Vaclovas RAGINIS

This portrait of Raginis painted by Neliubsys
hangs in Adelaide Lithuanian House

A testimonial life to Lithuania

Vaclovas was born to be a public figure. He was born in the middle of winter on 5th February 1910 in Vilnius. After the first world war he attended Švenčionių school where he was active in literature and sport clubs. At only 14 years he was producing a fortnightly school newsletter “Vienybe’ (Unity). He spoke several languages, as well as Lithuanian he spoke Polish, Russian and German. His activeness in Lithuanian activities, instigated the Polish government calling for his removal from high school. At this time Vilnius region was occupied by Poland.

In 1926 he was able to enrol in Vilniaus Lithuanian seminary and later to Vytautas Didysis school. In 1929 he organised the famous Ažusilės Lithuanian song festival where 2000 people participated.

Sensing that his Lithuanian activities were coming to an end he fled to independent Lithuania. Here he enrolled in the War School where he attained a junior lieutenant position in the Army Reserves. After the course completion he returned to civilian life.

He enrolled in Vytautis Didysis University in Kaunas, where he studied economics in the evening and worked at the Finance Ministry during the day. Kaunas at that time served as the provisional capital and the country’s political, economic and cultural centre. In 1939 he returned to Vilnius to continue his studies at Vilniaus University. Two years later he was employed as a tax inspector for Švenčionėliuose and later Švenčionyse. He married Monika Šluckaitė on 7 October 1933.

As WWII progressed it became apparent to Vaclovas that he would have to leave Lithuania as the Russian army returned. He and his wife withdrew to Germany.

Now displaced, living in temporary accommodation hoping Lithuania would become independent once again he joined the US Army Labour Service Company. He was a Lieutenant in the DLK Algirdas company (4129 Labor Service Company). He served from 2 January 1947 from its formation to the time it was disbanded on the 12 September. From here he was transferred to the 4027 Labor Service Company in Bamberge (Baltic corps). He was discharged only when he received confirmation that he was emigrating to Australia. 

Travelling on the ship Mohammedi, it arrived in Melbourne on the 14th May 1949. After completing his compulsory work agreement with the Australian government, he settled in Geelong. Before long he was actively involved in Lithuanian affairs and was instrumental in establishing a Lithuanian branch of Australian Lithuanian association.

He later moved to Adelaide (1954) where he became involved with the community. Raginis understood that a community house was very important and formed the Adelaide Lithuanian Association of which he was President for ten years. During that time money was collected for purchasing a community house. He was awarded a life member of the Adelaide Lithuanian Association.

In 1963 he and his wife Ona were invited by the Government of South Australia to attend the Royal Music Festival at which Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were present.

Unfortunately, his health failed him and he withdrew from some community commitments. In 1970 he formed an Adelaide branch of the Lietuvos Atgimimo Sąjūdžio skyriaus (Lithuanian Nationalist Movement).

Raginis life work was for the country he left behind, he felt strongly for the youth and encouraged them to keep their heritage. 

On June 14, 1971, the whole Lithuanian community attended his funeral and commitment at Centennial Park. He passed away three days earlier in hospital after a hefty illness. He was survived by his wife.

Farewell picnic for Father Jatulis

Picnic at Christies Beach

On a Sunday afternoon on the 25 August 1957,over 400 Lithuanians gathered at the Caritas property at Christies Beach for its first picnic and blessing of the house. Mass was said by Father Jatulis whose sermon emphasised a common house, common work. The choir, Lituania even came and sung. 

Not sure if this photo is of the actual event described but it was taken at Christies Beach

After mass, tables were set up, placed in rows and the Women’s committee brought out the home made, lovingly prepared food.  The occasion also served as a farewell to priest Paulius Jatulis who had been summoned by the church to go to Italy. 

Speeches were spoken every head present, from by ALB President, Stasys Čibiras, Theatre group head, Juozas Gusčius, Youth group leader Juozas Lapšys, Lithuanian Society President, J. Raginis, Scout Leader Vytas Neverauskas, Sports President J. Jaunutis and Ateininkai head, A. Kubilius. Instead of a farewell gift, the community gathered over £100 for Jatulis for his new path in life.  All present sand Ilgiausiu metų (Longest Years, sung on any special occasion) followed by more singing and joking before those present made the long journey back to Adelaide.

Lunch at Lithuanian House 1976

This article was written by Brone Mockuniene in July 1976 for Mūsų Pastogė.  Times have brought changes to the community lunches and the function of Lithuanian house, but here is how it was seen by those who built it.

A typical Sunday at Lithuanian House.  Cars drive slowly looking for a park.  Adelaidians after Sunday mass at St Casimir travel to Lithuanian House for lunch.  Today Vilniaus scout troop have prepared lunch.  Some arrive for lunch with the whole family, while others may bring Australian friends to try cepeliniai.  By the kitchen door a table stands with various cakes, all homemade.   Bagels, žagarelių and honey cake are brought to try and to take home.   Another table is piled with bottles, prizes for the lottery.  Adelaidians have generous hearts and happily open their wallets to buy lottery tickets, which is drawn at the end of lunch.  “One needs to support the scouts for their national camp” said one to a neighbour.

