Budrys: the post war Wolf Children story is today being repeated by aggressor Russia in Ukraine
On 20 January, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys opened the exhibition "German 'Wolf Children': The Forgotten History of World War II", which features the history of orphaned German children, who were left in East Prussia after World War II, experienced violence by the Soviet army, and later found refuge in Lithuania.
"Children from East Prussia are victims of the brutality of the Soviet army. By telling the world about the experiences of 'wolf children', we not only perpetuate historical memory, but also open our eyes to the scale of Soviet war crimes and the cost of impunity. Today we see that the perpetrator, who escaped accountability at the time, is now continuing violence against the Ukrainian children," Budrys said.
The dialogue between Lithuania and Germany on the subject of 'wolf children' was established thanks to Wolfgang von Stetten, the Honorary Consul of Lithuania in Germany. The Consul brought to light the long-forgotten stories and experiences of these people.
By supporting 'wolf children' living in Germany and Lithuania and their organizations, archival and commemorative projects, von Stetten made a significant contribution to the legal and political visibility of 'wolf children'. In 2021, he published the book “Wolfskinder - Glücksmomente. 30 Jahre deutsch-litauische Begegnung "(“Wolf children - moments of happiness. 30 years of German–Lithuanian meetings").
The Seimas of Lithuania designated 14 September as Wolf Children Remembrance Day, marking the first gathering of 'wolf children' in Klaipėda in 1991. The date is now officially recognized as a memorable day and marked annually.
The story of 'wolf children' is also documented in Alvydas Šlepikas's novel "Mano vardas – Marytė" ("In the Shadow of Wolves"), which has been translated into eleven foreign languages. The exhibition was prepared by the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania and toured German cities and European Union institutions.
The exhibition "German 'Wolf Children': The Forgotten History of World War II" showcases personal belongings, original photographs, and documents of ‘wolf children’. The exhibition was prepared by the historian Rūta Matimaitytė, Director of the non–governmental organization “Memory Bridges” and the artist Saulius Valius.
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