Kaunas.
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“The collective was a great moral satisfaction, we were able to consolidate our national needs. We didn't know how to speak Yiddish, but it was easier to express that language through the song...”
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“I remember we were so nervous before our first concert of having a 2-hour program. We had songs prepared for the first hour, and for the second hour – we‘ve invited a band from Vilnius Drama Theater, which had made an art performance. After performances we‘ve made a group photo and, as one must to, we went to celebrate in the restaurant, Youth Café, that still existed back then.”
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“Although Kaunas became more liberal after 1975, singing Hebrew songs was still forbidden, so we had to rewrite it into Yiddish. Usually, nobody would check the repertoire. We had friends who would send popular recordings of the Israeli singer Ofra Haza (Bat-Sheva Ofra Haza-Ashkenazi). Repertoire would be required to contain one song in Lithuanian, one in Russian, well, and something about the party or a similar context... I remember, the editor of Kaunas District newspaper would constantly compel us, saying that we are lacking patriotic songs... But we wanted to make singing enjoyable, so I can say – we had never sung about Lenin.”
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“Main language in the collective was Lithuanian language - we called ourselves Lithuanians, we spoke Lithuanian, and if we would go to Vilnius – others would even get angry with us, since we would always speak Lithuanian. Later, a group of male dancers had joined the collective, they came from Kiev. At that time, only about five percent of university students in Ukraine could be Jews, whilst in Kaunas it was different. That was one of the reasons why Kaunas was so multicultural.”
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“Kaunas had always remained a very specific city for us. The collective was a part of the Trade Union Culture House, we would rehearse there, and they would help with the funding of posters, costumes, tickets, rentals... We would also contribute with money from the concerts, but it wasn't enough... We would rehearse all year round, twice a week: Saturday or Sunday and, if I remember well, on Wednesdays... Well, and the concerts would only happen in the summertime, we would go to Kaunas, Vilnius, Palanga and Druskininkai, we had a concert in Kražiai, Birštonas. When we have started going to Palanga – we would spend the night there as well, on the mattresses in the school halls. After the concert – everyone would go for a walk in Palanga, by the sea... We wanted to cover as many Lithuanian cities as possible.”
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“Many Jews, friends, family members would come to watch us perform, but not only them. We would hang the posters in the city and invited each other. Our biggest concerts would be in Palanga and especially in Druskininkai. There, Jews from Moscow, Leningrad would gather. They didn‘t have no such collectives... We‘ve tried to go to Minsk for a concert, even a commission was convened... We‘ve introduced a Belarusian song... But ultimately, nobody would ever let us go...”
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“I sang for a really long time... When both daughters were born, I‘ve decided – it was enough. I became an administrator of the ensemble. Later, when funding was interrupted, we‘ve realized that we are no longer able to do it. We felt the end was near... Our collective began to break down when the borders began to open - artists started leaving. In 1989 we had our last concert...”
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"We have remained best friends. We try to meet up at least twice a year, somewhere in the nature, in the woods... We talk, grill meat, watch the aging processes. Even our children have remained friends. Both daughters speak Lithuanian, although, with an accent, but they would manage it in Lithuania. Both love music, even nowadays don't miss a chance to visit concerts in Kaunas."
Date of the interview: 2018-06-15