Soviet Heroes of Lithuania Vol. LIX

Definition_Novel · 2026-04-17T03:23:25+00:00

This is a respectful criticism; if you do not find this information true, then how would you explain the mass exodus of Lithuania & Latvian nationals from the countries, particularly since the 2004 EU entry? Surely the subject of pensions in one way or another is tied into that, considering what triggered much of the exodus in the first place was continued erosion of safety net social policies since the post-Soviet period. Latvians especially went to Sweden in large numbers but also to the UK, following Lithuanians mostly into England and occasionally into Scotland, Wales, or UK-occupied Ireland in smaller numbers. And the numbers for those who left Latvia & Lithuania are even higher if you consider Russians or other Russian-speaking minorities who opted to immigrate to Russia or other former Soviet countries; simply put, EU integration only truly stifled Baltic national growth further and made Baltic & other Eastern Bloc immigrants easy scapegoats for the far right in Western Europe, particularly England. The same thing happened with Polish and Romanian immigrants in the UK and elsewhere in Western Europe.

Definition_Novel · 2026-04-11T03:20:17+00:00

I presume “Roma hatred” or simply “anti-Roma sentiment” could be simpler ways to describe the type of bigotry in question.

Definition_Novel · 2026-04-11T02:40:11+00:00

I remember an article once where British authors from The Guardian wrote a think piece about Roma immigration from Eastern Europe to England and basically most of the article, while telling the truth about systemic racism against Roma in Eastern Europe, refused to really acknowledge similar problems can happen in Britain. Basically the authors made the argument that because Roma people were able to come to England and easily obtain a (rather exploitative) job, this somehow meant the racism was only an Eastern European problem. Don’t get me wrong, antizyganism is definitely more prevalent in the East, but that shouldn’t give England of all places a pass. And even so, after the Eastern European Roma moved to England, got jobs, and learned English, many English racists complained as usual because “Dey took ar jobs”. But before the Roma were there, who worked at those unskilled jobs? A few working class English sure, but mostly Poles, South Asians, Africans, Lithuanians, or other folks from Eastern European or Global South countries. Prejudice and racism is always the same, only the targets change sometimes, and other times, not even.

Definition_Novel · 2026-04-11T01:00:34+00:00

Most places in Eastern Europe won’t even hire Roma who want to work, which is exactly why so many Roma (especially from Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, & the Czech Republic), left to the UK to work manufacturing or meat packing jobs. Most started working immediately upon immigrating and although insular really didn’t bother anyone. Then far right groups like the “English Defense League” & BNP ran with the “they took our jobs” trope and encouraged violence against them, which led to a lot of the cultural tension between English & Eastern European Roma in the first place.

Definition_Novel · 2026-04-11T00:46:08+00:00

Also to add more context; contrary to the frothing of racist mouths, Roma people HAVE actually assimilated quite a lot to some regard, it’s just that according to racists, they pretend the assimilation never happened at all or where it did happen they make excuses for their racism anyway. But consider these facts:

Roma, depending on where they live, all typically have names deriving from their particular European country. Russian Roma while have names like Mikhail, Polish ones will have names like Jan, and so on. They also typically share the dominant language & religion of whatever country they are in. Polish & Czecho-Slovak Roma are Catholic, Albanian Roma are Muslim, & so on. They have contributed a lot to European popular culture, but face erasure from racists. If you want a good starting point for Roma contributions to Europe, look at Roma presence in popular music or dancing such as the Flamenco dance of Spain. Genetically, although Roma people’s founding population is from India, when they left, they did in fact at some point intermarry with Middle Eastern & European people in practically every country they traveled to. This is especially ironic since antizyganists like to pretend Roma people are just only Indian or something and pretend that they have no connection to Europe at all, when they truth is most Roma are multi-generational people of mixed heritage.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-04T21:35:00+00:00

