This exhibition is intended to show the Lithuanians as political prisoners and exiles, the specific features of postal service and slavery in Soviet GULAG slave labour camps and prisons in 1940-1960 through the philatelic items.

After the annexation of Klaipėda region and occupation of the State of Lithuania, 1939 March -1941 June, Lithuanians were forced from their homes and deported to the grim squalor of the Soviet GULAG slave labour camps. It started on 14th June 1941. The massive deportation of the population from the Baltic States to the USSR southern, eastern and northern districts began on June 14th-18th in 1941; those days are named “Black Ribbon” days.

Massive deportations from the Baltic States to the USSR were named “Spring”, on the 22nd-23rd May 1948; “The battle of waves”, on the 25th-28th March 1949 and “Autumn”, on the 2nd-3rd October 1951. The Gulag: usually translated “Chief Directorate of Camps” was the government agency that administered the main Soviet GULAG slave labour camp systems. At least 300,000 people were forcibly transported to labour camps and other forced settlements in the remote parts of the Soviet Union: Far-Eastern Area, Siberian Area, Ural Area, North Western Area and Soviet Central Asia. The Gulag institution was closed by the MVD order No 020 of January 25th, 1960.