The scouts are happy with their takings, rubbing their hands together saying “Lunch was good”.  After lunch some may move into the bar to drink a glass of beer, others to the Library to see any new additions or to purchase a record, others may go and play billiards.  The youth have moved outside to play basketball.  Another may venture to Talka for some finance transactions, or view the Archives and museum.  Those at Lithuanian house are in little Lithuania.  What would one do if we didn’t have Lithuanian House? Our lives would be uninteresting and awkward.  Can you remember the time when Adelaide did not have a Lithuanian House, or Catholic centre, nor our own church.  We prayed at St Joseph church while Father Jatulis kept an eye on the clock so as to not run overtime, because the Poles were behind the door waiting for their time slot. We gathered for national dancing in numerous premises.  It is incredible that only five years after arriving in Australia, Adelaide already had a house committee established.  For several years they studied what would be the best way to buy a premises.  It was decided that a non profit organisation ‘Lietuviu Sajunga’ (Lithuanian Union) aimed as a legal entity would acquire and dispose of immovable and other assets.  The first committee consisted of President V Raginis, Vice President J Kalvaitis, Secretary J Pyragius and treasurer A Šliuzas.

Lithuanian House is where our children learn Lithuanian, dance national dances, play basketball.  How many weddings were held here, concerts, various meetings?

 

Vilniaus scout room

Father Kungys blessing the room

A inviting room at Lithuanian house was devoted to the ‘Vilniaus’ troop scout group.  The walls were covered with Lithuanian artwork, each piece had to be of Lithuanian basis.  The room was opened and blessed on 23 April 1961, St George day also World scout day.

Following mass at Lithuanian church a scout meeting was held at Lithuanian House.  Father Kungys, blessed the room, and urged the scouts to continue with scout principles.  Vaclovas Raginis, President of the Adelaide Lithuanian society provided the scouts with their own room where the youth could cultivate their Lithuanian heritage.

Jonas Vanagas was the scout master at that time.   Vanagas as the Museum Curator was able to prepare a display of scout journals and made a guest book was available to sign. 
After some brief speeches participants were able to view the room.  A large table had been made without nails, the legs and frame fixed together with rope.  The curtains had embroidered Guide logo sewn into them by the Guides.  A map of Lithuania, Vytis, wooden cross, photographs and framed letters also graced the walls.  The majority of the material were made by the scouts. 

As it approached sunset, the V. Šulcas prepared a fire where all gathered.  The Girl Guides (paukštytės) gave a recital, and 17 scout camp songs were sung.  The evening ended with the traditional ‘Ateina naktis’ (Night is approaching song) and the fire extinguished. 

The room was were the present day bar is, near the ladies restrooms.  It could be accessed through the hall and had an external door.  The scout room was moved at a later date to one of the rooms in the cottage, adjacent the Lithuanian House where the Saturday school was held.  Many years later, the scout room was again transferred to the Lithuanian Catholic centre where it remains today.  The room however is more of a storage room than a display room.

Kungys, Paceviciene, R. Urminas, J. Lapsys, Vanagas, Neverauskas, Raginis

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

Stasys Neliubsys - Artist

Born in St Petersburg in 1898. He completed High school and studied religious art there. After WWI his family returned to Lithuania where Stasys continued his art studies in Kaunas. He specialised in the restoration of religious paintings in churches. He was imprisoned during the war by the Germans. After the war he taught art at the Lithuanian art school in Wiesbaden refugee camp in Germany.

He migrated to Australia in 1949 and settled in Adelaide. He continued his painting and held solo exhibitions for the Adelaide community in 1955, 1956 and 1959. He was a regular contributor to Lithuanian and Royal South Australian Society of Art exhibitions. Between 1956 and 1972 he produced stage decorations for ten theatre productions by the Adelaide Theatre group.

He married Nina Gedraitiene. Stasys died in 1979 aged 78.

Several of his paintings still hang on the walls of Lithuanian house, such as the two above. On the left is a portrait of the well known Lithuanian artist Ciurlionis and on the right is a portrait of V. Raginis, a very active member of the Adelaide Lithuanian community.

Adelaide Lithuanian News

The first edition of Adelaidės Lietuvių Žinios (Adelaide Lithuanian News) was printed on 1 July 1960. This monthly newspaper is still produced today, although numerous years ago it was combined with Šventadieno Balsas (Sunday Voice) the Adelaide Lithuanian Catholic Church newsletter. The newspaper highlights news of the community, from local Lithuanian sports results, scouts, Lithuanian house news, deaths, special occasions and the list goes on. It was published by Vaclovas Raginis on behalf of the Adelaide Lithuanian Association. The first issue details that Ignatavičius and Gumbys were selected for the SA basketball team.

For family historians this source of information is invaluable, the only issue though is that it’s all in Lithuanian!

Adelaide Lithuanian News

The first edition of Adelaides Lietuviu Zinios (Adelaide Lithuanian News) was printed on 1 July 1960. This bi-monthly newspaper continues until today, although in a different format. The paper highlights news of the community, from sports, scouts, Lithuanian house news, deaths, special occassions and the list goes on. It was published by V Raginis on behalf of the Adelaide Lithuanian Association. The first issue details that Ignatavicius and Gumbys were selected for the SA basketball team. For family historians this information will be valuable, the only issue is that its all in Lithuanian.