By: Fern Sidman

The Lithuanian government, in coordination with the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO), has completed a significant restitution agreement, providing a €7.5 million ($8.75 million) one-time payment to Lithuanian Holocaust survivors and their heirs. The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) reported on Tuesday that the payments were facilitated through the Goodwill Foundation (GWF), marking a substantial milestone in Lithuania’s effort to acknowledge the historical injustices inflicted on its Jewish population during and after World War II.

The agreement was finalized following extensive negotiations involving the WJRO and the Lithuanian government. As detailed in the JNS report, the payments serve as symbolic restitution for private property that was wrongfully seized from Jewish families—property lost first during the Nazi occupation and later through subsequent nationalization efforts.

According to the information provided in the JNS report, the compensation payments, totaling approximately €20,000 ($23,300) per claim, were made possible by a legislative act passed in late 2022. The law effectively replaced Lithuania’s long-expired private property restitution process, opening a new path for claims by Jewish victims and their descendants. While the payments are symbolic and do not equate to the actual value of the properties lost, they represent an important recognition of both historical wrongdoing and the enduring pain experienced by Lithuanian Jews.

Rabbi Andrew Baker, director of international Jewish affairs at the American Jewish Committee and co-chair of the Goodwill Foundation, spoke to the significance of the initiative in remarks reported by JNS. “Each story behind these payments reflects a legacy of loss—and a step toward justice,” Baker stated. He underscored that the restitution agreement highlights the Lithuanian government’s acknowledgment of the losses suffered by its Jewish community.

Gideon Taylor, president of the WJRO, emphasized the broader implications of the agreement. “This is a profoundly important moment of recognition,” Taylor said. “The payments cannot undo the wrongs of the past, but they acknowledge the deep personal losses suffered by Lithuanian Jews and their descendants and help restore a measure of dignity that was stolen.”

Throughout 2024, the Goodwill Foundation worked alongside the Lithuanian government to review historical archives and property registries, with the objective of verifying claims and identifying eligible recipients. This meticulous process extended beyond Lithuania’s borders, with outreach to potential claimants in Israel, North America, and Europe. The international scope of this effort reflects the global diaspora of Lithuanian Jews, most of whom fled or perished during the Holocaust.

The JNS report highlighted the devastating impact of the Holocaust on Lithuania’s Jewish population. Prior to World War II, the country was home to approximately 220,000 Jews. By war’s end, more than 90% had been murdered by Nazi forces and local collaborators. Today, the Jewish community in Lithuania numbers roughly 5,000 individuals, a stark reminder of the catastrophic loss suffered by one of Europe’s historically vibrant Jewish populations.

Beyond the individual restitution payments, the agreement stipulates that an additional €37 million ($43 million) will be allocated over the next seven years to support the ongoing vitality of Jewish communal life in Lithuania. These funds will be administered through the Goodwill Foundation and are intended to strengthen Jewish cultural, religious, and educational institutions in the country. This allocation forms part of a broader commitment by the Lithuanian government to preserve Jewish heritage and promote communal resilience.

The partnership between the WJRO and the Lithuanian government in this endeavor serves as a model for similar restitution efforts worldwide, according to the JNS report. The WJRO, a key organization dedicated to securing restitution for Jewish victims of the Holocaust and their heirs, played a pivotal role in negotiating the agreement and overseeing its implementation.

While the restitution payments are characterized as symbolic, they carry profound meaning for the recipients and for the broader community. They serve as both an acknowledgment of the suffering endured and a tangible step toward justice, even as the passage of time means that many original property owners are no longer alive to witness this recognition.

The JNS report noted that the agreement also reflects Lithuania’s evolving stance on Holocaust memory and historical accountability. By agreeing to the restitution package, the Lithuanian government signals a willingness to confront its past and engage in meaningful dialogue with the Jewish community.

This restitution initiative arrives amid a broader European conversation about Holocaust-era property restitution. While some countries have taken similar steps, others have faced criticism for failing to address the issue adequately. The Lithuanian example, as documented by JNS, may encourage other nations to follow suit, particularly in Eastern Europe, where restitution claims remain a sensitive and often unresolved matter.

The agreement between the WJRO and the Lithuanian government represents a landmark in the ongoing efforts to provide justice and recognition for Holocaust survivors and their families. It calls attention to the enduring importance of historical accountability and the role of international cooperation in addressing the legacies of the Holocaust.