Karolina Bukovskytė (National Museum of Lithuania, Lithuanian Culture Research Institute)
During the Soviet occupation, the regime established numerous institutions as the tools to control the narrative about religion and its practice. Their impact went beyond the immediate suppression of beliefs by positioning it as an irrational and regressive force through exhibits, displays, and informational materials, forming a non-religious comradeship and therefore, abandoning the function of an institution of memory and assuming the role of an authority for the advocacy of oblivion.
The presentation examines the former Museum of Atheism in Vilnius as part of the strategy to consolidate the colonising ideology in Lithuania. By analysing archival materials, such as the permanent exhibition on display, and the statistics, it explores the employed strategies to initiate the shift in political as well as social and philosophical consciousness of society.
First, the hypothesis of the museum as the instrument, intended to supplant religious convictions with the allegiance to the Moscow-ruled state and politically counter the previous independent local centre closely affiliated with the Church, emerges from the documents issued when registering the artefacts as the museum exhibits.
Secondly, the effort to demonstrate the superiority of occupiers along with the new government-imposed norms is evident in the museum’s exhibition. The collection of confiscated and relocated sacred artefacts as well as the way they were acquired and contextualised in the Church of St. Casimir, forced to interpret the connections with the West negatively. On the other hand, besides this ambition, the public was strongly encouraged to regard the old believers as a cult. It signalised the denial of appreciation for diverse religious perspectives.
Finally, the former Museum of Atheism could be defined as the institution of oblivion because it was curated to diminish the influence of faith in the region and to demonstrate the significance of unity among the working class, while propagating a materialist and secular worldview. The historical records highlight the integral nature of atheism within the cultural landscape. In fact, a particular emphasis should be on the head of the institution who, being a staunch atheist, harboured a sceptical stance towards the historical existence, beliefs, rituals, and practices associated with diverse religions within Vilnius and its surrounding environs.
The aim of this presentation is to facilitate a more profound comprehension of the intricate ramifications of the trauma of occupation on collective memory within the specific institution and provide a new perspective towards a contentious heritage.