Algirdas Undzenas (1913 -1979): Lithuanian factory director by Rasa Ščevinskienė and Ann Tündern-Smith

Algirdas Undzenas had been a factory director in his Lithuanian homeland.

He graduated from the Birzai gymnasium (senior high school), then studied at the Klaipeda Trading Institute.  With 8 years of secondary education and 3 years of tertiary in addition to the usual 4 years of primary, Algirdas was among the most educated of the Lithuanians to resettle in Australia via the 1947 USAT General Stuart Heintzelman voyage.

He finished his studies in 1938, when he was 24. He then worked in Šiauliai as a deputy director of a factory called Maistas, which is Lithuanian for Food. He continued as a director of this factory until he forced to leave for Germany in 1944.

The Maistas factory had been built in Šiauliai in the 1932. Pigs were slaughtered and processed here, mainly for export.

Maistas factory in Šiauliai, Algirdas' workplace,1940

Source:  Facebook, Lietuva sensose fotografijose

He had been born on 4 October 1913, in Klausuciai village, Biržai county. His parents were wealthy farmers, Jonas and Zenė Undzenas. (Zenė‘s maiden name was Kregzdaitė.)

The Australian selection panel's record of interview with Algirdas says that he was "forcibly evacuated by the Germans".  A manager of a factory processing animals into food definitely would have been an asset for the Germans.  

There's a discrepancy, however, between "forcibly evacuated by the Germans" and Algirdas' arrival date in Germany, from a record preserved in the Arolsen Archives, of 1 October 1944.

Since the Soviet forces captured Lithuania's capital city, Kaunas, on 1 August 1944, we should expect Algirdas to have been on his way out of what would become part of the Soviet Union by then.  All who had experienced the Soviet occupation between June 1940 and July 1941 knew what to expect.  In particular, factory managers would have expected nationalisation and their replacement by operatives loyal to the new regime.

We could have expected the German military to retreat more quickly than the two months between 1 August and 1 October.  It is possible that "forcibly evacuated by the Germans" was a standard term used by those typing out the interview schedules, at the request of the Australian interviewers, to cover a range of events.  It certainly appears on a number of the interview reports if not most of them.

Two of five Arolsen Archives records for Algirdas in Germany after World War II shows him in the coastal town of Norden.  This is around 50 kilometres west of Bremerhaven, the port from which he left Germany with 842 others on 28 October 1947.  He had arrived in Norden from a larger German town, Oldenburg, on an unknown date.  The main document is itself dated 1949.

Both Norden and Oldenburg were in the British Zone of occupied Germany at the end of World War II.  As British production of food and other essentials had been damaged by German bombing or reduced due to the workers' absence in the British armed forces, conditions in the British zone were worse than those in the American zone.

Three other records in Algirdas' name have a different birthdate, 19 October 1904 rather than 4 October 1913.  It's possible that this date is a type of faulty anagram, with the 13 having been lost in the process.  If it is our Algirdas and not a relative with the same name, he was in the Bavarian town of Kitzingen from 8 February 1945 to an unknown date.  Two documents recording this have January and August 1948 dates.

The third item is from a card index was initially compiled at the beginning of the 1980s from a large number of smaller card files. These were originals of index cards from various registration offices, employment offices, private companies and from the health sector.  His card in this index also has him in Kitzingen from 8 February 1945, but says that he reached Germany on 1 October 1944.  

From this card too, it seems that he earned survival money in Kitzingen by working as a gardener.  It is not apparent that there was a Displaced Persons camp in Kitzingen, but perhaps Algirdas wanted to join a friend who had managed to settle temporarily in this town.

Depending on how far away from Lithuania Algirdas got together with the Germans, he may have taken a lengthy land route like that of Valentinas Dagys. Alternatively, he may have managed to reach the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda, about 160 kilometres west of Šiauliai and still more than 2 hours travel by road.  From a landing in coastal Germany, he may have worked his way west by rail or walking to Norden, through Oldenburg, to move away from what became the Soviet zone of occupied Germany.

According to this theory, he then worked his way south to Kitzingen, again through Oldenburg. If trains were running again from Norden to Oldenburg when he left, the journey would have taken at least 90 minutes. To travel by train from Oldenburg to Kitzenen now takes more than 4  hours.

At the time of his interview for Australia in September 1947, Algirdas was living in the Buchholz camp in Hannover.  Fortunately for him, this was one of several interviewing points for the Australian selection team.  Kitzingen was in the American Zone, so why Algirdas returned to the harsher conditions of the British Zone by moving to the Buchholz camp is another unknown.

At the age of 34, he was ten years older than the average age of the Heintzelman group. He also differed from nearly all the Lithuanians through having been brought up in an Evangelical Reformed family, rather than a Roman Catholic one.

Algirdas' Undzenas identity photograph

Source:  NAA:  A2571, UNDZENAS ALGIRDAS

On his Bonegilla migrant camp card, Algirdas had an official add the name and address of his fianceé in the Address of Next of Kin area. She was Else Frerich from Oldenburg.  Algirdas must have spent enough time there after September 1944 to form a relationship with Else which he hoped would lead to marriage.  His plans to create a family did not materialise, however.

Algirdas Undzenas spent his first week outside the Bonegilla camp in the Albury District Hospital, from 30 January to 6 February 1948, as did several others from the First Transport. It is likely that they were here for medical checks rather than work. Tuberculosis still was dreaded then, explaining why our Displaced Persons had a chest X-ray as part of the selection process in Germany and another one when they got to the Bonegilla camp.  Other illnesses may have displayed themselves.

Blackie House, Albury Hospital

Source:  Facebook, AlburyCity

Perhaps the Bonegilla X-rays had detected calcification in the lungs which had been missed by the German X-rays. Calcification might be a sign that the patient had had TB previously and might still be at risk to themselves or others.

The most modern building on the Albury District Hospital campus had been open for only one year. Blackie House, opened in February 1947, was a maternity unit was funded by money from the will of John Blackie, a local pharmacist. [Golly, thinks Ann Tündern-Smith, it probably was where my mother gave birth to me and where other Bonegilla babies were born in 1948 and maybe later!]

Back at Bonegilla, Algirdas was sent to work with the State Electricity Commission (SEC) at Yallourn, Victoria, on 12 February 1948.  He probably worked in Yallourn Power Station. His friend, Karolis Prasmutas, worked there too.

The first group of 48 for Yallourn from the First Transport, led by English-speaking Arnold Siinmaa, had left the Bonegilla camp on 15 January, so Algirdas was nearly one month late. Josef Šeštokas’ Welcome to Little Europe book focuses on the first 48, so Algirdas gets only a passing mention. He was included on a list of those attending English-language classes organised by the SEC at Arnold’s suggestion, a list which Arnold still had when he moved house during 2007.

Algirdas appears not to have sought Australian citizenship, so we do not have a public record of his movements from 1948. The Melbourne Office of the Department of Immigration kept a card recording his changes of residence and employment, insofar as he reported them, but this is yet to be digitised.

This means that the next public record we have for Algirdas is from 29 June 1978. On that day, he was seriously injured in a traffic accident in Melbourne. He walking from a public library with books and was hit by a car while crossing the street.

