Lithuanians on the First Transport After 25 Years, by Karolis Prašmutas trans. Ann Tündern-Smith

[I have taken the liberty of editing what Google Translate has done to an article which Karolis Prašmutas wrote for Mūsų Pastogė in December 1972, to commemorate 25 years since the Lithuanians on the First Transport reached Australia.  I trust that the Prašmutai and anyone else who understands the Lithuanian language either forgives me or quietly provides corrections.

Did Karolis write a commemoration?  He finished with an important question, but it seems that subsequent generations and new arrivals from the old country have answered it positively for him.  The same applies to the continuation of the Latvian and Estonian communities in Australia.

What I find particularly interesting about this article is that it starts with Karolis acknowledging that the First Transport was an experiment.  The composition of future migration intakes depended very much on how Australians greeted the first group.  We are blessed that the welcome was warm, changing the face of Australia in the 78 years since.                                                                                                              Ann]

WE LITHUANIANS ARE STILL ALIVE

A group of Lithuanians left the shores of old Europe from Bremerhaven 25 years ago. The then Australian government admitted the first immigrants (political refugees) exclusively as a pilot group for the implementation of a further immigration program. 

Since Australia, like other countries, had many economic difficulties after the War, and there was a particularly large shortage of residences, the first group of Lithuanians (and all Baltics) was selected from unmarried people.  It was easier to deal with residential issues for this group. 

In the Lithuanian group, the number of women was very irrational in relation to men, but the Lithuanian men remained Lithuanian men and the majority created Lithuanian families, which still speak Lithuanian today. The shores of Australia were reached on 28 November 1947. 

After visiting Western Australia, we had to sail further east to Melbourne on the semi-invalid Australian ship Kanimbla.  In the port of Melbourne we were personally met by the then Minister of Immigration, Mr. Arthur Calwell. 

Although Mr. Calwell welcomed us quite warmly and the sun was scorching hot, the Australian land was cold for every Lithuanian and held an uncertain future, even more so since the leftist working class of Australia opposed the “Balts”. 

In military terms, the First Transport group was supposed to create a bridgehead for  further and more numerous compatriots to move to Australia.  The aforementioned bridgehead of the First Transport was successfully completed, as a result of which a considerable number of Lithuanians settled in Australia.  Is this how it was all supposed to end? 

No, just as an army unit, having moved across a river or other natural barriers, having accomplished its task, never withdraws from the battle, but even more actively joins the main group for further campaigns. 

Also in this case, the first Lithuanian group, even after 25 years, has not been melted by the merciless environment, but has remained distinct and unique.  Undoubtedly, some of them have gone to the Other Side, some have become indifferent to everything, closing themselves like chickens in an egg, but a large percentage today are still steadfast in Lithuanian work.

They understand their task, what was required of them 25 years ago, when our national leaders sending them overseas repeated, remember that you were born Lithuanians and remain so, even if cruel winds blow you about, do not rest, work for the Freedom of the Nation, because you have lost that freedom and no one will give it to you as a gift.

Those words still ring in our ears today, although they touched our eardrums long, long ago. Here we recall only the participants of the First Transport of Victoria (because I do not know about other States), whose names are always mentioned in Lithuanian activities, or in preparations.

Today passengers on the First Transport belong to or lead several national activities boards and organizations.  Here they are: Mrs Viltis Kružienė, Kazys Mieldažys, Povilas Baltutis, Vytautas Šalkūnas, Napoleonas Butkūnas, Karolis Prašmutas, Romas Ragauskas, Juozas Keblys and Petras Morkūnas. 

Although they are not tired after 25 years and do not complain about their heavy contribution to national activities, for how long? And where are the others?  First Transport colleagues themselves should answer that question.

Click on the original article to read a more legible version

Source:  Mūsų Pastogė

Vaclovas Kalytis (1918-1967): An Escape, and a Murder, by Daina Pocius and Ann Tündern-Smith with Rasa Ščevinskienė

Vaclovas was one of 22 men from the First Transport who found themselves assigned to the Goliath Portland Cement Company in Railton, Tasmania. He and the others claimed to be unsure of how long they were meant to work to repay the Australian Government for their resettlement in Australia. After they had been undertaking the hard, dusty work there for 14 months, he, and others decided to find the answer.

Vaclovas wrote an article in the Australijos Lietuvis [Australian Lithuanian] newspaper about the experience, titled Kaip mes pabėgom … [How We Escaped …].

Vaclovas Kalytis photograph from his Bonegilla card

Source:  National Archives of Australia

Escaping from Railton

“We [Vaclovas and Kazimieras or Kazys Vilutis] each packed a suitcase, left the factory, took a taxi to the nearest airport, caught a flight to Melbourne and hurried to catch the express train to Bonegilla. Along the way, two more compatriots join us in the same direction.

“After straightening our ties, we stood before the highest officer of the Commonwealth Employment Service (CES), to plead our case.

“The young officer looked us over from head to toe for a long time and, after thinking for a long time, said, ‘You First Transporters want to change your jobs?’ He looked at his watch and said ‘I give you gentlemen 30 minutes to disappear from Bonegilla, if you are still here, I will call the police. Goodbye, you are free to go’.*

“I wasn’t sure if that meant, we were ‘free’ or just free until the police arrived. We didn’t wait around and in ten minutes were on a bus out of there. Returning to Melbourne, we encountered some countrymen who told us about the Dunlop factory. We started the next day.

