Lietuvių vaikai tremtyje: vaikų gelbėjimo ekspedicijos

LTStraipsnyje analizuojamos 1946 m. suorganizuotos gelbėjimo ekspedicijos į tolimas tremties vietas siekiant parvežti į Lietuvą kuo daugiau vaikų. Tais metais buvo suorganizuotos penkios gelbėjimo ekspedicijos, per kurias nemažai vaikų pavyko ištraukti iš bado ir mirties nagų. Gelbėjimo ekspedicijos surengtos atsižvelgiant į artimųjų prašymus LSSR AT Prezidiumo pirmininkui Justui Paleckiui, laiškus įtakingiems asmenims. Atsirado kilniadvasių šviesuolių, pasiryžusių parvežti vaikus. Jiems teko nugalėti daugybę įvairiausių sunkumų (sunkus susisiekimas, nepalankios gamtinės sąlygos, ilgai užsitęsė formalumai, atkakli kova su tremčių vietovių vadovais, kurių daugelis nepaisė LSSR AT Prezidiumo nutarimų). Dėl to gelbėjimo ekspedicijos užtrukdavo iki dviejų trijų mėnesių, be to, bet kuriuo momentu grėsė NKVD (MVD) užtvaros - dokumentų patikrinimas, nes dalis vaikų buvo vežami nelegaliai. Formaliai buvo leidžiama išvežti į Lietuvą tik nepilnamečius vaikus ir visiškus našlaičius, tačiau gelbėjimo ekspedicijų vadovai šio reikalavimo nepaisė ir kaip įmanydami stengėsi parvežti į Tėvynę kuo daugiau vaikų [Iš Įvado].

ENIllegitimacy of deportations of 1941 were understood even by some USSR leaders who initiated repatriation of orphans. The beginnings of rescue expeditions lies in the requests of relatives addressed to the Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR SS (Supreme Soviet) Justas Paleckis and some other influential persons. The lists of children to be repatriated were confirmed by the Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR SS Justas Paleckis or the Deputy Minister of Education Jonas Šalkauskas. There were also enlightened persons resolved to bring the children back: Marcelinas Ignatavičius, Petras Monslavičius, Jonas Bulota, Ona Jakubėnaitė, Zakarevičius and Kuznecova. They had to overcome different difficulties: problematic communication, unfavorable weather conditions, long formalities, determinant fights with exile authorities, many of whom did not regarded resolutions of the Presidium of the USSR SS. As a result of those obstructions, expeditions would last two or three months. Moreover, at any moment there was also a danger of the NKVD (MVD) roadblocks and examination of papers; some repatriations were organized illegally as well. Formally, there was a permission to repatriate only minors and complete orphans. However, the expedition leaders did not respect this order, their aim was to bring back as many Lithuanian children as possible. Therefore, they would fudge cases, birth dates and use other illegal ways to bring the children back. Thanks to the rescuers' resourcefulness, persistence and readiness to risk, twice as many children as it had been recommended were brought back to Lithuania.In 1946, five rescue expeditions were organized (two to Komiu, one to Yakutia, Altaj, Ural regions each) during which about 240 children were returned to Lithuania. Nonetheless, not everybody's further fate after return to Lithuania shaped well. There were ones who did not have any place to shelter, (hey had adaptation difficulties and were subjected to constant persecutions by MGII. Those who returned could again be deported and some were. A lot depended on conditions of return (illegally or being majors and non-orphans), on general illegitimate environment in Lithuania, and mass terror.