Rescuers of Jews
Ruzgytė-Bimbirienė Eglė Marytė
Leokadija RUZGIENĖ and her children Meilė, Aurimas, Eglė
Before the war Israel and Berta Kac together with their son Leiba and daughter Lea-Mira lived in Giedraičiai. The family owned a shop and they had been well acquainted with other citizens of the village and the majority of farmers. Already during the first days of the war local collaborators murdered Jewish men in Pašilių forest. Among the murdered men there was 17-year old Leiba. His father, Israel Kac, managed to escape. He returned to Giedraičiai, took his wife and daughter and they started hiding. Therefore, upon the advice of their daughter Lea-Mira, Israel and Berta Kac decided to ask for help at Leokadija Ruzgiene, whom they knew well. Leokadija Ruzgiene was a widow with 3 children – Meile, Aurimas and Egle, who lived in Dudėnai village. One night the Kac family knocked at the door of Leokadija’s house and she agreed to accept them for a few days only, because the family was very poor and did not have enough food for themselves. But when the Kac family started to gather for leaving, the children began crying and Leokadija took the courage and told them to stay. They had been hiding in a storage room or in a cellar under it. But, unfortunately, rumours started to spread in the town that Leokadija had been hiding Jews. Leokadija knew about it, but she also understood that she was the only hope for the Kac family. According to the testimony of Leokadija’s son Aurimas and the rescued Lea-Mira Kac, the family had been staying in Leokadija’s house for 3 years by the time policemen came with a search and discovered the hiding Jews. All of them, including Leokadija, had been taken to prison in Ukmerge. Leokadija and the Jews stayed in the prison until the front line moved to Ukmerge. Then all the prisoners had been set free. Leokadija and the Kac family went to Vaitkuškis to Leokadija’s relatives and after the front line moved further they returned to Leokadija’s house in Dudenai village.
Israel and Berta Kac have passed away, but their daughter Lea-Mira lives in the USA.
Before the war Israel and Berta Kac together with their son Leiba and daughter Lea-Mira lived in Giedraičiai. The family owned a shop and they had been well acquainted with other citizens of the village and the majority of farmers. Already during the first days of the war local collaborators murdered Jewish men in Pašilių forest. Among the murdered men there was 17-year old Leiba. His father, Israel Kac, managed to escape. He returned to Giedraičiai, took his wife and daughter and they started hiding. Therefore, upon the advice of their daughter Lea-Mira, Israel and Berta Kac decided to ask for help at Leokadija Ruzgiene, whom they knew well. Leokadija Ruzgiene was a widow with 3 children – Meile, Aurimas and Egle, who lived in Dudėnai village. One night the Kac family knocked at the door of Leokadija’s house and she agreed to accept them for a few days only, because the family was very poor and did not have enough food for themselves. But when the Kac family started to gather for leaving, the children began crying and Leokadija took the courage and told them to stay. They had been hiding in a storage room or in a cellar under it. But, unfortunately, rumours started to spread in the town that Leokadija had been hiding Jews. Leokadija knew about it, but she also understood that she was the only hope for the Kac family. According to the testimony of Leokadija’s son Aurimas and the rescued Lea-Mira Kac, the family had been staying in Leokadija’s house for 3 years by the time policemen came with a search and discovered the hiding Jews. All of them, including Leokadija, had been taken to prison in Ukmerge. Leokadija and the Jews stayed in the prison until the front line moved to Ukmerge. Then all the prisoners had been set free. Leokadija and the Kac family went to Vaitkuškis to Leokadija’s relatives and after the front line moved further they returned to Leokadija’s house in Dudenai village.
Israel and Berta Kac have passed away, but their daughter Lea-Mira lives in the USA.