“The Dunlop factory was very large, employing over 4000 men and women. The wages were good and plenty of opportunity for overtime. Soon there were 15 Lithuanians working there.

“Later we went to the Immigration Department, registered and now, like real Australians, we live as if we were free.”

He ended the article by providing his address and stating that compatriots could get in contact with him if they needed any assistance. The article caused some angst in the community, as his fellow Lithuanians began to think anyone, even recent arrivals, could shorten their working contract by doing the same.

Return to Railton

Vaclovas wrote a follow up letter from Railton, dated 2 May 1949 and published 6 weeks later, stating that his How We Escaped article applied only to the Lithuanians of First Transport, who all were single. In Germany, the First Transporters had signed a contract for one year only, the argument they were using with Australian officials. He asked his compatriots not to ask him about this anymore, as he did not know what his future held.

The Immigration Department had contacted them and threatened to have the five men deported to Germany if they did not return to Tasmania. They did return. Vaclovas’ follow up letter indicates that he was back in Railton, so his escape had failed.

Staying in Tasmania

He stayed in Tasmania, but he moved around between residences and jobs. Signs of this is advice in the Launceston Examiner newspaper, in October 1952, that W Kalytis was in a group of 5 presenting a ‘hula dance’ at a fundraiser on Flinders Island. Two months later, Mrs W Kalytis of Whitemark, the one town on Flinders Island, had been a passenger on a trip to mainland Tasmania with her baby daughter. We assume that the Examiner’s Country News reporter or a typesetter had problems separating V’s from W’s.

Vaclovas' Youth

Vaclovas was born on 15 September 1918. His selection papers for Australia say that he was born in Leningrad, in Russia. He spent his youth in the village of Norkūnai near Utena, however, where he finished 4 years of school. When he grew up, he moved to Ukmergė and Kaunas and worked as a sales clerk. During the war he served in the anti-aircraft unit.

He also had worked on farms. The selection papers say that he had done this for four years in Lithuania, and that it was his present occupation in Germany as of mid-October 1947.

By the 1944 northern summer, he must have been working in a factory, however, because the record of his selection interview for Australia says, “Moved with his factory to Germany”.  After the War, he found accommodation in one of 5 Displaced Persons camps in Lübeck, which together housed almost 10,000 refugees.

Early Days in Australia

From there, he arrived in Australia in the First Transport. More than 7 weeks in the Bonegilla camp, included 2 days in January when a health worry was checked at the Albury General Hospital. Shortly after, on 28 January 1948, he was assigned to pick fruit for Messrs Turnbull Brothers in Ardmona.

He returned to Bonegilla after 3 weeks and soon after found himself working as a kitchen hand at Bonegilla for just over one month. It was not until 8 April that he was sent to Railton in Tasmania and the Goliath Portland Cement Company with 8 compatriots.

Vaclovas the Singer

As soon as he arrived in Tasmania, he organised a Lithuanian choir at the cement factory. His obituarist wrote that, “He sang to anyone who would listen”.

We have already read that the Burnie newspaper on 2 October 1948 reported a Railton function to celebrate one of Lithuania's national days. Tarvydas writes that the singing was led by Vaclovas Kalytis and the women joining in the national dances were locals who had been taught the steps by Railton’s Lithuanian men. Kalytis kept the music going at other gatherings with his piano accordion.

The next year’s public Lithuanian national day celebration is described in more detail by Genovaitė Kazokas in her PhD thesis on Lithuanian Artists in Australia 1950-1990. She wrote, "In September, 1949, the fifteen Lithuanian men working in Railton celebrated Lithuanian Day by organising a Lithuanian folk-art exhibition, the first ever held in Tasmania, and by performing national songs and dances. Invited guests included local clergy and Mr. Davies-Graham, the manager of the Railton Cement Works where the Lithuanians were employed.

"Young local Tasmanian women, trained by the Lithuanians, partnered the men in folk dancing and the small male choir was trained and conducted by Vaclovas Kalytis. The programme also included a talk on Lithuanian history by Napoleonas Butkunas.

"The male choir was invited to sing at several Catholic churches in the district. The official Catholic newspaper published a complimentary report on the men's cultural abilities and activities."

After moving to Hobart, Vaclovas was one of the founders of the Lithuanian community there, but was more famous for forming the Hobart Lithuanian Quartet. In addition to Vaclovas, (second tenor), it included Bronius Bukevičius, (first tenor), Karolis Maslauskas (baritone), and Juozas Ilčiukas (bass).

In December 1950, the quartet sang carols and folk songs at the Hobart City Hall for the Christmas function for New Australians. (Arthur Calwell, the Minister for Immigration, had asked the press and public to call the Displaced Persons New Australians instead of the universal “Balts” or “reffos”.)

For several years the quartet sang Lithuanian songs in Hobart, sometimes on stage, sometimes on the radio, and introduced Lithuanians to the Australian public. When the quartet disbanded, Vaclovas’ voice was still heard whether it was in the community commemorations or ceremonies.

As money was always short, Lithuanians would help each other with building their houses on weekends. Vaclovas assisted his friend Antanas Viknius build his house in Orchard Lane, Hobart. At the end of work on Sunday, the workers would sit down for a meal and drinks. Vaclovas would take out his accordion. According to Ramunas Tarvydas, the sound of the singing would be so loud that it would carry almost one kilometre to Kenbrae Avenue, Glenorchy, to another group of Lithuanians. They would hurry over and join the party.

