The Courageous Antanas Ulpis

The books and documents digitized in Lithuania for the Edward Blank YIVO Vilna Collections Project would not have survived the light of day if not for the courage of Antanas Ulpis, the Lithuanian librarian who preserved them for decades in the Book Chamber of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. He used the nooks and crannies of the Carmelite monastery and 18th century church in the center of Vilnius in which the Book Chamber was located to hide them from destruction during the years the Soviets occupied Lithuania.

Some years after Mr. Ulpis’s death, Fira Bramson (1924-2016), longtime librarian at the Jewish section of the National Library of Lithuania, conducted  interviews with four of his former colleagues. 

Interview questions:

1. Can you relate what you remember of Mr. Ulpis and his personality?

2. When was the first time you met Mr. Ulpis?

3. When did you first begin working alongside him?

4. When and in what circumstances did you first see the Jewish archive? What was the state of the archive?

5. What is your responsibility as regards the archive?

6. Why, do you think, did Mr. Ulpis take such great risks to save and protect this archive?

7. Do you know any other Lithuanian scholars or members of other professions who were involved in saving and protecting the archive?

8. Why, do you believe, did so many people of different beliefs take the risk of saving and protecting the archive?

Translated into English by Olga Lempert. Edited and annotated by Roberta Newman. Originals are at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania (Judaica Research Center). Full names of interviewees suppressed for reasons of privacy.