rescuers of jews
Stankevičienė Antanina
Stanislovas Stankevičius and Antanina Stankevičienė
The Kaltinauskai (Kaltinovski) family was sent to the ghetto among all other Jews of Kaunas. In 1942 their little girl was born and they named her Henia.
Soon the family heard the rumours that the Children’s Action was about to take place, so the couple started looking for someone to help them save their little baby. They reached the Stankevičius couple, who had no kids of their own. In March 1944, when a two-year old girl was asleep, they put her in a sack and took her out of the ghetto and finally gave her to the Stankevičius couple.
The Stankevičius had already faked documents prepared for her under the name of Genute Stankevičiute.
Every now and then the Nazis would come and carry out searches. That put them all in great danger, mainly because of the neighbours. On those occasions Antanina would take the little girl to the village for some time.
Genute’s parents survived the war and returned to Lithuania in 1945. Although the Stankevičius loved the girl as if she were their own child, they returned her to her true parents. Of course, the girl did not know her real parents when they came to take her.
After the war the two families remained in very close relations. When Kaltinauskai, who was a tailor, had some financial difficulties, Stankevičius helped him out. He also bought him a fancy car.
In 1946 the Soviets arrested Stanislovas Stankevičius. He died in prison.
The widow remained in Kaunas alone, because by that time the survivors moved to Vilnius. They remained in touch and every now and then Genute would go and visit Antanina.
In 1971 Henia and her mother moved to Israel.
The Kaltinauskai (Kaltinovski) family was sent to the ghetto among all other Jews of Kaunas. In 1942 their little girl was born and they named her Henia.
Soon the family heard the rumours that the Children’s Action was about to take place, so the couple started looking for someone to help them save their little baby. They reached the Stankevičius couple, who had no kids of their own. In March 1944, when a two-year old girl was asleep, they put her in a sack and took her out of the ghetto and finally gave her to the Stankevičius couple.
The Stankevičius had already faked documents prepared for her under the name of Genute Stankevičiute.
Every now and then the Nazis would come and carry out searches. That put them all in great danger, mainly because of the neighbours. On those occasions Antanina would take the little girl to the village for some time.
Genute’s parents survived the war and returned to Lithuania in 1945. Although the Stankevičius loved the girl as if she were their own child, they returned her to her true parents. Of course, the girl did not know her real parents when they came to take her.
After the war the two families remained in very close relations. When Kaltinauskai, who was a tailor, had some financial difficulties, Stankevičius helped him out. He also bought him a fancy car.
In 1946 the Soviets arrested Stanislovas Stankevičius. He died in prison.
The widow remained in Kaunas alone, because by that time the survivors moved to Vilnius. They remained in touch and every now and then Genute would go and visit Antanina.
In 1971 Henia and her mother moved to Israel.