The Australian Lithuanian newspaper, Mūsų Pastogė, published an article in December 1954 considering the role of Sydney's Concord Repatriation Hospital in the settlement of Lithuanian refugees (then called Displaced Persons) in Australia after World War II. Its author identified himself as JA Skirka. A quick search of the National Archives of Australian files which have been indexed on RecordSearch shows him to have been Jonas Antanas Skirka. Here is Rasa's translation.
"One of the larger workplaces in Sydney, where most of our compatriots found work and shelter even with their families upon arrival, is the Concord Military Hospital, probably the largest in Sydney.
Concord Hospital at the end of 1949
"Already at the end of 1949, over 60 Lithuanian men and women worked there under contract. All of them, both men and women, worked and still work, regardless of their profession, training, and education, only as ordinary workers. The men were mostly cleaners or orderlies, the women were nursing assistants.
"The worst times were those when, as soon as they arrived, and having nowhere to stay with their families, they were accommodated in the workers' camps located here, separately for women and men. Meetings with families were possible only during their free time — on the street.
A 2011 photo of Concord Hospital shows the 1990 extension
in front of the original multistorey building
Lithuanian Doctors
"A little bit of statistical information: of the medical doctors who practiced in Lithuania, the following worked here: Drs Petrauskas, Ivinskis, Kišonas, Šalkauskienė, and Mikas Bobinskas. The first two of them are currently working as doctors in New Guinea, the third is a doctor in the Scheyville immigration camp, and Bobinskas is finishing his medical studies at the University of Sydney.
Lithuanian families
While working there, some met and created Lithuanian families: Česlovas Sviderskis with "Janina Jablonskytė and Stasys Paulauskas with Magdalena Jablonskytė. Kazys Jablonskis died.
"There was a time when entire families worked here: five Karpavičiai, four Miniotai, three Ankudavičiai. Jaunutis Jurskis, the famous chess player Vytautas Patašius and K. Ankudavičius worked and studied together.
Still working at Concord, late 1954
"Currently, 15 Lithuanian men and 10 women are still working permanently. Among them are: the compassionate Sister E. Šavronas, who graduated from an Australian nursing school; Vladas Miniota, a well-known public figure to the Lithuanians of Sydney; A. Gilandis, a student of the Kaunas Conservatory, who has played at various Lithuanian commemorations and parties, and who has promised to open a private music school from the beginning of next year.
Publishers of Mūsų Pastogė
"Finally, three publishers of this issue of Mūsų Pastogė work here: Juozas Kapočius, a public figure, one of the founders of the Lithuanian community in Australia, a former book publisher in Germany, who always, everywhere and helped everyone wherever they were asked; Pranas Antanaitis, quiet and modest, who always contributes with work and donations wherever needed; and Kazys Čiuras, who has been working here for the longest time as a specialist for steam boilers, specially invited from Melbourne."
SOURCE
Skirka, Jonas Antanas (1954) 'Concordo Lietuviai' ('Lithuanians of Concord' in Lithuanian) Mūsų Pastogė (Our Haven) Sydney, NSW, 1 December p 3 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/259362687, accessed 14 January 2026.
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