Life and Death

He married Rita had two daughters and a son. When he was fulfilled all requirements for Australian citizenship on 4 June 1963, the family was living in Kingston, an semi-rural area 10 kilometres south of Tasmania’s capital, Hobart. (It was 11 minutes by road north of Electrona, about which we have written recently.)

They were neighbours to Margot Paterson, who wrote in detail about their life there. She reveals that, on 11 September 1967, Vaclovas was murdered in Hobart, only days before his 49th birthday. It seems that his likely killers were known, but never arrested or charged.

He had been working with Electrolytic Zinc at Risdon, upriver from Hobart.  He had become a cyanide specialist, which was a one-man job.  He seldom had contact with fellow workers except during the brief handover at the end of the shift.  He had a 40-minute wait in Hobart for the bus south to Kingston.  So it was natural to have a couple of drinks in the nearby pub while he waited, which gave him a spot of adult male company.  Unfortunately, he also had become very generous is shouting rounds at this pub.

One evening, two young men insisted on giving him a lift home instead of letting him take the bus.  After he failed to arrive home, he was found the next morning on Sandy Bay Beach, with many injuries and near death after a bashing.  His recovery took many weeks but, eventually, he was able to return to work.  His English was much improved by his many weeks in hospital.

The two young thugs were jailed, as they had been identified by Vaclovas' fellow drinkers at the pub.  They were released on parole two years later.  On that day, Vaclovas failed to come home and family and a neighbour spent fruitless hours searching for him.  The phone call to say that he had been found dead came the next morning.  The inquest found that he had been killed by a single blow to the head.

This time, no-one was arrested as likely to have been involved in his murder.

This death, of course, was a great shock to his wife and children. His two daughters were studying at high school and his son was still in primary school.

In Vaclovas’ obituary he was described as a typical ‘Aukštaitis’ (eastern highlander); cheerful, a singer, friendly, active and energetic but with an easy and carefree manner. He left behind an aging mother and many relatives in Lithuania, as well as a brother in the United States of America.

The children have become achievers, with one an artist, another a published author, music and film director and producer who has become a therapist, while the third became the head of an information technology company. However, the middle child, artistic Diana, died of cancer on 6 March 1983, aged 30.

Margot Paterson's "The Road to the Farm" is well worth reading, especially its Chapter Chapter 3, which covers her view of the Kalytis family's life as her neighbours.

Footnote

* Povilas Niaura’s son Stephen has obtained copies of documents prepared by Ramunas Tarvydas (see Sources) and amended by staff of the Railton company now known as Cement Australia. One amendment shows that Vaclovas Kalytis and Kazimieris (Kazys) Vilutis both ‘absconded’ on 14 February 1949. Two more absconded on 28 February 1949: Antanas Viknius and Endel Uduste, an Estonian. Another Lithuanian who ‘absconded’, on 16 March 1949, was Edmundas Obelevicius. Perhaps there was some hanging around Melbourne for at least two weeks until a group of 4 had enough courage to present together before the CES official in Bonegilla.

By the time Ramunas wrote up his notes, he had changed the group which ‘absconded’ from Railton to Kalytis, Vilutis, Viknius, Endrius Jankus and Vytautas Stasiukynas. The typed note against Endrius’ name says ‘Explosives Engineering’, the name of the company he had founded. Vytautas Stasiukynas ‘left of own accord’ rather than ‘absconded’ on the same date as Antanas and Endel.

We know in some detail what then happened to Endrius, who is not known to have found employment with Dunlop. That detail is reported on page 32 of Ramunas Tarvydas book’ and in this blog, in the entry on the life of Endrius.

On the other hand, those who have reported on the life of Vytautas Stasiukynas, a veterinarian who left Australia for Colombia in 1950, have avoided the detail of his 1949 interactions with the CES.

As far as Arthur Calwell, Minister for Immigration was concerned, the official should have found members of the group employment in areas of reported need somewhere else. This certainly is what happened in the cases of Adomas Ivanauskas, Rasa’s grandfather, and his friend, Domas Valancius, when they returned to Bonegilla on 12 April 1948. Did the official react differently to Vaclovas and his companions because they had waited until February 1949? Had the official not been advised what he should have been doing should a case like this occur?

Sources

Advocate (Burnie, Tas), 'Migrants celebrate national day', 2 October 1948, p 3, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/69190232, accessed 13 July 2023.

AK (1967) ‘AA Vaclovas Kalytetis’ [‘RIP Vaclovas Kalytis, in Lithuanian] Mūsų Pastogė, Sydney, 11 November, p 2 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1967/1967-11-06-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 28 March 2025.

Examiner (1952a) 'News from the Country' Launceston, 18 October, p 16 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/52918517, accessed 8 September 2025.

Examiner (1952b) 'Country News' Launceston, 23 December, p 7 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/52927170, accessed 8 September 2025.

Kalytis, Vaclovas (1949a) ‘Kaip mes pabėgom …’ [‘How we escaped …’ in Lithuanian] Australijos Lietuvis [Australian Lithuanian], Adelaide, 11 April, p 9 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/31542465 accessed 25 March 2025.

Kalytis, Vaclovas (1949b), ‘Kaip Mes Ten Iš Tikruju "Pabėgom”’ [‘How We Really "Escaped" From There’, in Lithuanian] Australijos Lietuvis [Australian Lithuanian] Adelaide, 23 May, p 11 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/280321227 accessed 25 March 2025.

