Albinas Pocius, the Lithuanian Minor Activist

Albinas was born on December 13th 1918, not far from Sėda. His parents were farmers. He finished Sėda Primary school and then the Sėda middle school. He first joined the scout movement  in 1930, as a 12 year old, an interest that he retained throughout his life.  Albinas attended high school in Mažeikas, but finished high school in Klaipėda.  He studied journalism at the Vytautas Didysis school.  During the soviet occupation Albinas worked on the railways.

In August 1944 he fled the Russian front and fled to the west.  He found himself in the Montomery camp in Dorverdene camp and later Seedorf, the British zone.   It was in a Seedorf Displaced Persons camp in Selsingen that he met Ruta Pociute whom he later married on the 23 March 1947.  

On February 1949 they left Naples on the boat Nea Hellas, bound for Australia.  Albinas spent his two work contract planting pine trees and later working in Housing Trust building homes.  The skills he learnt on the job allowed him to build his own home in Warragul. In 1949 he was actively involved in the Lithuanian scout movement and helped V.s B. Dainutis organise the Australian district.  He had been in Australia only one month before he sought out other Lithuanian scouts, corresponding with them.  

Albinas continued writing for various Lithuanian newspapers over the years.  He wrote “Po Svetimų Dangum” (Under a foreign sky) about scouts in the Sydney Lithuanian newspaper, Mūsų Pastogė.

Later Ruta and Albinas moved to Melbourne where they spend many years.  They became heavily involved in the Lithuanian community, Albinas in scouts, Ramovė even become president of the Australian Lithuanian and regional director of the Lithuanian Scout Association.  Albinas was Ramovės secretary and for six years was Vice-President of the Melbourne Lithuanian Club from 1968 to 1972.  For many years he was the Scouts Ramovė president and also held position of President of the Melbourne Lithuanian community for eight years and in 1980 was elected to the Australian Lithuanian community as President.  He was awarded the World Lithuanian community Karaliaus Mindaugas and Vilnius Universitetas 400m medal.  

Albinas became heavily involved in the fight with the Whitlam government acknowledgment of the Baltic states as being incorporated into the Soviet Union.  He joined the Australian Baltic Committee & Captive Nations and served on both as vice-president.

Albinas was very concerned with the plight of Mažoji Lietuva (Lithuania Minor) and wrote many articles and booklets on the situation.  He lectured extensively throughout Australia and Melbourne. In 1951 he organized the Mažosios Lietuvos Bičiulių Draugija, (Friends of Lithuanian Minor) and became the President.  

After retirement, the couple moved to Adelaide, as Ruta had family there.  Albinas involved himself in the Adelaide community and continued writing. 

In 1997 Albinas and Ruta celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.  Family and friends gathered at Lithuanian House in Norwood for a lunch.  He passed away two years later in 1999. Mass was held in the Lithuanian chapel and later at the Centennial Park where he was cremated.  

Albinas was a big bulky bear of a man with a gentle soul.  He was softy spoken, well educated and a true Lithuanian patriot.  He dedicated many years of his life to the Lithuanian community, in the hope of seeing his country free again. 

Tracing your Lithuanian Ancestors

When I began my family history research it consisted only of what my grandparents could remember.  I always thought I came from a very small family.  Well 25 years later, I know that is not the case. 

Tracing your Lithuanian ancestors may seem daunting at first, but it is possible to do so from Australia.  The hardest part is just knowing where to start. 

This resource aims to direct you along your journey, providing tips on where to find information in Australia and overseas. An increasing variety of material, including maps, gazetteers, newspapers, shipping lists and civil records of birth death and marriage and immigration papers are being made available online. A good deal can be researched online and for free. 

There are many factors that make Lithuanian family history research challenging. People’s surnames change as does the language they are recorded in. Lithuanian records may be written in Lithuanian, Russian, Polish, German or Latin. 

I hope that this book will inspire a new generation of historians, people wishing to find out more about their roots, who will use and contribute to the Archives.

