Ačiū Petras Bielskis

Petras BIELSKIS

 

Petras was born March 23, 1927 in Biržiai, Lithuania.  There he attended high school, as well as business college.

In 1944 he moved to Germany, and after the war, he finished Lithuanian High School, and belonged to the Lithuanian scouts and the Christian Youth (Ateitininkai) groups.

In 1948, Petras arrived in Australia on the General Sturgis, landing in Sydney. He joined the Sydney Australian Lithuanian Draugija.

In 1950, after finishing his compulsory work requirement, he arrived in Adelaide in March.

In 1952 he married Valė Jureviciutė.  After that, four daughters were born – Rūtą, Dalė, Audrė and Ireną.

Over the years, he became very involved in Adelaide and Australian Lithuanian community activities:

Firstly in 1950 – Petras became an Australian Lithuanian Community member and started fundraising funds to build the Adelaide Lithuanian House in Norwood.

In 1962-63 he joined the ALB Weekend (Savaitgalio) Lithuanian school parent committee.

In 1964-65 he joined the ALB Lithuanian Union (Sajunga) as treasurer. This was the organisation that looked after Adelaide Lithuanian House and its affairs.

1965-89. Then for the next 24 years, he was the president of the ALB Lithuanian Sajunga Inc.  He was responsible for negotiating the purchase of the house and land next to Lithuanian House that Petriukas Andrijaitis (caretaker in that era) lived in for many years.

1972-79 Petras also joined the Adelaide Vilniaus Scout Parents Committee and was its president for 7 years.

1971-90 Also for 19 years, Petras became the editor of the local Adelaide Lithuanian News (Adelaidės Lietuvių Žinios) newsletter. This was published regularly and distributed throughout the community to share the local news, upcoming events and write-ups of the many activities that occurred in the community. 
He wrote it up back then on a typewriter, cut and pasted it together by hand, before printing it with a small team of helpers in his home in a room especially set up to be a small publishing press.  It was then moved to Lithuanian House where a new photocopy machine was set up! 

From 1966, Petras also became a board member of the Australian Lithuanian (ALB) Council, and an ALB Honorary Judiciary member and then its president. 

In 1980-81 and 1999-2000 he was the president of the ALB Australian Lithuanian Council (Taryba) which is the official Australian Lithuanian Governing body that makes all the decisions for the Australian Lithuanian Community and links Australia and Lithuania.
In 1999-2000 Petras also became the vice-president of the Australian Lithuanian Board of Directors (Krašto Valdyba.)

Petras was also chosen as one of Australia’s representatives to attend the World Lithuanian Parliament in 1988 in Montreal, Canada, and in 2000 and 2003 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

In 2000-03 he was a member of the World Lithuanian Honorary Judiciary.
Finally, in 2010-14 at the age of 82, Petras became the president of the ALB Adelaide District Control Commission (Apylinkės Kontrolės Komicija).

Now in 2018, Petras Bielskis has turned 90 years old, and still is an active participant in Adelaide Lithuanian Community life and functions. 
His passion for the Lithuanian Community, his active involvement in many organisations over the years in Adelaide, Australia and Lithuanian earnt Petras Bielskis the V16 Order and Medal “Už Nuopelnus Lietuvai “from the Government of the Republic of Lithuania in 2003.

My father Petras Bielskis demonstrated a deep feeling for Lithuania. His involvement within the Adelaide, Australian and Lithuanian communities helped instil a strong bond for myself, and the rest of my family. We have, as a result, maintained strong links with the Lithuanian communities in South Australia, Australia and Lithuania.

Ačiū Tėtę!

Submitted by his daughter, Ruta.

Petras with Vladas Adamkus in centre

100 Aciu - Victor Baltutis

Aciu Viktoras Baltutis
We recommend Victoras Baltutis for recognition for his service and commitment to the Adelaide Lithuanian Community and also the wider Australian Lithuanian Community.

We believe Victor deserves the recognition for everything he has done without asking for anything in return.

