“To the Jewish museum that conserves both masterpieces and modest works like these novellas and plays that claim nothing else but remembrance. And yet, remembrance and memory are two absolutely different things.” 15/05/1993
To the Jewish museum. This is one of the first Jewish trilogies in the former Soviet Union, where even a candle lit by a Jew was seen to be a big fire... 15/05/1993
Žvakės vėjyje by Grigorijus Kanovičius. Trilogy. Second edition. Translated from Russian into Lithuanian by Feliksas Vaitiekūnas. Vilnius, 1989
To the Jewish museum
I hope that the name of the person who translated the works by this author (and others) will be remembered by both Jews and non-Jews. I thank him for the enormous endeavour and love for our nation. 15/05/1993
Ir nėra vergams rojaus by Grigorijus Kanovičius. Novel. Vilnius, 1989 (in Russian)
To the Jewish museum that will never become a slave harbour. I would like to believe in that. We have never been a nation of slaves, although there were numerous tries to turn us into slaves or at least to see us as slaves. 15/05/1993
Tegul išeina by Grigorijus Kanovičius. Three-part play. Translated from Russian into Lithuanian by Feliksas Vaitiekūnas. Vilnius, 1965
To the Jewish museum
The temptation to interpret the title is so strong. For so many years we, the Jews, have been told, “Go away”, that even now the same words tend to linger here and there. What concerns Lithuania, soon there will be no-one to address these words to. 17/05/1993
Apelsinų giraitė by Grigorijus Kanovičius and Isaakas Fridbergas. Novellas. Vilnius, 1980 (in Russian)
To the Jewish museum
Some time ago I was writing plays according to various scenarios and together with various co-authors, until I realised that the best co-author is your own nation to which we owe both grief without which sensitive works cannot be brought to life, and happiness that a Jew has no right to flaunt. 07/05/1993
Ir nėra vergams rojaus by Grigorijus Kanovičius. Translated from Russian into German by Waltraud Ahrndto. Berlin, 1987
To the Jewish museum
If back in 1941, on the way from Jonava to the Kazakhstan steppe, someone would have told me that many years later my words will be translated into German, I would have called that prophet insane, to say the least. It is great to see insanity become a reality. Creative work is the insanity that reconciles even the worst enemies. 15/05/1993
Kvailių ašaros ir maldos by Grigorijus Kanovičius. Novel. Translated from Russian into German by Waltrand Ahrndto. Berlin, 1985
To the Jewish museum
I remember the world depicted on the cover, the sagged shags, the poor Jewish horses, those poor jesters, and the sky that was the only great gift to the sons and daughters of Israel in the diaspora. 15/05/1993
Paukščiai virš kapinių by Grigorijus Kanovičius. Novel. Vilnius, 1974 (in Russian)
To the Jewish museum
It was so long ago that I have even forgotten who I. S. Itkaksonas was, despite the fact that I wrote a dedication to him on the other side of the page. However, I have not forgotten the cemetery nor the birds soaring above it. It might be that I. S. Itkaksonas has already turned into a bird and is now soaring above the cemetery or the six million of our compatriots. Some day we will all soar above them, too. Nobody will take away the cemetery from us. Or maybe I am being too optimistic? 02/07/1993
Dukart du by Grigorijus Kanovičius. Translated from Russian into Lithuanian by F.Vaitiekūnas. Vilnius, 1962
To the Jewish museum
There was a time when I was convinced that two times two is four and I liked this mathematical addition. Now it’s time to revisit the memory. I hope that when summing up my creative life someone will add a line to the stone that survived in the barn in Jonava – my hometown – rather than delete it. 17/05/1993
Asmeninis gyvenimas by Grigorijus Kanovičius. Novella. Vilnius, 1967 (in Russian)
To the Jewish museum
Unlike my own personal life, the personal life that makes the title of the book must be connected with the biggest defeats in my life. But the writer cannon distance himself from anything. Realising your own defeats brings the victory ever closer. 17/05/1993
Palaimink ir lapus, ir ugnį by Grigorijus Kanovičius. Vilnius, 1997 (in Russian)
To the Jewish museum
Some books remind you of the life you lived when creating certain characters rather than the life of the characters as such. Some books serve as a life jacket for the author. The moment you reach the bottom, the first line appears in your mind and suddenly your head is above the waterline and you rush to bless the leaves and the fire. 17/05/1993
Palaimink ir lapus, ir ugnį by Grigorijus Translated from Russian into Lithuanian by Feliksas Vaitiekūnas. Vilnius, 1980
To the Jewish museum
Some leaves will stay on the tree and in some cases lighting will never fade away. The leaves of hope stay green forever, even if bit by the worm of doubt and despair. There is always an eternal fire to light a straw and pass it over to others to make the darkness lighter. 17/05/1993
Paukščiai virš kapinių by Grigorijus Kanovičius. Novel. Vilnius, 1974 (in Russian)
To the Jewish museum
It was so long ago that I have even forgotten who I. S. Itkaksonas was, despite the fact that I wrote a dedication to him on the other side of the page. However, I have not forgotten the cemetery nor the birds soaring above it. It might be that I. S. Itkaksonas has already turned into a bird and is now soaring above the cemetery or the six million of our compatriots. Some day we will all soar above them, too. Nobody will take away the cemetery from us. Or maybe I am being too optimistic? 02/07/1993