INVITATION TO THE INAUGURATION OF LITHUANIAN PARTISAN MEMORIAL IN KRYŽKALNIS
At the request of the visitors of our website www.partizanumemorialas.lt we provide insights from scientists and ethologists about the meaning of the Memorial Obelisk for the Lithuanian Partisans – the Lithuanian sword being embedded, and the unique traditions of honouring the Aistian (ancient Lithuanian) warriors – the graves being marked with vertically embedded arms: axes, spears and swords.
Archeologists DR. VYTAUTAS KAZAKEVIČIUS and DR. ARVYDAS MALONAITIS
We present the summary of the article by the researchers and archaeologists Dr. A. Malonaitis and Dr. V. Kazakevičius on the significance of guns vertically thrust into graves and cenotaphs:
‘Vertically thrust weapons: axes, spears and swords are associated with magic. It was thought that stabbing weapons were the most powerful, combining the two magical properties – metal and sharpness. When stabbing, their magical function is greatly enhanced as it pierces an enemy or an evil spirit.
The sword, vertically thrust onto the mound, has several more meanings: it marks a symbolic burial ground for the soldiers, honours those soldiers and commanders who showed extraordinary courage, and protects spirits of the dead. It is likely that a thrust weapon represents a soldier who has died or gone missing abroad.’
Thus, vertically mounted weapons were used to mark the symbolic burials of soldiers, to honour their memory and to protect their spirits from evil.
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Vertically stuck swords in the Lithuanian Iron Age monuments’ <—- link
Ethnologist, administrator or ‘Alkas’ website JONAS VAIŠKŪNAS
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Professor, ethnologist LIBERTAS KLIMKA
‘A sword stuck into a hill is as if protecting of the Motherland. By the way, it reminds also the Cross… The sword is stuck after the victorious battle into the sacred soil of Motherland, to clean the abominable designs of the enemy!’
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Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis attended the ceremony of launching a symbolic capsule marking the beginning of the construction of a national memorial – a monument to all fallen Lithuanian partisans – in Kryžkalnis. According to the prime minister, the partinsans showed the world the true face of the Soviet totalitarian regime. Their sacrifice, like no other, should remind us all, and especially the younger generation, that nobody has ever given or will ever give the freedom of the nation, it is up to us to fight for it and to protect it constantly …
Read more: link to the issue
Other portals about the matter (in Lithuanian) :
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