THE ALLEY OF THE RIGHTEOUS: Juozas Stašaitis, Agnė Stašaitienė, Jonas Stašaitis

 

Antanas Skeltys baptised Izaokas Glikas. Jonas Stašaitis, a teacher from the Salesian monastery, became the boy’s godfather. When locals started showing interest in Izaokas’ origins, Jonas Stašaitis took Izaokas to his parents Agnė and Juozas Stašaitis in Patolupis village, Raseiniai region. The Stašaitis gave a friendly welcome to Izaokas and told the neighbours that he was an orphan of one of their relatives who had perished. At the Stašaitis, Izaokas did not need to hide. He spoke very good Lithuanian and communicated with other children in the village. With the front approaching, Patolupis village ended up on the front lines of military battles and the Stašaitis’ buildings suffered as a result. Therefore, Juozas Stašaitis took his daughters and Izaokas to his relatives in Šimkaičiai rural district, Jurbarkas region. Several days later the settlement was already full of Germans who used the home of the relatives as their military headquarters. The owners were ordered to live in the barn. Luckily Izaokas did not cause any suspicions. With the pressure from the Red Army increasing, German soldiers were forced to retreat and Juozas Stašaitis took the children back home where Izaokas was extremely happy to see his mother already waiting for him.

 

 

From: Whosoever saves a single life, saves an entire universe

Vilna Gaon Museum of Jewish History, Vilnius, 2019