In 1941, following the launch of Operation Barbarossa, German forces occupied Lithuania and began the systematic destruction of Jewish communities.

In the town of Utena, persecution started immediately. Jews were subjected to forced labour, violence, and imprisonment before being taken to the nearby Rašė Forest. There, under the direction of Joachim Hamann and his unit, Rollkommando Hamann, mass executions were carried out.

Across several actions in July and August 1941, and later from the Utena ghetto, more than 4,600 men, women, and children were killed. These operations formed part of a wider campaign led by Einsatzgruppe A, whose actions were documented by Karl Jäger.

The Utena massacre stands as one of many atrocities committed during the Holocaust in the Baltic region, where entire communities were destroyed within months.

This video explores the events in Utena, the role of Nazi death squads, and the devastating impact on Lithuania’s Jewish population.