George Matulaitis Journal

Lithuanian Catholic Populist Union which Father Vailokaitis had begun to organize. However, the Bolsheviks are holding all those arrested as hostages. They have sent their representatives to Kaunas demanding that the Lithuanian Council release the Bolshevik prisoners, then they, in turn, will release Fathers Vailokaitis, Dogelis, and the others. It has been decided to send food to the prisoners. At the moment it is not possible to get them out of prison. They are held in Luki kiai. Father Galaune 1 (Holovnia), the pastor of Jieznas, had also been brought to prison in Vilnius. They suspected him of organizing Lithuanian officers and of being their chaplain. Father Galaune has already been released. Saliewicz, the pastor of Kolbininkai, has been taken to New Vilnia and from there transported to Mi<sk . It seems that he preached a sermon against the Bolsheviks and, in general, they disapproved of his activities. I have heard that he has already been released and has returned home. February 19 Father Skroudys 2 from Aukstadvaris came by to see me. He has been appointed pastor there in place of Father Slamas. 3 After he had been there awhile, he had this to report. Father Slamas was doing very well until a certain Ekert came out against him and informed on him. Formerly this Ekert considered himself a Pole, but when the Lithuanian council was in power, he became a Lithuanian, and now he has joined the Bolsheviks. Otherwise, everything is quiet. The pastor is very much involved in maintaining the local trade school and even supporting it out of his own pocket, since he cannot get any funds from the Lithuanian Council. He is even paying the teachers’ salaries. At present it would be difficult for Father Slamas to move out because the Bolsheviks would not allow him to take anything with him. As for Skruodys himself, he cannot stay 200 1 Jonas Galaune (1876-1951): pastor of Jieznas (1910-1928); Lithuanian patriot and activist. Feb. 10-13, 1919, the Lithuanian and Bolshevik armies fought near Jieznas and the Bolsheviks were forced to retreat. Fr. Galaune was arrested and sentenced to death, but later released. 2 Jonas Skroudys (1882-1935): completed his studies at the Academy of St. Petersburg, was ordained in 1907. Before WW I, he worked with Lithuanian refugees in the Caucasus and returned to Vilnius in 1918. 3 Stanislovas Slamas (b. 1866): Lithuanian priest, ordained in 1898. Wherever he worked, he promoted the use of the Lithuanian language and provided his parishioners with Lithuanian prayerbooks. In 1919, he was pastor of Aukstadvaris, a spot contested by the Poles, Lithuanians, and Bolsheviks. He was informed against, later arrested and imprisoned, but soon released. From 1924 to 1940 he was pastor of Inturke.