Aukštieji Paneriai, Vilnius

Aukštieji Paneriai is a neighborhood located about 10 kilometers away from Vilnius city center. The village was founded in the 14th century and became the main supplier of bricks to Vilnius city after being acquired by the Vilnius Bishopric in 1390. During World War II, Aukštieji Paneriai was the site of the Ponary massacre, where approximately 100,000 people from Vilnius and nearby towns and villages were killed by German units of SD and SS with help from local collaborationists Special SD and Security Police Squad.

The history of Aukštieji Paneriai is intertwined with the history of Vilnius, and it shared a common history with the city. The Battle of Paneriai took place near the village in 1831, during the November Uprising, in which the forces of Dezydery Chłapowski and Antoni Giełgud were defeated by Russian infantry. Aukštieji Paneriai became part of Poland after several conflicts and wars, but it was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1939 after the invasion of Poland. During the Holocaust, Aukštieji Paneriai became the site of the mass murder of Jews, Polish intelligentsia, and Russian POWs.

Today, Aukštieji Paneriai is part of independent Lithuania and has been incorporated into the city of Vilnius as one of its districts. The site of the Ponary massacre is commemorated by a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, a memorial to the Polish victims, and a small museum. The forested hills where the neighborhood is situated add to its serene beauty, but the memories of the tragic events that took place here during World War II serve as a reminder of the importance of promoting peace, respect, and tolerance in our world.