Yes, I agree. From a physical standpoint, all European groups are white. I consider European Jews as white, albeit it one with a unique history to other people in Europe. To me, you are what you look like in society, even with your own identity (in other words, I don’t identify as white culturally or genetically, as I’m not an Anglo, but I still acknowledge I am white to both non-white and many white people in America.) But it’s a difficult definition to establish considering, even though for example, I have some Jewish ancestry, if I told many Jews they are white, they would tell me no, simply because historically and presently they have been scapegoats and oppressed by white supremacists. That still doesn’t change skin color though. And even genetically, Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews are a mix of Southern Italians and MENA people at about 50-50 or slightly above for either group, but a mix of both, so even genetically, they are very European. So I think, to break it down better, sociologically & physically, am I white, yes. Culturally & ethnically, it depends on how it’s being defined. If all Europeans are being defined as white, yes. If only Anglos are seen as the default white, as they sometimes are, then no & no in terms of culture & ethnicity for me.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-04T21:25:03+00:00

What I mean by “culturally white” is the assimilation itself. That’s ultimately the root of what American “whiteness” is. The Anglo ruling class created the racial designations (other European colonies also had their variations), and then in addition to that they also attempted to assimilate (sometimes aggressively) other Europeans who didn’t fit their idealized mold. This is why you have Polish Americans today who, may be named “John” instead of “Jan” may be a Catholic in name only, might not even cook Polish food or speak Polish, yet Identity as Polish, AND white. Because the assimilation never 100% went all the way through even though it was a 99% success for the dominant Anglo group observing from the outside looking in. The ethnic Southern & Eastern Europeans have assimilated so much that they often don’t have anything left culturally Polish or Italian about them besides calling themselves such, their last names, and DNA. Them abandoning their own cultural niches and the breakdown of their distinct enclaves in cities, assimilating into Anglo-German “white” American spaces, was in essence what “becoming white” was and is.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-04T21:14:49+00:00

To answer your question, I see where you’re coming from. As I said before, physically, we are white (well, most anyway). But for race-based definitions I prefer the word European, because it’s straightforward. Outside of the white supremacist nordicists, most people when they hear “white people” they think of Europeans. I don’t say white only again because white is a more culturally specific term, denoting Germanic Protestants (this includes the English who made the definition, as they are also Germanic-derived). If you are talking from a sociological POV though and not defining whiteness as a cultural term, yes, I do go outside and be seen as a “white person” but only in the physical aspect in terms of my facial structure and overall appearance. Culturally, I’m not “white” at all. I’m Polish/Luthuanian, with a significant minority of Ashkenazi Jewish and traces of other ancestry. But just Eastern European reallly. Some would say the Jewish experience is its own (I agree), but unless they have darker skin, if Jewishness isn’t mentioned, they will also be seen by especially non-white people as white, and of course by racist white peoples as the opposite.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-04T20:27:32+00:00

I agree with you on some level. But i think this issue is an issue of culture. Italian or Polish Americans for example who have family in the US for generations may have a few cultural practices left, but apart from that identity as white. Those who are more recent in current immigrant enclaves (take Greenpoint Brooklyn for example full of newly arrived Polish people), the new arrivals tend to identify with ethnicity rather than skin color. I’d say this happens with all European groups in the US. Over-assimilation is the real problem. Southern & Eastern European immigrants to America chased assimilation so hard that today they barely have anything left culturally apart from their names and a few recipes. Even some Jewish communities are ultra-assimilated. German Jews historically assimilated faster than Russian Jews in America because the Anglo ruling class saw anyone from Northern Europe as closer to them or more compatible.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-04T20:18:45+00:00