Reason for recommendation:

Victor Baltutis has volunteered diligently and selflessly for the Adelaide and Australian Lithuanian Community since arriving in Australia in 1948 on the seventh boat of displaced people to arrive from Europe. A displaced person was the term previously used for what is currently referred to as a refugee. His achievements include creating the Australian Lithuanian Archives (a fifteen year undertaking) which is currently housed at St. Casimir's Lithuanian Parish at 6 Third Avenue Saint Peters. These archives are the history of the Lithuanian Community in Australia from arrival in the late 1940's as displaced people to current times. These archives are now of significant historical value and protected from export by the Australian government.

Although Victor Baltutis is over 90 years of age, he continues to be active in the community, helping organise and coordinate Saint Casimir's Parish to have a priest presiding over Holy Mass for the parishioners every Sunday. Victor continues to assist younger Lithuanians who contact him for guidance and advice around various Lithuanian matters. He wrote and edited the Adelaide Lithuanian Bulletin on his own computer for many years. He just recently reduced his workload due to health reasons. The Adelaide Lithuanian Bulletin comes out every fortnight and is the highlight for the elderly Australian Lithuanians who may no longer have easy access to their community or written language. Victor still contributes to writing in this and other national and international Lithuanian publications.

Due to Victor’s work in the Adelaide Lithuanian and Australian Lithuanian Communities, he is well known and highly respected in the Adelaide and Australian Lithuanian Community. In 2017 he won the Norwood, Saint Peters and Payneham City Councils Citizen of the Year Award for his work. Victor very reluctantly accepted this award, as he views his contribution to the Adelaide and Australian Lithuanian Communities as a “natural thing to do”. Victor has always been humble and working tirelessly to promote and maintain the Lithuanian heritage in Adelaide and Australia. He previously declined an Order of Australia award due to his humility and considers his thousands of volunteer hours he has contributed to Australian Lithuanian Community as a normal way of life.

Significant achievements/contributions include:

 ● Lithuanian refugee from World War II – Migrated to Australia as part of the second group of Lithuanian refugees in Australia in the late 1940’s

● Coordinated the Lithuanian Parish and Community events

● Until late 2016, was part of the Adelaide Lithuanian Catholic Church Committee and has been for many years

● Was a Leader of the Adelaide Lithuanian Catholic Church Committee for many years

● Was the Secretary of the Adelaide Lithuanian Community and President of the Australian Lithuanian Community

● Volunteered as a Justice of the Peace for the Adelaide Community for 35 years

● Established the Adelaide Lithuanian Radio Programme in 1978 which continues to this day on 5EBI 103.1 FM every Saturday from 9 am to 10 am
● Established the Adelaide Branch of the Lithuanian Co-Op Credit Society ‘TALKA’ Ltd.

● Wrote and funded the publication of a book ‘Issinesem Tik Ilgesi” about the Lithuanian Community in Australia (in Lithuanian) and a book about Partizans in Occupied Lithuania “Akivaras”

● Wrote and directed a drama of Simas Kudirka 

NPSP Citizen of the Year 2017

● Created the Australian/Lithuanian archives
These books and the Australian/Lithuanian archives are an important resource for historical academic research of Lithuanians in Australian and their immigration to Australia.

● Taught Matriculation students the Lithuanian language

● Regularly contributes to the National Lithuania Newspaper ‘Musu Pastoge’ (Our Homeland)

● Organised and presided over a number of the Biennial National Lithuanian Cultural Festivals

● An inspirational leader and confidant for the Adelaide and Australian Lithuanian Communities
 Nominated by his daughters, Dana & Anita and son-in-law Craig Clarke.

Sunday Voice, Catholic newspaper

Šventadieno Balsas (Sunday Voice)

Soon after arrival in Australia it became evident to Lithuanians that a newspaper in their own language was needed, as many did not speak English at the time.

When Father Jatulis arrived in Adelaide there was no Lithuanian church and he would conduct mass in Lithuanian in several Australian churches.  A newspaper would serve to keep parishioners informed.  On 29 March 1953, Father Jatulis began to print a bulletin on a copying machine, the Sunday Voice (Šventadieno Balsas) was born. 