Left unconscious, he was taken by ambulance to the Austin Hospital. During more than nine months, however, he rarely regained consciousness despite the great efforts made by doctors. During all the time he was in the hospital and in a convalescent home, friends Aleksandra and Vytautas Bieliauskas did what they could to look after him.

Algirdas died 9 months later, on 9 April 1979. At the Tobin Brothers Chapel on 12 April, he was farewelled in prayer by Fr P Vasaris.  Karolis Prašmutas, who had come to Australia with him on the First Transport, provided an eulogy. He was buried that day in the Fawkner Cemetery, accompanied by a large number of Lithuanian people.

By a twist of fate, this Protestant is buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Cemetery.  That is likely to be so that he can lie with his fellow Lithuanians in exile.

Algirdas was unmarried and had no relatives in Australia. In occupied Lithuania, he still had two living brothers: Petras, born in 1904, with his family, and Jonas with his. Another brother, Konstantinas, born in 1905, and a sister, Ona, born in 1911, both had died in 1916, suggesting some sort of epidemic in wartime conditions.

Algirdas’ parents, Jonas and Zene, his sister, Onutė (or Ona), and brother, Kostas (or Konstantinas), are buried in Klausuciai village cemetery in the Birzai district of Lithuania. His father died in 1959 and his mother in 1962. This means that after Algirdas left Lithuania, his parents did not see their son again.

In Australia, Algirdas kept aloof, with his truest friend being a book, according to Karolis Prašmutas. He did care for Lithuanian community life though, so when the Melbourne Lithuanians bought their own building, he donated £100 to the cause.

Sources

Albury City, 'Nurse on Call' https://www.alburycity.nsw.gov.au/leisure/museum-and-libraries/exhibitions/nurse-on-call accessed 7 March 2025.

'IRO (BZ) Form 102, Family Name, Undzenas' 2.1.2.1./ 69554139 / ITS Digital Archives, Arolsen Archives  https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/69554139 accessed 10 March 2025. 

'Kategorie III, Form 7, Gemeinde Kitzingen [Category III, Form 7, Kitzingen Community] List of all allied Nationals and all other Foreigner, German Jews, and stateless etc. who were temporarily or permanently stationed in the community, but are no longer in residence, Nationalität, Litauen [Nationality, Lithuanians]' 2.1.1.1. / 69975936 / ITS Digital Archives, Arolsen Archives https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/search/person/69975936?s=undzenas&t=548522&p=0 accessed 10 March 2025. 

'Kategorie III, Form 7, Landstadt Kreis Kitzingen, Gemeinde verachiedene [Category III, Form 7, Country Town District, Different Communities] List of all allied Nationals and all other Foreigner, German Jews, and stateless etc. who were temporarily or permanently stationed in the community, but are no longer in residence, Nationalität, Litauen [Nationality, Lithuanians]' 2.1.1.1. / 69975941 https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/69975941?s=undzenas&t=548522&p=0 accessed 10 March 2025. 

'Liste der in der Kreigszeit in Norden wohnhaf gewesen Ausländer [List of foreigners residing in Norden during the war]' 2.1.2.1./ 70708684 and 70708685/ ITS Digital Archives, Arolsen Archives https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/70708684 and https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/70708685 accessed 6 March 2025.

Arolsen Archives (1980s) 2 Registration of Foreigners and German Persecutees by Public Institutions, Social Securities and Companies (1939 - 1947) / 2.2 Documents on the Registration of Foreigners and the Employment of Forced Laborers, 1939 - 1945 / 2.2.2 Various Public Administrations and Companies (Documents related to individuals)

Cemety, Jonas Undzėnas, born: 1875, died, 1959 https://cemety.lt/public/deceaseds/1442572?type=deceased accessed 6 March 2025.

Evangeliku_reformatu_abecelinis_sarasas_XIX_a_pab-XX_a_II_puses [Alphabetical list of Evangelical Reformed people from the 19th century to the 2nd half of the 20th century] http://88.119.255.35:8888/metrikai/Evangeliku_reformatu_abecelinis_sarasas_XIX_a_pab-XX_a_II_puses.pdf accessed 6 March 2025 [p341].

National Archives of Australia: Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla [Victoria]; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla], 1947-56; UNDZENAS ALGIRDAS, UNDZENAS, Algirdas : Year of Birth - 1913 : Nationality - LITHUANIAN : Travelled per - GEN.HEINTZELMAN : Number – 706, 1947-48 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203721886 accessed 6 March 2025.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Immigration, Western Australian Branch; PP482/1, Correspondence files [nominal rolls], single number series, 1926-52; 82, GENERAL HEINTZELMAN - arrived Fremantle 28 November 1947 - nominal rolls of passengers, 1947-52; https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=439196 accessed 6 March 2025 (page 10).

Find A Grave, Algirdas Undenas,https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140678679/algirdas-undzenas accessed 6 March 2025.

JP (1979) Algirdas Undzėnas Musu sparnai [Our Wings] Chicago, Illinois, June, p 76 https://spauda.org/musu_sparnai/archive/1979/1979-nr46-MUSU-SPARNAI.pdf accessed 4 March 2025.

Prašmutas, K (1979) ‘AA Algirdas Undzėnas’ [‘RIP Algirdas Undzėnas’] Tėviškės Aidai [Echoes of the Homeland] Melbourne, 5 May, p12 https://spauda2.org/teviskes_aidai/archive/1979/1979-nr17-TEVISKES-AIDAI.pdf accessed 4 March 2025.

Prašmutas, K (1979) ‘Mirusieji, Mirtis Eismo Nelaimėje’ [‘The Dead, Death in a Traffic Accident’] Mūsų Pastogė Sydney, 7 May 1979, p 4 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1979/1979-05-07-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 4 March 2025.

Šeštokas, Josef (2010) Welcome to Little Europe Sale, Victoria, Little Chicken Publishing, pp 118-9, also available in part from Google Books, eg, https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Welcome_to_Little_Europe/PqDgc5KKfvIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=karolis+prasmutas&pg=PT231&printsec=frontcover, accessed 16 April 2023.

Wikipedia, Lithuanian Evangelical Reformed Church https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian_Evangelical_Reformed_Church accessed 7 March 2025.

Vincentas Jakimavičius (1927-1949): Motorcycle passenger death, by Daina Pocius

Vincentas Jakimavičius was the pillion passenger of a motorcycle which hit a cow opposite the old store at Tarpeena in South Australia, at 1.15 am on the morning of Sunday, 24 July 1949. The 22-year-old was killed after being flung a distance of 82 feet, that is, 25 metres, onto the bitumen road.

Vincentas Jakimavičius' ID photo on his Bonegilla card

Source:  NAA: A2571, JAKIMAVICIUS, VINCAS

The other man, Juozas Gylys, of Nangwarry, was taken in a private car to the Mount Gambler Hospital. His condition was not serious, but he was still in the Hospital some days later according to newspaper reports.

The two were riding on the Penola Road, 23 Kilometres north of Mount Gambler, on their way home after a Mount Gambier dance.

A modern map of the Penola Road from Mt Gambier to Nangwarry (red dot) through Tarpeena

Source:  Google Maps

There was a cow on each side of the road near the store. In attempting the avoid the cow on his left, Juozas hit the cow on his right, which was killed instantly. The police were looking for the owner of the cow, so that legal action could be taken under the Impounding Act. Stock wandering uncontrolled along the roads near Tarpeena and Nangwarry had been a problem for some time.

