Rescuers of Jews
“You believe that I helped the Jews a lot. I grieve when I think that I could have achieved even more had I been gifted by God with pragmatic thinking.” / Bronius Paukštys
Priest Bronius Paukštys remembers:
I find it nice to remember the times when I paid heed to the children of Israel and saving at least 200 people despite suffering much trouble, sleepless nights, expenses and risking my own life. /.../ Still and all, I believe that I did not put my brothers to shame. You have to know this. Do you remember the day we went from Muniškiai to Kaunas? Anticipating their defeat, the Nazis were trying to destroy the traces of their horrible work and were burning the remains of the 9th Fort victims. The fumes were rising. Oh, what nauseous flashbacks! When you had already left Lithuania, I went through even more painful trials. The front line was approaching. The Germans started liquidating the Kaunas Ghetto. They drove all the Jews to a single block of the ghetto and torched it. The fumes were rising everywhere. The flames where reaching the clouds. The residents of the ghetto tried to escape by hiding in the basements. The Germans let the dogs loose. The dogs were attacking the hiding Jews and shredding them, while the Nazis were shooting. I could not stand it. I had looked death in the eyes many times, so I dared to go out in Jonavos Street and see the rampage of the butchers with my own eyes. Two German lieutenants saw my horror and started laughing and pointing their fingers towards the ghetto. I snapped and I said to them: “Great! Now we can also hunt people in the 20th century.” The lieutenants ceased laughing and silently strode off towards the centre of the city... Finally the city could breathe again. The Germans were gone. The tide was low. Many survivors came to me from the ghetto. All starved and burnt... I gave them all our food supplies. Some of them were asking for overcoats or shoes… I gave them my overcoat, and I took off my shoes and gave them away too… This was the end of my rescue work. Some of them are in Palestine now. My friend Oshri, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, is also there...
From the letter to priest A. Sabaliauskas
Krizantas Juknevičius. “The History of Lithuanian Salesians”. Kaunas, 2000
You are lucky to be able to do your brothers and sisters good. I too used to do good to my neighbours when I was fitter. I did what I could – even at the expense of my family. There were times, when my pockets were empty and I did not have a single kopeck to buy food for my own loved ones. I had to flee my home three times from the rage of the Nazi Gestapo; I spent thousands of Marks on this purpose and suffered unmeasured trouble, countless sleepless nights, tiresome journeys and fear. I was risking my own life for my neighbours. I was probably the only one who saved about 200 lives of the children of Israel. Yes, I could have been rich. I was promised goldmines. Not only promised, but offered too. But I thought to myself: if I take this money, what will become of my work of love then? What will it be worth? It would have become business – trade in human lives. God forbid from this. I did not fall so low. Do you think that I was awarded medals and citations for this??? Not at all... I was taken to Siberia where I broke stones on my knees for 10 years. During the hardest moments of those 10 years, the only thing that comforted me was the thoughts of the work of love for my neighbours. I hope that those good acts of love will offset a lot of injustice.
From the letter to priest A. Sabaliauskas
Krizantas Juknevičius. “The History of Lithuanian Salesians”. Kaunas, 2000
Priest Bronius Paukštys remembers:
I find it nice to remember the times when I paid heed to the children of Israel and saving at least 200 people despite suffering much trouble, sleepless nights, expenses and risking my own life. /.../ Still and all, I believe that I did not put my brothers to shame. You have to know this. Do you remember the day we went from Muniškiai to Kaunas? Anticipating their defeat, the Nazis were trying to destroy the traces of their horrible work and were burning the remains of the 9th Fort victims. The fumes were rising. Oh, what nauseous flashbacks! When you had already left Lithuania, I went through even more painful trials. The front line was approaching. The Germans started liquidating the Kaunas Ghetto. They drove all the Jews to a single block of the ghetto and torched it. The fumes were rising everywhere. The flames where reaching the clouds. The residents of the ghetto tried to escape by hiding in the basements. The Germans let the dogs loose. The dogs were attacking the hiding Jews and shredding them, while the Nazis were shooting. I could not stand it. I had looked death in the eyes many times, so I dared to go out in Jonavos Street and see the rampage of the butchers with my own eyes. Two German lieutenants saw my horror and started laughing and pointing their fingers towards the ghetto. I snapped and I said to them: “Great! Now we can also hunt people in the 20th century.” The lieutenants ceased laughing and silently strode off towards the centre of the city... Finally the city could breathe again. The Germans were gone. The tide was low. Many survivors came to me from the ghetto. All starved and burnt... I gave them all our food supplies. Some of them were asking for overcoats or shoes… I gave them my overcoat, and I took off my shoes and gave them away too… This was the end of my rescue work. Some of them are in Palestine now. My friend Oshri, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, is also there...
From the letter to priest A. Sabaliauskas
Krizantas Juknevičius. “The History of Lithuanian Salesians”. Kaunas, 2000
You are lucky to be able to do your brothers and sisters good. I too used to do good to my neighbours when I was fitter. I did what I could – even at the expense of my family. There were times, when my pockets were empty and I did not have a single kopeck to buy food for my own loved ones. I had to flee my home three times from the rage of the Nazi Gestapo; I spent thousands of Marks on this purpose and suffered unmeasured trouble, countless sleepless nights, tiresome journeys and fear. I was risking my own life for my neighbours. I was probably the only one who saved about 200 lives of the children of Israel. Yes, I could have been rich. I was promised goldmines. Not only promised, but offered too. But I thought to myself: if I take this money, what will become of my work of love then? What will it be worth? It would have become business – trade in human lives. God forbid from this. I did not fall so low. Do you think that I was awarded medals and citations for this??? Not at all... I was taken to Siberia where I broke stones on my knees for 10 years. During the hardest moments of those 10 years, the only thing that comforted me was the thoughts of the work of love for my neighbours. I hope that those good acts of love will offset a lot of injustice.
From the letter to priest A. Sabaliauskas
Krizantas Juknevičius. “The History of Lithuanian Salesians”. Kaunas, 2000