rescuers of jews
Pekarskis Viktoras
EUGENIJA PEKARSKIENĖ and VIKTORAS PEKARSKIS
Neonila PEKARSKYTĖ-PAKALNIŠKIENĖ
Anatolijus, the son of Lėja Dulickaitė-Šestokienė and Jurgis Šestokas, was born in June 1939 in Kaunas. When the war began, Lėja and Jurgis Šeštokai attempted to escape from the attacking Germans with their baby; alas, they could not walk very far, and the Vehrmacht army caught up with them in Daugavpils. When Germans arrested Jurgis Šeštokas, Lėja and the baby returned to Radviiškis to look for a haven. They were hidden by Eugenija and Viktoras Pekarskai. Their daughter Neonila looked after Anatolijus – she managed to obtain papers to the effect that the boy was her illegitimate son. At the time Lėja Šeštokienė was told that her husband had been released and was living in Kaunas.
Having left the child in Neonila's care, Lėja returned to Kaunas. She found her flat empty and ransacked. She spent the night there, but was informed against, arrested and imprisoned in the ghetto. Three months later, on 25 October 1941, she escaped and walked back to Radviliškis. There she found her husband living at his mother's. It was dangerous to stay together because the police were constantly checking to see if he was living with his Jewish wife; she had to hide with the Pekarskiai. A couple of weeks later it became known that an unreliable neighbour had noticed a stranger staying in the Pekarskiai house. She had to leave their home without delay and run to her mother-in-law, Barbora Šeštokienė, but it was not safe there either. So, within a month Lėja secretly reached Šeduva, where she was sheltered by Stasė Padgurskienė. She hid there for as long as three months until, once again, she was noticed by neighbours. She had to find yet another place to hide. Fortunately, arrangements were made with the farmer Bronius Šereiva from Naujasodžiai village, close to Šeduva. She stayed there for ten months. Then she was taken to Bebrujėliai village to stay with the farmer Vilius Dangis. He hid and protected her until the end of the war. When the Germans retreated, everyone was relieved. Lėja Šeštokienė reunited with her family and settled in Radviliškis.
For three long years tens of people risked their lives and those of their loved ones to protect the Jew Lėja Šeštokienė and her son Anatolijus. It took only one executioner to kill a hundred Jews, but the enormous efforts, understanding, spiritual power, and resolution of more than twenty people were necessary to save two people from death.
Lėja and her family will never forget their rescuers and their deeds.
It is a pity, but only two people who were involved in the rescue of Lėja Šeštokienė and Anatolijus Šeštokas are among us today. Both Neonila Pekarskytė-Pakalniškienė and the daughter of Vilius Dangis, Jadvyga Dangytė-Kaupienė, live in Radviliškis.
From Hands Bringing Life and Bread, Volume 2,
The Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum. Vilnius, 1999
Neonila PEKARSKYTĖ-PAKALNIŠKIENĖ
Anatolijus, the son of Lėja Dulickaitė-Šestokienė and Jurgis Šestokas, was born in June 1939 in Kaunas. When the war began, Lėja and Jurgis Šeštokai attempted to escape from the attacking Germans with their baby; alas, they could not walk very far, and the Vehrmacht army caught up with them in Daugavpils. When Germans arrested Jurgis Šeštokas, Lėja and the baby returned to Radviiškis to look for a haven. They were hidden by Eugenija and Viktoras Pekarskai. Their daughter Neonila looked after Anatolijus – she managed to obtain papers to the effect that the boy was her illegitimate son. At the time Lėja Šeštokienė was told that her husband had been released and was living in Kaunas.
Having left the child in Neonila's care, Lėja returned to Kaunas. She found her flat empty and ransacked. She spent the night there, but was informed against, arrested and imprisoned in the ghetto. Three months later, on 25 October 1941, she escaped and walked back to Radviliškis. There she found her husband living at his mother's. It was dangerous to stay together because the police were constantly checking to see if he was living with his Jewish wife; she had to hide with the Pekarskiai. A couple of weeks later it became known that an unreliable neighbour had noticed a stranger staying in the Pekarskiai house. She had to leave their home without delay and run to her mother-in-law, Barbora Šeštokienė, but it was not safe there either. So, within a month Lėja secretly reached Šeduva, where she was sheltered by Stasė Padgurskienė. She hid there for as long as three months until, once again, she was noticed by neighbours. She had to find yet another place to hide. Fortunately, arrangements were made with the farmer Bronius Šereiva from Naujasodžiai village, close to Šeduva. She stayed there for ten months. Then she was taken to Bebrujėliai village to stay with the farmer Vilius Dangis. He hid and protected her until the end of the war. When the Germans retreated, everyone was relieved. Lėja Šeštokienė reunited with her family and settled in Radviliškis.
For three long years tens of people risked their lives and those of their loved ones to protect the Jew Lėja Šeštokienė and her son Anatolijus. It took only one executioner to kill a hundred Jews, but the enormous efforts, understanding, spiritual power, and resolution of more than twenty people were necessary to save two people from death.
Lėja and her family will never forget their rescuers and their deeds.
It is a pity, but only two people who were involved in the rescue of Lėja Šeštokienė and Anatolijus Šeštokas are among us today. Both Neonila Pekarskytė-Pakalniškienė and the daughter of Vilius Dangis, Jadvyga Dangytė-Kaupienė, live in Radviliškis.
From Hands Bringing Life and Bread, Volume 2,
The Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum. Vilnius, 1999