The local coroner decided that an inquest into the death was not necessary. While the cause of Vincentas’ death was obvious to him, at a later time a coroner might have deemed an inquest necessary to inquire into why neither of the motorcyclists were wearing helmets.

Both had come to Australia on the First Transport, together with Vincentas’ half- or step-brother, Sigitas Brokevičius, arriving on 28 November 1947. They both were part of a group which had been assigned to timber work at Nangwarry, leaving their first home in Australia, the Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre for Mt Gambier, on 9 January 1948.

They had been moved to Nangwarry from Mt Gambier on 21 January 1948. Nangwarry was one of the forestry industry townships, situated 32.5 kilometres north of Mt Gambier.

In 1939, a power station was erected to supply a timber mill, which was built in 1940. The Nangwarry town grew out of a demand for housing for the labourers who travelled to the area for work, many in the forest. Migrants made up the biggest percentage of the population in what was to become a multicultural community.

Juozas clearly had settled in so much already that he was known by the English equivalent of his Lithuanian name, Joseph. As for Vincentas or Vincas, he was known as a “well mannered, decent, fine, young man”. He had been born 2 May 1927 in Galkiemis, Vilkaviškis, Lithuania.

One of Vincas’ selection documents says that he had had 2 years of secondary education on top of the basic 4 years of primary school. Another says that he had had 4 years of farming experience – but not with his father, whose occupation was given as clerk. His mother was a housewife. However, given that his younger brother had a different family name, the clerk on his selection papers likely to be his stepfather – so perhaps he had been farming with his biological father.

A large number of his friends attended the funeral at the Mount Gambier cemetery. There were 37 New Australians from Nangwarry, besides other employees from the mill and forest.

Vincentas’ brother, Sigitas, aged 19, flew from Melbourne with two friends to attend the funeral. Sigitas had been assigned separately to the Ebor Sawmills, Styx River Hill, in Victoria.

A Requiem Mass was celebrated at St. Paul's Church, Mt Gambier.  The funeral departed from there on 26 July, two days after Vincentas' death. Rev Fr McCabe conducted the service. The six pallbearers representing the district’s migrant community came from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Czechoslovakia. At the conclusion of the graveside service, four friends sang "Ave Maria" in Lithuanian.

In accordance with Lithuanian custom, the deceased was buried in his best clothes. Several beautiful wreaths were sent by friends and, instead of the customary sympathy cards, engraved ribbons were attached.

The cemetery in which Vincentas was buried now is called the Lake Terrace Cemetery.  On his grave was placed the inscription: Jei grįši, lietuvi, pasakyk Tėvynei, kad aš ją mylėjau.  That means, If you return to Lithuania, tell the Motherland that I loved her.

Sources

Australijos Lietuvis [The Australian Lithuanian] (1953) ‘Gerai įsikūrusi lietuvių kolonija [A well-established Lithuanian colony’], Adelaide, 19 September, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article280314249 viewed 2 March 2025.

Border Watch (1949) 'Motorcycle Hits Cow: Pillion Rider Killed', Mount Gambier, South Australia, 26 July, p 1 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78632729 accessed 1 March 2025.

Border Watch (1949) 'No Inquest into Balt Migrant’s Death, Mount Gambier, South Australia, 28 July, p 1 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78632838 accessed 2 March 2025.

City of Mount Gambier, Cemetery Data Search, 'Jakimavicius, Vincents' https://www.mountgambier.sa.gov.au/cemeteries/jakimavicius-vincents accessed 3 March 2025.

National Archives of Australia: Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla [Victoria]; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla], 1947-56; JAKIMAVICIUS VINCAS, JAKIMAVICIUS, Vincas : Year of Birth - 1927 : Nationality - LITHUANIAN : Travelled per - GENERAL HEINTZELMAN : Number - 495, 1947-48 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203620771 accessed 3 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; 96, JAKIMAVICIUS Vincas DOB 2 May 1927, 1947-47; https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=5005528 accessed 2 March 2025.

News (1949) 'Killed in Collision with Cow', Adelaide, 25 July, p 3 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130268590 accessed 1 March 2025.

Southern Cross (1949) 'Mount Gambier News', Adelaide, 5 August, p 15, 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167725980 accessed 2 March 2025.

VR (1953) 'Lietuviai Prie Ugniakalnio Ežeru [Lithuanians at the Volcanic Lake]’ Musu Pastoge [Our Haven] Sydney, NSW, 29 July, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article259358649 accessed 2 March 2025.

Wattle Range Council, ‘Nangwarry’, https://www.wattlerange.sa.gov.au/tourism/tourism/Towns/nangwarry accessed 2 March 2025.

Domas Valancius (1922-1980): A wanderer who died young by Rasa Ščevinskienė and Ann Tündern-Smith

Domas Valancius was born in Pauosniai village, Plunge district, Lithuania, on 21 June 1922, to peasant parents Jonas and Ona Valancius. Ona’s maiden name was Grismanauskaite.

Domas’ name was Dominykas on the birth record, but he probably chose the shorter version of Domas to make it easier to say and spell. English language equivalents would be Dominic for Dominykas and Dom for Domas.

Domas Valancius' birth record on 21 June 1922, in Plunge church, Lithuania

Source: Lithuanian State Historical Archives

From an Arolsen Archives record, we know that Domas Valancius was in the British zone after World War II ended. During the War, from 6 December 1943 to 31 March 1945 he had worked for the Gerwerkschaft Dorn in Herne, Germany. The Gerwerkschaft Dorn produced screws, nuts and rivets for the mining industry, the railways and the bridge, ship, wagon, vehicle and agricultural machinery construction industries. It is highly likely that Domas had not volunteered for this work but had been sent to it under some form of military escort.

The entrance to the Gerwerkschaft Dorn on Dornstraße in 1921

Source:  Herne von damals bis heute

Domas appears to have been interviewed twice about his interest in resettling in Australia, on 6 and 10 October. The form used for his 6 October interview did not ask him about his education, but it did ask for his occupation and the length of time for which he had been engaged in this. The interviewers recorded that he was a factory worker who had been doing this type of work for 4 years.

At the time of the interview, he was living in a Displaced Persons’ camp in Solingen, about one hour’s drive south of Herne. If he was working still in a factory, it was quite likely to be one in Solingen, famous since mediaeval times for the manufacture of blades, starting with sword blades.

The form did ask for Domas’ previous occupation, to which the typed answer was ‘nil’. This suggests that he was student whose studies, like those of so many others, were interrupted abruptly by the German military seizing him to work for them. At least it was a factory in his case, not digging ditches under fire.

The 10 October form did ask about his education, which elicited a ‘4 years of primary school’ answer, basic for a Lithuanian of Domas’ age. If you knew that Australia was looking for labourers, you would not want to boast about your higher education. Perhaps that is why Domas did not give more information.

Domas' identity photo from his selection papers
Source:  NAA: A11772, VALANCUS DOMAS

He left Bremerhaven for Australia with 842 other Baltic refugees on the USAT General Stuart Heintzelman on 30 October 1947 and on 28 November 1947 he arrived to Australia.

