Rescuers of Jews
Korsakas Antanas
ANTANAS BABONAS
ANTANAS KORSAKAS
ONA KORSAKIENĖ
ALGIRDAS KORSAKAS
Sara Furmanskytė (later Gurvičienė), born 1922, has graduated the gymnasium in Raseiniai in June 1941 and dreamed about her new happy life. But her destiny was different: she happened to witness the killing of the Raseiniai Jews including her close relatives.
In July 1941 the Raseiniai Jews were transferred into a camp. On 23-d of July all the men were taken to Žieveliškės and shot.
On the last August days the women were locked in the barn of Biliūnai estate, about 7 km away from Raseiniai. After few days when the policemen approached and surrounded the women, Sara and her cousin Roza managed to escape and to hide in another barn. At that time the women were taken away and shot.
After the policemen left the place Sara and Roza still trembled and were so scared that didn't move for a long time. At night they reached Girkalnis and stopped at some peasant's house asking for help. From Sara Furmanskytė -Gurvičienė's memoirs:
The peasant watched us and began to think loudly: What can I do with you? If I take you inside it would mean a danger not only to my farm but also I'll bring the life-danger to my family. But if I leave you, it's the same as if I'd kill you myself. Let's go".
That's how the girls met Antanas Babonas and hid in his farm from August 31. Several kilometers separated Babonas from his sister Ona Korsakienė's family living place in Gailiūnai village. Ona, her husband Antanas and son Algirdas helped with food. Frequently Algirdas on bicycle used to go at night to Babonas bringing some food for the hiding girls, because there was a large relatives group living at the Babonas' family house.
In order to avoid any talks about the girls hiding, the families never told about this to anyone, but in July 1942 a servant found them. Then Sara and Roza left the Babonas family, they separated, lived in different houses, had to work hard. Sara fell sick and in 1943 returned to the Babonas' family where she felt very well. But in summertime, 1943, one acquainted person from Raseiniai found Sara and the talks about Babonas hiding a Jewish woman have been spread around. Then Babonas brought Sara to his sister Ona Korsakienė's family.
At the Korsakas' family Sara felt very well too. She lived there till the liberation. All the Korsakas family members treated Sara very kindly and after the war she kept close relationships with them and with Antanas Babonas.
Sara's cousin Roza also has survived. Antanas Babonas hid Roza under the straw in the carriage and transferred her to his friend Rosickas , where Roza lived till the liberation.
The girls met after the liberation. Later on Sara Gurvičienė and Roza Jankelevič (Lurie) with their families emigrated to Israel and lived there till the end of their lives.
ANTANAS KORSAKAS
ONA KORSAKIENĖ
ALGIRDAS KORSAKAS
Sara Furmanskytė (later Gurvičienė), born 1922, has graduated the gymnasium in Raseiniai in June 1941 and dreamed about her new happy life. But her destiny was different: she happened to witness the killing of the Raseiniai Jews including her close relatives.
In July 1941 the Raseiniai Jews were transferred into a camp. On 23-d of July all the men were taken to Žieveliškės and shot.
On the last August days the women were locked in the barn of Biliūnai estate, about 7 km away from Raseiniai. After few days when the policemen approached and surrounded the women, Sara and her cousin Roza managed to escape and to hide in another barn. At that time the women were taken away and shot.
After the policemen left the place Sara and Roza still trembled and were so scared that didn't move for a long time. At night they reached Girkalnis and stopped at some peasant's house asking for help. From Sara Furmanskytė -Gurvičienė's memoirs:
The peasant watched us and began to think loudly: What can I do with you? If I take you inside it would mean a danger not only to my farm but also I'll bring the life-danger to my family. But if I leave you, it's the same as if I'd kill you myself. Let's go".
That's how the girls met Antanas Babonas and hid in his farm from August 31. Several kilometers separated Babonas from his sister Ona Korsakienė's family living place in Gailiūnai village. Ona, her husband Antanas and son Algirdas helped with food. Frequently Algirdas on bicycle used to go at night to Babonas bringing some food for the hiding girls, because there was a large relatives group living at the Babonas' family house.
In order to avoid any talks about the girls hiding, the families never told about this to anyone, but in July 1942 a servant found them. Then Sara and Roza left the Babonas family, they separated, lived in different houses, had to work hard. Sara fell sick and in 1943 returned to the Babonas' family where she felt very well. But in summertime, 1943, one acquainted person from Raseiniai found Sara and the talks about Babonas hiding a Jewish woman have been spread around. Then Babonas brought Sara to his sister Ona Korsakienė's family.
At the Korsakas' family Sara felt very well too. She lived there till the liberation. All the Korsakas family members treated Sara very kindly and after the war she kept close relationships with them and with Antanas Babonas.
Sara's cousin Roza also has survived. Antanas Babonas hid Roza under the straw in the carriage and transferred her to his friend Rosickas , where Roza lived till the liberation.
The girls met after the liberation. Later on Sara Gurvičienė and Roza Jankelevič (Lurie) with their families emigrated to Israel and lived there till the end of their lives.