rescuers of jews
Račiūnas Antanas, Antano
Ona RAČIŪNIENĖ
Antanas RAČIŪNAS
and their children Antanas, Petras and Vincentas
During the war Pranas Zaksas and his sisters Ona and Marijona lived in the village of Gūrai, Raiseniai region. Their parents died long before and three children together with their step-brother Jonas Vaitkus were dealing with maintaining the household and the farm themselves. During the entire period of the German occupation Zaksas and his cousin’s Račiūnas families had been hiding and feeding Samson Milneris family. The Zaksas family knew the Milneris family even before the war. Milneris possessed a mill and his house was located 1 km from Zaksas’ farm. When the war broke out Milneris together with both of his sons – younger Berelis and elder Aronas and wife’s brother Kaganas turned to Zaksas for help. Elder son Aronas and wife’s brother Kaganas went to Zaksas’ cousin – Vincentas Račiūnas, who lived nearby. Samsonas and Berelis rested at the Zaksas’. In the farmstead of Vincentas Račiūnas there were even three hiding places: in the woodshed, henhouse and in the house. When the front line moved closer, the Jews were forced to look for a safer place to hide. All of them survived thanks to brave and noble actions of Lithuanian farmers – Pranas Zaksas, Ona & Marijona Zaksaitės and Antanas Račiūnas, Ona Račiūnienė and their children Antanas, Petras ir Vincentas. After the war the Milneris family lived in Kaunas and afterwards emigrated to Israel.
Antanas RAČIŪNAS
and their children Antanas, Petras and Vincentas
During the war Pranas Zaksas and his sisters Ona and Marijona lived in the village of Gūrai, Raiseniai region. Their parents died long before and three children together with their step-brother Jonas Vaitkus were dealing with maintaining the household and the farm themselves. During the entire period of the German occupation Zaksas and his cousin’s Račiūnas families had been hiding and feeding Samson Milneris family. The Zaksas family knew the Milneris family even before the war. Milneris possessed a mill and his house was located 1 km from Zaksas’ farm. When the war broke out Milneris together with both of his sons – younger Berelis and elder Aronas and wife’s brother Kaganas turned to Zaksas for help. Elder son Aronas and wife’s brother Kaganas went to Zaksas’ cousin – Vincentas Račiūnas, who lived nearby. Samsonas and Berelis rested at the Zaksas’. In the farmstead of Vincentas Račiūnas there were even three hiding places: in the woodshed, henhouse and in the house. When the front line moved closer, the Jews were forced to look for a safer place to hide. All of them survived thanks to brave and noble actions of Lithuanian farmers – Pranas Zaksas, Ona & Marijona Zaksaitės and Antanas Račiūnas, Ona Račiūnienė and their children Antanas, Petras ir Vincentas. After the war the Milneris family lived in Kaunas and afterwards emigrated to Israel.