From the General Heintzelman nominal rolls of passengers it is known that Domas’ last place of residence in Germany was in the city of Lintorf. His Bonegilla card noted that he had a fiancee, Loni Klingbeil, who was living in Wuppertal-Hammerstein, Germany.

Domas’ first job in Australia was in Western Sawmilling Pty Ltd, in Rylstone, NSW. He left Bonegilla camp on 20 January 1948 for Rylstone. This is still a small town on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, behind Newcastle. Only 3 men were sent to this employer, the other 2 being Rasa’s grandfather, Adomas Ivanauskas and an Estonian, Leonard Jaago.

Leonard must have felt put out if the two Lithuanians started to talk to each other in their native tongue, but at least he could ask them in German to tell him what they were discussing.

Domas was being paid a wage of £6/2/6 per week, more than some others were getting in their new jobs. He and Adomas might have found the work or the management disagreeable, though, because they returned to the Bonegilla camp on 12 April 1948. Maybe the volume of work had run down. Regardless of Domas’ and Adomas’ reasons, Leonard stayed behind at Rylstone.

The Commonwealth Employment Service (CES) staff in the camp knew immediately what to do with the two returning men. They were added to the group being sent 3 days later to Iron Knob in South Australia to work with a company then known as Broken Hill Proprietory Limited – but now simply BHP.

The group of 12 included Romualdas Zeronas, about whom we have written already for this blog. Rasa thinks that Domas and her grandfather would have become friends by now, especially as they left Rylstone together, and they would have included Romualdas in their friendship.

A new paper, Australijos lietuvis, carried a notice about supporting it with donations of money on 12 September 1948. The group of Lithuanians working in the Iron Knob mines immediately understood that they needed to help. After receiving their wages, they put together a pile of money and sent it to the newspaper. One of them was Domas Valancius, who donated 5 shillings.

Domas had first written to the Minister for Immigration about sponsoring his fiancé to move to Australia on 10 February 1948, that is, just over 2 months after arriving at the Bonegilla camp and 3 weeks after leaving it for Rylstone. A file was raised for the first letter and any ensuing correspondence, as was normal Australian Public Service practice. The existence of this file means that we have a report from the Port Augusta District Employment Officer to his superior in Adelaide, dated 21 September 1948, about Domas and another Lithuanian from the First Transport, Petras Juodka.

The Employment Officer, EJ Puddy, wrote that he had travelled to Iron Knob following a phone discussion with the Registrar of the Broken Hill Proprietory Limited company. There he had first talked with Broken Hill’s Iron Knob foreman. Both Domas and Petras were said to have ‘given quite a lot of trouble on and off the job’.

Both had been before the Iron Knob court where they had been fined for disorderly behaviour in a public place. This had been the result of a brawl in Broken Hill’s mess rooms. It is interesting that a privately owned place was considered a public place for the purpose of the court appearance, unless the brawl continued on a public road outside.

Puddy reported that the foreman had told him that Domas was ‘of an argumentative and repulsive nature’. Domas was considered the leader with Petras a follower, despite Petras having been before the local court one more time than Domas. The foreman thought that Petras would settle down if separated from Domas.

The local policeman told Puddy that he thought it would be necessary to transfer both of the men ‘as there appeared to be a feeling amongst others that there was trouble ahead.’

Puddy and the foreman then interviewed the two men together. Puddy wrote that Petras ‘was very repentant, but (Domas) did not appear to care what happened to him’.

The company agreed to give the men one week’s notice and told them that they would have to pay their own fares to Adelaide in order to visit the CES there. Their ‘services were terminated’ on 23 September.

A handwritten note from an official using initials only reports that Domas, saying that he wished to return to Germany, had caught the express train eastwards on the night of 25 September. He had stated that he was returning to the Bonegilla camp. The purpose of the note was to instruct others to take no further action on Domas’ wish to sponsor his fiancé to Australia until they knew more about his plans.

And that what appears to have happened. There was no further action, although Domas had found a guarantor for Loni among his Australian colleagues at Iron Knob. He did not, however, meet the basic requirement of having been resident for at least 12 months before sponsoring. By persisting in finding a guarantor, he showed no sign of understanding the residence requirement, which had been explained by letter. He was advised also that someone else would have to find the money to pay for Loni’s passage, since apparently she was not a Displaced Person. In all of this frustration, Loni might have found another special friend anyhow.

Domas arrived at the Bonegilla camp for a third time on 27 September. On 8 October, the Bonegilla camp’s Assistant Director signed a note to the head Immigration official for South Australia, reporting the arrival and stating that a report on Domas also had been sent to the head office of the Immigration Department. The files on Domas which have been digitised so far do not contain that report. It might still be waiting to tell us more about how Australian officials saw Domas on a Central Office file about Bonegilla activities.

This time it took the CES staff nearly one month to find another job for him. On 26 October, he was sent to Standart Portland Cement Company Limited, at Brogans Creek, NSW. That’s probably a typing mistake for ‘Standard Portland Cement’.

On Domas’ Bonegilla card, Brogans Creek is described as ‘near Charbon’. Charbon is a tiny village 17 kilometres north of Brogans Creek by road. It is interesting to note that Domas’ original destination, Rylstone, is only 25 kilometres north by road. Geographically, Domas was back almost where he had started in Australia.

In June 1949, a newspaper called the Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative carried, in its ‘Rylstone and Kandos News’ columns, a report from the Kandos Court of Petty Sessions. Two Lithuanians, Domas Valancius and Bronius Latrys were fined on 25 May for ‘behaving in an offensive manner’. Domas was fined 10 shillings with 10 shillings costs while Bronius lost £2 with 10 shillings costs.

Clearly the two were not drunk, or they would have been charged with a difference offence, like ‘drunk and disorderly’. One legal firm gives as examples of offensive behaviour, ‘yelling, swearing, urinating, pushing and shoving or being part of an aggressive or rowdy group’. This must be in or near a public place or school.

Having received the larger fine, Bronius, whose family name actually was Latvys, probably was the noisier of the two. As he was 10 years older than Domas, perhaps he thought that he had the right to yell at Domas and the latter yelled back.

Kandos is a small town only 6 kilometres south of Rylstone and 3 kilometres north of Charbon. As of the 2021 Census, its population was 1263. While Domas had stayed at Iron Knob for only 5 months, it looks like he was still with the Portland Cement company after 7 months.

Less than 3 months later, Domas was before the Kandos Court of Petty Sessions again. This time he had been drinking and, according the arresting and prosecuting Sergeant of Police, using such bad language that the Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative refused to print it. 

The Lithgow Mercury of 1 September 1949 also found the story interesting enough to reprint it. It could see a humourous side to Domas’ behaviour on the night of 12 August, when Domas was caught easily because he had fled into a fowl yard.

The Lithgow Mercury reports on Domas, 1 September 1949, page 6

Source:  Trove

(Click image to view in another tab and enlarge to read)

The absence of further court reporting does suggest that Domas adhered to his promise not to drink alcohol. He had also been with Standard Portland Cement for 10 months, and perhaps was about to be released from his obligation to work in Australia shortly, at the end of September 1949.

He was in the news again in March 1953, having moved from inland of Newcastle, an industrial city north of Sydney, to the vicinity of Wollongong, another industrial city but south of Sydney. The bicycle he was riding near his Port Kembla home was hit by a car. He suffered head injuries and abrasions to the face. He was taken to the Wollongong Hospital.

