Klovainiai
A
walk through Jewish Klovainiai, the way it was a few years before 1941.
Chapters: 1 2 3 stories from: Elzbieta Stefa
Chapter 2
Ziske's house
In this picture Ziske is shown as a young woman on the left. On the right Stefa and in the middle Fredke.
Christmas Card
Irshkis' house
Dermaika brother-in-law's houseThis house belonged to a Jewish family,
but unfortunately I couldn’t find out what their names were. According to Stefa’s information, about the atrocious killings of the five Jewish men from
Klovainiai, I believe that the house belonged to Dermeika’s brother-in-law.
Dermeika’s brother-in-law was
murdered with the four other Jewish men of Klovainiai in the forest of Rozalimas
during the summer of 1941. Nowadays the house is situated at Pušalotasgatve nr.
4.
Remains of
Dermaika's houseThis picture shows the remains of Dermeika’s house. Father Dermeika was a miller. He married twice. He and his wife had two daughters: Ziske (Zyske) (‘Zolia’ in Lithuanian) and Fredke (‘Felia’ in Lithuanian). Ziske lived at Pušalotasgatve nr. 8. Fredke lived with her parents, but just before the German-Nazi- Occupation, which started in the summer of 1941, she was in Pakruojis. When the Nazis occupied the city she couldn’t leave. This forced staying would result in a very bitter ending..
On this picture from left to right:
-
Beila Frema Kaplan (daughter of Sholom Ben Abram Kaplan and Gita Bat Shmuel Mel)
-
Fredke
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Sholom Josef (born in Pusalotas on 21-10-1925)
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Ziske (Zyske)
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Chaim Ben Zisel Dermaika (Dermik)
Ziske and Fredke were Stefa’s closest friends. From 1931 till ±1938 Stefa lived in her aunt’s house in Klovainiai. Stefa’s aunt taught her niece how to knit. Stefa married soon to a young man from Rozalimas, where they settled down before 1941. She earned a living by teaching knitting to the women and young girls of Rozalimas. Ziske and Fredke were two of her pupils.
Stefa received letters and postcards from Fredke(her closest friend) on special occasions, like the correspondence she received from Ziske. I would like to show you one of the cards sent to Stefa. It’s a birthday card.
