Our Sunday in Kaunas began slowly—the kind of morning where you linger over coffee and let the day unfold on its own. With Marley leading the way, we wandered through the Old Town, where cobblestone streets twist between pastel buildings and quiet courtyards. Despite the chilly air, the city felt warm and alive. Strings of lights were being hung in preparation for the upcoming Christmas Market, and the sound of distant church bells echoed off the river.

At the edge of the Old Town stood Kaunas Castle, its red-brick walls rising above the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris Rivers. Built in the 14th century to defend against the Teutonic Knights, it’s one of the oldest stone castles in Lithuania. Walking its grounds today, it’s hard to imagine it once stood on the front line of medieval wars—and later, in the 20th century, found itself within reach of major World War II movements.

Kaunas’s modern history also intertwines subtly with the United States. During the interwar period, U.S. diplomats worked here when Kaunas served as Lithuania’s temporary capital. Later, after World War II, Lithuanian refugees—including some from Kaunas—found new beginnings in America, contributing to the Baltic diaspora communities that helped advocate for Lithuania’s eventual independence from the Soviet Union. Standing in the Town Hall Square, surrounded by early Christmas decorations and laughter, it felt humbling to reflect on how connected the world’s stories really are.

As the sun dipped behind the rooftops, the city glowed with its first true hint of holiday spirit. Marley trotted happily beside us, tail wagging through the crisp air, as we ended the evening with a quiet walk along the Nemunas River—a peaceful moment in a place that has seen so much change, yet still feels timeless.

Here is a revised and expanded version of the blog post with Jewish history seamlessly woven in, especially focused on Kaunas (Kovno), which has one of the most significant Jewish histories in the region.

Lithuania: A Country of Resilience, Memory, and Deep Tradition

Lithuania is a country that leaves a deep impression. Beneath the charming streets, river views, and festive markets are centuries of endurance, cultural pride, and layered stories. Our time in Kaunas revealed just how much history lives in the everyday—the monuments, the languages, the traditions, and even the silences.

Lithuania: Europe’s Last Pagan Nation

One of the country’s most striking historical facts is that Lithuania was the last pagan nation in Europe. While the rest of the continent had long converted to Christianity, Lithuania held onto its Baltic pagan beliefs until the late 14th century. This wasn’t due to isolation but strength: the Lithuanian military was powerful enough to push back Crusader armies and preserve sovereignty. Their eventual conversion happened on their own terms—an early example of Lithuania’s long pattern of determining its own identity despite outside pressures.

That same independent spirit threads through every era of Lithuanian history.

Basketball: The National Religion

Today, nothing unites Lithuania quite like basketball. Often called the nation’s “second religion,” basketball is far more than a sport here. Courts are everywhere, national team success is a point of immense pride, and even small towns treat the game with the reverence some countries reserve for football or baseball. The sport became especially symbolic during Soviet times, when Lithuanian players helped dominate the USSR team—proof that Lithuanian talent and identity could not be suppressed.

The Secret Teachers of Language: A Monument of Quiet Defiance

In Kaunas stands a deeply symbolic monument: a woman quietly teaching her son to read. It honors the knygnešiai—the Lithuanian book smugglers who resisted 40 years of Russian oppression, during which the Lithuanian language was banned.

Families pretended to do farm work while secretly teaching their children to read Lithuanian. Books were smuggled across borders under threat of imprisonment or exile. This monument captures the bravery of ordinary people who ensured the language survived. Lithuania’s identity, once again, was protected not by armies but by civilians refusing to forget who they were.

Napoleon’s Army and the River’s Silent Witness

Kaunas was also a key point in Napoleon’s 1812 invasion. Near the riverbanks—where peaceful paths now wind—mass graves of French soldiers were found. The city stood along the route of Napoleon’s push east and catastrophic retreat west. Today, the river seems calm, but it has seen empires rise and fall, armies freeze, and history carve its way across the landscape.

A Deep and Complex Jewish History

Few places in Lithuania carry Jewish history as profoundly as Kaunas. Before World War II, the city—then known globally as Kovno—was home to around 35,000 Jewish residents, about a quarter of the city’s population, and a major center of Jewish religious learning, culture, and political life.

A Center of Culture and Learning

Kaunas hosted yeshivas, newspapers, theaters, and intellectual societies. Jewish life was vibrant, multilingual, and deeply woven into the fabric of the city. Many world-renowned rabbis and scholars studied or taught here, and the city helped shape Jewish culture far beyond Lithuania’s borders.

Sugihara House: The Japanese Diplomat Who Saved Thousands

One of the most powerful places connected to this history is the Sugihara House, the former home of Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese consul in Kaunas in 1940. Against orders, he issued thousands of transit visas to Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. Entire families survived because of his defiance. Today, the house stands as a memorial to courage and humanity during a time of terror.

Kovno Ghetto and the Holocaust

The Jewish community of Kaunas suffered devastating losses after the Nazi invasion. The Kovno Ghetto, established in 1941, became a site of unimaginable tragedy, with tens of thousands murdered during the occupation. Memorials and plaques throughout the city mark places where life once thrived—and where it was brutally extinguished. Visiting these sites is sobering, but it is essential to understanding Lithuania’s full story.

Memory and Revival

Today, Lithuania is working to preserve and honor its Jewish heritage. Restored cemeteries, memorial routes, museums, and cultural initiatives ensure that the memory of Jewish Kaunas is not lost. The city’s Jewish history adds depth and weight to its identity, a reminder of both what was lost and what continues to be remembered.

A Present Shaped by the Past: Lithuania and Ukraine

Lithuania’s open support for Ukraine is visible everywhere—flags, street art, shop signs, even handwritten notes in café windows. For Lithuanians, this conflict isn’t distant. It echoes their own history of repression, occupation, and forced language bans. They remember what life under Russian control meant, and they feel the urgency of standing with those who face the same threat today.

A Touch of Christmas Amid History

Despite its heavy stories, Kaunas also has moments of warmth and celebration. We were lucky to experience a bit of Christmas market cheer, with festive lights, seasonal treats, and cheerful stalls beginning to brighten the city. The contrast between the weight of history and the joy of the present makes Lithuania feel even more alive—resilient, proud, and hopeful.