Or was he on a motorcycle? That was how another newspaper reported the incident.

He acquired Australian citizenship on 24 January 1961. He was still living at Port Kembla, but at a different address. His addresses now could be followed on electoral rolls. In 1963, he was still at his 1961 address. By 1968, he had moved again but still was very close to his 1961-63 address. After that, electoral rolls have not been digitised.

Searching the Ryerson Index for any Valancius death notices reveals only one. It is that of Domas, who had died on 12 May 1980 in the Bundanoon district of NSW. He had moved inland again, southwest of Port Kembla.

Domas was only 57 years old at the time of his death.

Whoever was the executor of any estate that Domas left did not realise that he had taken out a life insurance policy. That is why his name was included in a list of unclaimed money published in a Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 7 years later, on 29 June 1987.

Anyone who has a life insurance policy is unlikely to have died without leaving a will, so there must have been an executor. We have to hope that any money due to Domas or his heirs found its way to its rightful place.

Sources

Lithuanian State Historical Archives, Rietavo dekanato bažnyčių gimimo metrikų knyga, 1922-01-01 – 1922-12-31 [Birth register of churches in the Rietavas deanery, 1922-01-01 – 1922-12-31] https://eais.archyvai.lt/repo-ext-api/share/?manifest=https://eais.archyvai.lt/repo-ext-api/view/267502635/297161654/lt/iiif/manifest&lang=lt&page=195 [Domas Valancius’ birth record in Plunge church is on page 174, record number 107].

Arolsen Archives, City region of Herne: Report on Employed Foreigners, Category A, Lithuanians, Documents from Australijos lietuvis (1948) ‘Pirmieji Mūsų Rėmėjai’in Lithuanian [‘Our First Sponsors’], 12 September, page 10, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/280321942 accessed 30 January 2025.

Bonegilla Migrant Experience, Bonegilla Identity Card Lookup, Domas Valancius https://idcards.bonegilla.org.au/record/203712436 accessed 30 January 2025.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (1961) ‘Certificates of Naturalization’, Canberra, 6 July, p 2556, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240889446/26005562 accessed 30 January 2025.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (1987) 'Life Insurance Act 1945 — Unclaimed Money', Canberra, 29 June, p 318 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article239979262 accessed 28 January 2025.

Goulburn Post (1980) ‘Death Notices’, Goulburn, NSW, 13 May

Herne von damals bis heute, Schraubenwerk Dorn, Ein Schwimmbad als Zeichen des Erfolges [Herne from then to now, Dorn Union, A Swimming Pool as a Sign of Success] https://herne-damals-heute.de/bergbauindustrie/zuliefererbetriebe/schraubenwerk-dorn/ accessed 25 February 2025.

Illawarra Daily Mercury (1953) 'Cyclist Hurt in Collision' Wollongong, NSW, 17 March, p 7 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134041121 accessed 25 February 2025.

Lithgow Mercury (1949) ‘Portland Section, Balt Migrant “Turns it on” at Kandos’, Lithgow, NSW, 1 September, p 6 (City Edition), http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220833346 accessed 25 February 2025

Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (1949) 'Rylstone And Kandos News' Mudgee, NSW, 2 June, p 9 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article156448258 accessed 25 February 2025

Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (1949) 'Kandos Court of Petty Sessions: Lithuanian Sentenced to Hard Labor', Mudgee, NSW, 25 August, p 10, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article156449257 accessed 25 February 2025

National Archives of Australia: Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla [Victoria]; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla], 1947-1956; VALANCIUS DOMAS, VALANCIUS, Domas : Year of Birth - 1922 : Nationality - LITHUANIAN : Travelled per - GEN. HEINTZELMAN : Number – 875, 1947-48; https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203712436 accessed 26 February 1925.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Immigration, Western Australia; PP482/1, Correspondence files [nominal rolls], single number series, 1926-52; General Heintzelman — arrived Fremantle 28 November 1947 — nominal rolls of passengers, 1947–52, page 16 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=439196 accessed 28 January 2025.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Labour and National Service, Central Office: MT29/ 1, Employment Service Schedules; Schedule of displaced persons who left the Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla Victoria for employment in the State of South Australia - [Schedule no SA1 to SA31], page 49 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=23150376 accessed 30 January 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; 500, VALANCUS (sic) Domas DOB 21 June 1922, 1947-47 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1834240 accessed 26 February 2025.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Immigration, South Australia Branch; D4881, Alien registration cards, alphabetical series, 1947-76; VALANCUS (sic) DOMAS, VALANCUS (sic) nDomas - Nationality: Lithuanian Arrived Fremantle per General Stuart Heintzelman 28 November 1947, 1947-48 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7174218 accessed 26 February 2025.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Immigration, South Australia Branch; D401, Correspondence files, multiple number series with 'SA' prefix, 1946-49; SA1948/3/512, VALANCUS Domas - application for admission of relative or friend to Australia - KLINGBEIL Loni, 1948-53 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=12455258 accessed 26 February 2025.

Ryerson Index, Search for Notices https://ryersonindex.org/search.php accessed 25 February 2025.

South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus (1953) 'Works' Accidents', Wollongong, NSW, 19 March, p 15 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article142719599 accessed 25 February 2025.

W&Co. Lawyers, ‘Behave in an Offensive Manner’ https://wcolawyers.com.au/behave-in-an-offensive-manner-nsw/ accessed 25 February 2025.

Wikipedia ‘Solingen’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solingen accessed 25 February 2025.

Kazimieras Balkauskas (1921–1986): Aussie farmer and first responder, by Daina Pocius

First Transport refugee, Kazimieras or Kazys Balkauskas grew up on a Lithuanian farm and was able to continue the farming life in Australia. Since he could see the Southern Ocean from his land, he monitored this section of coast for shipping in trouble and trained in first aid. In short, he provided valuable protection to travellers on sea, in the air and on land in his section of Australia.

He had been born in the small town of Gaurė, on the banks of the Šešuvis river in the Lithuanian district of Tauragė. He was the youngest of five sons to Antanas and Pranciška Žičkutė. His family owned a small farm and Kazimieras helped his family work the farm. He grew to love the land and agriculture, a love to which he remained loyal until his last day.

Kazimieras' ID photo from his Bonegilla card

Source:  NAA: A2571, BALKAUSKAS KAZIMIERAS

Leaving Lithuania towards the end of the WWII, he found refuge in the Displaced Persons Camp at Gross Hesspe. He indicated on his DP card that his first country of choice for migration was Canada. Instead, he became one of the Lithuanians aboard the First Transport to Australia, the General Stuart Heintzelman, arriving in November 1947.

Jedda Barber has noted already in this blog that he was one of 53 Lithuanian Sea Scouts and Girl Guides on board the Heintzelman.

On arrival in Australia, he told officials that he had been working previously as an auto mechanic but wanted to be a farmer in Australia.   Let's see how he achieved that ambition.

As a 26-year-old, he had seen too much of life already when sent to work at the flax factory at Lake Bolac, a small town in Victoria located near a large body of fresh water known for its abundance of eels. The town was in a rich wheat-growing and cattle-rearing area, 220 km from Melbourne.

One of a number of Commonwealth Flax Mills operated there from 1942 to 1959. Local farmers grew flax for processing in the factory. During WWII, young Land Army women kept the mill going until new migrants could fill the shortage of labour.