Kazokas, Genovaitė (1992) 'Lithuanian Artists in Australia 1950-1990, Vol 1, p 328 https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/Lithuanian_artists_in_Australia_1950-1990_Vols_I_and_II/23205632?file=40902071, accessed 8 September 2025.

DPCamps.org ‘DP Camps in Germany – L’ http://www.dpcamps.org/dpcampsGermanyL.html accessed 25 March 2025.

Mercury (1950) ‘Lithuanian Quartet’, Hobart, 9 December, p 6 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/26744818 accessed 28 March 2025.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Immigration, Central Office; A11772, Migrant Selection Documents for Displaced Persons who travelled to Australia per General Stuart Heintzelman departing Bremerhaven 30 October 1947, 1947-47; 391, KALYTIS Vacslavas (sic) DOB 15 September 1918, 1947-47 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=5005687 accessed 28 March 2025.

National Archives of Australia: Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla [Victoria], 1947-56; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla],1947- 1956; KALYTIS VACSLAVAS, KALYTIS, Vacslavas : Year of Birth - 1918 : Nationality - LITHUANIAN : Travelled per - GEN. HEINTZELMAN : Number – 775, 1947-48, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203640629 accessed 28 March 2025.

Paterson, Margot (2020) ‘The Road to the Farm, Chapter 3’ https://alexpaterson.net/anecdote/TRTTF_3.htm accessed 7 September 2025.

Tarvydas, Ramunas (1997) From Amber Coast to Apple Isle: Fifty Years of Baltic Immigrants in Tasmania 1948-1998. Hobart, Baltic Semicentennial Commemoration Activities Organising Committee, p 64.

Jonas Motiejūnas (1921–2004): The Lithuanian Leader Who Left, by Rasa Ščevinskienė and Ann Tündern-Smith

The Photographs

Two photographs of two Lithuanians with Australia’s first Minister for Immigration, Arthur Calwell, are used frequently to illustrate early post–World War II migration to Australia. Arthur Calwell is clearly identifiable on the right, we are told that the woman is Konstancia Brundzaitė, but who is the man with her?

This presentation captured by a photographer clearly is an important moment, but what is that moment? A memoir written by a fellow Lithuanian migrant, Kazys Mieldazys, tells us (in Lithuanian), that the Kanimbla ship carrying the First Transport refugees from Fremantle in Western Australia to Port Melbourne in Victoria “reached Melbourne on 7 December. 

"There we were greeted by the Minister for Immigration, Arthur Calwell, together with other government representatives. The leaders of the Lithuanian group, Jonas Motiejunas and Konstancija Brundzaite, handed the Minister a gift – a picture book of Lithuanian views and a sash. Later this gift was deposited by Mr Calwell in the Australian Cultural Museum (sic) in Canberra …”.

From left to right, Jonas Motiejūnas, Konstancija Brundzaitė, Arthur Calwell, unknown Australian onlookers, when Calwell received the gift of a sash and book from the Lithuanians
Source:  Australian Maritime Museum digitising of print donated by Konstancija Brundzaitė Jurskis 

This presentation occurred later, apparently, when the 
two Lithuanian leaders met Calwell again, as Jonas is in national costume this time:
judging from the background, it may have been at the 1951
travelling exhibition of New Australians' Arts and Crafts

Source:  SLIC

How did Jonas become a leader of the Lithuanian group, along with Konstancija? Kazys has written further, “We first organised ourselves at the Diepholz camp in Germany. A week before the ship’s departure a Lithuanian representative committee was established. It comprised Jonas Motiejunas, president, Povilas Baltutis, vice president, Napoleonas Butkunas, interpreter …”

Kazys added, “On All Souls Day, we honoured the dead and all those who had perished for Lithuanian freedom. J. Motiejunas was the keynote speaker. After that a prayer was recited for our homeland and a few hymns were sung …”

Young Jonas

Who was this leader among 417 Lithuanian men? He was born on 5 July 1921, in Janenai village, Sventezeris district, Seinai county, so he was 26 years old when selected. He had graduated from Lazdijai high school and completed his military service with graduation from the officer training school, in the last program before the school closed, ironically because of the War.

In 1941–1944, he studied electrical engineering in the Faculty of Technology at Vytautas the Great University, in Kaunas. He completed his studies after leaving Lithuania, in Germany’s Technical University of Braunschweig, receiving an electrical engineering degree.

He was an active athlete and exhibiting artist during his student days. He participated in the June 1941 uprising against the Soviet occupiers of his country, shortly before the Germans turn as occupiers. He was active in community organisations during this time.

Work and Marriage

After nearly two months in the Bonegilla camp, Jonas was among 28 men sent to pick fruit on the Dundas Simson Pty Ltd property at Ardmona, Victoria, on 28 January 1948. He returned to Bonegilla on 10 April. On 22 April, he was sent to work in the Australian Carbide Company’s factory at Electrona, 40 km south from Hobart, capital of Tasmania.

During his 10 days back in the Bonegilla camp in April, Jonas had met Ona Prižgintaitė by Lake Hume. She was one of the Lithuanian women on the Second Transport, the General MB Stewart, which had reached Fremantle on 12 February 1948.

Their casual acquaintance quickly grew into love and respect for each other. They married on 11 July 1948 in the Catholic Church in the town of Snug, near Electrona.  Jonas later told Ramunas Tarvydas, author of the 1997 book, From Amber Coast to Apple Isle, that the couple were surprised and delighted by the number of locals who attended to wish them well. 

