LITHUANIA: LITHUANIAN LEADERS GATHER AT THE VILNIUS ANTAKALNIS CEMETERY TO COMMEMORATE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WWII
Record ID:
648337
LITHUANIA: LITHUANIAN LEADERS GATHER AT THE VILNIUS ANTAKALNIS CEMETERY TO COMMEMORATE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WWII
- Title: LITHUANIA: LITHUANIAN LEADERS GATHER AT THE VILNIUS ANTAKALNIS CEMETERY TO COMMEMORATE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WWII
- Date: 8th May 2005
- Summary: (EU) VILNIUS, LITHUANIA (MAY 8, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. GV: VILNIUS CITY 0.05 2. WS: SOVIET WAR MEMORIAL IN VILNIUS ANTAKALNIS CEMETERY 0.11 3. CU: FIRE ON ALTAR 0.16 4. LITHUANIAN SOLDIERS IN FRONT OF MEMORIAL 0.21 5. GROUP OF WWII VETERANS SHAKING HANDS 0.26 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MARIJA MASHEROVA, 80-YEAR OLD VETERAN, SAYING: "It is a big holiday for us, like a birthday. We are happy, because we survived." 0.38 7. CU: MASHEROVA WEARING MEDALS 0.43 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Lithuanian) ANATOLIJUS BUCILINAS, 87-YEAR OLD VETERAN, SAYING: "This Victory Day for all peoples is a remarkable event, because the biggest enemies of Hitler and Nazism were beaten." 1.00 9. LITHUANIAN SOLDIERS WITH FLOWERS 1.05 10. SOLDIERS WITH POLITICIANS APPROACHING 1.11 11. VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS LAYING WREATH (2 SHOTS) 1.23 12. LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT VALDAS ADAMKUS APPROACHING AND TOUCHING WREATH (2 SHOTS) 1.42 13. CLOSE-UP OF WREATH 1.46 14. CU: ADAMKUS BOWING HEAD 1.53 15. PEOPLE LAYING FLOWERS AT MEMORIAL 2.05 16. ADAMKUS (RIGHT OF SCREEN) AND PRIME MINISTER ALGIRDAS BRAZAUSKAS WATCHING 2.11 17. VETERANS LAYING FLOWERS AT MEMORIAL 2.20 18. CU: FIRE ON ALTAR WITH FLOWERS 2.26 19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT VALDAS ADAMKUS, SAYING: "I believe it's extremely meaningful today that the entire nation is together honouring the people who lost their lives. Those brave people through out the world and the respect which has been shown to all nationalities indicates that we united in one way." 2.47 20. SCU: FLOWERS AND WREATHS 2.51 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 23rd May 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VILNIUS, LITHUANIA
- Country: Lithuania
- Reuters ID: LVA96YZ9LYZ11LLUYTV158C8UOU5
- Story Text: Lithuanian President, Valdas Adamkus attends wreath
laying ceremony at Soviet War Memorial during WWII
anniversary.
Lithuanian leaders gathered at the Vilnius Antakalnis
cemetery on Sunday (May 8) to commemorate the
60th anniversary of the end of WWII.
Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, and Prime Minister
Algirdas Brazauskas joined veterans in laying wreaths and
flowers at the Soviet War Memorial at the cemetery.
80-year old veteran, Marija Masherova, said it was a
special day.
"It is a big holiday for us, like a birthday. We are
happy, because we survived," she said.
"This Victory Day for all peoples is a remarkable
event, because the biggest enemies of Hitler and Nazism
were beaten," said 87-year old Anatolijus Bucilinas.
"I believe it's extremely meaningful today that the
entire nation is together honouring the people who lost
their lives. Those brave people through out the world and
the respect which has been shown to all nationalities
indicates that we united in one way," said Adamkus.
While the major celebrations for the anniversary will
take place in Moscow on Monday (May 9), Adamkus has joined
the Estonian president, Arnold Ruutel, in refusing to
attend. After the war, the Baltics were occupied by Soviet
troops and ruled by puppet governments. Hundreds of
thousands of Baltic citizens were deported to slave labour
camps.
For Western Europe, the end of WW II meant liberation.
The war however brought about the Soviet occupation of
central and eastern Europe, with Estonia, Latvia, and
Lithuania being faced with annexation and the forceful
establishment of communism.
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