On both sides of the Lithuanian-Russian border, the people want to discover their identity. Since the EU country of Lithuania moved in the direction of the West, it is increasingly difficult to find a common language.
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“Lithuanians and Russians are becoming less and less”
“We have over relatives in Lithuania, but rarely. Why should we, anyway?” asks a woman of mid 40’s, born in Kaliningrad (Königsberg) and grew up in. “We have very different mentalities.”
If you are talking with people from the town of Sovetsk in Kaliningrad, an exclave of the Russian Federation, under, you will quickly notice: much prejudice from the time of communism are still there.
“The Lithuanians don’t like us. Because of the war, because of the Soviet Union. We are here for you, the occupiers,” complains an elderly man from the town of Sovetsk. “As a Russian, you don’t feel comfortable.”
Lithuania as a transit country
A Russian businessman who travels often to Russia via Lithuania, praises tracks, the good car and the culinary offer of the Lithuanian pubs. The food was especially important, because you have to get in Russia because of the EU sanctions do not always have good European food.
Also, you can fly from the airport in the Lithuanian city of Kaunas to Norway, the UK or Israel. “It’s good that there is the limit here. Two steps and you’re already in Europe,” says the 40-Year-old. But for him, a “transit country was Lithuania easy,” and more.
Lithuania starts only a few Hundred metres further on, on the other Bank of the Memel. By car or by foot it is about 100 years old, the Queen Louise bridge. There is little traffic at this border crossing between Lithuania and Russia, only a few cars waiting usually. For a pedestrian, the control takes just a few minutes. However, for both sides, you need a visa – this is an obstacle.
Expensive Visa, and fear of Russian tanks
“I’d like to go back to the Russian side, but the visa costs almost 100 euros, which I can’t afford that,” says a Lithuanian dealer on the market of Taurage (German: Tauroggen), a circular city which is 30 kilometers away from the border. There they are sold over-the-counter drugs and natural remedies from Königsberg at reasonable prices. She finds it a pity that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the border was only for a short time, under the Russian President, Boris Yeltsin. A small border traffic, thus easing the Visa regime for the inhabitants of the border region, would be from their point of view, not bad.
“I hate the Russians. No, sorry, ‘hate’ is maybe too strong a word… “, says Gintautas Petrauskas, a hotel owner from the Lithuanian border town of Pagegiai (German: Pagėgiai). “I don’t mean the Russians as a people, but the Russian imperialism, this mentality. Russian tanks or soldiers – and we don’t want to have again. Well, we are in NATO. Russia is not afraid of a NATO country to attack.” Sometimes he had to bite his tongue not to say in front of his Russian clients nothing Critical about the policy of Moscow.
The rediscovery of the history
So it is with Ilona Meiere from the tourism centre in Pagėgiai. “In television, you sometimes hear enemy sounds of Moscow against other countries. If I’m standing in front of a group of tourists, there is a Dilemma: Should I conduct myself Patriotic, and something Critical to say? Or prefer to remain silent?”
Ilona Meiere: in the past, the teaching of history was a phony
Ilona’s Hobby is the history, she is always happy when she “discovered white spots”, which in Soviet times was not to be discussed. “In school, there used to be only a lying story. For example, you spoke a lot about the fact that this Region belonged to Prussia, and that the local Germans were forced to flee.” Together with several activists Ilona was that the high school from your town is named after the there-born German writer Johannes Bobrowski.
About 30 kilometres further on, in the direction of Taurage, reminiscent of a monument to the armistice of 1812, between Russia and Prussia. Everything that had to do with Prussia, not fit but to the Soviet Propaganda, therefore, the earlier monument in 1945, was demolished. Thanks to several business people from Taurage it was rebuilt. Who knows the true history of his Region, can identify much better with his residence, is their Motto.
Lithuania’s major Problem: the emigration
To bind his countrymen to the Region, is for the businessman Sigitas Miciulis a matter of the heart. For four years he was the mayor of Taurage, today, he runs a company in the energy sector. Together with his successor, Dovydas Kaminskas, he tried in the framework of the project “global Taurage”, to lure emigrants back home.
Mayor Dovydas Kaminskas hopes that many Lithuanians returning to their homeland
“During the economic crisis of 2008, many people have lost their Jobs and have emigrated. That was understandable, because they wanted to do for their families the Best. But now our economy gets back in gear, and you would have to return,” says Dovydas Kaminskas.
Taurage has to offer to the returnees, more and more. Using EU funds, the “Taurage Industry Park grows up”, where many Western companies have local branches. There wages are paid of around 1,300 euros per month, higher than the Lithuanian average. 20 kilometres further West, one of the largest wind parks in the Baltic States is created.
Lithuania owes its economic development of the EU, tried, the Lithuanian EP candidates before the European elections again and again. However, in the Lithuanian-Russian border area, this election campaign was not a big issue. In the Lithuanian province of any events on the country’s EU accession on 1 reminded. May 2004. The EU has become to everyday life.
From the point of view of the businessman Sigitas Miciulis the accession to the European Union is “the Best thing that happened to Lithuania in its modern history”. He emphasized the Western orientation of his compatriots and is a great supporter of the EU. However, there is a shadow side – the emigration: “In Lithuania, only about 3 million inhabitants have remained.” (Editor’s note. d. Red.: according to the world Bank, Lithuania in 2004 had the EU, in the year of his accession, 3.4 million inhabitants.) The project global Taurage is in contact with the emigrants and their families to maintain. “When our emigrants, their offspring don’t come back, then maybe,” hopes Miciulis.
The Lithuanian businessman Sigitas Miciulis not think much of the politics of Moscow
During the conversation about the Emigration of his countrymen, the Lithuanian entrepreneur makes no secret of the fact, what he thinks of the Russian leadership: “The Kremlin would like to see, that Lithuania should not perish, but we will not do,” he says. He winks, but his voice sounds serious.
Similar goals, very little contact
On the other side of the Neman river, the Russian activist Rif Mukhitov has similar desires as the Lithuanian businessman Sigitas Miciulis. He also wants the residents of its city feel in your home well. “We have enough rich people, nevertheless, the city will be forfeited. I was born here, it hurts me when I see it. The people who come to Power, forget their roots,” he says in a DW interview.
The 60-Year-old is involved in a citizens ‘ initiative, which is committed for the renovation of the old Bank and the memory. Many of the old half-timbered houses are no longer inhabited, the Windows have no panes or layers of wooden planks wasted. The citizens ‘ initiative calls on the city renovation and implements projects. At the same time, you want to watch the officials more precisely on the Finger.
Rif Mukhitov: “The people know not of what “home ” means”
“Money is not the Problem, money is. But the people who grew up in the Soviet Union, no longer know what is the meaning of home”, said Rif Mukhitov.
He definitely would have many common topics of conversation with the Lithuanians on the other side of the Memel. But as long as expensive visas are needed, it’s not so easy to go over the bridge and the neighbours that lived in the Soviet Union, such as in a forced marriage to become re-acquainted.