During the Soviet push westwards in 1944, Vytas moved west into Germany. He was recouperating from a car accident in Dresden shortly before the fire bombing of 1945, and made it into British controlled area of Luneberg by the summer of 1945 where the census record lists his occupation as a Vicar and teacher of high school.
In 1946, he was assigned to be the priest to the DP camps of: Wolterdingen (near the town of Soltau), Danneber, and Alt-Gorge (Blackede Camp).
At the Wolterdingen DP camp, he later served as director at the Bishop Matulionis High School and taught Lithuanian, World History, Religion, and Psychology. Because of his knowledge of various languages, Vytas assisted the Red Cross in reuniting families displaced by the war. During his time at Wolterdingen, Vytas met the love of his life, Julija Diskaitiene [Leibris]. After the trauma and horrors of the war, Vytas decided to leave the church and work towards getting himself, Julija and her daughter Egidija to Canada.
Vytas applied to emigrate to Canada on June 26, 1948 and listed his occupations as: teacher, farmer, gardener. He sailed to Canada on April, 1949. Because of conditions set by the Canadian government, Vytas had to accept work helping build rail lines in northern Ontario.
Julija and Egidija, arrived in Canada on April 14, 1950. Upon arrival in Canada, the new family lived in Toronto where Vytas worked various unskilled jobs, factory work and painter. During this time, Vytas made contact with his childhood friend, Stasys Jucevicius, who is also listed as a Righteous Gentile for his role in saving Jewish people during the Shoah and the two men were able to maintain a close relationship in Canada.
The family eventually moved north of Toronto to Newmarket were Vytas got a job at a nursing home. While working at the home, Vytas was known to calm agitated patients by singing to them. He had a fine voice and loved to sing and would also bring home one of the residents to spend Sunday afternoons with his family. In Newmarket, Vytas was able to fulfill his deep love for gardening by growing what were known as the finest roses in the area. Over the ensuing years, Vytas and Julija built a life and a family. Having 2 daughters (Rasa and Vida) and a son (John).
He was able to maintain contact with his family in Lithuania by writing in a form of code, as mail was heavily scrutinized by the soviets. He was also able to maintain contact with the Ga'il family and it is believed that Masha Yarron (Ga'il) was able to help him in obtaining a job with the Toronto Catholic Children's Aid Society. His multilingual abilities were a great asset as there was a large immigrant population in Toronto. During his time with Children's Aid, Julija and Vytas brought in a foster child into their home who still credits his foster father for saving his life.
In 1969, Vytas required a minor surgical operation and died unexpectedly. He left behind a deeply bereaved family and a whole generation of grand children that never were able to meet him.
Throughout his life, Vytas maintained a profound Catholic belief. Even though he was unable to receive communion as he had left the priesthood, he still attended mass faithfully and would often supply the altar with flowers from his garden.



Written by Adam V. Baltutis,
the grandson of Vytas Baltutis
March 9, 2021