Ona and Jonas Motiejūnas on their wedding day
Source:  Mikuliciene, Irena (2023) 
Lietuviai perkeltųjų asmenų (DP) stovyklose 1945–1951 m.

Meanwhile, Jonas was engaged in hard work, unloading large limestone rocks, smashing them with sledgehammers and loading them onto wagons.  He and his fellow workers shovelled coal onto the limestone, added both to furnaces, poured the resultant molten material into shallow basins to cool, then smashed the cold product and loaded it into barrels for export.  

The main product of the Electrona factory in 1948 was calcium carbide, a solid which reacts with water to produce acetylene gas. Using acetylene for lighting was common still in mid–20th century Australia. Another major use of acetylene is in welding.

As you can imagine from this summary, the work was dangerous also, as Jonas described to Ramunas Tarvydas, quoted in the next entry on the carbide factory.

Jonas was able to get a transfer to Hobart after talking with a CES official.  There he was employed more suitably as an electrical draftsman with EZ Risdon.  In his spare time, he drew house plans for other Lithuanians in Hobart. 

Accommodation

Jonas also told Ramunas that, "Electrona is a very lovely area.  We lived in houses especially built by the company.  One of the three bedrooms in the house was for us, the married couple, the other two were for four single men.  There was also a dining room, a kitchen and a bathroom.

"Our meals were excellent, first cooked by Mrs Stasytis, then by my wife, who also looked after the Lithuanians' house."

(Mr and Mrs Stasytis were Adomas and Veronika, who had arrived in February 1948 on the Second Transport, the General MB Stewart.  They had been sent together to Electrona on 28 April 1948, that is, 6 days after the 8 from the First Transport.  Apart from the cooking, doubtless expected by the men, Veronika Stasytienė was destined for "factory w", whatever that meant in this dangerous environment.)

Jonas’ New Family

Ona Prižgintaitė had graduated from midwifery school and studied history at Vytautas the Great University for two years. After reaching Germany, she studied history and art at the University of Heidelberg before leaving for Australia in January 1948.

Jonas and Ona had four daughters:

• Ramunė (born 1949) – studied art in Paris, and worked as a formal wear specialist at Bloomingdale's, Beverly Hills, California.
• Eglė (born 1950) – worked as an administrator at Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia.
• Ruta (born 1952) – lived in Portland, Oregon, raising two sons.
• Birutė (born 1958) – lived in Prescott, Arizona, working as a landscape designer until she had a son and daughter; sadly, she died in 2020 from breast cancer, aged only 61.

Ona and Jonas with their three oldest daughters:
(left to right) Ramunė, Eglė and Ruta
Source:  Source:  Mikuliciene, Irena (2023) ,
Lietuviai perkeltųjų asmenų (DP) stovyklose 1945–1951 m.

The Family Moves

In 1954, the family moved from Tasmania to Melbourne, where Jonas got a job as an engineer on the railway. Later, he worked at the Ford Motor Company, which used to assemble cars in the Melbourne suburb of Broadmeadows, and southwest of Melbourne in Geelong.

On 21 April 1959, the family left Australia for Los Angeles in the United States. There Jonas worked as an engineer for various companies. His last job was at Hughes Aircraft company, where he worked 29 years until he retired in 1988. Meanwhile, Ona took care of the family.

Retirement in America

After Jonas retired, he and Ona moved to Prescott, Arizona, in order to be closer to Birute and her family. Ramune also was living in Prescott in 2020.

Jonas and Ona Motiejunas established two charitable funds in USA. Jonas said that he could only pursue his education with the help of scholarships, so he wanted to compensate for a small part of assistance he had received. The Jonas and Ona Motiejunas Scholarship Fund was started in 1990 with the Lithuanian Foundation with $10,000. The Lithuanian Foundation is a not–for–profit organisation in Lemont, Illinois, started in 1962, which still offers scholarships.

Jonas and Ona started their second fund in 1995 in order to help Lithuanian orphans with the interest earned. Their first $10,000, in the name of the Ona and Jonas Motiejūnas, was donated to Lithuanian Orphanage Committee in July 1995. The second cheque for $10,000 was written in October 1997, the third in February 1999 and a fourth in 2000. In October 1998, a cheque for $100 was acknowledged in the Draugas (Friend) newspaper. The $40,100 and possibly more of capital was admired as a beautiful sacrifice.

Jonas and Ona Motiejūnas were active Lithuanians, always participating in Lithuanian community activities. The family was seen as an exemplary, future–oriented family, harmoniously operating for the maintenance of Lithuania abroad and aid to Lithuania, and supporting that activity financially.

The family on the occasion of Ona and Jonas' 50th wedding anniversary
(left to right) Eglė, Ramunė, Ona, Jonas, Ruta and Birutė at front left

Source:  Draugas, 31 October 1998

Jonas Motiejunas died on 28 February 2004, at the age of 83, in Prescott, Arizona, having been married to Ona for 55 years. At his request, his ashes were buried in his home village of Janenai. Ona Motiejuniene died more than 7 years later, at home on 22 September 2011 at the age of 90.

Of the two Lithuanians in the 1947 photos with the Minister for Immigration, Konstancija has been the easier to identify because she remained in Australia. She donated her prints of the photos to the Australian National Maritime Museum, where the donations are recorded in her maiden name as well as her married name of Jurskis.

We don’t know why the Motiejunas family left Australia in 1959. The common reason among other cases of departure … was other family members settled successfully in the United States. Vytautas Stasiukynas, the vet who left for Colombia, is the only case so far of someone leaving Australia because of better employment opportunities elsewhere.

