Angele and her pupils were deeply impressed by what
they heard while interviewing their fellow citizens about the war. They
wrote that their fellow citizens were often very emotional and crying
when remembering and telling them about the atrocities carried out
against their Jewish fellow citizens-neighbours and friends in the
summer of 1941.
1. A witness , name unknown, told them about a Jewish mother and her 4
year old daughter Dverke. The
mother tried to find a shelter for her little girl, and because of the
fact the young girl had blond hair, she might as well succeed… Her
little one didn’t look like a Jewish girl. Finally, the mother found a
farmer’s woman who wanted to take the little one under her wings and who
wanted to shelter and protect her. The mother of the child couldn’t stay
and the two women had agreed on the matter. The farmer’s woman showed
the little girl her beautiful cow. The child sensed something was wrong
and she saw her mother leaving. She started to cry and – the witness
said: the little girl’s grief was so deep, so intense, it could have
even melted the most stone-hearted person. The mother decided to take
her child Dverke with her; after a few weeks mother and
child were found after being shot, - Dverke holding
her plush bear in her arms-.
2. A witness, name unknown, told them the following: The Jewish women
and children of Kurkliai were taken from their houses to “ the prison of
Kurklia” - the ghetto - which was situated at the end of the Anyksciai
gatve (street).
At the entrance of the gate, on a door, was written: Juden (“Jews” in
German). Behind the gate there was a different world. The Jewish men
were already there, waiting for their destiny. The 5 strongest and most
healthy of them had already been shot at Moliakalnis. Those inside had
taken a lot of luggage with them, but where to keep it? Two brothers
Abraham-Abramke- and Irisjke Indukas
fled, but on their way out, one of them was shot. The other reached the
house of Petras Ciaskunas who gave him food and dry
clothes. Indukas was sheltered and he stayed with
Ciaskunas for some time. Indukas
decided to leave the couple Ciaskunas, because they
risked their lives by hiding him. Indukas wanted to
reach the forest of the Anyksciai area where he could join the Red Army.
He succeeded and joined the red Army in the Sjimonskij forest.
Indukas stayed in the Red Army till the end of the war.
Indukas and his fighting comrades entered Berlin after having
defeated the Germans in Berlin. The war was over!
Indukas settled in Vilnius, married a Jewish woman and
when the opportunity came to leave Lithuania for Israel, the couple
didn’t hesitate and left.
The witness: Indukas was always telling with great warmth and with an
everlasting gratitude about Petras Ciaskunas. After the
war Petras was deported to Siberia.
3. A witness, name unknown, described the situation in Kurkliai after
the murdering of the Jews of Kurkliai as follows:
The wind brought us their deep
heart-rending cries,
The birds were silent as if they knew their songs would be wiped out
by such a sky full of grief and despair,
The sky itself had turned very grey…
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