On Wednesday, 24 October 2007, my cousins Vitas, Liliana, and I visited Seirijai, Lithuania where Vitas’ and Liliana’s grandparents Jonas Samsanavicius and Ona Chmielewska lived. Ona was the sister of my own grandmother, Helena Chmielewska.
The original foundation of the Samsanavicius house is still visible a short distance from the place where the house is now located.
Original Foundation of the Samsanavicius House
SOURCE: Original Foundation of the Samsanavicius House in Seirijai, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 24 October 2007.
The house has been significantly expanded since the time Jonas and Ona lived there. Two things that haven’t changed, however, are the woodburning stove in the kitchen and the toilet facilities in an outhouse a short distance from the dwelling. The Samsanavicius family no longer lives in this house.
Present Appearance of the Samsanavicius House
SOURCE: Present Appearance of the Samsanavicius House in Seirijai, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 24 October 2007.
The present owner of the house grows black currants (Ribes nigrum). Black currants are highly favored in central and northern Europe and are used to produce juice, jam, jelly, cordial, liqueur, candy, and ice cream. Black currants were once cultivated in the United States (although not native to the United States), but cultivation was banned in the early 20th century when scientists discovered that species of Ribes serve as the alternate host to White Pine Blister Rust and, as such, were a threat to the White Pine forests of the eastern United States. Most North Americans are unfamiliar with black currants.
Black Currant Shrub (Ribes nigrum)
SOURCE: Black Currant Shrub (Ribes nigrum) in Seirijai, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 24 October 2007.
Not far from the Samsanavicius house is PirÄiuko Lake. When Vitas and Liliana were young, their grandmother made them run from the house to the lake for exercise. Seeing PirÄiuko Lake for the first time since they were children brought many fond childhood memories back to Vitas and Liliana.
PirÄiuko Lake near Seirijai, Lithuania
SOURCE: PirÄiuko Lake near Seirijai, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 24 October 2007.
Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko
I visited there in april 2002 and came back to read about Serey as it was the birthplace of my grandfather who came to USA before WW1
and where his family was taken to the Lake on Sept 11 1941 and murdered with all other Jews in the town
you can read about that online if you wish
SD
I am so glad you posted these photos of the tiny Lithuanian village of Seirijai. My family, there name was Browdy, lived there for hundreds of years.
Until September 1941 when they were driven through the town, nude, by their neighbors, beaten and spat on, to the lake where they were shot in front of open pits. Pits they were forced to dig themselves days before. Because they were Jews.
My family lived in this seemingly idyllic village for hundreds of years. Until Spetember 1941 when all the town’s Jews were stripped of their clothing and driven through the town by their neighbors, beaten and spat on, to the lake, where men, women, children, the elderly and sick, were shot and fell into the pits they were forced to dig in the days before. Although the Nazis allowed it, their Lithuanian neighbors did the murdering.