Rescued Yerachmiel Siniuk
Urbonas Andrius & Urbonienė Marija ; Son: Juozas ; Daughter: Damanskienė Ona (Urbonaitė)
Righteous
Urbonas, Andrius
Urbonienė, Marija
Urbonas, Juozas
Damanskienė-Urbonaitė, Ona
On the eve of the German-Soviet war, the farmers Andrius and Marija Urbonas lived on a small farm about 12 km from Kaunas with their two children: 20 year-old Ona and 15-year-old Juozas. From the middle of 1943 the Urbonas farm became a shelter for eight Jews: first came 23-year-old Yerachmiel Siniuk from Kaunas, whose left arm was amputated as a result of a work accident in the ghetto and, being disabled, he was in danger of execution by the Germans. Then, in January 1944, Yitchak Fein, his wife, Miriam, and two children, originally from Šiauliai, joined Siniuk. In April 1944, the Urbonases took in Heniek Kacenelenbogen (later Henry Kellen), his wife, Julia, and their eight-year-old nephew Jerry, all of whom had escaped from the Kaunas ghetto. At first the Feins and then the Kacenelenbogens were hidden in the barn, in two separate hiding places. Ona and Juozas were responsible for the day-to-day care of the Jews – they brought them food, water, news from the front, and words of encouragement. As the front drew near, an improvised bunker was dug under the floor of the house, which served as a hiding place for all eight of the Jews, until the Red Army arrived about a month later. After the war, the rescued dispersed – Heniek-Henry and his family went to the United States, the Feins, and eventually Siniuk, immigrated to Israel.
On August 4, 1997, Yad Vashem recognized Andrius Urbonas, Marija Urbonienė, Ona Damanskienė, and Juozas Urbonas, as Righteous Among the Nations.
Urbonienė, Marija
Urbonas, Juozas
Damanskienė-Urbonaitė, Ona
On the eve of the German-Soviet war, the farmers Andrius and Marija Urbonas lived on a small farm about 12 km from Kaunas with their two children: 20 year-old Ona and 15-year-old Juozas. From the middle of 1943 the Urbonas farm became a shelter for eight Jews: first came 23-year-old Yerachmiel Siniuk from Kaunas, whose left arm was amputated as a result of a work accident in the ghetto and, being disabled, he was in danger of execution by the Germans. Then, in January 1944, Yitchak Fein, his wife, Miriam, and two children, originally from Šiauliai, joined Siniuk. In April 1944, the Urbonases took in Heniek Kacenelenbogen (later Henry Kellen), his wife, Julia, and their eight-year-old nephew Jerry, all of whom had escaped from the Kaunas ghetto. At first the Feins and then the Kacenelenbogens were hidden in the barn, in two separate hiding places. Ona and Juozas were responsible for the day-to-day care of the Jews – they brought them food, water, news from the front, and words of encouragement. As the front drew near, an improvised bunker was dug under the floor of the house, which served as a hiding place for all eight of the Jews, until the Red Army arrived about a month later. After the war, the rescued dispersed – Heniek-Henry and his family went to the United States, the Feins, and eventually Siniuk, immigrated to Israel.
On August 4, 1997, Yad Vashem recognized Andrius Urbonas, Marija Urbonienė, Ona Damanskienė, and Juozas Urbonas, as Righteous Among the Nations.
Damanskienė Ona (1922 - ? )
Urbonas Juozas (1928 - 2009 )
Urbonas Andrius (1897 - 1971 )
Urbonienė Marija (1896 - 1970 )
Last Name
Damanskienė
First Name
Ona
Maiden Name
Urbonaitė
Date of Birth
1922
Fate
survived
Nationality
LITHUANIA
Gender
Female
Item ID
4058361
Recognition Date
04/08/1997
Commemoration
Wall of Honor
Ceremony In Yad Vashem
Yes
File Number
M.31.2/7726