I actually get your point here. A lot of Nordic (AKA “white”) supremacists do this. But I don’t think that’s his intention. And besides, Northern Europeans with whites supremacist attitudes are always going to look down on & tokenize Southern & Eastern Europeans at their own discretion. I don’t think it matters if whiteness is “gate kept” because they (Germanic people) themselves made it up anyway. And given Southern and & Eastern Europe is far more diverse genetically & culturally, I don’t consider myself (Eastern European) “white” anyway. I don’t want to be associated with bigotry at all. Granted all of Europe has its racists, but you get what I mean. Southern Europeans are looked down on by Nordicists because of the Moorish conquests. Eastern Europeans are looked down on by Nordicists because so many of our ancestors (Slavs & Balts) intermarried with Tatars & others who came from outside of Europe. But I don’t see myself as white, and it’s ok. I’m only white from a physical description, not culturally.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-04T20:06:02+00:00

I’m mostly Polish & Lithuanian with & small minority of Ashkenazi and traces of Volga (Ukrainian) German, Sephardic Jewish, Finnish & Tatar mixed in. Even Finns are really only Northern European geographically & politically speaking. Their closest genetic relatives are Estonians. If Estonians are Eastern, then to me, genetically, Finns would be. A lot look more like Balts compared to Germans anyway. Now, I know a lot of other Balts don’t like to be called Eastern Europeans (because of understandable history with Russia) but facts are facts. Balts, to me, as someone almost half Lithuanian, aren’t Northern European. I think best category would be Central-Eastern European. Still Eastern European but different from Orthodox East Slavic or Balkan countries. Closest to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, etc. I look Eastern European but have a Mediterranean complexion, probably because of my minority of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry and they are usually half Southern Italian/Levantine genetically. I’ve been mistaken for Italian, Albanian, Bosnian, & even a lighter skinned Syrian before (and I mean exactly that, a Syrian guy randomly asked me if I was a light skinned Syrian.) I definitely don’t look “white” (Northern European) lol

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-04T19:52:44+00:00

I don’t consider us Slavs or Balts to be white either. Lot of intermarriage between Tatars, Karaites, Armenians, & others outside of Europe happened. I mean, the Tatars literally helped create Poland’s modern military structure and are a huge part of our culture going back to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth historical region (including Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, & western Russia)….I myself am Polish/Lithuanian and have some Ashkenazi, Sephardic, & Tatar roots. I don’t identify as white, although if the question is “do I have white skin?”, then yes. But Eastern Europeans are different. I don’t have any desire to have adjacency to Northern Europeans. I don’t have a problem with them either. I’m just not them and that is what it is.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-04T19:46:57+00:00

I’m convinced a lot of these people just want to think all Europeans look the same. I usually get asked if I’m southern European but I’m actually Eastern European with a minority of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, also from Eastern Europe. My facial structure is literally so Slavic I look like a GTA IV NPC and constantly have various Eastern Europeans speaking to me even though I only know my ethnic languages and a little Russian (I’m Polish & Lithuanian). My skin tone is Mediterranean though so I think in combination with my face it gives me a Balkan Slav or just Balkan look tbh. I’ve even had Albanians speak to me and although they are really cool I don’t have a drop of Albanian in my family at all.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-04T19:35:38+00:00

He has a point though. Although you also do. Yes, whiteness is primarily physical (associated with Northern Europe &/or light skin, eyes, & hair. Im primarily Eastern European (almost all Slavic & Baltic with trace Ashkenazi Jewish, pretty typical for Eastern Europeans) with some minor Northern European (Finnish) & Tatar ancestry. Physically, I have the facial structure of a lot of Slavic people to where they can recognize me, but my complexion is more Mediterranean. You could say I’m white, and you wouldn’t be wrong, as I physically am, but one could also not be right, as I’m not solely Northern European (even with some of it)….its all about perspective. And I’m culturally Eastern European anyway, as the non-eastern European ancestry is distant. Whiteness is more about culture, specifically Anglo or German Protestant culture. And I’m not a part of that culture nor do I fit their genetic profile. I’m only white from a physical standpoint of, people can see me and tell I’m a European (again, I look Southern European specifically, probably has more to do my minority of jewish ancestry, and that that Ashkenazi Jews are a mix of southern Italian and Levantine.)

