International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania
It was created by the Decree of September 7th, 1998 by the President of Lithuania with the purpose of addressing, researching and evaluating the crimes committed by the Nazi and Communist regimes, which is performed in compliance with accepted international standards. Two respective sub-commission were created to examine Nazi and Communist regimes.
The strategic goals of the Commission include: research, calculation of moral and material damage and dissemination of findings. Within its research activities the Commission focuses on streamlining and disclosing documentation, conducting historical and archival research as well as publishing and cataloguing of series of articles, reports and documents devoted to the topics of interest. Another major responsibility is to calculate moral, economic and physical damages from the two occupation periods. Finally, organising seminars, conferences and preparing educational materials are the main tasks as far as education and dissemination of findings are concerned. The dissemination of the work occurs via the mass media, including the Internet, as well as through co-operation with national and international partners.
Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania
The Institute of National Remembrance co-operates also with the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania based in Vilnius. The Centre accumulates, streamlines and disseminates evidence and documentation of the crimes committed as a result of the imposition of totalitarian occupation regimes by the Nazis and Soviets. It is the responsibility of the Centre to establish the perpetrators of the crimes, preserve and disclose archival documentation, publish scientific materials and organise, as well as to participate in, international conferences devoted to the issues of totalitarian regimes and crimes.
During an official visit of the IPN President in Vilnius, on October 21st and 22nd, 2000, Prof. Leon Kieres met Director General of the Centre. Since then both institutes have been maintaining working contacts and approaching the stage of signing a co-operation agreement.
On September 12th and 13th, 2002, the First International Conference in the series Polish-Lithuanian Relations 1939-1989 Resistance against the Totalitarian Systems in the Vilnius Region during the II World War was organised in the headquarters of the Institute of National Remembrance in Warsaw. The conference was co-organized by the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania.
The conference initiated Polish-Lithuanian historical co-operation, based on a bilateral co-operation agreement between the Institute of National Remembrance and the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania. The co-operation's goal is to launch a discussion concerning vital historical issues of concern to both Poland and Lithuania. The co-operation will allow both sides to get to know the archival resources of its partner, to create a common bibliography as well as to exchange historical knowledge.