Perhaps either or both of Jonas and Ona had relatives in Los Angeles. Their departure was Australia’s loss.

CITE THIS AS: Ščevinskiene, Rasa and Tündern–Smith (2025) ‘Jonas Motiejūnas, the Lithuanian Leader Who Left’

Sources

‘A†A Jonas Motiejūnas’ (RIP Jonas Motiejunas, in Lithuanian) Draugas (Friend), Chicago,  Illinois, 17 March 2004, p 5, https://draugas.org/archive/2004_reg/2004-03-17-DRAUGAS-i7-8.pdf, accessed 10 August 2025.

Ancient Faces, ‘Jonas Motiejunas’ https://www.ancientfaces.com/person/jonas-motiejunas-birth-1921-death-2004/86579155, accessed 10 August 2025.

Australian Lithuanian History ‘Two Year Contracts Part IV (Final)’ https://salithohistory.blogspot.com/2021/03/two-year-contracts-part-iv-final.html, accessed 9 August 2025.

Draugas, the Lithuanian World-Wide Daily, ‘A † A Ona Prižgintaitė Motiejūnienė’ (RIP Ona Prizgintaite Motiejuniene, in Lithuanian) http://www.draugas.org/legacy/mirties2011.html, accessed 9 August 2025.

Jasaitienė, Birutė (1995) ‘Jono ir Onos (Prižgintaitės) Motiejūnų Fondas Lietuvos Našlaičiams’ ‘Jonas and Ona (Prižgintaitė) Motiejūnas Foundation for Lithuanian Orphans’ (in Lithuanian) Draugas (Friend) Chicago, Illinois, 12 August, p 8 https://www.draugas.org/archive/1995_reg/1995-08-12-DRAUGASw.pdf, accessed 10 August 2025.

Jasaitienė, Birutė (1998) ‘Darnaus Gyvenimo 50 Metu Sukaktis’ (‘50th Anniversary of Sustainable Living’, in Lithuanian) Draugas (Friend) Chicago, Illinois, 12 August, p 4 https://draugas.org/archive/1998_reg/1998-10-31-DRAUGASm.pdf, accessed 10 August 2025.

Jasaitienė, Birutė (2000) ‘Jono ir Onos Motiejūnų Fondas’ (‘Jonas and Ona Motiejūnas Fund, in Lithuanian) Draugas (Friend) Chicago, Illinois, 19 February, p 4 https://draugas.org/archive/2000_reg/2000-02-19-DRAUGAS.pdf, accessed 10 August 2025.

Juodvalkis, A (1990) ‘Inž. Jonas ir Ona Motiejūnai Įsteigė Stipendijų Fondą’ ‘Engineer Jonas and Ona Motiejunas Established a Scholarship Fund’ (in Lithuanian) Draugas (Friend) Chicago, Illinois, 22 February, p 4, https://draugas.org/archive/1990_reg/1990-02-22-DRAUGAS-i7-8.pdf, accessed 9 August 2025.

Lithuanian Foundation, Inc. ‘Scholarships Reports’, https://lithuanianfoundation.org/lf-reports/scholarships/ accessed 10 August 2025.

Mieldažys, Kazys (1961) ‘Pirmieji Žingsniai Australijoje‘ [‘First Steps in Australia’ translated into English by Jonas Mockunas from an article in Metraštis (Yearbook)] https://www.australianlithuanians.org/history/ww2-kazys-mieldazys/ accessed 9 August 2025.

Mikulicienė, Irena (2023) Lietuviai perkeltųjų asmenų (DP) stovyklose 1945–1951 m. (Lithuanians in displaced persons (DP) camps in 1945-1951, in Lithuanian) Lietuvos nacionalinis muziejus, Vilnius, 440 p.

National Archives of Australia: Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla [Victoria]; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla]; Motiejunas Jonas, MOTIEJUNAS, Jonas : Year of Birth - 1921 : Nationality - LITHUANIAN : Travelled per - GEN. HEINTZELMAN : Number - 601 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203902827 accessed 9 August 2025.

Rimon, Wendy (2006) ‘Carbide Works’ in The Companion to Tasmanian History https://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/C/Carbide%20Works.htm accessed 9 August 2025.

Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Homes and Crematory ‘Birute Motiejunas Upchurch, August 13, 1958 — February 8, 2020’ https://www.ruffnerwakelin.com/obituaries/birute-motiejunas-upchurch

Sydney Lithuanian Information Centre ‘In Memoriam, 24th April, 2005, Kastutė Brundzaitė - Jurskis (1921 - 2005), Among the Very First Lithuanian Post World War II Migrants in Australia’ https://www.slic.org.au/News/news_240405.htm accessed 9 August 2025.

Tarvydas, Ramunas (1997) From Amber Coast to Apple Isle : Fifty Years of Baltic Immigrants in Tasmania 1948-1998, Baltic Semicentennial Commemoration Activities Organising Committee, Hobart, Tasmania, pages 35-36.

Railton, 1948: Goliath Portland Cement Company from Endrius Jankus' collection, by Ann Tündern-Smith

First published on 15 July 2023, updated on 2 December 2023, 23 February and 25 November 2024, and 26 January and 8 September 2025.

During his 11-12 months working for the Goliath Portland Cement Company in Railton, Tasmania, Endrius Jankus collected photographs taken by another of the refugees.  Presumably, he purchased these at the going rate, around 5 pence per photograph, as calculated from information he provided in his translated diary entry, published here in the Bonegilla 1947-1948: Another Two Weeks, from New Year's Day (January 1-13) blog entry.  Probably, it was 6 pence or half a shilling for an individual photo, with a reduced rate for bulk purchases.  So here are the photos.