Father Jatulis produced the bulletin until he was recalled to Rome, when the following priest, Father Kungys took up the role.   The editors was always the priest, following Kungys was Kazlauskas, Dauknys, Spurgis.  If they were will or away the task was passed on to Pranas Pušdešris.

Each edition would feature a religious article, thankyous, coming events and notifications.  Some advertisements were used to offset the cost of production.

The bulletin was funded by Lithuanian Caritas Inc which comes from the parishioner’s donations.  For many years two couples Valerija and Bronius Masionis and Petronelė and Antanas Dancevičius would fold and post each paper.

Adelaide Lithuanian News 10 years: 1970

Adelaidės Lietuvių Žinios 10 metų
Adelaide Lithuanian News 10 years: 1970

Now in its 46 year, the Adelaide Lithuanian News has always been the voice of the local community.  The newspaper was published as a combined effort by the Adelaide Lithuanian Union Committee and Adelaide Lithuanian Community Committee.  The first edition specified the need for broad, correct and on time information.  The newspaper was open to all groups of Lithuanian interest.
After ten years 240 newsletters had been written, printed, folder and posted. The newspaper united all Lithuanians with articles on Lithuanian history and interest, local gossip, birth, death and marriages and upcoming events. 

It was a time to thank the writers, editors, publishers who all volunteered their time to make it to this milestone.

The first ALŽ editor was Vladas Radzevičius who held this position from July 1960 to January 1963. Vladas was a journalist and wrote for numerous Lithuanian newspapers in Australia and America.  During that time, he published 61 editions. The second editor, Jurgis Arminas held this position from January 1963 to June 1967.  Antanas Serelis followed until December 1967. He was followed by Odete Stimburienė, until March 1970.

An Editor would spend many hours preparing each fortnight edition.  Usually there was eight pages but sometimes 12-16. That equates to 2400 pages in ten years.

Newspaper administration was undertaken by Juozas Lapšys (1 July 1960) then Juozas Gylys and Stasys Dunda (1 Jan 1963 – 1 June 1968). This position also required a large investment of time.  One needed to address each envelope and print 500 newspapers.
The newspaper was assisted by Paulina Gavelienė, Nadezda Varnauskienė, Kataryna Garbaliauskienė, Elena Reisonienė Povilas Kanas, Marija Navakienė. Amalija Pyragienė, Kutkienė.

We are in Australia now. A letter from Australia, 1947

National Archives of AustraliaHMAS 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.  Here we will rest, learn English, become familiar with the region and work customs until we are allocated work. 

On the journey to Australia we are looked after by a Lithuanian working for the IRO, Vladas Žibas.  He gives us 200 cigarettes a week, soap and other toiletries.

In Diepholz we elected a committee for the journey.  Under the committees direction we remembered All Saints day and on November 23^rd in the Indian Ocean.  We held a religious hour where the English class choir performed, followed by a Baltic music and song concert.  A delicious meal was had at the end.  The Lithuanian scouts were active on board the ship.  When we reached the equator they organised an impressive camp fire evening.  The sailors watching laughed along even though the words could not be understood. The ships newsletter was translated to Lithuanian and printed on the rotatarium ‘Pabaltijo Vikinga’ (Baltic Viking).

We feared sea sickness, and some suffered as soon as they set foot on the ship.  In the middle of the ocean one Lithuanian had an appendix operation but all left the ship healthy.

The Australian cities, people, and living conditions for the newly arrived Europeans were so interesting and surprising that in the short time we have been here we have not been able to evaluate everything.   Leaving Germany we thought we would find a primitive society, but instead modern colourful cities, cheap living, social equality, freedom, cheap transportation, fabulous films and theatre.  While in Perth, not far from Fremantle, are beaches, gardens, no poverty to be seen.

