Rescuers of Jews
Levinienė Antonina
ANTONINA LEVINIENĖ
With the beginning of the German occupation the entire Rubinshtein family – Isaak Rubinshtein, his wife Eugenija, their daughter Dina, who was born right before the war, Eugenija’s son Georgijus and Isaak’s parents – Faivush and Frida – found themselves in the Siauliai ghetto. Isaak’s parents – Faivush and Frida, as well as his daughter Dina became the victims of the Children’s Action.
Right after the Children’s Action Georgijus’ parents organized his escape from the ghetto with the help of Antonina Leviniene. Unknown people took Georgijus through the gates of the Frenkel factory where he had been working at that time, and the boy went to Antonina Leviniene, who lived in the very centre of Siauliai. Georgijus was already expected there and the day after Antonina took him to a small apartment near the market, where a young woman, called Jelizaveta lived. Jelizaveta was hiding Georgijus for nearly a month. From time to time Georgijus used to visit his friends – Jurgis and Elena – Antonina’s children. On December 30, 1943, Georgijus’s uncle (his father’s brother) – Ivan Petrov – came from Daugavpils. Before his arrival Antonina managed to organize a forged birth certificate for Georgijus, thanks to which he was able to live under a legal status. On the eve of the New Year Ivan Petrov took his nephew to Daugavpils, where he awaited the liberation.
After the liquidation of the Siauliai ghetto Isaak Rubinshtein and Georgijus’ mother Eugenija found themselves in Stutthof. Isaak was moved to Dachau and then – to Auschwitz, where he perished. Eugenija, who managed to run away from the column of Stuthoff’s prisoners, was hiding at Polish peasants. After the war she found her rescued son in Daugavpils.
Despite of the danger Antonina Leviniene, risking her own life and the lives of her children, took care of the boy upon herself; she organized his escape from the Siauliai ghetto, also the boy’s transfer to his uncle, Ivan Petrov, in whose house Georgijus lived until the end of the war.
With the beginning of the German occupation the entire Rubinshtein family – Isaak Rubinshtein, his wife Eugenija, their daughter Dina, who was born right before the war, Eugenija’s son Georgijus and Isaak’s parents – Faivush and Frida – found themselves in the Siauliai ghetto. Isaak’s parents – Faivush and Frida, as well as his daughter Dina became the victims of the Children’s Action.
Right after the Children’s Action Georgijus’ parents organized his escape from the ghetto with the help of Antonina Leviniene. Unknown people took Georgijus through the gates of the Frenkel factory where he had been working at that time, and the boy went to Antonina Leviniene, who lived in the very centre of Siauliai. Georgijus was already expected there and the day after Antonina took him to a small apartment near the market, where a young woman, called Jelizaveta lived. Jelizaveta was hiding Georgijus for nearly a month. From time to time Georgijus used to visit his friends – Jurgis and Elena – Antonina’s children. On December 30, 1943, Georgijus’s uncle (his father’s brother) – Ivan Petrov – came from Daugavpils. Before his arrival Antonina managed to organize a forged birth certificate for Georgijus, thanks to which he was able to live under a legal status. On the eve of the New Year Ivan Petrov took his nephew to Daugavpils, where he awaited the liberation.
After the liquidation of the Siauliai ghetto Isaak Rubinshtein and Georgijus’ mother Eugenija found themselves in Stutthof. Isaak was moved to Dachau and then – to Auschwitz, where he perished. Eugenija, who managed to run away from the column of Stuthoff’s prisoners, was hiding at Polish peasants. After the war she found her rescued son in Daugavpils.
Despite of the danger Antonina Leviniene, risking her own life and the lives of her children, took care of the boy upon herself; she organized his escape from the Siauliai ghetto, also the boy’s transfer to his uncle, Ivan Petrov, in whose house Georgijus lived until the end of the war.