A group of Goliath Cement workers in 1948; From the left, Mindaugas Sumskas, a local, Povilas Niaura, Vaclovas Kalytis, Endrius Jankus, Kazys Vilutis
and (in front) Aleksandras Zilinskas

Smoko while loading a rail wagon of cement
Front: Povilas Niaura; Middle: Mindaugas Sumskas, Aleksandras Zilinskas, Tony Viknius; Rear: unknown, Endrius Jankus with a dark face, Kazys Vilutis, unknown

Lunchtime at the cement factory
 Standing: Povilas Niaura and a local; seated: Endrius Jankus, Aleksandras Zilinskas, unknown, Henrikas Surkavicius, Mindaugas Sumskas

Another 1948 lunch group at the Goliath factory:  Left to right, Endrius Jankus,
Povilas Niaura, Vaclovas Kalytis, Henrikas Surkavicius, Antanas Viknius, 
Kasys Vilutis, Mindaugas Sumskas, Vytautas Stasiukynas

Four of the men have a smoke before a concert at Railton:
Left to right they are Endrius Jankus, Aleksandras Zilinskas,
Kazys Vilutis and Vaclovas Kalytis
(You can view larger versions of any photographs above by double-clicking on them)

The Bonegilla cards of 18 men show that they were sent directly to the Goliath Company at Railton.  Endrius Jankus' card shows that he was sent to Tasmania for fruit picking but we know from the photographs above and other evidence that he then moved onto Railton.  There might be others like that, such as Vaclovas Kalytis and Aleksandras Zilinskas. Comparing names from various sources, I have come up with a list of 22, consisting of 3 Estonians, 5 Latvians and 15 Lithuanians:

Napoleonas Butkunas

Endrius Jankus

Vaclovas Kalytis

Mykolas Kartanas

Armands Laula

Johannes Liiberg

Povilas Niaura

Edmundas Obolevicius

Juozas Peciulis

Jonas Razvidaukas

Harolds Ronis

Alfred Saik

Antanas Simkus

Vytautas Stasiukynas

Evalds Stelps

Mindaugas Sumskas

Henrikas Surkevicius

Endel Uduste

Helmuts Upe

Antanas Viknius

Kazys Vilutis

Ojars Vinklers

Aleksandras Zilinskas

As recounted in Paul (Povilas) Niaura's story, the initial accommodation was in Goliath's single men's camp.  At first, they moved into the existing huts, but new ones for the new arrivals soon were built.  Ray Tarvydas says that, after wood and tools for making furniture were provided, it was Anton Viknius who showed the others how to do it.

Ramunas adds that, at first, most worked in the factory or the quarry, where the work was harder but the pay better.  Henrikas Surkevicius was promoted to the analytical laboratory after 3 months.  A document from post-WWII Germany made available by the Arolsen Archives shows that this is not a surprise:  his occupation was recorded there as 'Chemiker' or 'chemist'.

What is surprising is that a younger brother apparently left a gold mine in Canada to join Henrikas at Goliath Cement!  On his Bonegilla card, Henrikas recorded his next of kin as a brother, Teodoras, whose address was Picle (sic) Crow Gold Mines, Picle Crow, Ontario.  Teodoras has his own Bonegilla card showing his arrival in Australia on 24 March 1949 on the Mozaffari and his departure from Bonegilla on 6 June 1949 for Goliath Portland Cement Co Pty Ltd, Railton, Tasmania.

Perhaps Henrikas thought that his brother was headed for the Pickle Crow Mines but this turned out to be a plan which lapsed.  Arolsen Archive documents show Teodoras in Germany in 1946 and his 1949 Mozaffari voyage brought Displaced Persons from Germany who had travelled by train to Naples in Italy.

Someone has typed onto Teodoras' Bonegilla card 'none' in the Address of Next of Kin field, but his older brother in Australia was still working at Goliath.  Papers which appear to be working documents created by Ramunas Tarvydas have been acquired recently from the Goliath office through Stephen Niaura, son of Povilas (Paul).  Ramunas has recorded that Henrikas left Goliath on 30 June 1950.  His younger brother arrived one year earlier, on 8 June 1949, and stayed for more than the contracted 2 years, not leaving until 2 October 1952.

One of Ramunas' papers shows that 5 of the men 'absconded' during February 1949, so after only 9 months of labour at Railton.   Another 6 'left of own accord' during March and subsequent months.  These numbers do not include Endrius Jankus.  The labour expected of them could well have been way too hard after the wartime and post-war years of deprivation.

As per Endrius Jankus' story, the Commonwealth Employment Service may have tracked down the absconders and early leavers, to insist that they were not free to chose where they wanted to work.  They had been brought to Australia to fill vacancies which the Government had decided were in the national interest.  Finding where they were sent next probably will be difficult after the destruction of personal employment files, unless their absconding finished up on a policy file still held by Australia's National Archives.

By 2 October 1948, the local Burnie newspaper was reporting on a Railton function to celebrate one of Lithuania's national days.  Tarvydas writes that the singing was led by Vaclovas Kalytis and the women joining in the national dances were locals who had been taught the steps by Lithuanian men in the list above.  Kalytis kept the music going at other gatherings with his piano accordion.

