Rescuers of Jews
Šukšta (Szukszta) Vaclovas (Waclaw)
From Jakov Gurvitch‘s Memoirs „The Road of Salvation for the Condemned”
<...> My mother knew one former estate owner named Šukštienė (Norkevičiūtė) very well, who lived near the diocese in the house where a drugstore had been. My mother turned to her for help, and we were heard. The family of Halina and Vaclovas Šukšta (Halina and Waclaw Szukszta) provided shelter for us.
They lived on the first floor, with the Head of the Security Department Juodviršis living on the second floor. Despite this, the Šukšta couple welcomed us, gave us a separate room. On this dark and cold night of the winter of 1942 it was our salvation. Halina Šukštienė took care of us and fed us for even six weeks. We could not have been any better. She treated the abscess on the back of my mother, she cut it herself. Nevertheless, we could not stay here for long as the policemen used to visit the head of the Security Department who lived upstairs.
While living with the Šukšta couple I had a very good idea. I asked their maid who knew that we were hiding to go to the City Municipality and ask for the birth certificate of my classmate Albinas Gudzinskas. The Gudzinskas family no longer lived in Telšiai, on 14 June they were deported to Siberia. The maid did as I had asked, and she brought me the birth certificate of my classmate Albinas-Stasys Gudzinskas and as of that day, with an official document, I became a partially legal person.
Since it was dangerous to hide with the Šukšta family, after healing our wounds and having caught our breath, we left.
I do not know where my mother went. I, on the other hand, went from one house to another, and one good person would transfer me to his or her acquaintance. And this is how changing our hiding places I got separated from my mother...<...>
From the 4th book Hands Bringing Life and Bread
The Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum
<...> My mother knew one former estate owner named Šukštienė (Norkevičiūtė) very well, who lived near the diocese in the house where a drugstore had been. My mother turned to her for help, and we were heard. The family of Halina and Vaclovas Šukšta (Halina and Waclaw Szukszta) provided shelter for us.
They lived on the first floor, with the Head of the Security Department Juodviršis living on the second floor. Despite this, the Šukšta couple welcomed us, gave us a separate room. On this dark and cold night of the winter of 1942 it was our salvation. Halina Šukštienė took care of us and fed us for even six weeks. We could not have been any better. She treated the abscess on the back of my mother, she cut it herself. Nevertheless, we could not stay here for long as the policemen used to visit the head of the Security Department who lived upstairs.
While living with the Šukšta couple I had a very good idea. I asked their maid who knew that we were hiding to go to the City Municipality and ask for the birth certificate of my classmate Albinas Gudzinskas. The Gudzinskas family no longer lived in Telšiai, on 14 June they were deported to Siberia. The maid did as I had asked, and she brought me the birth certificate of my classmate Albinas-Stasys Gudzinskas and as of that day, with an official document, I became a partially legal person.
Since it was dangerous to hide with the Šukšta family, after healing our wounds and having caught our breath, we left.
I do not know where my mother went. I, on the other hand, went from one house to another, and one good person would transfer me to his or her acquaintance. And this is how changing our hiding places I got separated from my mother...<...>
From the 4th book Hands Bringing Life and Bread
The Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum