rescuers of jews

Kazys ČEČKEVIČIUS Zuzana ČEČKEVIČIENĖ Israel and Chaya Zilber lived together with their daughter Aneta in the town of Vilkaviškis, which was occupied by the Germans on the 22nd of June 1941. During the two big action most of the local Jews were killed. The Zilber family managed to escape from the ghetto. With the help of the local priest Kardauskas there was soon found a family that was willing to take a two-year old Aneta. The Čečkevičius family presented the girl as their niece. The family, including their two sons, had been raising the girl as if she was a real member of the family. They loved her very much and were not hiding her. They even baptized the girl. The girl’s parents, who were hiding nearby, were in touch with Aneta’s rescuers. One day Kazys Čečkevičius took Aneta to bid farewell to her mother, who was dying of a disease. Aneta remembered that meeting, including the fact that she did not recognize her mother at all. After the war Israel took Aneta to Kaunas, where they lived. They kept in touch with Aneta’s rescuers and she used to visit them every summer. Until today she is in touch with the relatives of her rescuers.