Rescued Jewish Children
George (Jona) Gordimer
My name is George Gordimer (Jona Gordimeris in Lithuanian) the son of Ira Gordimer (Icikas Gordimeris in Lithuanian) and Sofia Gordimer (Sonia Gordimeriene in Lithuanian) and the younger brother of Seymour Gordimer (Šolomas Gordimeris in Lithuanian).
I was born in Šiauliai, Lithuania on October 10, 1938. At the time of the German Invasion of Lithuania on 22 June 1941 the Gordimer family was living in Šiauliai. My father owned a hardware store. After the Germans entered Šiauliai in June 1941, a small German army unit was stationed in our yard. Father was in hiding for two months, then we were forced to move to the ghetto.
On 5 November 1943 the Germans carried out the Children’s Action. Fortunately for my brother Seymour and me, my father’s sister, Rochelle Glickman, did not go to work that day because she was sick. When my aunt Roche heard about the Children’s Action, she hid my brother in a shed next to the house we were living in. I was hidden in a wooden barrel with a cover and my brother was hidden behind an old mattress. When my parents came home that evening they took my brother and me to a cellar (there were 6 other children hiding in that cellar). We stayed there for three days.
The rescuers of the Gordimer family
Andrejus Kalendra, Monika Kalendrienė and their daughters – Morta, Zofija, Nijolė, Viktorija
My father contacted Andrejus Kalendra. Kalendra owned a farm near Žarėnai and was father’s regular customer. My father knew Andrejus Kalendra well, respected him and trusted him. Kalendra was well known in the area and was highly regarded by everyone. Kalendra organised a rescue operation and enlisted his relatives and friends to help him. On the third night of my brother’s and my hiding in the ghetto, my father took Seymour out of the ghetto in a potato sack and Kalendra transported my brother to his farm. At the Kalendra farm my brother was called Simas and was introduced to strangers as a refugee from Russia. My brother remained at the Kalendra farm until the summer of 1945.
Andrejus Kalendra and his wife Monika had five daughters. In 1951, Mr. Kalendra, his wife Monika and their daughter Morta were deported to Siberia. Andrejus Kalendra died in Siberia and his wife and daughter eventually returned to Lithuania.
Marijona ir Steponas Garbačiauskai and their children – Stepas, Stasys, Ona, Adolfina, Marijona
The morning after my brother was transported to the Kalendra farm, my mother took me out of the ghetto under her coat while everyone was going to work. With the help of a Lithuanian policeman, my mother took me to a house where Antanas Plekavičius (a good friend of Kalendra) and my father were waiting. Antanas Plekavičius transported my parents and me by horse and wagon to the farm of Steponas and Marijona Garbačiauskas. They had five children. Marijona was Kalendra’s sister.
During the three weeks of our hiding at the Garbačiauskas farm near Žarėnai, I developed a severe throat infection. Whereas it was too dangerous to call a doctor, Marijona Garbačiauskinė held me down while my mother broke up the blisters in my throat with the handle of a wooden spoon. Fortunately, I recovered.
Augustas ir Klara Vaškiai, Zelma Vaškytė
After staying at the Garbačiauskas farm for about three weeks (until 23 November 1943), my parents and I went to the Vaškys farm. Augustas and Klara Vaškys were good friends of Mr. Kalendra. In December of 1943, my parents attempted to take me by sledge to the Plekavičius farm in Šakyna, but I was crying so hard that they had to turn back. I stayed there until the end of 1943. As far I know, my parents remained in hiding at the Vaškys farm till the end of the war.
On 29 July 1945 Mr. and Mrs. Vaškys were killed by the Russians and their farm house was burned to the ground. Their 1 year old son survived and he was brought up by Zelma Vaškytė, Mr. Vaškys’s sister.
At the end of 1943 I was taken to Zelma Vaškytė’s farm. Zelma lived with her mother. At Zelma’s farm I was introduced to strangers as a refugee from Latvia because Zelma was Latvian. I remained at Zelma Vaškytė's farm until July or August of 1944. After the war, Zelma was deported to Siberia and spent there 10 years.
Antanas ir Joana Plekavičiai and their daughters Joana ir Suzana
In July or August of 1944, I was taken to the Plekavičius farm in Šakyna (Zelma Vaškytė actually took me there). Antanas Plekavičius was a very good friend of Mr. Kalendra. He used to travel by horse and wagon to Šiauliai on a regular basis to sell food produced on the farm. By the summer of 1944, I was nearly 6 years old and I can remember many things: Antanas’ wife Joana and their daughters Siuzana and Elena I remember the day I found a bullet in a field. I detonated the bullet by striking one end of it with a sharp edged rock. My ears rang for almost entire day after that! I remained at the Plekavičius farm until March or April 1945.
In March or April 1945, my parents came to the Plekavičius farm by truck to pick me up. I remember that I was afraid to go with them and I hid behind Mrs. Plekavičius. Sometime in the summer of 1945 my parents picked up Šolomas from the Kalendra farm.
In August 1945, the Gordimers went from Šiauliai to Vilnius by truck and in December 1945 we left for Poland. In January of February of 1946 we went from Szczecin to Berlin by truck. By the end of 1946, we obtained a permission to leave for the United States.
