Markevičių šeimos kelias nuo Šešupės iki Ramiojo vandenyno

ENThe Molotov-Ribentrop pact (1939) changed the fate of Lithuania as a country. Hitler's Germany invasion and two Soviet occupations caused hundreds of thousands of Lithuanians to be driven from their homeland. From available sources of records between 1940-52, one hundred thirty thousand Lithuanians were deported to Siberia, twenty-eight thousand died in Siberia. Sixty thousand Lithuanians were forced to flee to the west including the family of Agota & Jonas Markevičius. Jonas Markevičius is born January 25, 1895 and his future wife, Agota Petraityte Petrauskiene is born April 7, 1893. Agota was widowed when her first husband Petrauskas lost his life in World War I. There was one daughter born from Petrauskas and Agota, she was born on May 23, 1914 named Marija Petrauskaite. Jonas and Agota married in the Šiurpai Village, at the Kaimelis Parish in the Kiduliai District in 1920. Jonas and Agota Markevičius had 7 children, two of the children died young. The five surviving children are: Juozas Markevicius Markus born March 7,1921. Anele Markevicius-Rink born April 27, 1927. Albinas Markevičius born January 25, 1930. Birute Markevičius on June 25, 1932 and Vytas Markevicius-Victor Marks born June 24,1934. In 1935-1936 the Markevičius family moved to a farm in Ziuriai. The Ziuriai village was located close to Slavikai near the Sesupe River. The children were kept busy with educational studies while also helping with household duties. Due to the Soviet occupation of Lithuania in the year 1940, the Markevičius family was forced to move further from the Sesupe River. One year later, in 1941 when the Germans came to Lithuania the Markevičius family was able to move back to their home. Following the second Soviet occupation, on October 7,1944 the Markevičius family fled, leaving their farm and releasing their livestock.They fled alongside the German army, crossing the Sesupe River and moving west. It was Mother Agota’s insistence to flee, she said, "we w ill flee even if on foot". Father Jonas had his doubts, due to the circumstances that he encountered on his travels. Jonas was traveling to England looking for work. While passing through Germany he was imprisoned for four years due to the start of World War I. In 1947-1949 the Markevičius family reached United States and Canada in various ways. In 1947, Juozas immigrated to Canada as a lumberjack. In 1948, Jonas, Agota, Maryte, Vytas and Birute arrived in Canada as refugees. Albinas followed in 1949 to work in the Canadian gold'mines. Anele immigrated directly to Chicago, Illinois, United States in 1949, later moving to Los Angeles, California. Between 1956 and 1958, Jonas, Agota, Maryte, Albinas, Vytas and Birute all joined her in Los Angeles, California. Vytas recalls the difficult period of leaving the motherland and how all the children in the family suffered in their studies. In 1943, Vytas started his studies in a Salvikai school. His studies were put on hold when the family moved west in 1944. He started new studies in 1945 at Steinmacher a German School. Vytas changed to another study program in 1948 at a displaced persons camp in Zelendorf, Berlin. He had to start in the first class again. At the Zelendorf school there were 3 different classes with children of various ages who studied in the same room. Vytas continued his education after the family’s move to Canada in 1948. He started attending the Montreal Catholic School, he was in the third class of English without knowing how to speak any English. Vytas kept up his studies and finished primary school and moved to secondary school. Vytas graduated from Montreal High School where he became a part of the cadet organization (a youth military training program).He became a member of the honored Queen’s Guards. He also attended a summer military course in a camp near Quebec City, Canada. After Vytas’ military training he attended the McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He started the fall term at M cGill University, by December he had ended his studies at the university so he could move to Santa Monica, California. When Vytas arrived in the United States he was 26 years old but according to his documents he was 24 years old. He was summoned to the United States Army and served in a medical unit for two years from 1960-1962. Vytas served his first year stationed in the United States and the second year he was stationed in Germany. After serving in the army, he began working and studying in Santa Monica. A few years later, Vytas married Marlene Ann Sata on September 26, 1967. Sister Birute was in this same class as Vytas, she had already completed four grades in Lithuania. Birute was accepted and ready to go to gymnasium (a secondary academic school to prepare for college) in Lithuania. Unfortunately, Birute was unable to attend gymnasium as the family had to flee. She continued her studies in Canada but in a different realm. She began studying hairdressing and after learning the trade she worked as a hairdresser. After arriving in Santa Monica, California, Albinas started his studies and soon graduated from Santa Monica College and began to establish businesses. He started Roque & Mark a real estate and property management company and California Lithuanian Credit Union. In 1972, Albinas Markevicius married Vita Milaknyte in Santa Monica, California. Vita Milaknyte, daughter to professor of veterinary medicine, Antanas Milaknis and chemist, Halina Konkuleviciute Milakniene also left Kaunas, Lithuania in 1944. They fled through Kybartai to Karaliaučius and onto Vienna by train. They stayed in Hallein, Austria for three years. [...].