In the town and suburbs you don’t see many people on foot or on bikes, they have cars.  If you walk out into the street and hail a car, someone will stop and ask where you would like to go.  Australians know that a pedestrian usually means you are a new immigrant who would have no money.  They ask many questions which with limited English is hard to answer.  Many however speak, German, Russian or French.

Australians are practical and thrifty, and encourage the new migrants to be the same.  They say don’t send letters by air as it is too expensive, but suggest by sea as it is cheaper but will take longer.  

Not many Australians smoke cigarettes, but deftly roll tobacco in paper to smoke.  They are known as ‘bankrutkes’ as tobacco is cheap and cigarettes expensive.

To earn money quickly you can work as crop or sugar cutting or sheep shearing.

There are a few Lithuanians families already living around Perth and Fremantle, the children growing up in Australia speak Lithuanian.  They live well, have their own cars, houses and say that if you are not afraid of work, don’t drink away your income then very quickly you can buy whatever you want.  They also started with nothing.

On 1 December 1947, we gave the local Lithuanians gave a singing concert to an excited audience.  We sang a dozen songs they have not heard and brought tears to their eyes. Australians were also at the concert and asked for a translation of the songs.

We temporarily belonged to the immigration minister who concerned with our welfare, organised the Salvation Army Red Shield War Services to donate items of clothing, food, shoes and other small items.  They also allowed us to send letters to Europe.

Juozas Silainis

Fremantle 1947.XII.1

Publications printed on the way to Australia

'General Black' concert program

Daily newsletters, souvenir journals and the like were printed on board the ships that carried the new migrants to Australia.  They are typed and often illustrated by someone on board with some artistic talent.   The language varies, depending on who is publishing the item.  Most are in several languages of the Displaced Persons, Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, German, Ukrainian, Russian and English. They often include interviews with members of the crew, facts and information about Australia, an itinerary of travel locations, poems, historic items of Lithuania’s history.  Some contains articles talking of preserving Lithuanian culture and traditions when they live in Australia.



Many contain lists of key personnel on-board, details about the ship and even a page for signatures to be collected. 

From the souvenir edition of newspaper printed on board the USAT General Heintzelman in November 1947.  The first transport carrying DP's to Australia, post WWII.

'General Heintzelman' 1947

We have ceased counting the days which have passed since we lost sight of the European coastline.  With each hour more and more miles increase the distance between is and the hopelessness and idleness in Germany, bringing us nearer to a new worthy life in a new land.  We are animated by gratitude for the rehabilitation which we are offered by the Australian Government in conjunction with the IRO.  We are determined to become good citizens of our new country and we fervently desire to take once more our place in a community which will accept us as its members, each one of us working to the best of our abilities, with regard to our individual aptitudes.  

These abilities and aptitudes are a heritage from our native countries on the shores of the Baltic Sea, our only native countries for which there will always be a feeling of longing and reverence in our hearts.  We all are sons and daughters of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and such we will remain, remembering that once were ours.  The fate and suffering of the Baltic peoples ar known to the greater part of the world, to the rest we shall untiringly tell of them until the day that our native countries regain their freedom and independence.

This ship is a link between our distant native country and our new refuge.  Is it our wish that this review be a link between the passengers and the crew on this ship. 

Back cover with signatures of publication on
board General Stewart, Feb 1948

Another Lithuanian leaves Adelaide

Well known Lithuanian social worker Mrs Varnauskas, Unley after living in Adelaide for 7 years is leaving the country for the USA to join her married daughter in New York,  Being a widow and no longer young, she still used to find enough time to visit Lithuanians in hospitals and give help to anyone who was in need.  About 60 members of the Lithuanian community, many of them former patients, last Saturday held a party at Mrs Navakas home, Hindmarsh to bid farewell and wish Mrs Varnauskas good luck in the new country.
For her charitable activities Mrs Varnauskas was presented with several valuable gifts and souvenirs.