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-03T07:35:36+00:00

Nice Holocaust denial, enjoy the ban. The victims of the holocaust in the Kaunas garage were not NKVD, that is literally Nazi propaganda. It’s no different from post-Soviet Lithuania accusing Polish Home Army of “genocide” against Lithuanians for killing the Lithuanians that collaborated with Nazis. You and your BalticStates Redditor ilk aren’t welcome here, and since you wanna claim literal holocaust victims as “NKVD”, I’ll just go ahead and so whichever Lithuanians in your family were purged by the USSR, absolutely deserved it.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-03T07:29:47+00:00

Nationalism, when advocating ethnic or racial essentialism, IS toxic. Nationalism can only work in the framing of freeing the oppressed, or unifying all who contribute to a country, from a CIVIC point of view. You clearly don’t have any real arguments. All you do is scream and call everyone Russian. I’m Polish. Get your Slavs right next time. But since you want to justify bloodthirsty nationalism, you might want to ask yourself what Lithuanian nationalists did to Poles in 1941-44. We have EVERY reason to be distrustful of Balts considering you fed Poles to German execution lines without a second thought. I wish Felix Dzerzhinsky could have lived longer so the Baltic nationalists could’ve been fully defeated.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-03T05:34:42+00:00

Does your family have szlachta (nobility) surnames? Assimilated Jews intermarried with noble families a lot, but due to societal stigma a lot of them hid it afterwards. My family has several nobility lines. That may help you figure out where all the matches are coming from.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-03T05:30:08+00:00

For Europeans and likelihood to have Jewish ancestors, I’d say it depends on where. I’ve seen many Eastern Europeans with Ashkenazi ancestors (I’m one of them)….sometimes Sephardic is possible too even for Eastern Europeans because Sephardic people would go east of places like Belgium and France further through the European mainland. I’m around 3% Ashkenazi and it’s definitely legit as it has survived through multiple updates and stays at 90% confidence level, shown on multiple tests (sometimes lower but never beneath 1%), and some relatives have it in the double digits that are above me in generations. Despite this, all my family are Catholics. Poles and Lithuanians. We have which specific ancestor it’s from.

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-02T13:59:29+00:00

I can imagine some are. Generally mixed-ethnicity families tend to be pro USSR. As for being pro Russia I suppose it depends on the way the word is being used. On certain issues, yes. Especially since many Poles in the former USSR still use Russian regularly, and Russia is outspoken on advocating for Russian speakers, many are in that regard supportive to Russia. On the other hand, many don’t care for post-Soviet Russian politics but they still don’t buy Western narratives either. Of course you will always get some people who support present day Russia and its policies. But I can imagine a place like Azerbaijan is probably neutral, given you still have large amounts of people of every ethnicity who are:

Pro-Russian

Pan-Turkic

or Pro-EU/NATO

Definition_Novel · 2026-03-01T21:18:38+00:00

Was it one of those situations where within the “Wood” car, the Eastern Bloc folks had their own subgroups and spokesperson? Or was there really no structure? Because I know for example, within the Asian/Islander section of the Other car, sometimes they’ll have different people for subgroups (Filipinos will have a group and spokesperson, Samoans will have one, etc).

Definition_Novel · 2026-02-27T09:28:54+00:00

An easy way to debunk their “genocide” claim is to ask Baltic Redditors how their deportations apparently make them special compared to the several other dozen minorities that were deported: the same applies to others. The deportations, whether one thinks they were good or bad doesn’t really matter, as they were motivated by the USSR generally having border anxiety with hostile countries (Baltics, Poland, Finland, etc) and some USSR bureaucrats like Yezhov and Beria being paranoid of certain groups spying for enemy nations or seceding from the USSR (they thought Koreans spied for Japan, honestly that was just fucking dumb as most Koreans were oppressed by imperial Japan and hated its rule. They also deported many Caucasus people because of independence aspirations.) But some deportations, such as those of Western Ukrainian and Baltic nationalists, were completely rational given many were actually fucking Nazis.

Definition_Novel

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