Kaunas Jews honored rescuers

The memories do not disappear

« The memories do not go away. It seems that everything has recently been so, » said Sigutė Smetonaitė from Kaunas. Conversations with a great -grandchild about the time of German occupation were used in a essay school.

When her mother secretly settled a Jewish woman, the girl was seven, but many moments remain in memory. The guest baby, who was just spending a lot of time in a secret room, was introduced as a distant relative.

Stuck like both played together, spent time looking for her mother to get this woman to get honey because she needed her because of her illness.

One of the searches at home was particularly memorable. « Someone started to knock on the door. We were all at home. The angry men came. Started walking around the rooms and checking it. I was very scared, » she said.

All the households were white as paper, because if a hidden woman was found, and for all – children – arrest or even death threatened. Still, the family did not escape exile.

« I am basically an optimist. When I share memories, I pay more attention to emphasizing humanity, sincere relationships. No matter how difficult it was, I still had to discover something bright. But there are all kinds of memories, » she said.

Photo by Edgar Cickiewicz

Grandma’s decision

Liucija Navickienė, the head of the Aleksotas community, is also among the participants of the event. Jewish rescuers are her grandmother and parents. « It is important for me to participate here.

Her parents lived in a separate farm near her grandmother. Two mother brothers and sister lived with her. One day, his grandmother fleeing from the Nazis was settled by neighbors Lison and one of them. Three youngsters. Their parents were shot.

« They were probably not asking for some people. Others were afraid, did not make it. The grandmother’s decision was to make. Obviously, only after actually realized what responsibility and fear were. Dad said that fear was huge. We heard … ”The father died. The Germans continued, « We have heard that your hostess is doing very good skilands. » We want to taste those skilands, ”L. Navickienė shared her father’s memories.

Said the commander wants to come for a break. On the agreed day, six Germans came with the translator. Mom prepared lunch.

The trio was hidden for about a year. Even relatives did not talk about it.

Increased: Jacques said that even the word « deed » does not reflect the whole heroism that Jewish rescuers are determined. / Photo by Edgar Cickiewicz

Marks the graves

The architect Tauras Budzys has been looking for the graves of the righteous nations of the world and the graves of his loved ones notes with a special sign. It is dedicated to the preservation of the righteous people of the world of Lithuania.

This commemorative mark was created by architect Tauras Budzys, sculptors Jonas Gencevičius and Antanas Šesi, the sign and idea was supported by the Israeli institution Jad Vashem, the Lithuanian Jewish Museum and the Conference of Lithuanian Bishops.

The grandmother’s decision was to make. Of course, only then did he actually realize what responsibility and fear were.

Where did it all start? He was sensitive to public statements that Lithuanians were Jewish shooters. He wanted many people who had risked the lives of their own and their children and still saved the Jews, and the deed would not be carried in the dust of history.

« I still found out that Kaunas doctor Peter Baublys, who was known by my grandmother and buried near where I live, was also a righteous of the nations of the world.

More than 450 graves have already been marked with this special mark. Mostly in Kaunas. « The aim of the righteous – 928. The goal is to mark all, but it is not implemented because some of them have no graves, disappeared in Siberia without knowledge, etc. I will find and tag.

Conversations: Smetonaitė, who has experienced exile, emphasized that, despite everything, is optimistic. / Photo by Edgar Cickiewicz

Would he dare?

Gerc Jacques, the head of Kaunas Jewish community, congratulating all those gathered, was pleased that a few years ago, March 15, in Lithuania, was legalized as the Day of Jewish Rescue.

The remaining rescuers are shrinking every year, but their memories and respect of society are passed on to their loved ones.

« We are delighted that the children, grandchildren of Jewish rescuers, grandchildren, even the rescuers themselves, although they are, here.

History: L. Navickienė is proud of her relatives. / Photo by Edgar Cickiewicz

June 2 4 p.m. on the house Žemaičių str. 10 The memorial plaque is planned to be unveiled and at 6 p.m. Vytautas Magnus University in Great Hall, Gymzijų str. 7, a concert for Jewish rescuers, righteous righteous peoples of the world, S. Kymantaite-Čiurlionienė, D. Čiurlionytė-Zubovienė, V. Zubovas.