This book has been published by Unlock the Past and can be ordered online from Gould Genealogy for $17.50.  Any profit will be given to the Australian Lithuanian Archives.

https://www.gould.com.au/tracing-your-lithuanian-ancestors-from-australia/utp0211/

Ačiū Elena Pimpiene

Elena Pimpienė nee Šutaitė

Mano močiute, my grandmother, or čiute as we sometimes called her was a great part of my life.   Growing up my family would spend each Sunday with them and parts of the school holidays. We grew up with them speaking Lithuanian, with some English thrown in.  Looking back, I can see how much of their culture they passed on, but at the time they were just my grandparents.

Elena was born in a small village in the Dusetos region to a farming family.  Her early life was the farm and looking after her grandmother.  When she married my grandfather, they moved to Kaunas before making their way to freedom in Germany.  Their young daughter died on the way, but two more children were born in the camps.  After arriving in Australia, they settled in Adelaide, raising their two children.  The family over time exploded to in-laws and five grandchildren.

Močiute was a great cook, and food was always plentiful at her house.  You did not leave without being feed and taking some extra home with you.  There was always soup to start each meal, my favourite of course was barokų sriūba (beetroot soup). Then an assortment of Lithuanian dishes, meatloaf, sometimes cepelinai, cabbage rolls or kugelis.  Desserts were the best, napoleonas cake on special occasions, and hedhog cake she made us when we were small, even spirgai at times.  We once made krustai together, but I had a hard time flipping the pastry through the slits.  Once I asked her to teach me how to make cepelinai, but by the time I arrived she had put it all together.  

My grandparents back yard was really a huge vegetable garden with fruit trees scattered around.  They grew many of their vegetables; cucumbers, tomatoes, capsicums, carrots, which my family would receive bags full of when in season.  Also the fruit; apples, pears, mandarins, apricots, almonds when they came to fruit.  I love growing food as they did.

Being always industrious, močiute was a keen and very good seamstress.  She worked in clothing factories in Adelaide and was always at her sewing machine making clothes for someone.  On weekends there was often Lithuanian ladies sitting in her sewing room who came to get her measurements done or fitted for outfits.  She sewed the dresses for the Lituania choir, made scout dresses and even made our Lithuanian costumes.  She was inventive and given the time (1980’s), Lithuanian material wasn’t always available but its amazing what you could do with some ‘Lithuanian style’ curtains.  She embroidered my sisters and mine blouses and aprons with stylised tulips and geometric patterns.

My grandparents house was never cluttered, but the few things they had reminded them of their home.  Carved wooden tulips that surrounded the clock in the sitting room, a wooden carved hunter and tree, and the one picture that did hang in the dining room was taken on their wedding day so many years ago in Kaunas.  That picture hangs in my house now.

Weaving linen was a common practice in Lithuania and močiute grew up to be very good at it.  She told me as a young girl, she would get extra money weaving items for the local community.  She didn’t have a large loom in Australia, but my grandfather made her some small ones where she wove sashes and bookmarks.  She taught my mother to do the same and I asked her to teach me.  She instructed me on how to cast on, how to read the patterns how to make bookmarks, sashes and ties.

Linas & Elena's wedding day

My grandparents were involved in the Adelaide Lithuanian community, they went to church, attended some social events and came to all our school and dancing concerts.  It wasn’t until my grandfather passed that she stood on a committee, becoming at one time the President of the Pensioners Club.  She loved the outings, the bingo afternoons even when her eyes failed her she would still attend.  She volunteered for Meals on Wheels but never quite liked it, not because of the work or the people, but because of the dry scones they made for morning tea.

50th Wedding anniversary

Elena passed away in Adelaide in 2011, at the age of 97. 

Mano močiutė, instilled in me a love of her country, she taught me its language and showed me its beauty through her life.  For this I would like to say, ačiū močiutė.

The Pocius kids, dressed in Mociute made clothes and tauntinai rubai

Lithuanian Armed Forces Day

23 November Kariuomines Diena
Lithuania Armed Forces Day

 

While the Returned Soldiers Association Ramovė was active in Adelaide, each year the members would gather to commemorate Lithuanian Armed Forces Day on 23^rd of November.

Lithuanian Armed Forces Day is commemorated on the 23^rd of November the date that the Lithuanian army was initiated in 1918. 

An exert from an article written by Vladas Radzevicius (date unknown) reiterates what was written in the Melbourne Catholic newsletter, ‘Tėviškės Aidai’;

We bow our heads to remember the soldiers who gave their lives for their homeland, so that we may be free. 

