Australian Lithuanian History

Budriene and Father Spurgis The second Catholic priest to minister to the Adelaide Lithuanians was Father Albinas Spurgis.  He was born September 6 th in 1907 in Panevežys.  He attended the Ukmergė school and later the Seminary in Kaunas.  He was ordained a priest on June 23 rd 1932.  From 1932 he spent two years at St Peters and Paul’s church in Panevežys and three years in Panevežys cathedral. From July 1938 he was at the Gelaži ų parish and Simonys. From December 12 th 1943 he held the office of the Dean of Kupiškas. He left Lithuania in 1944 and made his way to Germany, Oberfalce in Bavaria in the town of Weiden, where he assisted the church.  He established a Lithuania camp where he was the chaplain and Weiden Lithuanian school director. He emigrated to the USA in 1949 and lived in Cleveland in the St Joseph’s church.  He was here for four years.  In 1953 he left for Rome and entered the Marian congregation, where he remained for ...

1961, the Lithuanian Catholic Women's society had been active for one year.  This is their first annual report. Father Kungys, centre with members of the Adelaide Lithuanian Catholic society St Joseph's and later St casimir church decorations and cleaning.  Flowers for the church with a roster ending at Christmas for the year. Catering for the St Casimir volunteer workers.  From 3 March 1960 to 16 April 1961 they organised 35 lunches, feeding over 500 volunteers. Organised Father Kungys 15 year jubilee as a priest. Buffets prepared for various balls throughout the year, Sunday Voice newsletter ball, SA Lithuanian Catholics Ball, St Casimir’s opening of the church where over 200 people attended. Together with parents organised supper for children receiving their first communion. Supper for the school children end of year program.  Tea, coffee and snacks for the break during Lithuanian school. Community Christmas Eve meal where 83 people ...

The Baltic people in Australia have never forgotten the mass deportations of their countrymen in 1941.  Each year around the anniversary of the deportations the Estonian, Lithuanian and Latvian communities come together to remember.   It continues today, the 62nd annual commemoration service and concert to be held at St Peter;s Latvian Hall on Sunday 15th June 2014 at 3:00pm.

National Archives of Australia HMAS Kanimbla arrives at Melbourne with the first group of displaced persons (Dec 1947) from where they will join the train bound for Bonegilla Migrant Camp. They had travelled from Europe to Fremantle on the GENERAL HEINTZELMAN and transhipped to the KANIMBLA. This translation is from a two part article, of which this in number 2. It was cut out from the newspaper with no other parts.  Written by  Juozas Šilainis, who arrived on the  General Heintzelman.  The first ship bringing post WWII migrants to Australia in December 1947.   This letter was published in  ‘Žodis’ a DP camp newspaper in Detmold, Germany, Jan 8 1948. An ordinary job can earn you £5-6. Food is cheap, housing in expensive.   We work five days per week, eight hours per day. We will in Fremantle until December 2 nd , then will sail east to Melbourne.  From there by train 200 kilometres to Bonegilla where we will be for about a month....