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We live in an age of scepticism, of free, critical thinking, and global thinking. In Lithuania, however, the intellectual leadership laments Euro-collaboration and indoctrination under the banner of globalisation. It preaches intolerance towards minorities and entrenches itself behind a wall of xenophobia and ostensible national pride. Poles, Jews, Russians, and, of late, the United States are considered enemy forces. This attitude is also a legacy of the Soviet era, when people were inoculated with a primitive mentality that included xenophobia and hatred of "cosmopolitans.". Adapted from the source document.

Der Autor schildert seine persönlichen Eindrücke und Lebenserfahrungen als Litauer im Umgang mit dem Kaliningrader Gebiet, das in der Vergangenheit ein Grenzgebiet zu Litauen und von zahlreichen Umsiedlern bevölkert war. Er möchte mit seinen Ausführungen einige alte und neue Mythen zerstreuen, die im Laufe der Zeit auf beiden Seiten der Grenze zwischen Kaliningrad und Litauen entstanden sind, und am Beispiel der geschichtlichen und territorialen Entwicklungen zeigen, dass dieses Grenzgebiet heute als "Vorhof Europas" bezeichnet werden kann. (ICI)

Reflections are shared on the relationship between a country's independence, democracy, & nationalism, with special reference to Lithuania, first among the Baltic states to declare its independence through a parliamentary resolution issued 11 Mar 1990, known today as the Act on the Reestablishment of the State of Lithuania. The importance of culture & language to ethnic identity & the respect of human rights to a state's legitimacy is stressed. It is observed that unlike other former Soviet republics, Lithuania dealt successfully with the dangers of nationalism & chauvinism, which are always the largest obstacles to successful democracy building. Z. Dubiel