We bow our heads that one day we will hear the historic cry, ourageous without fear like our father and forefathers, let us pause before the enemy’s path, let us increase our pace for our mother land, and for the Lithuanian State.

On that day, the time worn soldiers would dress in their best suits, nothing less than tie and jacket.  They stood in straight lines as they once must have as soldiers, watched as a wreath of leaves was placed by the statue that stands at Lithuanian House, to commemorate those who died for the homeland. 

They stood proud and tall as the Lithuanian flag was hoisted and sang the Lithuanian anthem with respect and reverence as only those can, who know the price of freedom.

Bicentenary gift to Australia

Artist Ieva Pocius with the statue

Australian Lithuanian Community Bicentenary gift to Australia

A memorial to represent Australia’s welcoming and providing a good life to the migrants.  What will remain to represent Lithuanian life in Australia.  The idea of donating a sculpture by an Australian Lithuanian sculptor was first raised by Dr Ben Vingilis in 1984 and formerly adopted by the Australian Lithuanian Federal Council in 1986.

A committee was established to raise funds and to call for expression of interstate form sculptors.

The artist chosen was Ieva Pocius, well known Adelaide sculptor.  Her piece was based on Eglė the Queen of Serpents which is considered one of the best-known Lithuanian fairy tales. The twelve foot bronze statue stands on a large piece of granite located at Glebe Park, corner of Ballumbir and Akuna Streets, Canberra.

The statue was unveiled by Hon Ros Kelly, M.P Member for Canberra, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel.

Artist: Ieva Pocius

Casted by Bruce Sutherland

Technical advice: Rimas Kabaila and engineer Romas Katauskas

Chairman of the organising committee: Victor Martisius

Artistic Advisor: Eva Kubbos

Publicity: Juras Kovalskis

Finance: Dr Ben Vingilis

Fundraising committee: Augis Zamoiskis (Adelaide)

The story

A young girl named Eglė discovers a serpent in her clothes after bathing with her two sisters. Speaking in a human voice, the serpent agrees to go away only after Eglė pledges herself to him in exchange for his leaving the clothes, not realising the possible consequences. Three days pass, and thousands of serpents come for the bride, but are tricked by her relatives each time. A goose, a sheep and a cow are given instead but the cuckoo warns about the deceit. Enraged serpents return for a final time and take Eglė with them to the bottom of the sea to their master.

Instead of seeing a serpent, Eglė meets her bridegroom Žilvinas, a handsome human - the Serpent Prince. They live together happily and bear four children, until Eglė decides to visit home and her husband denies her permission. In order to be allowed to visit home, Eglė is required to fulfil three impossible tasks: to spin a never-ending tuft of silk, wear down a pair of iron shoes and to bake a pie with no utensils. After she gets advice from the sorceress and succeeds, Žilvinas reluctantly lets Eglė and the children go.

After meeting the long lost family members, Eglė's relatives do not wish to let them back to the sea and decide to kill Žilvinas. His sons are are threatened and beaten by their uncles, in order to try to disclose how to summon their father; however, they remain silent and do not betray him. Finally, a frightened daughter discloses it:"Žilvinas, dear Žilvinas, If you are alive – may the sea foam milk. If you are dead – may the sea foam beblood…"

The twelve brothers call Žilvinas the Serpent from the sea and kill him using scythes.

The worried Eglė calls her husband, but unfortunately only foam of blood comes from the sea. When Eglė discovers that her beloved is dead, as a punishment for betrayal she turns her children and herself into trees - the sons into strong trees, an oak, an ash and a birch, whereas the daughter was turned into a quaking aspen. Finally, Eglė transformed herself into a spruce.

Adelaide supports Siberian deportees

Support Deportees from Siberia

Šalpa Sibiro Tremtiniams komiteto

The Adelaide Lithuanian community would at times organise special committees for various projects.  Formed on 24 March 1996, Support Deportees from Siberia committee was presided over by Stase Paceviciene.

During the period 1941-1953, some 132,000 Lithuanians were deported to remote areas of the USSR, in Siberia, the Arctic Circle areas and Central Asia. They were not allowed to leave the remote villages they were brought to. More than 70 percent of the deportees were women and children. Around 50,000 of the deportees were not able to return to Lithuania ever again. Those that did return to life in Lithuania, faced discrimination for jobs and social guarantees, their children were denied higher education.

