The Story of a Lithuanian Flag Owned by Jews.

In August of 1941 the Jews of Kurkliai were troubled as they must have felt that they were under threat. Julijona Akuličaitė who lived in Palaidžių Street told that one evening they had a visitor, a Jew called Orelis Glikmanas (people of Kurkliai called him Oreliukas). He had a little parcel and timidly asked if this family could do him a favour. Akuličienė did not realise that Jews were in danger. When she agreed to help, Orliukas opened the parcel. There was a stack of photographs and a national Lithuanian flag. Orelis told Akuličienė that the Jews were worried, asked to keep it for him and promised to take it back when the situation got normal. Orelis Glikmanas said that Leiba was going to bring his photos and flag too but he never came…

Akuličienė wrapped it all in a piece of coarse linen and hid in the attic. This way the things survived to the time when Lithuania’s independence was reinstated. It is a pity that when unrest started in Vilnius, Julijona Akuličaitė got scared that she would get into trouble should the hidden Lithuanian national flag be found by enemies of Lithuania and decided to get rid of the parcel. The photos were all yellow and almost nothing was visible so without much doubt she threw them into the fire. The flag was in good condition. Akuličaitė did not dare to burn it and gave it to Angelė Dūdienė, head of the club of regional studies of Kurkliai school. Julijona’s mother had passed away by that time.

This story told by Julijona Akuličaitė was written down by Angelė Dūdienė circa 2003.