This was the KBG headquarters and prison. Political prisoners were held--and sometimes executed--here during the Soviet rule.
Something of an Ebenezer? The plaque says "Remember those sacrificed in the Soviet occupation"
On the left, my photograph of where they photographed new detainees. On the right, the communication system for the guard in charge.
Material from underground newspapers produced in the resistance period--essentially, 1944-1953. On the left, a ghoulish Stalin over the skulls of his victims, Lithuania, Latvia, etc. The left side of the right picture is some sort of criticism of both Nazism and Communism. The right hand drawing is Stalin stepping on Lithuania (Lietuva).
The whole experience felt almost familiar--from movies and books like Darkness at Noon, and that made it unpleasant all the more.
The cells were in the basement. There was some sort of execution chamber nearby. The guards kept watch on the outside by means of viewing slots right at ground level (it was kind of secretive and lonely--stuck in the basement looking up at the outside world). There were tiny holding cells (4 detainees would be held for hours in a cell smaller than 2 square yards). We both felt like we couldn't stay in the cell area too very long. In fact, they were closing up while we were down there, so they were turning off the lights. I knew I had to get out before too many lights went out, or I would get nervous.
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice...and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue." I'll let you do what you want with this.
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