rescuers of jews
Gedaika Petras
Petras Gedaika, Liudvika Gedaikienė (Rimavičiūtė) and Juzefa Rimavičienė
Juozas Augustinavičius and Ona Augustinavičienė
During the German occupation, the wealthy widow Juzefa Rimavičienė lived in the village of Pėdžiai, Kėdainiai district, with her 4 children. Her daughter Liudvika was married to Petras Gedaika and the young couple lived in the neighborhood. Before the war the two families had very friendly relations with many Jews from the nearby town of Vandžiogala, Kaunas district. When the Germans occupied the area and began to murder Jews, the Gedaikas and the Rimavičiuses hastened to help their Jewish friends. Even before the Aktionen began, the Gedaikas hid the brothers Yosef and Haim Lison. A false wall was built in the closet of Rimavičius’s house, where the Jewish brothers were hiding. Their frequent guest was Haim Ronder, who changed his hiding places once in a while. In 1942 Petras Gedaika and his wife also gave shelter to Haya Kėdanskytė, who married Yosef Lison after the war. For the reasons of security Kėdanskytė didn’t stay long at any place. After she left the Gedaikas she found shelter with Juozas and Ona Augustinavičienė, who lived with their 2 children in the vicinity of Kėdainiai. For nearly half a year Haya was hidden in their attic or, occasionally, in the cellar.
Juozas Augustinavičius and Ona Augustinavičienė
During the German occupation, the wealthy widow Juzefa Rimavičienė lived in the village of Pėdžiai, Kėdainiai district, with her 4 children. Her daughter Liudvika was married to Petras Gedaika and the young couple lived in the neighborhood. Before the war the two families had very friendly relations with many Jews from the nearby town of Vandžiogala, Kaunas district. When the Germans occupied the area and began to murder Jews, the Gedaikas and the Rimavičiuses hastened to help their Jewish friends. Even before the Aktionen began, the Gedaikas hid the brothers Yosef and Haim Lison. A false wall was built in the closet of Rimavičius’s house, where the Jewish brothers were hiding. Their frequent guest was Haim Ronder, who changed his hiding places once in a while. In 1942 Petras Gedaika and his wife also gave shelter to Haya Kėdanskytė, who married Yosef Lison after the war. For the reasons of security Kėdanskytė didn’t stay long at any place. After she left the Gedaikas she found shelter with Juozas and Ona Augustinavičienė, who lived with their 2 children in the vicinity of Kėdainiai. For nearly half a year Haya was hidden in their attic or, occasionally, in the cellar.