The 1990s: The Return of Historical Memory and the First International Festival of Jewish Art Music in Vilnius

In 2020, Lithuania marked the 30th anniversary of restoration of Independence. This anniversary inspired to look back to the first significant steps taken in the 1990-ties in the return of cultural memory, which was lost due to the Nazi and Soviet occupational regimes. As the political circumstances started changing, one of such steps was the return to the awareness of multicultural history of Lithuania. Eye opening then was evolving discovery of remnants of rich pre-war Jewish cultural heritage, which contributed to multifaced connections with different countries in the world.

The paper deals with the first significant events held in Lithuanian cultural life in 1987-1992 (the first official exhibition of Lithuanian Jewish art held in 1988, the state Jewish museum reopened in 1989, etc.); among them was the first cultural cooperation between Lithuania and Israel which was initiated not by politicians but by musicians in 1989, and gave stimulus to the birth of the 1st International Festival of Jewish Art Music, held in Vilnius in 1992. The influence of these first cultural events to the further revival of Lithuanian-Jewish culture will be discussed as well.