Land Army women harvesting flax

Source:  State Library of Victoria

Amongst the new migrants were several Lithuanians who were fulfilling part of their two-year compulsory contract: twelve men and one family.  The Lithuanians known to have been there include Albertas Kairys, Vytautas Mulokas, Kazimieras Balkauskas, Vaclovas Jankauskas, Povilas Kecorius and Jonas Svitra, who had all arrived on the First Transport.

Jonas Svitra's sad life story has been told already in this blog.

From their Bonegilla cards, we know that a total of 19 men were sent to the Flax Production Committee, 440 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, but we do not know to which mill the Committee sent the other 13.  

After 20 months in the job, Kazimieras was released from his contract and went to work at the Nestlé factory in Warnambool. While working there he met his future wife, a Ukrainian, Maria Steran. Their son, Antanas (Anthony or Tony) and daughter, Pranciška (Frances or Fran) were named after Kazimeras' parents.  Maria learnt the Lithuanian language and traditions.

With a growing family, Kazimieras and Maria sought better housing, but none could be found. Instead, with their small capital they brought a farm near Lavers Hill, Colac.

At first life their was very difficult. It was necessary to work a lot, and it was hard work. They grew potatoes, kept sheep and cows.

Gaining more experience and learning the secrets of Australian farming, they quickly made a living, buying two neighbouring farms, which even the largest Lithuanian landowner would envy. In 1974 they had 120 cattle, including over 70 dairy cows, grazing in their fields plus a considerable number of sheep and poultry. Their main source of income was milk production.

Frances, Maria, Tony and Kazys Balkauskas with their Ford tractor

Source:  Tėviškės Aidai

Living on the shores of the Southern Ocean and seeing its blue waters through the windows of his house, Kazimieras was like a lighthouse keeper who could see what was happening at sea. He was engaged by the authorities to monitor accidents at sea and, if necessary, to report them immediately.

He joined the civil defence service (now the State Emergency Service or SES) completed first aid courses and was committed to helping those who got into trouble at sea, in the air or even on the main highway that passed through his land.

Although living closer to Melbourne, the family were frequent visitors to Adelaide.  Kazimieras could not fully integrate into Lithuanian life, but he was always interested in it and supported it.  One reason for Adelaide visits was that the Adelaide Lithuanian Catholic priest, Juozas Petraitis, was his cousin.

Kazimieras and Maria were great hosts, with their hospitality was very well known to many.  They loved and respected guests, they waited on them, and everyone found warmth and shelter in their home.

Kazimieras turned 65, the age at which older Australians could start receiving a pension instead of continuing to work, on 4 March 1986.  This meant that he would be able to visit Adelaide, where both of his children lived, more often in his retirement.

Unfortunately, while working on his land, he seriously injured himself shortly afterwards. After three weeks in the hospital, he died unexpectedly on April 12.

Maria died 8 June 1990 in the Royal Adelaide Hospital.  This was at the early age of 67.  She is buried with Kazimieras in Adelaide's Centennial Park cemetery.

Their son, Antanas or Tony, has died already too.  His death came on 26 January 2020, at the age of only 68.  He had been a corporal in the Royal Australian Survey Corps.  He was the father or stepfather of 6 boys and grandfather to 11 grandchildren.

SOURCES

Advertiser, The (2020) 'Death notices' Adelaide, 28 January.

Arolsen Archive, AEF DP Registration Records; Balkauskas, Kazyshttps://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/87880689 accessed 13 January 2025.

Genealogy SA Online Database Search https://www.genealogysa.org.au/resources/online-database-search accessed 13 January 2025.

National Archives of Australia:  Department of Immigration, Central Office; A12508, Personal Statement and Declaration by alien passengers entering Australia (Forms A42); 37/46, BALKAUSKAS Kazimieras born 4 March 1921; nationality Lithuanian; travelled per GENERAL STUART HEINTZELMAN arriving in Fremantle on 28 November 1947 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7271559 accessed 13 January 2025.

National Archives of Australia:  Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla [Victoria]; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla]; BALKAUSKAS, Kazimieras : Year of Birth - 1921 : Nationality - LITHUANIAN : Travelled per - GEN. HEINTZELMAN : Number - 428 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203665698 accessed 13 January 2025.

Vasiliauskas, Jurgis (1974) 'Lietuvis Farmeris Prie Pietų Okeano' ('Lithuanian Farmer by the Southern Ocean', in Lithuanian) Tėviškės Aidai (The Echoes of Homesland), Melbourne, Australia, 26 February, p 6 https://www.spauda2.org/teviskes_aidai/archive/1974/1974-nr07-TEVISKES-AIDAI.pdf accessed 13 January 2025.

Jonas Strankauskas (1916 – 1987), Generous Donor and Lover of the Lithuanian Press by Rasa Ščevinskienė

Updated 19 January, 25 January and 7 February 2025

First Transport passenger Jonas Strankauskas was born in Virbaliūnai village, Kaunas district, Lithuania, on 1 September 1916. His parents were the peasants Joakimas Strankauskas and Pranciska, whose maiden name was Ciuciulkaite. Jonas was the second child in the family.

Jonas Strankauskas birth record (in Russian) from the Raudondvaris church,
near Kaunas, Lithuania

Source:  Lithuanian State Historical Archives

There was an older son, Antanas, and two younger daughters, Teofile and Aleksandra. Jonas also had an older half-sister, Ona, from his father's previous marriage. His Bonegilla card says that he also had a half-brother in Germany, Kasys Kalasinas. In reality, this was his first cousin, Kazys Kasiūnas.

Jonas Strankauskas' photo on his Bonegilla card

Source:  Bonegilla Migrant Experience

In pre-War Lithuania, 21-year-old boys were called to the army, so Jonas spent the years 1937-1939 on military service.

Jonas Strankauskas' Lithuanian identity paper from 1937

Source:  AustralianLithuanian Archive

From his Arolsen Archives DP registration card, we know that Jonas arrived in Germany before 11 July 1945. The card shows his profession as a carpenter.  Two years later, in October 1947, he advised the Australian selection panel that he had 10 years experience as a joiner, someone who made furniture rather than someone engaged in the rougher woodwork of building houses.

He was living in Northern Casern Displaced Persons (DP) Camp in Würzburg. Many Lithuanian DPs lived at this camp between 1945 and 1949.

Jonas left Bremerhaven for Australia with 842 other Baltic refugees on the USAT General Stuart Heintzelman on 30 October 1947 and arrived in Australia on 28 November 1947. Despite having trained and worked as a joiner, he was recruited into Australia as a much-needed builder’s labourer, for erection of the new houses Australia needed to make up for the absence of building during World War II.

Like many other men who came on the First Transport, Jonas’ first job in Australia was fruit picking. In his case, he left Bonegilla camp to work for Dundas Simson Pty Ltd in Ardmona. on 28 January 1948 and returned to Bonegilla on 10 April 1948.

From 14 April to 17 May, Jonas worked in the Bonegilla migrant camp as a casual labourer. He left Bonegilla on 2 June 1948 having been allocated to the Commonwealth Department of Works and Housing at Philip Ponds camp, Woomera, South Australia. He worked here as joiner, with a salary of £7/10/6 per week.