The Advertiser 1 Sept 1955

Lithuanians appeal to the SA Parliament

The former Minister of the Interior of the free Lithuanian Republic Mr V. Pozela now living in Adelaide as an immigrant has submitted to the Members of the SA Parliament through Mr Cyril Hutchins MP a proclamation signed by the 21 members of the constituent Lithuanian Legislative Assembly.  Such proclamation after being published was submitted to Parliamentarians of all free nations.

In it is pointed out that communism is the greatest enemy of the Western Freedom and civilisation.  The signatories request the Parliaments to influence their respective Governments as follows:-

1. Not to recognise or approve Lithuanian’s annexation to Russia which was done by force.

2. Not to enter into any treaty with the communists which in any way would imply recognitions or approval of occupation of Lithuania and other European countries.

3. Strictly to observe the UN Charters thereby allowing Lithuania to regain independence and to elect its Government by free elections and

4. To assist the European Nations enslaved by Communists in fighting against the communist criminal offences as; religious persecution, mass deportations, denial of human rights, economic exploitation and various forms of harmful actions.

The News 12 July 1955

A Lithuanian family is leaving for the USA

Another news article.

A prominent member of the Lithuanian family in Adelaide, Dr of Law Eduardas Jansonas from Kensington Gardens, accompanied by his wife is leaving Australia for the USA to join his son and to undertake a position as lecturer in international law at the College of Law in Philadelphia, USA.

Dr Jansonas, during his six years in Adelaide enjoyed a high reputation among his countrymen and for several years was on the Advisory Committee of the Good Neighbour Council.  As an expert in Lithuanian and German law, he was well known to SA Lawyers.
The members of the Lithuanian community bade him farewell at a social evening held at the ‘Pinguin’[This is the way it was spelt, it may be incorrect] restaurant, Angas st on November the 11th.

The Advertiser 12 Nov 1955

A Lithuanian migrant takes up work in a new profession

Another submitted news article.

Vladas Morkys, HPA, Roper st, Adelaide has completed recently Hubbard Professional Auditors Training Course.

Being fully qualified for the work in the field of Dianetics and Scientology, now he is opening his office for public service in Adelaide.

His professional aim is to help the people to increase their abilities in resolving beneficially the problems of everyday life, including the ability of eliminating nervous and psychosomatic ailments, such as fear, anger, constipation, headache, fatigue, asthmatic troubles etc.

The Advertiser 17 Nov 1955

A new Lithuanian play in Adelaide

Another submitted news article.

The Lithuanian Theatre Studio in Adelaide directed by Mr J. Guscius will give on the 2nd and 3rd of December, the performance of a Lithuanian play “High castle” (Aukštadvaris) by the Lithuanian writer V. Alantas at the Studio Theatre, Wellington Square, North Adelaide.

Mr J. Guscius was well known in Lithuanian as a full time producer for radio plays in Lithuanian Broadcasting Service.  After the war in Germany he produced several internationally famous plays in Displaced Persons camps.  When he arrived in Adelaide, five years ago, he gathered a few former Lithuanian artist and amateurs and started his Theatre Studio. Every year he produces a few plays, which are very popular amongst the Lithuanians.  A few months ago his Studio tried a play in English which was a considerable success.  But his main purpose is to show the works of famous Lithuanians writers to Lithuanians in Adelaide.

Advertiser 1 Dec 1955

Back to your homeland

During 1955-1956 numerous articles were writing about Lithuanians in Adelaide and the situation in occupied Lithuania and submitted to Adelaide newspapers, the Advertiser, the News, the Sunday Advertiser by V. Radis.  I haven't found these articles appearing in Trove, so am not sure if they were actually published.

Adelaide Lithuanians feel annoyed by the red General N.F Michailov’s invitations to return to their homeland.  Many received personal invitations others specially printed newspapers for their purpose entailed ‘Back to your home country’.  In both the invitations and the newspaper it is naively attempted to show that the refugees are starving and being exploited.

This red General is the president of a communist organisation in East Berlin named ‘Back to your home country’ which published a newspaper of the same name and for the same purpose.  This newspaper is spread among the refugees in the western countries.

