Presentation of the book “#fainiausia pasauly můutė”

The presentation of the book “#fainiausia pasauly grandma: granddaughter asks about wars and conscience” by LRT journalist Živilė Kropaitė-Basiulė was held in Birštonas Kurhaus. The evening was professionally hosted by LRT journalist Ž. Kropaitė-Basiulė and Aistė Plaipaitė, who performed her own songs, together with Živile sang Ukrainian, partisan songs.
The story of the tense plot about the most painful years of the life of the partisan liaison and political prisoner Ona Butrimaitė-Laurinienė – partisanship and the camp – also included the context of the war with Ukraine. Feeling the determination, strength, patriotism of the Lithuanian partisans, the humanism of a more than 90-year-old exile and political prisoner, the sober approach to social events, I can’t help but compare it with Ukrainian patriotism, love for the Motherland, and the strength of their spirit. In the video, Živile’s grandmother sang a short Ukrainian song that she had learned while in exile.
Ona Butrimaitė-Laurinienė’s family history was told by her granddaughter Ž., who grew up in independent Lithuania. Kropaitė-Basiulė presented an archive of photos shown on slides: a grandmother with her youngest brother, a partisan Stasiuk, who wears a jacket she sewed, a partisan company, the moment of meeting her mother in the camp, the famous sewing machine, now given to the museum, a wedding photo in exile. Živilė enlivened the reasoning about her grandmother’s experiences and aptly illustrated them with quotes: in a beautiful Aukštai language, she recounted the old woman’s remarks, comments, and attitude towards political and social events. The journalist publishes them on the Facebook account #fainiausiapasauly močiutė. O. Laurinienė’s humor and wisdom are really fascinating.
In the book “#fainiausia pasauly můutė: granddaughter asks about wars and conscience” Ž. Kropaitė-Basiulė put together posts from her Facebook account, her grandmother’s memoirs about partisan war, interrogations, camps, exile. O. Laurinienė’s story correlates with current events, it is aimed at a younger audience, students who have not experienced the horrors of war, it is spoken in a language they understand about complex and painful events.
In the evening, journalist Aistė Plaipaitė remembered the story of her grandfather Pranas Plaipa. Mr. Plaipa was convicted for writing and distributing anti-Soviet appeals and was sent to prison in Inta. Grandfather’s memory is also alive. The journalists suggested that the listeners write down the stories of their parents, grandparents, and ancestors while there are still those who remember them, while the witnesses are still alive.
The event was full of memories, reflections on how to survive, how to preserve humanity in borderline situations, how not to betray yourself and the Motherland, how not to break down, maintain balance, straighten up. The spirit of patriotism, love, sincerity and loyalty to one’s ideals breathed a wonderful meeting.
Birštonas public library information