Memory Office: G. Goldfarb

Guy Goldfarb from Izrael shares his impressions about his first visit to Kaunas - a city where his family once lived. Some of them - like his mum Bella - missed this place so much that recently came back and settled down here again.

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“I can say about myself that I am a proud Litvak.”

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“I grew up on Lithuanian tradition. On the stories about Lithuania, about Kaunas. “

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“My grandmother used to sing me songs in Lithuanian. She told me a little bit about what they went through before the war, during the war and after it. She didn’t talk too much about it. They wanted to forget what happened. It’s missing in my heritage puzzle. I wanted to know about that, but I didn’t want to look too much into the past. Like my mother, I believe – you have to learn from the past, but you have to look to the future.”

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“When I grew up, I absorbed a lot of Lithuanian culture. When I was a child, I was asked where are my parents from. I told them that they are from Lithuania. They said “No, there is not Lithuania, it’s Soviet Union”. I said “No no, you have to be precise, they are from Lithuania”. I was very proud – I still am – and I hope I will pass this pride to my daughters.”

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“My grandfather loved Smetona the president. When I was a child, we made a quiz – a country and a president – and I asked him who was the president of Lithuania, and he said – Smetona even though soviets where here.”

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“When I came here, I did not expect to see classical Europe city, I thought it will be more modern. I was fascinated.”

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Date of the interview 2018-07-23