In 1944, toward the end of World War II, Soviet armies threatened to enter the Baltic countries from the east. As a result, Baltic civilians—Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian families—fled in mass exodus, hoping to escape continued violence and tragedy. Those individuals’ stories will be documented in an exhibit coming to Arlington Central Library this spring.
No Home to Go To: The Story of Baltic Displaced Persons, 1944-1952 features personal artifacts from the Baltic refugees, documenting their flight from their homes—in cars, by boat and on foot—following World War II, the difficulties of years spent in refugee camps and their adaptation to and resettlement in neighboring countries. In those nearly 10 years, refugees faced deportations, arrests, violence and death.
The exhibit will feature photos (like the one above), memorabilia, identification documents and diaries, among other artifacts. Together, they offer a closer look at how the Baltic refugees managed everyday life in the camps: living quarters, food, clothing, schools, churches, sports and culture. No Home to Go To also chronicles the Baltic people’s resistance to Soviet forces.
Central Library hopes the No Home to Go To exhibit will offer new insight and greater understanding of our shared history but also modern-day implications. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, there are 65.3 million forcibly displaced people and 21.3 refugees worldwide. Of those figures, 4.9 million are coming from Syria’s current refugee crisis and ending up in camps in Jordan, Turkey, Greece and elsewhere. In that light, No Home to Go To takes on added meaning.
“The show contributes to a clearer understanding of the World War II experiences while drawing incisive lessons for the current refugee crisis,” Library Director Diane Kresh said in a press release.
The exhibit, in partnership with the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture in Chicago, opens at Central Library on March 7 with a reception from 6-7:30 p.m. with representatives from the Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania embassies. It will remain free and open to the public until April 17.
