Cornerstone-laying ceremony at the site of YIVO’s new building

Cornerstone-laying ceremony at the site of YIVO’s new building on Wiwulski Street in Vilna, Poland. Marching bands and school children participate in a parade while crowds listen to speeches by important citizens. The speakers are (in order) Dr. Tsemah Szabad, YIVO founder Max Weinreich, historian Elias Tcherikower, an unidentified person, and playwright Peretz Hirshbein. Journalist and scholar Zalmen Reyzen (man with a cigarette coming toward the camera) and YIVO scholar Zelig Kalmanovitch can be seen in the crowd.

Amateur film shot by American Jewish travel agent Gustave Eisner