Lithuanian migrants celebrate a national day,
with help from their Latvian, Estonian and Australian friends

Source:  Burnie Advocate, 2 October 1948, p 3

Arthur Calwell's Information Department considered the celebration so important that
it was included in the first draft of its newsletter for migrants, the New Australian

Source:  NAA, CP815/1, 021.148 

A later Lithuanian national day celebration to which the public was invited is described in more detail by Genovaitė Kazokas in her PhD thesis on Lithuanian Artists in Australia 1950-1990.  She wrote, "In September, 1949, the fifteen Lithuanian men working in Railton celebrated Lithuanian Day by organizing a Lithuanian folk-art exhibition, the first ever held in Tasmania, and by performing national songs and dances.  Invited guests included local clergy and Mr. Davies-Graham, the manager of the Railton Cement Works where the Lithuanians were employed.*

"Young local Tasmanian women, trained by the Lithuanians, partnered the men in folk dancing and the small male choir was trained and conducted by Vaclovas Kalytis. The programme also included a talk on Lithuanian history by Napoleonas Butkunas. 

"The male choir was invited to sing at several Catholic churches in the district.  The official Catholic newspaper published a complimentary report on the men's cultural abilities and activities.

"In an unusual move, motivated largely by his recognition of their cultural backgrounds, Mr. Davies-Graham recommended that several of the Lithuanians should be allowed to complete their work contracts in situations that would allow them to utilise their professional qualifications. As a result, one was appointed as an analytic chemist, another transferred as an agriculturist, and others to veterinary positions."** 

It's not a surprise, especially when we consider the folk dancing classes, that the newly arrived Baltic men challenged the local young men for single women.  Tarvydas reports that Aleksandras Zilinskas was supposed to have had two local girlfriends at the same time.  Their former boyfriends challenged Zilinskas to a fight, which he won.  That caused the local lads to gather others to their cause and march on the Baltic men's huts.  They had to be separated by the local policeman, who told them all to shake hands or "I'll bash your heads in".  The policeman prevailed.

We don't know who Aleksandras married but we do know that Mindaugas Sumskas was successful in marrying one of the local ladies.  She was Beverley Barker, daughter of Freda Barker, a widowed schoolteacher living in Railton.  Endrius Jankus remembers that Freda, "... opened her doors to us.  Her knowledge and advice helped many of us especially with problems in English and with government officials".

Another surprise, knowing Baltic habits, is that five of the men were non-drinkers.  A notable example was Edmundas Obolevicius, who was thought to be saving money to return to Europe.  This desire to return was a second reason why he was exceptional.

Tarvydas adds that, "Two more Baltic groups came to Railton later that year, and the last one in 1949".  The small town (2021 Census population still only 1,079) must have seemed very cosmopolitan in the years when it had its additional Baltic population.

We know that Povilas (Paul) Niaura stayed in Railton and that Endrius Jankus travelled to find his own work but returned to Tasmania.  I know that Henrikas Surkevicius and Mindaugas Sumskas moved to mainland Australia.  I've met with Armands Laula in Melbourne and Helmuts Upe in the hills to the east of Perth.  Any news of what happened to the remaining 14 will be received gratefully.

Footnotes

* Lithuania's National Day in February 16.  The only Lithuanian celebration is September might be for the autumn (in Lithuania) or spring (in Australia) equinox.  Napoleonas Butkunas participation in a 20 September 1949 celebration in Tasmania is at odds with the Aliens Registration record showing him reporting to the Melbourne Office of the Department of Immigration on 19 August 1949.  A September 1949 equinox celebration also would have occured 20 days after the First Transporters were to be released from their 2-year contracts.

** Henrikas Surkevicius' promotion to the analytical laboratory has been noted already.  Any advice on who was allowed to resume their agricultural or veterinary careers would be most welcome.

References

Advocate (Burnie, Tas), 'Migrants celebrate national day', 2 October 1948, p 3, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/69190232, accessed 13 July 2023.

Harasym, R, 'The Pickle Lake Story', Sunset Country, Ontario, Canada, https://visitsunsetcountry.com/history-pickle-lake-ontario-canada, accessed 12 July 2023.

'Henrikas Surkevicius' in Lists of names of the town of Freiburg/Breisgau, Arolsen Archives DocID: 70850177, https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/70850177, accessed 12 July 2023.

Kazokas, Genovaitė Elena (1992) ‘Lithuanian Artists in Australia 1950-1990, Volume II’, Hobart, University of Tasmania, thesis. https://doi.org/10.25959/23205632.v1

National Archives of Australia: Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla], 1947-1956; Surkevicius, Henricas : Year of Birth - 1913 : Nationality - LITHUANIAN : Travelled per - GEN. HEINTZELMAN : Number – 1041, 1947-1948; https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203899949, accessed 13 July 2023.

National Archives of Australia: Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla], 1947-1956; Surkevicius, Teodoras : Year of Birth - 1913 : Nationality - LITHUANIAN : Travelled per - MOZAFFARI' : Number – [unknown], 1949-1949; https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203899948, accessed 13 July 2023.

National Archives of Australia:  Department of Information, Central Office; CP815/1, General correspondence files, two number series, 1938 - 1951; 021.148, Immigration - From Minister [correspondence with Immigration Publicity Officer], 1947 - 1948, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=263676, accessed 23 February 2024.

Tarvydas, Ramunas, From Amber Coast to Apple Isle: Fifty years of Baltic immigrants in Tasmania, 1948-1998, 1997, Hobart, The author, pp 46-8.