Money was raised from donations, lunches, in lieu of flowers at funerals.  Money was divided and sent to different areas around Lithuania.  Each place that received funds provided a detailed list of how much and to whom it was given.

Some examples below:

Marijampolė       17 people received between 100-150 Litai
Alytus                16 people received between 100 – 200 litai
Panemė              6 people received 100 litai
Panevėžys           20 people each received 200 litai

The committee consisted of:
President:            Stase Pascevičienė
Treasurer:           Algis Zamoiskis
Members:            Marytė Neverauskienė, Henrikas Butvila, Janina Vabolienė, Ieva Pocienė, Aldona Patupiene.

The committee was active for five years until 2000, and in that time just under $20 000 was collected and distributed.

Total collected $19 189.

 

Memorial to the fallen

Paminklas “Žuvusiems už Lietuva”

Minint Lietuvos kariuomenės atkurimo 50-ties metų sukaktį, Liet Sajungos sodelyje, Adelaidėje, buvo pastatytas paminklas “Žuvusiems už Lietuva” prisiminti. Paminklo bareljiefą sukūrė ir isliejo sculpturė I. Pocienė. Paminklo statybos darbus vadovaujant inž arch K. Reisonui, atliko ramovėnai.

Paminklas buvo atidengtas 1968m laprkričio men 24. Po paminklo tituliniu akmeniu yra įmuryta paminklo Pašventinimo aktas, sauja Lietuvos zemės ir Nepriklausomos Lietuvos monetos.

Memorial to the fallen

At the rear of Lithuanian House in Adelaide stands a memorial that commemorates the 50-year anniversary of Lithuania regaining independence in 1918.  The memorial was built to commemorate those who died for Lithuania.  The sculpture was designed and made by local artist Ieva Pocienė. 

A woman, holds a dying or dead man in her arms.  The woman wears a wimple favoured by married women, maybe the man is her son or husband who has fought for Lithuania’s freedom.  It bears resemblance to Michelangelo’s ‘Pietà’ . This famous work of art depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion. 

The memorials construction was supervised by Architect K. Reisonas and constructed by Ramovė members.

The monument was unveiled on 24 November 1968.  A cover of rocks surrounds the memorial which is imbedded with a handful of soil from Lithuania and coins from independent Lithuania. 

A small brass Vytis (knight) is placed at the top of the sculpture, followed by a metal cross in Lithuanian style.  The pillars of Gediminas 
(Gediminio stulpai)  are one of the earliest symbols of Lithuania and one of its historical coats of arms. During the period between World War I and World War II they were used by the Lithuanian Republic as a minor state symbol, e. g. on Litas coins and military equipment.  On the other sign is another Lithuanian symbol the roundel.

A wooden Lithuanian style cross has been erected near the moment, two flag poles stand behind where on commemorative occasions flags are raised and wreaths are laid at the memorial base.

Baltic Women banner

The same year that the Lithuanian banner was created  another was produced by the Baltic Women's Association.   Designed by Ieva Pocius, a Lithuanian artist.

 

The fir trees represent the Baltic landscape. The faces symbolise the women of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. They are set against a combination of the national colours of the three states. This central image highlights the individuality of the Baltic States, while stressing the essential unity in the region.

The Jubilee 150 logo honours South Australia’s sesquicentenary. It symbolises the link between the old culture and the experience of Baltic women in their new land.

Max Fatchen writes about Lithuanians

Max at his Angle Vale home using his beloved "Ivan the Imperial" typewriter. 

Today we mourn the death of one of South Australians most iconic writers.  

Max Fatchen, born 92 years ago at Angle Vale has entertained readers, both young and old with his stories in the Advertiser newspaper and his books.  He said of writing "Writing is living, dreaming, creating new worlds, inventing characters and bringing them to life for other people to enjoy and read.  My pen is always hand.  I watch and listen and my mind brings me rhymes and rhythms and my typewriter beats them out".

He wrote of everyday people and their extraordinary life.  In 1967, he met several Lithuanian's and wrote their story in the Advertiser.  Here is the article.