Huts 12 and 13 at Philip Ponds camp, 1948:
the FX Holden between the huts means that this photo was taken after 29 November

Source:  Steve Swayne on Flickr

On 18 August 1948 at his own request, Jonas left Woomera and moved to the State’s capital city, Adelaide.  Two days later, he joined the South Australian Railways' workforce and, 11 days later, he was off to join the other First Transporters at Peterborough.

Like most of the other First Transport arrivals, he was released from his obligation to work in Australia on 30 September 1949.

From an advertisement in the new Lithuanian-Australia newspaper, Mūsų Pastogė, we can see that in mid-1949, Jonas was living at 93 Childers Street, North Adelaide. When he received Australian citizenship on 24 April 1956, his address was 14 Divett Place in Adelaide.

From newspaper and magazines we can describe Jonas’ life in Australia. He liked to read Lithuanian newspapers and magazines, he subscribed to them and constantly donated money to them. He read and donated to the following Lithuanian publications until this death: Mūsų Pastogė, Dirva, Lietuviu Dienos and Tėviškės Žiburiai.  

This intense support was despite Jonas reporting to the Australian selection panel in Germany that he had only 4 years of primary school education, the norm in Lithuania in those days.

When Mūsų Pastogė was starting, Jonas donated a valuable £1/8/- to help it on its way. The Reserve Bank of Australia estimates that this sum was worth nearly $100 in today’s money. It certainly was generous for someone who had been out of DP camps for only two years and who had been on a low income for all of that time.

Jonas’ generosity included ordering Lithuanian publications for other people. In September 1955, the Lithuanian magazine Lietuviu Dienos advised that J Strankauskas from Adelaide, Australia, ordered had ordered this magazine for two ladies, L Juodelyte and N Juryte.

He also loved books. In 1952, the Lithuanian newspaper Tremtis advertised that it was preparing for publication a volume of original writings by Vincas Kudirka. Jonas preordered this book. A couple of years later, Tremtis advertised that it would soon publish the second part of the Gatvės berniukų nuotykiai (Adventures of Street Boys) trilogy by writer R. Spalis, to be called Ant ribos (On the Edge), and a selection of articles by Tremtis writers, Gintarai (Amber). Jonas subscribed to these books as well.

In 1956 the Lithuanian newspaper Dirva advised that its longtime reader, Jonas Strankauskas, who recently had celebrated his 40th birthday, was a patron of the Adelaide men's choir "Lithuania" and had been supporting the Vasario 16 (February 16, Lithuania’s Independence Day) Gymnasium for the fifth year, making him the largest donor of all the Australian supporters.

Jonas Strankauskas in 1959

Source:  Private Collection

Jonas became the Treasurer of the Adelaide Lithuanian Club (Mūsų Pastogė, 1958) and the Adelaide Lithuanian sports club, Vytis (Mūsų Pastogė, 1959, 1960). He remained the Vytis Treasurer until 1965.

Jonas Strankauskas is the gentleman at the righthand end of the middle row
in this 1961 photo of the Vytis sportspeople and officials

Source:  Australijos Lietuvių Metraštis, 1961, courtesy Jonas Mockunas

Jonas is eighth from the left among those standing at the back in this 1963 photo
of Adelaide sports people and friends

Source:  Mūsų Pastogė

In 1964, Jonas gave clocks and 15 chess sets to its chess group Mūsų Pastogė, 1964). From this and other evidence, it looks like Jonas’ sport may have been chess.

The Mūsų Pastogė caption says, in Lithuanian
'‘Chess matters are discussed during the farewell for Mr and Mrs Bačiūnas’:
Jonas Strankauskas is in the background on the right

Source:  Mūsų Pastogė

Jonas became seriously ill in the middle of 1967 and Mūsų Pastogė told its readers that he was in hospital but feeling better. The newspaper sent its wishes for him to get well soon. He was described as the long-time treasurer of Vytis and a generous supporter of the club.

In 1970 Jonas resumed his activities with Vytis. Mūsų Pastogė noted that Vytis was celebrating its 20 anniversary. Large contributions had been made and continued to be made by Jonas Strankauskas, its Treasurer.

A formal portrait of Jonas Strankauskas

Source:  Australian Lithuanian Archive

Jonas Strankauskas died in Adelaide on 14 June 1987. His death certificate records the cause of death as ‘intracerebral and subarachoid haemorrhage, hyperglyaemia and pneumonia’. The hyperglyaemia indicates that Jonas had diabetes – not a surprise in someone who looks overweight in all of his photos. Maybe that was the cause of his ill health in mid-1967.

He had not married. His last known address had been 58 George Street in Norwood, Adelaide. He was farewelled on 22 June at the Centennial Park Crematorium.

The last press notice about Jonas Strankauskas was on 8 September 1987, three months after his death. Tėviškės žiburiai announced that Jonas had paid $25.00 to renew his subscription.

Lithuanian language publications in exile were in Jonas’ good hands until his death and after.

Sources

Arolsen Archives, ‘AEF DP Registration Record, DocID: 69321313 (Jonas STRANKAUSKAS)’ https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/69321313 accessed 28 December 2024.

Australian Cemeteries Index, ‘Name/Cemetery Search’ https://austcemindex.com/?family_name=strankauskas accessed 24 December 2024.

Australijos Lietuvių Metraštis [Australian Lithuanian Annual] (1961) Sydney, p. 126.

Bonegilla Migrant Experience, ‘Bonegilla Identity Card Lookup: Jonas Strankauskas, https://idcards.bonegilla.org.au/record/203694645 accessed 26 December 2024.

Centennial Park, ‘Memorial Search – Cemetery Records’ https://www.centennialpark.org/memorial-search/?surname=Strankauskas&firstname= accessed 24 December 2024.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (1956) 04 24 ‘Certificates of naturalization’, Canberra, ACT, 24 April, page 2866 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/232988815/25126346 accessed 26 December 2024.

Dirva [The Field] (1956) ‘Kas ir Kir’ ['Who and Where'] Cleveland, Ohio, 18 October, p 2 https://spauda.org/dirva/archive/n1956/1956-10-18-DIRVA.pdf accessed 24 December 2024.

Lietuviu Dienos [Lithuanian Days] (1955) ‘Ka Veikia Skaitytojai’ [‘What Readers Do’, in Lithuanian] Los Angeles, California,15 September, p 17 https://spauda.org/lietuviu_dienos/archive/1955/1955-09-15-LIETUVIU-DIENOS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Lietuviu Dienos [Lithuanian Days] (1958) Ka Veikia Skaitytojai’ [‘What Readers Do’, in Lithuanian] Los Angeles, California,15 April, p 17 https://spauda.org/lietuviu_dienos/archive/1958/1958-04-15-LIETUVIU-DIENOS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Lietuviu Dienos [Lithuanian Days] (1966) ‘LD Žurnalui Aukojo’ [‘Donated to Lietuviu Dienos Magazine’, in Lithuanian] Los Angeles, California,15 November, p 20 https://spauda.org/lietuviu_dienos/archive/1966/1966-11-15-LIETUVIU-DIENOS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Lietuviu Dienos [Lithuanian Days] (1967) ‘LD žurnalą parėmė’ [‘Lietuviu Dienos magazine supporters’ , in Lithuanian] Los Angeles, California,15 December, p 18 https://spauda.org/lietuviu_dienos/archive/1967/1967-12-15-LIETUVIU-DIENOS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Lietuviu Dienos [Lithuanian Days] (1970) ‘Lietuvių Dienoms Paremiti, Įsigydami bilietėlių, aukojo’ [ ‘To support Lietuviu Dienos, by purchasing tickets, they donated’, in Lithuanian] Los Angeles, California,15 November, p 15 https://spauda.org/lietuviu_dienos/archive/1970/1970-11-15-LIETUVIU-DIENOS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024. 