The organisations activities deal with the following three points;-
1. Publishes a newspaper which maligns the west and praises the life in communist occupied countries.
2. Tries to persuade refugees to return to their homelands by extending to them personal invitations 
3. To extort signatures of refugees relatives living behind the Iron Curtain to certain propaganda letters composed by the organisation which in due course are posted to the respective refugees in the west.

The Lithuanians of Adelaide send back the invitations.  Some of the Lithuanian residents in Adelaide who have received invitations to come back to their country have send them back to the senders pointing out that their invitations would be considered only when all Russians who are this moment are crowding all over Lithuania. Would remove themselves, that is get out.  One of the residents has stated in his reply that such invitations are not tolerated by Lithuanians here and that no one has ever the slightest desire to return to Lithuania in its present state of occupation.

Advertiser 7 March 1956

Freed Lithuanians' idea of the Future

Freed Lithuanians' ideas of the future

Security and the unimpeded pursuit of happiness are the fervent wishes of four new Australians in Adelaide, who recently completed their two-year contract with the Commonwealth Government and are now 'free to go where they please, and when'.
The four men, all Lithuanians and single, came to Australia with the first batch of DPs from Germany in November, 1947.  Their contract was shortened by two months.  To capture those elusive entities, security and happiness, they intend now to — 

• Master the English language.
• Get the best job possible.
• Save a lot of money and buy a home.
• Marry an Australian girl and have a family.

All are eager to become naturalised Australian citizens and clip the 'new' from 'new Australian.' They like Australia, say they have been 'as happy as possible in the circumstances.'

Wants to study law
These are the men and their stories: —
Stasys Cibiras, 26, has been a laborer since coming to Australia. He is now an orderly at Daws Road Repatriation Hospital.   Standing 6 ft. in his socks, broad-shouldered, blue eyed, Stasys intends remaining an orderly 'for a little while longer.' Later he would like to enter the University to study law.  He was a student in Lithuania when the Germans sent him to work as a laborer in Germany. Back in Lithuania are his parents, six brothers and a sister.  He has not heard of them since 1944.  He is afraid to write because, for his people, 'a letter from abroad is a ticket to Siberia.' 

Prefers bookkeeping
Pranas Duoba, 39, a book keeper in Lithuania before the war, worked for the SA Railways for over a year.  Now he is employed by an automobile factory and does not intend leaving it 'for a while.' Pranas is tall and well built, has one great difficulty — the English language.  He realises that until he has mastered it he can do little toward improving his present position, and he intends doing something about it.  One day he wants to return to bookkeeping and then, when his house is in order, marry.  He thinks Australia is the me rood country in the world for raising children. Pranas' family is still in Lithuania.  There has been a silence for five years.

Vincentas Derencius, 24, small and pleasant, wants to be a mechanic or an electrician.  For 15 months he was a laborer with the Forestry Department.  Now he works at an Adelaide automobile factory.  He hopes later to go to Melbourne where he has friends.  He was a student when taken by the Germans.  His father, a Lithuanian farmer, his mother, two brothers and a sister, are in a DP camp in Germany.  For a year he has been trying hard to get them to Australia.  Vincentas likes Australia and Australians, though he admits the whisper 'Balt' has hurt him many times.  He is the owner of a motor cycle and other property for which he has saved conscientiously.  

Has marriage in view
Kleopas Daulenskis, 34, former blacksmith and farmer, weighs 15 stone.  He says he is glad his contract has finished, but does not intend to make any radical changes in his surroundings.  He has blue eyes, a wide, open face, and fists like hams.  For the past 20 months he has been employed as a laborer on the SA Railways.  A keen organiser, Kleopas has already bought a block of land in Adelaide.  Next he wants to build a house; then he hopes to get married.  He has not decided what his future work will be, but he has ideas.  He thinks Australians are 'very nice people with very big hearts,' and is proud of the friends he has among them.  He, too, left his family be hind in Lithuania. He has not heard of them since, wonders if they are still alive.

The Mail

Saturday 15 October 1949

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.