Archive disappointments in Vilnius and in Grodno

Despite having written ahead, I was not able to get any information at all from the Vilnius Archives when I visited there.

Grodno Archive was frustrating, too: while Archives staff and my hired guide Oleg tried to be helpful, we did not turn up any new information at all about the Pines family, despite poring over many many record books.  The explanation given was that a lot of records were destroyed during wars, as Russians, Germans and Poles in their turn trampled this area. The photos show their very old books of records and the extremely primitive toilet facilities for visitors to the Archives (I hope that the staff are accommodated better), as well as a photo of me with the chief archivist.