Rescuers of Jews
Skirvainytė Anelė
ANELĖ SKIRVAINYTĖ
Anelė Skirvainytė lived and worked as a housemaid in Sara Ronder’s house in Šiauliai for 13 years. During that period, she became attached to a Jewish family and even learned to speak Yiddish. On July 12, 1944, as the Germans were preparing to liquidate the Šiauliai Ghetto, 21-year-old Zelig Gilinsky, the nephew of Sara Ronder, escaped from the ghetto. He went to the shoe shop where Anelė worked - the woman welcomed him with open arms and brought him back to her home. At first, Zelig hid in the bathroom, but as the Soviet bombing increased, Anelė Skirvainytė decided that it would be safer to stay with her relatives in the village of Kužiai, where other Jews were already hiding. She accompanied Z. Gilinsky herself, however, the road to Kužiai was dangerous. Along the way, they had to face German officers, but thanks to the ingenuity of A. Skirvainytė, neither of them was caught, and they successfully reached their destination.
On September 18, 1980, Yad Vashem recognized Anelė Skirvainytė as Righteous Among the Nations.
Anelė Skirvainytė lived and worked as a housemaid in Sara Ronder’s house in Šiauliai for 13 years. During that period, she became attached to a Jewish family and even learned to speak Yiddish. On July 12, 1944, as the Germans were preparing to liquidate the Šiauliai Ghetto, 21-year-old Zelig Gilinsky, the nephew of Sara Ronder, escaped from the ghetto. He went to the shoe shop where Anelė worked - the woman welcomed him with open arms and brought him back to her home. At first, Zelig hid in the bathroom, but as the Soviet bombing increased, Anelė Skirvainytė decided that it would be safer to stay with her relatives in the village of Kužiai, where other Jews were already hiding. She accompanied Z. Gilinsky herself, however, the road to Kužiai was dangerous. Along the way, they had to face German officers, but thanks to the ingenuity of A. Skirvainytė, neither of them was caught, and they successfully reached their destination.
On September 18, 1980, Yad Vashem recognized Anelė Skirvainytė as Righteous Among the Nations.