Rescuers of Jews
Mikšytė Teofilė
MAGDALENA BARTKUTĖ
TEOFILĖ MIKŠYTĖ
In 1943, Teofilius Matulionis was appointed as the bishop of Kaišiadorys. He had a significant influence in the family of the writer and publicist Mejeris Elinas and the music teacher Busia-Kormanaitė Elinienė, especially regarding the fate of their daughter Estera, who was born on September 9, 1940.
Following the bishop's instructions, it was decided to hide little Estera in the Benedictine monastery in Kaunas. The care of the girl was entrusted to Sister Angelė – Agota Misiūnaitė. Sister Angelė loved the girl dearly, carried her, rejoiced with her, told her fairy tales, and even slept together with her. The future renowned pianist, Estera Elinaitė, known as Esia back then, already captivated everyone with her playing, even though she barely reached the piano keys.
Other sisters of the monastery also took care of the little pianist: Sister Aloyza – Teofilė Mikšytė, who became the senior sister in 1939, and Sister Placida – Magdalena Bartkutė. When uninvited guests, representatives of the occupying authorities, arrived, and there was a treat of a search, Sister Liucina – Rozalija Rimšaitė hastily transported Estera to the Benedictine foster home of Čiobiškis, near Kaišiadorys, where Sister Rozalija Rimšaitė lived during the war. At one point, the sisters even hid the girl in the bell tower of Kaišiadorys church.
When the Germans withdrew from Lithuania, Estera's mother, Busia Elinienė, came to Kaišiadorys to see Bishop Teofilius Matulionis. The bishop informed the mother that her daughter was alive and well in the Čiobiškis children's home. Soon after, the mother heard the unforgettable question from her daughter, “Would you happen to be my mom?” Saving one little girl, Estera Elinaitė, required the efforts of many noble and kind-hearted people.
TEOFILĖ MIKŠYTĖ
In 1943, Teofilius Matulionis was appointed as the bishop of Kaišiadorys. He had a significant influence in the family of the writer and publicist Mejeris Elinas and the music teacher Busia-Kormanaitė Elinienė, especially regarding the fate of their daughter Estera, who was born on September 9, 1940.
Following the bishop's instructions, it was decided to hide little Estera in the Benedictine monastery in Kaunas. The care of the girl was entrusted to Sister Angelė – Agota Misiūnaitė. Sister Angelė loved the girl dearly, carried her, rejoiced with her, told her fairy tales, and even slept together with her. The future renowned pianist, Estera Elinaitė, known as Esia back then, already captivated everyone with her playing, even though she barely reached the piano keys.
Other sisters of the monastery also took care of the little pianist: Sister Aloyza – Teofilė Mikšytė, who became the senior sister in 1939, and Sister Placida – Magdalena Bartkutė. When uninvited guests, representatives of the occupying authorities, arrived, and there was a treat of a search, Sister Liucina – Rozalija Rimšaitė hastily transported Estera to the Benedictine foster home of Čiobiškis, near Kaišiadorys, where Sister Rozalija Rimšaitė lived during the war. At one point, the sisters even hid the girl in the bell tower of Kaišiadorys church.
When the Germans withdrew from Lithuania, Estera's mother, Busia Elinienė, came to Kaišiadorys to see Bishop Teofilius Matulionis. The bishop informed the mother that her daughter was alive and well in the Čiobiškis children's home. Soon after, the mother heard the unforgettable question from her daughter, “Would you happen to be my mom?” Saving one little girl, Estera Elinaitė, required the efforts of many noble and kind-hearted people.