rescuers of jews
Stanevičienė Julija
VINCAS STANEVIČIUS, JULIJA STANEVIČIENĖ
and their children Vytautas, Birutė, Antanas
The farmers Vincas and Julija Stanevičius lived in the village of Judrėnai near the town of Telšiai with their children, Vytautas, Birutė and Antanas. In autumn 1941, during the first months of the German occupation, Vincas Stanevičius witnessed his neighbor maltreat an 18-year-old Jewish woman from the Telšiai ghetto, who was working on his farm as a forced laborer. In December the same year, all the Jews were forced to return to the ghetto, which was liquidated several days later. But that woman, whose name was Chana Shviler, managed to run away and having no other places for hiding came back to the same farmer. Although the farmer accepted her, he forced Chana to do very hard work, not suitable for a woman. In spring 1942, Vincas Stanevičius proposed to take her to his farm. The Stanevičiuses hosted Chana Shviler until the end of the German occupation in October 1944, and treated her like a family member. Whenever there was real danger and searches were being conducted for Jews in hiding, the Stanevičiuses would transfer Chana to a safer place outside their home and then took her back. In all their deeds the Stanevičius couple were helped and supported by their children, Birutė, Vytautas and Antanas.
After the war, Chana Shviler (later Segal) emigrated to Israel.
In 1993 Yad Vashem recognized Vincas Stanevičius, Julija Stanevičienė, Vytautas Stanevičius and Birutė Stanevičiūtė, as Righteous Among the Nations. Antanas Stanevičius was awarded the Life Saviour’s Cross in 1999
and their children Vytautas, Birutė, Antanas
The farmers Vincas and Julija Stanevičius lived in the village of Judrėnai near the town of Telšiai with their children, Vytautas, Birutė and Antanas. In autumn 1941, during the first months of the German occupation, Vincas Stanevičius witnessed his neighbor maltreat an 18-year-old Jewish woman from the Telšiai ghetto, who was working on his farm as a forced laborer. In December the same year, all the Jews were forced to return to the ghetto, which was liquidated several days later. But that woman, whose name was Chana Shviler, managed to run away and having no other places for hiding came back to the same farmer. Although the farmer accepted her, he forced Chana to do very hard work, not suitable for a woman. In spring 1942, Vincas Stanevičius proposed to take her to his farm. The Stanevičiuses hosted Chana Shviler until the end of the German occupation in October 1944, and treated her like a family member. Whenever there was real danger and searches were being conducted for Jews in hiding, the Stanevičiuses would transfer Chana to a safer place outside their home and then took her back. In all their deeds the Stanevičius couple were helped and supported by their children, Birutė, Vytautas and Antanas.
After the war, Chana Shviler (later Segal) emigrated to Israel.
In 1993 Yad Vashem recognized Vincas Stanevičius, Julija Stanevičienė, Vytautas Stanevičius and Birutė Stanevičiūtė, as Righteous Among the Nations. Antanas Stanevičius was awarded the Life Saviour’s Cross in 1999