rescuers of jews
Aleksandravičienė Paulina
Paulina ALEKSANDRAVIČIENĖ
Paulina and Fania with their husbands and families lived in their parents-in-law's house, in Dubijos street in Siauliai. In 1944 Fania Aleksandravičienė was imprisoned since she was denounced as a Jew married to a Lithuanian. Her husband Liudvikas Aleksandravičius was also put to prison because he had not renounced his Jewish wife – did not divorce her. There was a chapel and a library in the Šiauliai prison. Priest Vladas Pola who was the prison chaplain and very humane to everyone despite their nationality and religion; he was like the beam of a lighthouse for a ship sinking in the darkness of the night. Liudvikas Aleksandravičius was a violinist. Priest Vladas Požėla brought him a cello so that, when playing in the prison orchestra, Liudvikas could every day meet his wife, since the orchestra was allowed to play in the women's block.
The priest organized their escape from the ghetto.
Fania was hiding at the acquaintances of her husband and father-in-law, because it was dangerous to remain in one place. After some time she was brought to Pabaliai where the whole Aleksandravičiai family lived at the time. Not far from Pabaliai, there was an aerodrome. When bombing started, the whole family, having saddled up a horse, would go to the lake of Rekyva and hide in a pinewood. They would dress Fania up like an old woman, to avoid her being recognized.
Stasė Juozapaitienė, Paulina Aleksandravičienė's daughter, recalls:
“My brother and I were warned to run home and tell everybody here if we saw a stranger coming close. Then aunt Fania would be hidden under a bed or in a wardrobe full of clothes. In the yard there were two cellars where potatoes were stored. Very often the aunt would hide there.”
Fania Aleksandravičienė has survived and lives in Israel at present. A tree has been planted in the Avenue of the Righteous in Paulina Aleksandravičienė's honour.
Paulina and Fania with their husbands and families lived in their parents-in-law's house, in Dubijos street in Siauliai. In 1944 Fania Aleksandravičienė was imprisoned since she was denounced as a Jew married to a Lithuanian. Her husband Liudvikas Aleksandravičius was also put to prison because he had not renounced his Jewish wife – did not divorce her. There was a chapel and a library in the Šiauliai prison. Priest Vladas Pola who was the prison chaplain and very humane to everyone despite their nationality and religion; he was like the beam of a lighthouse for a ship sinking in the darkness of the night. Liudvikas Aleksandravičius was a violinist. Priest Vladas Požėla brought him a cello so that, when playing in the prison orchestra, Liudvikas could every day meet his wife, since the orchestra was allowed to play in the women's block.
The priest organized their escape from the ghetto.
Fania was hiding at the acquaintances of her husband and father-in-law, because it was dangerous to remain in one place. After some time she was brought to Pabaliai where the whole Aleksandravičiai family lived at the time. Not far from Pabaliai, there was an aerodrome. When bombing started, the whole family, having saddled up a horse, would go to the lake of Rekyva and hide in a pinewood. They would dress Fania up like an old woman, to avoid her being recognized.
Stasė Juozapaitienė, Paulina Aleksandravičienė's daughter, recalls:
“My brother and I were warned to run home and tell everybody here if we saw a stranger coming close. Then aunt Fania would be hidden under a bed or in a wardrobe full of clothes. In the yard there were two cellars where potatoes were stored. Very often the aunt would hide there.”
Fania Aleksandravičienė has survived and lives in Israel at present. A tree has been planted in the Avenue of the Righteous in Paulina Aleksandravičienė's honour.