Rescuers of Jews
Pukaitė Albina
My dear daughter,
You are not yet satisfied, and request that I should remember those noble people who were willing and succeeded in deceiving that atrocious German butcher, tearing innocent victims from his clutches. You know Genutė Pukaitė, she is a wonderful and very brave person. Her poor father has still not recovered from Smetona’s prisons. She herself was arrested by the Germans, and only bribes helped to save her.
Genovaitė and her sister Albina rescued Katia-Katriutė. Sorry, I don’t remember her last name. You yourselves will have to talk with her. What a curse that girl was at the beginning! You remember I told you how she cried: “Take me to my mother or else I’ll tell the Germans that you’re stealing Jews from the ghetto, and you’ll...” It took time for her to break that habit. It seems that she was more obedient to me, because I talked seriously with her as with an old matron about “hard times”. Thus we domesticated the little creature.
She subsequently took a fancy to Genutė, and if she was mischievous, we would tell her: “Listen, we’ll take you to your mother...”
Genutė’s economic situation was bad. She worked as a book-keeper and at home. Sometimes she went hungry because something better was meant for Katriutė: she spared nothing to make her happy. We talked about taking in some more children from the ghetto. I had taken Roza Peraitė’s friend “Irena”, but somebody told on me and she returned to the ghetto; afterwards, she came back. Oh dear me, it is impossible to remember all those nightmares...
About what concerns Genutė, remember that she did her best. She did not think about any profit, any remuneration; she simply wanted to save lives.
I’m finishing my letter and I’m going to you.
Yours, Pranutė (Juodvalkienė)