Lithuanians keep up artistic tradition

When the long icy winters hung over Lithuania, recalls Mrs Ieva Pocius, of Myrtle Bank, her mother put cotton wool and charcoal between the inner and outer windows of her home to absorb the moisture and keep the windows clear in the knife-edged cold.

This drought stricken summer Mrs Pocius, with many other Adelaide housewives, will be keeping out the dust.

She is more than a housewife.  I found her in her studio, if that’s the right name for the place where a sculptress works skilfully with metal, fashioning it into abstract shapes with a welding outfit.

She said: “Its easier than using a washing machine.  You have a feeling of power, melting metal down, controlling it”.

She paused to talk about the fulfilment of life in Australia and it was then she recalled the frost patterns on the window of that far off Lithuanian home, the tall dark trees of the forest where her father a forester and the way Lithuanians whittled with wood in the winter nights and made wood carvings one of the country’s notable arts.

Mrs Pocius has kept up the artistic tradition and it was here that she developed her talent at the South Australian School of Art.  She is now an accomplished sculptress, and a lecturer as well.

She is also an example of the way Lithuanians who came to Australia after World War II have adapted themselves yet retained something of their own culture to share with other Australians.

Lithuanians are looking back this month, for next Saturday a social at Lithuanian house, Norwood with its museum and hall and its reminders of this small Baltic country will recall the arrival 20 years ago of the first Lithuanian migrants after World War II.

Lithuanian are aware of the Communist domination of their country and their memories on this score are sad ones.  Yet they are determined and progressive people and they have fitted well into contemporary Australian life.

They’re shy about their success stories.  The fact that most of them have been successful is showing in the imposing list of engineers, architects, chemists, lawyers, doctors (including three in one family) and musicians among the 1,800 people of the Lithuanian community in South Australia.

It was 2am when Mr A Sliuzas first saw Australia in 1947.

Behind him were the refugee camps of Europe and ahead of him was a hope.  Later he wandered around Perth, amazed at the contrast with ruined Europe and surprised at the buildings and obvious signs of progress around him.

He came to Adelaide in 1948.  He worked on a waterworks project, later became a hospital orderly at night so that he could study engineering during the day.

Then he found it too much so he became a builder instead. He built service stations, bridges and even schools.  Now he has a property he is developing at Forest Range. As a naturalised Australian he also has a powerful feeling for his new country. 

When Mr Pranas Matiukas came to South Australia 19 years ago, he didn’t have many possessions but he brought his two violins. He had graduated from Kaunas Conservatory in Lithuania but intended making law his living.  The war ended all that. 

He found the sunlit vineyards of Renmark stimulating after the bitter European winter.  He picked grapes in the day time. At night he played the violin at social evenings while his employers wife played the piano, but it was several years before he could play professionally. 

His wife and daughter Emily (She’s 20 now and a kindergarten teacher) joined him from Europe.   He said “I worked as a hospital orderly, did some painting jobs. But I looked after my hands”.

He uses them now to good effect as a violinist with the South Australian Symphony Orchestra.   He said “Australian Symphony Orchestra compare very favourably with similar city orchestras in Europe. But I wish Adelaide had a permanent opera”.

He recalled that before World War II, the Lithuanian city of Kaunas with 150 000 people had a permanent opera company which performed for 10 months of the year. “And we had a ballet too”.

Mr Matiukas and his family still talk Lithuanian at their Everard Park home, because it is good for their daughter to have a second language and Lithuanian is meaningful to her. 

Life in Australia has meant readjustments.

Mr V Raginis, 57, President of the Lithuanian community smiles  when he contrasts his former job with his present one.  Now he’s a first class machinist. In Lithuania he was a senior inspector of taxation.  

He began by sweeping factory floors in Australia.  He was amused at the lecture by a well meaning major at Bonegilla migrant camp in Victoria soon after his arrival.  The major had said “ You must forget everything and start a new life.  Don’t look back”.  “Its hard” reflects Mr Raginis to chop the past. About 95% of Lithuanian's here are naturalised but the past is very real to us”.  But he keeps it in perspective. 

Sixteen year old Maria Neverauskas of St Mary’s and 14 year old Giedre Straukas of Highgate can tread the lively and graceful measures of Lithuanian national dancers but they are Australian born and contemporary in outlook. They enjoy the customs of Lithuania especially at Christmas.  “I think” said Maria “that these customs enrich your life.  After all Australia is forming its culture, and Lithuania has a very old culture.  One has something for the other”.