Lithuanian State Historical Archives, Veliuonos dekanato bažnyčių gimimo metrikų aktų knyga, 1916-01-01 – 1916.12.31 [Book of birth records of churches in the Veliuona deanery, 1.1.1916 – 31.12.1916] https://eais.archyvai.lt/repo-ext-api/share/?manifest=https://eais.archyvai.lt/repo-ext-api/view/267329282/304796043/lt/iiif/manifest&lang=lt&page=174 accessed 24 December 2024 [Jonas Strankauskas’ birth record in Raudondvaris church, page 174, record number. 107].

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1949a) ‘Mūsų Pastogės Rėmėjai’ (Mūsų Pastogė Sponsors, in Lithuanian) Sydney, NSW 21 December p 8 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1949/1949-12-21-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1958) ’Nauja Adelaidės Apylinkės Valdyba’ [‘New Adelaide District Council’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 17 March, p 6 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1958/1958-03-17-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1959) ‘Adelaidėje, Visuotinis Susirinkimas’ [‘Adelaide, General Assembly’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 1 May, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1959/1959-05-01-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1960) ‘Adelaidėje, Visuotinas – Metinis Susirinkimas’ [‘Adelaide, Annual General Meeting’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 6 May, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1960/1960-05-06-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1961) ‘Sportas’ [Sports, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 17 February, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1961/1961-02-17-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 24 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1962a) ‘Adelaidiniai Pranešimai’ [‘Adelaide Announcements’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 20 June, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1962/1962-06-20-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1962b) ‘Sporto Šventės Aktoriai’ [‘Sports Celebration Performers’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 20 December, p 9, https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1962/1962-12-20-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1963a) ‘Pranešimai’ [‘Notifications’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 13 March, p 6 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1963/1963-03-13-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1963b) ‘Sportas, Perversmus Adelaidėje’ [‘Sports, Revolution in Adelaide’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 12 June, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1963/1963-06-12-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1963c) [Photograph caption] ‘Adelaidės sportininkai ir sporto bičiuliai po metinio susirinkimo ...’ [‘Adelaide athletes and friends of sport after the annual meeting …’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 31 July, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1963/1963-07-31-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1963d) ‘Vykstam Melbournan!’ [We are going to Melbourne!, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 12 April, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1963/1963-12-04-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1964) [Photograph caption] ‘Aptariami Šachmatų reikalai p.p. Bačiūnų iSleistuvių metu’ [‘Chess matters are discussed during the farewell for Mr and Mrs Bačiūnas’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 26 February, p 7 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1964/1964-02-26-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1964) 04 01 ‘Is Bendruomenes Susirinkimo’ [‘Community Meeting’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 1 April, p 4, https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1964/1964-04-01-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1965) 07 05 ‘Adelaidės liet. Sporto Klubui 15 m.’ [Adelaide Lithuanian Sports Club is 15 years old’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 5 July, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1965/1965-07-05-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1967) 07 31 ‘Sporto Naujienos’ [‘Sports News’, in Latvian] Sydney, NSW, 31 July, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1967/1967-07-31-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1970) Adelaidės Vyties sukaktis’ [‘Adelaide Vytis club anniversary’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 20 April p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1970/1970-04-20-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1976) ‘Adelaidės Kronika’ [‘Adelaide Chronicle’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 29 November p 6 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1976/1976-11-29-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

National Archives of Australia: Attorney-Generals’s Department; D1918, Investigation case files, single number series with 'S' prefix, 1938-1960; S1493/5/2, Nominal roll of displaced persons at Woomera [Long Range Weapons Establishment, Woomera, SA] 1948-1949 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=856767, accessed 26 December 2024, page 31.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Labour and National Service, Central Office; MT29/1, Employment Service Schedules, 1947-1950; 21, Schedule of displaced persons who left the Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla Victoria for employment in the State of South Australia, 1948-1950 [Schedule no SA1 to SA31] https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=23150376 accessed 26 December 2024, pages 33-34

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; 665, STRANKAUSKAS Jonas DOB 1 September 1916 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=5118088 accessed 19 January 2025.

National Archives of Australia:  Department of Immigration, South Australia Branch; D4881, Alien registration cards, alphabetical series, 1877-1976; STRANKAUSKAS Jonas - Nationality: Lithuanian - Arrived: Fremantle per General Stuart Heintzelman 28 November 1947, 1947-56 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=9225262 accessed 7 February 2025.

Reserve Bank of Australia, ‘Pre-Decimal Inflator Calculator’, https://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualPreDecimal.html accessed 26 December 2024.

Teviskes Aidai [Echoes of Homeland](1948) ‘Nauja Apyl. Valdyba Adelaidėje’ [‘New District Council in Adelaide’, in Lithuanian] Melbourne, Victoria, 2 April p 6 https://www.epaveldas.lt/preview?id=C1B0002202866-1958-Bal.2 accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Aidai [Echoes of Homeland] (1974) ‘Musu Remējai’ [‘Our Sponsors’, in Lithuanian] Melbourne, Victoria, 23 April, p 7 https:Teviskes Aida//www.epaveldas.lt/preview?id=C1B0002202866-1974-Bal.23 accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1974) ‘”T. Žiburiams” aukojo’ [‘Donated to T. Žiburiai’, in Lithuanian] Toronto, Ontario, 20 June, p 4 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1974/1974-06-20-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1976) ‘“Tėviškės Žiburiams” aukojo’ [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai’, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 11 November, p 7 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1976/1976-11-11-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1980) ‘Aukotojai’ [‘Donors’, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 15 May, p 10 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1980/1980-05-15-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1983) ‘Aukojo “Tėviškės Žiburiams” [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 11 September, p 9 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1983/1983-09-01-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1983) ‘Aukojo “Tėviškės Žiburiams” [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 22 December, p 11 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1983/1983-12-22-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1985) ‘Aukojo “Tėviškės Žiburiams” [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 19 March, p 9 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1985/1985-03-19-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1986) ‘Aukojo “Tėviškės Žiburiams” [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 7 January, p 8 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1986/1986-01-07-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1987) ‘Aukojo “Tėviškės Žiburiams” [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 8 September, p 9 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1987/1987-09-08-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Tremtis [Exile] (1952) ‘Garbės prenumeratoriai’ [‘Honorary subscribers’, in Lithuanian] Memmingen, Germany, 22 November, p 4 https://spauda2.org/dp/dpspaudinys_tremtis/archive/1952-11-22-TREMTIS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Tremtis [Exile] (1954) ‘Garbės prenumeratoriai’ [‘Honorary subscribers’, in Lithuanian] Memmingen, Germany, 1 March, p 16 https://spauda2.org/dp/dpspaudinys_tremtis/archive/1954-03-01-TREMTIS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.