Thomas Venclova (b. 1937) is a Lithuanian poet, essayist, philologist and translator, professor emeritus of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Yale University, whose books have been translated into many languages and occupy an important place in modern culture. The first Lithuanian dissident who personally knew Akhmatova, Pasternak, Milos, Brodsky and many others, he was among the five founding members of the Lithuanian Helsinki Group, one of the first human rights organizations in Eastern Europe. Before us is his detailed interview, where historical events are intertwined with chronicles of spiritual resistance, a detailed account of the fate and ethical choice of the writer in the twentieth century. Ellen Hinsey (b. 1960) is an independent researcher, specialist in modern European history, author of several books on historical memory, the mental legacy of totalitarianism, and the anthropology of violence. Born and raised in the USA, she has been living in Europe for the last three decades, teaching in Paris.