George Matulaitis Journal

complained that the soldiers have raped women and girls wherever they happened to find them. There is an atrocious lack of discipline, and there is terrible immorality amongst the soldiers—especially the Ulans and other cavalry. Almost everywhere the soldiers have torn down fences and burned them for fuel, and they have done the same with some of the houses. The land is ravaged. Stories of various atrocities and cruelties are circulating. The war is demoralizing the people and destroy- ing the country. Father Zienkiewicz rector of St. Stephen’s, came to see me about the associations and institutions of the Pow >ci'gliwo>: i Praca . 1 This organization had been founded by Father Dyakowski, now deceased, when he was curate at the Gate of Dawn Shrine. When he became rector of St. Stephen’s, he had a building erected on the church grounds to house the various charities conducted by the organization. Then Dyakowski became pastor of All Saints’ Church, while the late Father Kiersnowski was appointed rector of St. Stephen’s. However, Dyakowski was still in charge of the organization. When the Bolsheviks arrived in Vilnius, Father Dyakowski fled. The Bolsheviks arrested him near Gardinas.When his guards fell asleep, he killed one with an axe and mor- tally wounded the other. Then he took cover. However, the people found him and, fearing retribution, turned him over to the Bolsheviks. They put him in prison and later tried him. It is assumed that he was executed. The organization was then left without a leader. Under the Bolsheviks, Father + ozakiewicz had, at my request, supervised the organization and its work to some extent. At that time Father Zienkiewicz 2 was in charge of the Christian Workers’ Unions in place of Father Olsza < ski, who had also fled. When Father Olsza < ski returned, I appointed Father Zienkiewicz curate at the Gate of Dawn Shrine. A delegation of the officers of the organization came to see me twice, I think, asking me to permit Father Zienkiewicz to take charge of the institution, since it was 321 1 An association for young men and women organized in 1898 by Fr. Bronis = aw Markiewicz (1842- 1912), founder of the Congregation of Saint Michael, and dedicated to the promotion of priestly and religious vocations and caring for the poor. 2 Antoni Zienkiewicz: a Belorussian priest ordained in 1911. He was engaged in pastoral and charitable work in Vilnius. In 1922, Bishop Matulaitis appointed him pastor of Druja, where the Belorussian Marians set- tled and where the Servants of Jesus in the Eucharist, founded by Matulaitis, also had their first convent.