Accessing the Vilna Ghetto under the guise of retrieving university books, Ona Šimaitė transformed her role as a librarian into a covert operation to save lives. Operating during the Nazi occupation of Lithuania, she navigated the perils of the conflict to supply provisions, transport correspondence, and relocate Jewish children to safer environments outside the ghetto walls.
Early Career and University Role
Born in 1894 in Akmenė, Šimaitė received her education in Moscow before securing a position as a cataloger at Vilnius University in 1940. This academic environment served as the anchor for her professional life. She remained dedicated to the field of librarianship throughout her career, maintaining this focus even after relocating to France following the war. She considered the library her primary professional home, describing the work as her beloved profession in later correspondence.
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Beginning in 1941, Šimaitė utilized her professional credentials to gain entry into the Vilna Ghetto. Her activities were multifaceted, ranging from the transport of food and small arms, supported by individuals such as Kazys Boruta, to the extraction of historical documents for the Paper Brigade. She functioned as a crucial link between the confined population and the external world, facilitating communication, securing forged documents, and coordinating the rescue of children by finding families willing to provide shelter.
Imprisonment and Later Life
The Gestapo apprehended Šimaitė in April 1944. Following a period of torture, she avoided execution due to a ransom payment organized by the university rector. Her subsequent path led through the Dachau concentration camp and an internment facility at Ludelange in France. Following the liberation of these camps, she chose to remain in France, with the exception of a three-year period between 1953 and 1956 spent in Israel. She died in Cormeilles-en-Parisis on 17 January 1970, with her remains donated to scientific research.
Recognition and Legacy
The Israeli organization Yad Vashem designated Šimaitė as one of the Righteous Among the Nations on 15 March 1966, marking the honor with the planting of a tree. In 2015, Vilnius inaugurated Šimaitės Street, the first street in Lithuania named after a recipient of this title. The American Library Association further honored her professional life in 2021.
Fast facts
- Born: 1894, Akmenė
- Died: 1970, Cormeilles-en-Parisis
- Languages spoken: French, German, Polish, Russian, Yiddish, Lithuanian
- Professional roles: Librarian and translator
- Key recognition: Righteous Among the Nations (1966)
- Significant institution: Vilnius University Library
- Internment locations: Dachau, Ludelange
Questions readers ask
What was the main purpose of her entry into the Vilna Ghetto?
She entered to recover library books from Jewish students, which provided the cover for her rescue efforts.
How did she come to reside in France?
She was deported to an internment camp in France during the war and remained there after the camps were liberated.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1966
- Worked as librarian and translator