rescuers of jews
Milaševičienė Marija
Marija MILAŠEVIČIENĖ
Isaak Reznik was the only one from his family who survived the akzia of October 28, 1941 in the Kaunas Ghetto. All his family – father, mother two sisters and four brothers – perished in the 9th Fort. Day after day the 9-year-old Isaak went to work with the grown-ups, sometimes outside the Ghetto, and once was noticed by his’ father’s former colleague. This man named Adomas persuaded Isaak to leave the Ghetto where his chances for survival were very meager. For some time the young refugee was hidden by Adomas himself until it became dangerous – someone noticed a child in the rescuer’s house while it was known that Adomas has no children. To avoid further investigations Isaak was transferred to Marija Milaseviciene, a widow who lived with her 3 young children and made her living from selling church candles. She accepted Isaak gladly and cared for him with motherly care. His black and curly hair was shaved completely, his old clothes changed. During the daytime Isaak was not allowed not only to go outside but even to come close to the windows. But he could move freely inside the flat and play with other children. At Marija’s house Isaak felt like a family member and never felt any discrimination. Marija lived in the city center, near the municipality square, a noisy and crowded place, not really suitable for sheltering a Jew. In 1943 when the searches by the Germans and the local police became more frequent, Isaak chose not to endanger Marija’s family with his presence any more. One evening he joined the line of Jewish workers returning to their homes in the Ghetto. The year that remained before the liberation was full of hard work and mortal danger but against all odds Issak survived. After the war he kept close contacts with his rescuer and her children, even after his immigration to Israel.
Isaak Reznik was the only one from his family who survived the akzia of October 28, 1941 in the Kaunas Ghetto. All his family – father, mother two sisters and four brothers – perished in the 9th Fort. Day after day the 9-year-old Isaak went to work with the grown-ups, sometimes outside the Ghetto, and once was noticed by his’ father’s former colleague. This man named Adomas persuaded Isaak to leave the Ghetto where his chances for survival were very meager. For some time the young refugee was hidden by Adomas himself until it became dangerous – someone noticed a child in the rescuer’s house while it was known that Adomas has no children. To avoid further investigations Isaak was transferred to Marija Milaseviciene, a widow who lived with her 3 young children and made her living from selling church candles. She accepted Isaak gladly and cared for him with motherly care. His black and curly hair was shaved completely, his old clothes changed. During the daytime Isaak was not allowed not only to go outside but even to come close to the windows. But he could move freely inside the flat and play with other children. At Marija’s house Isaak felt like a family member and never felt any discrimination. Marija lived in the city center, near the municipality square, a noisy and crowded place, not really suitable for sheltering a Jew. In 1943 when the searches by the Germans and the local police became more frequent, Isaak chose not to endanger Marija’s family with his presence any more. One evening he joined the line of Jewish workers returning to their homes in the Ghetto. The year that remained before the liberation was full of hard work and mortal danger but against all odds Issak survived. After the war he kept close contacts with his rescuer and her children, even after his immigration to Israel.