Without the efforts of the Kalendra, Plekavičius, Garbačiauskas and Vaškys families (including Zelma Vaškytė) it is difficult to imagine how the entire Gordimer family could have survived the period of 1941-1945.
From testimony of George Gordimer. 29 March, 2000
I was born in Šiauliai, Lithuania on October 10, 1938. At the time of the German Invasion of Lithuania on 22 June 1941 the Gordimer family was living in Šiauliai. My father owned a hardware store. After the Germans entered Šiauliai in June 1941, a small German army unit was stationed in our yard. Father was in hiding for two months, then we were forced to move to the ghetto.
On 5 November 1943 the Germans carried out the Children’s Action. Fortunately for my brother Seymour and me, my father’s sister, Rochelle Glickman, did not go to work that day because she was sick. When my aunt Roche heard about the Children’s Action, she hid my brother in a shed next to the house we were living in. I was hidden in a wooden barrel with a cover and my brother was hidden behind an old mattress. When my parents came home that evening they took my brother and me to a cellar (there were 6 other children hiding in that cellar). We stayed there for three days.
The rescuers of the Gordimer family
Andrejus Kalendra, Monika Kalendrienė and their daughters – Morta, Zofija, Nijolė, Viktorija
My father contacted Andrejus Kalendra. Kalendra owned a farm near Žarėnai and was father’s regular customer. My father knew Andrejus Kalendra well, respected him and trusted him. Kalendra was well known in the area and was highly regarded by everyone. Kalendra organised a rescue operation and enlisted his relatives and friends to help him. On the third night of my brother’s and my hiding in the ghetto, my father took Seymour out of the ghetto in a potato sack and Kalendra transported my brother to his farm. At the Kalendra farm my brother was called Simas and was introduced to strangers as a refugee from Russia. My brother remained at the Kalendra farm until the summer of 1945.
Andrejus Kalendra and his wife Monika had five daughters. In 1951, Mr. Kalendra, his wife Monika and their daughter Morta were deported to Siberia. Andrejus Kalendra died in Siberia and his wife and daughter eventually returned to Lithuania.
Marijona ir Steponas Garbačiauskai and their children – Stepas, Stasys, Ona, Adolfina, Marijona
The morning after my brother was transported to the Kalendra farm, my mother took me out of the ghetto under her coat while everyone was going to work. With the help of a Lithuanian policeman, my mother took me to a house where Antanas Plekavičius (a good friend of Kalendra) and my father were waiting. Antanas Plekavičius transported my parents and me by horse and wagon to the farm of Steponas and Marijona Garbačiauskas. They had five children. Marijona was Kalendra’s sister.
During the three weeks of our hiding at the Garbačiauskas farm near Žarėnai, I developed a severe throat infection. Whereas it was too dangerous to call a doctor, Marijona Garbačiauskinė held me down while my mother broke up the blisters in my throat with the handle of a wooden spoon. Fortunately, I recovered.
Augustas ir Klara Vaškiai, Zelma Vaškytė
After staying at the Garbačiauskas farm for about three weeks (until 23 November 1943), my parents and I went to the Vaškys farm. Augustas and Klara Vaškys were good friends of Mr. Kalendra. In December of 1943, my parents attempted to take me by sledge to the Plekavičius farm in Šakyna, but I was crying so hard that they had to turn back. I stayed there until the end of 1943. As far I know, my parents remained in hiding at the Vaškys farm till the end of the war.
On 29 July 1945 Mr. and Mrs. Vaškys were killed by the Russians and their farm house was burned to the ground. Their 1 year old son survived and he was brought up by Zelma Vaškytė, Mr. Vaškys’s sister.
At the end of 1943 I was taken to Zelma Vaškytė’s farm. Zelma lived with her mother. At Zelma’s farm I was introduced to strangers as a refugee from Latvia because Zelma was Latvian. I remained at Zelma Vaškytė's farm until July or August of 1944. After the war, Zelma was deported to Siberia and spent there 10 years.
Antanas ir Joana Plekavičiai and their daughters Joana ir Suzana
In July or August of 1944, I was taken to the Plekavičius farm in Šakyna (Zelma Vaškytė actually took me there). Antanas Plekavičius was a very good friend of Mr. Kalendra. He used to travel by horse and wagon to Šiauliai on a regular basis to sell food produced on the farm. By the summer of 1944, I was nearly 6 years old and I can remember many things: Antanas’ wife Joana and their daughters Siuzana and Elena I remember the day I found a bullet in a field. I detonated the bullet by striking one end of it with a sharp edged rock. My ears rang for almost entire day after that! I remained at the Plekavičius farm until March or April 1945.
In March or April 1945, my parents came to the Plekavičius farm by truck to pick me up. I remember that I was afraid to go with them and I hid behind Mrs. Plekavičius. Sometime in the summer of 1945 my parents picked up Šolomas from the Kalendra farm.
In August 1945, the Gordimers went from Šiauliai to Vilnius by truck and in December 1945 we left for Poland. In January of February of 1946 we went from Szczecin to Berlin by truck. By the end of 1946, we obtained a permission to leave for the United States.
Without the efforts of the Kalendra, Plekavičius, Garbačiauskas and Vaškys families (including Zelma Vaškytė) it is difficult to imagine how the entire Gordimer family could have survived the period of 1941-1945.
From testimony of George Gordimer. 29 March, 2000