The Advertiser Nov 18th, 1967

Lithuanian DP periodicals

The end of the war for many of the Lithuanians became a waiting and hoping game.  Hoping that their country would be free again and they could return home.  While they hoped, they waited. 

Some 70,000 Lithuanians made their way west, mainly ending up in Germany.  A large percentage of these Lithuanians were professionals: physicians, engineers, jurists, teachers, artists, public officials, and others who would have been targeted by the Soviet occupational regime had they stayed in or returned to Soviet-occupied Lithuania.  While in DP camps, members tried to resume their former occupations, or worked at other jobs, and tried establish a sense of normalcy in what were abnormal conditions.

With time on their hands, many camps began printing their own newspapers.  These camp publications come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some contain news simply typed up and mimeographed on low-quality paper. Others were professionally type-set and contain artwork and photographs.   173 are known to exist, produced in Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.  The names given to the publication show that the DP’s retained hope,  Kelyje Tėvynėn  (The path to homeland),that the newsletters were practical Lietuvių Žinios (Lithuanian news), or echoed their current predicament Tremtinio Žodis (Word of an Exile).

Stories, poems and articles were scattered throughout, mixed with day to day news of the camp. Various regulations and schedules of all types are published in these newsletters. The DPs had to contend with not only the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA), but also with national governments as well as they formulated policies regarding the stay and the immigration of Displaced Persons. 

The newspapers do contain names, names of deceased, people being saught, even wives to go to other countries were advertised for. Sports scores of competitions between the athletes of the various DP camps also featured.

Aušros Belaukiant (Waiting for the dawn) first published 11 October 1945 in the Montgomery camp, Dorverden Kreis Verden.  Edited by Albinas Pocius, the cover drawn by V. Vaitekunas.   It was a monthly publication, that initially cost 1 Reich mark and later 2.  The eighth publication printed on 15 June 1946 was done in Seedorf with the added subtitle of Literature and Cultural information.  Not sure when the publication ceased, the last we have is August 1946.

Albinas Pocius was born on December 13th 1918, not far from Sėda in northern Zemaitija, Albinas finished high school in Klaipeda and then began a course in journalism.  In August 1944 he fled the Russian front and fled to the west.  He found himself in the Montomery camp in Dorverdene camp and later Seedorf, the British zone. He later moved to Rotenburg camp.  At Rotenburg he assisted in the publication of a daily newspaper, Mūsų Žinios (Our news).   In 1949, Albinas and his new wife Ruta boarded the boat for Australia.  They settled in Melbourne until their retirement in the 1980’s when they moved to Adelaide to be closer to Ruta’s family.  They were both actively involved in the Lithuanian community, Albinas with the newspaper and scouts.  He wrote many articles and even a small booklet on what was obviously a passionate topic of his, ‘Mažosios Lietuva’ (Lithuania Minor). 

Several camps also issued books on various Lithuanian topics. 

The Adelaide Archives have varied copies of books and journals.  One such journal is ‘Gintaras’ Neperiodinis literaturos Žurnalas  (Amber, a occasional literature journal).  This was edited by J. Kruminas from Haffkrug,Germany first printed on October 1945.  The first issue was 56 A4 pages with sketches by A. M Šimkunas and later A. Džukas and S. Krutulis.  'Gintaras' was printed at Baltija.  Baltija appears to be a communal printer, located in Neustadt Holst DP camp IV Block.  Issue 10 was in September 1946.

Baltija had also released ‘Baltija’ literature almanac of 60 pages, ‘Tevų Nameliai’ Vytautas Nemunelis poems for children, 44 pages, ‘Sugrižimo Laivas’ a book by Juozas Kruminas, ‘Išpirktoji mirtis’ by Bronius Daubaris. 

The publications never lasted for more than a few years.  A refugee’s life was one of upheaval and frequent changes in where you lived were common.  USA accepted refugees much earlier than Australia, and so it wasn’t long before the workers migrated.  It’s amazing that copies still exist, firstly because of the poor quality of the works and secondly the fact that someone thought to bring with them copies as they migrated to a new country.