Lithuania marks Day of Rescuers of Lithuanian Jews
15th of March was announced as a Memorial Day of Rescuers of Lithuanian Jews by the resolution No. XIV-1758 of 22nd of December 2022 by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. This way we remember, commemorate and honor those who had enough strength, courage, and compassion to save the members of the Lithuanian Jewish communities from inevitable death during the Second World War. These people, despite the dangers and repressions that threatened them and their families, proved that history always leaves an opportunity to choose the bright side. Lithuania is the second in the world in terms of the number of citizens recognized as Righteous Among the Nations (considering the population). According to data of 1st of January 2022 by the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center of the Jerusalem Institute of National Remembrance this honorable title was given to 924 persons who saved Jews in Lithuania. It should be emphasized that this number does not include all persons who were awarded the Cross for the Rescue of the Dying in Lithuania for rescuing Jews from the Nazi genocide during the Second World War, of which there are 1,644.
We invite you to get acquainted with extraordinary stories of three Rescuers of Lithuanian Jews:
Juozapa Kibelaitė – a nun who raised other people's children all her life
Jonas Kupraitis-Viksva – a farmer, future partisan
Felicija Radinskienė - a Muslim farmer who saved the Jewish women
Social media
