Rima Karaliene

Rowing Through the Barbed Wire Fence Rima Karaliene

In the autumn of 1961, nine young men - rowers of Vilnius Zalgiris athletic association - became USSR rowing champions and were invited to the USSR national team. Though they had very important international competitions ahead of them, they were hounded at every turn by the echoes of the postwar years. Their parents' or loved ones' political opinions, their collaboration with partisans, and their relationships with the military of an independent Lithuania were all reasons for the KGB to restrict them from traveling abroad or to remove them from the team. They were replaced by athletes from other republics. Cast overboard, the young men formed new crews, prepared for competitions, and rowed in regattas held within the USSR. However, they still felt like second-class citizens, experiencing colder relations with their former crewmates as they achieve victories in international competitions. All the while, they were also burdened by the painful memories and losses from their childhoods. In 1963 and, thanks to the rowers' perseverance, determination, and fortunate coincidences, the KGB removed their restrictions on international travel. They placed at their first international competitions - the European Championship in Copenhagen. During their journeys abroad, they were closely followed by security officers and by Soviet propaganda. As hostages of the USSR athletic system, the Lithuanians were forced to participate in countless selection competitions, but they eventually won the right to participate in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.