The construction of Germany’s first permanent military base outside its borders since World War II is raising concerns over the future of historic bunkers in Lithuania where hundreds of Jews who escaped the Vilna Ghetto hid while fighting the Nazis.

The bunkers, located in Lithuania’s Rūdninkai Forest, were used by approximately 400 Jewish partisans and are described as the country’s only memorial site dedicated specifically to Jewish resistance during the Holocaust.

Concerns have increased as construction moves forward on a base for Germany’s 45th Armored Brigade. Signs warning of a dangerous military area and prohibiting entry have begun appearing in the forest, making access increasingly difficult for descendants of the Jewish partisans who travel there to visit the historic site.

Germany has said it is committed to preserving the former partisan camp as a place of remembrance and education, stressing that the bunkers are not part of the military training facilities. Berlin, however, says responsibility for managing the site and determining public access rests with Lithuanian authorities.

Lithuania’s Culture Ministry, meanwhile, says the bunkers do not qualify for protected cultural-heritage status because they are not considered authentic structures. According to the ministry, the bunkers were reconstructed during the Soviet era and were associated with Soviet propaganda.

Researchers argue that the position reflects a broader Lithuanian historical narrative that places greater emphasis on Soviet repression and makes recognition of the legacy of Jewish partisans more difficult.

Lithuanian officials say visits to the site will eventually be permitted, but visitors will be required to follow military regulations and receive advance approval from the training-area command. Authorities also plan to install a new informational sign near the site.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)