PETRAS PEČIULIS

In 1941, after the Nazi had occupied Lithuania and mass killings of Jews began in the months of July and August, Dr. Ovsej Belkin, a physician at the Alytus Hospital, sought help from Aleksandra Našliūnienė, a midwife working at the same hospital. Aleksandra and her husband Alfonsas Našliūnas, the director of an agricultural school, provided shelter to the Belkin family, set up a hiding place for them, and provided all-around assistance. However, the location was not safe, as high-ranking German military officers lived on the territory of the agricultural school. So, after some time, Ovsej Belkin, his wife Rašelė, and their daughter Šeina had to find another hiding place. A place was found for the daughter in the countryside, while the parents – Ovsej and Rašelė – were welcomed by the family of Konstantinas Bajerčius, an inspector and teacher at the Alytus Teachers' Seminary.

In the book "Ir be ginklo kariai" (“Unarmed Fighters”) published in 1967 by Sofija Binkienė, memories of the rescue of Dr. Ovsej Belkin's family by teacher K. Klimavičius were published: “The doctor and his wife needed to be taken across the Alytus bridge, but there were German guards at both ends. It was decided to cross the bridge at dusk. Bajarčienė walked with Belkin, and the author of these lines walked with the doctor's wife. It was a dangerous journey, but it ended successfully: the Germans did not pay special attention to the two couples."

Konstantinas Bajerčius and his wife Magdelena hid the Belkin couple in their home in a wooded area for about two years. It was not easy for the teacher's family to take care of the refugees – at the beginning of the occupation, Magdelena Borutaitė-Bajerčienė gave birth to a baby, so the parents had to devote their main attention to him. Their active assistant was their housekeeper M. Bielienaitė-Pečiulaitienė, who protected the refugees from prying eyes. When the Belkins were hiding with the Bajerčius, Stefanija Haškerienė helped them with food and medicine. Usually, food was brought by Jurgita Haškerytė (Misikienė). It became dangerous for the Belkins to continue living with the Bajerčius, so another place had to be found. This was taken care of by Stefanija Haškerienė, teachers Klimavičius and Gavelis, and Doctor Petrovas. They also supported the Belkins with money, products, and medicine. The Belkins found a hiding place in the village of Vangelioniai with Petras Pečiulis, where they waited out the end of the war. Ovsej, Rašelė, and Šeina (Gražina) Belkin settled in Vilnius after the war.

In 1992 Petras Pečiulis was awarded the Life Saviour’s Cross.