Rescuers of Jews

Audėjutė-Krutulis Aldona

Ona AUDĖJIENĖ
Juozas AUDĖJUS
Extract from Olga Dzimitrovskaya's interrogation record, case No 10893/3 of 24 July 1946 in the Special Archive of Lithuania: “Question: Where did you live after your escape from the Vilnius Ghetto? Answer: When we escaped from the ghetto on 22 September 1943, my brother Abram Dzimitrovski, his wife Cilė Dzimitrovskaya and I went to Juozas Audėjus, residing in Aušros vartų Street 19, flat 9. Q.: What was the purpose of your visit to J. Audėjus' flat? A: My brother Abram Dzimitrovski had known Juozas Audėjus for more than twenty years, therefore we decided to ask him to hide the three of us from the German persecution. Q.: How long and where were you hiding in Juozas Audėjus' flat? A: In J. Audėjus' flat we were hiding for ten months, i.e. until 13 July 1944. We would also stay in the basement below the flat. Q.: Who else was hiding in J. Audėjus' flat? A: Together with my brother Abram Dzimitrovski, his wife Cilė and me, there was one more family who had escaped from the ghetto. Q.: What is the name of this family? A: Together with us, the family of Abel and Rachel Fromtchik was hiding in the Audėjai flat. They also escaped from the Vilnius Ghetto. They came to the Audėjai several hours later than us and stayed there to the end of the war. Q.: Where are the Dzimitrovski and the Fromtchik families? A: Abram and Cilė Dzimitrovski left for Poland in April 1945, while Abel and Rachel Fromtchik went to their relatives in the town of Virbalis. Q.: What could you say about Juozas Audėjus and his family? A: I have known Juozas Audėjus since 1924, and his wife Ona – since the moment when we asked for shelter. I know that Juozas Audėjus worked at the registry office. I know him as a man loyal to authorities and have never heard him say anything negative about authorities. He is from a poor family, his father was a watchman. During the occupation he helped the persecuted Jews. He was hiding five people in his home, and took food to those in the ghetto.” Signature /Olga Dzimitrovskaya/ Original in Russian

From Hands Bringing Life and Bread, Volume 1,
The Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum. Vilnius, 1997
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