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Benedict Zemaitis - Immigrant Stories
Benedict Zemaitis was born in Vilkauiskis, Lithuania in 1933. Following the Soviet invasion of Lithuania in 1940, his family fled Lithuania and moved to Wurtzberg, Germany, where they stayed until the town was destroyed by an allied bombing raid in 1945 near the end of the war. Following the raid, his family lived in a Bavarian displaced person's camp until 1949. They immigrated to Chicago the next year, where Benedict married another Lithuanian immigrant, Vita Zubkus, in 1956.
Interview Links
Abstract
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Benedict discusses his childhood in Lithuania and war years in Germany
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Benedict & Vita’s emigration to the U.S., marriage & life as immigrants
Transcript
Photos
Caption
Joseph Zubkus’ High school picture in 1910.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1910
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Joseph Zubkus, Vita’s father, in Lithuanian Army uniform-1920’s.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Circa 1920's
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Vita Zubkus as a baby in 1936.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1936
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Vita Zemaitis and family members: Agota Zubkus, Ignas Zubkus, Vita and Sigitas (1938-1939).
Where:
Unknown
When:
1938-1939
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Vita’s Zabkus’ home in Kaunas, Lithuania in the years before the ravages of war came to Lithuania in 1941.
Where:
Kaunas, Lithuania
When:
years before WW II
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Vita and her brother Sigitas Zubkus, circa 1942.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Circa 1942
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Pijus Zemaitis’ Foreigners German Pass in 1944.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1944
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Pijus Zemaitis’ Foreigners German Pass in 1944.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1944
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Janina Zemaitis’ Foreigners German Pass, 1944.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1944
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Janina Zemaitis’ Foreigners German Pass, 1944.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1944
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Janina Zemaitis’ Certificate for safe passage was issued by the allies, circa 1945.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Circa 1945
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Janina Zemaitis’ Green Card, 1949-50.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1949-50
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Benjamin Zemaitis’ Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United States, in 1952.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1952
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Benedict Zemaitis shines his boots while he was stationed at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky in March of 1957.
Where:
Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
When:
March, 1957
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Private Benedict Zemaitis strikes a pose while training at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky in 1957.
Where:
Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
When:
1957
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Zemaitis, a proud member of the famed 101st Airborne Division, is ready for his first parachute jump in 1957, at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.
Where:
Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
When:
1957
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
A C-119 “Flying Boxcar” awaits Zemaitis and fellow paratroopers for their upcoming jump in 1957.
Where:
Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
When:
1957
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Specialist Zemaitis, serving as crew chief, with a H-13 Sioux helicopter in 1957.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1957
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Vita Zemaitis meets with the new President of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus in 1998. The article appeared in either the Springfield Journal Register or Chicago Tribune (he does not recall). Benedict took the picture himself.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1998
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.)
Caption
Vita Zemaitis meets with the new President of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus in 1998.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1998
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Vita Zemaitis in the early 2000s.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Early 2000s
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Benjamin Zemaitis was awarded the National Award for his “qualified and timely help to establish a Performance Audit program in Lithuania,” by the Auditor General. Benjamin noted that only four people received this national award that year.
Where:
Vilnius, Lithuania
When:
January 16th, 2004
Ownership:
Narrator’s plaque
Caption
Collage of Vita Zemaitis’ life, distributed during the memorial service following her death in 2009.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2009
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Benedict Zemaitis at the time of his interview in July of 2010.
Where:
Unknown
When:
July of 2010
Ownership:
Unknown
Caption
Joseph & Kasimier Zubkus, Vita Zemaitis’ father and mother.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Vita & Sigitas Zubkus riding in donkey cart in Lithuania.
Where:
Lithuania
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Vita’s aunt and uncle lived in this structure in Siberia - Jonas Zubkus, Koste Zubkus, and an unknown man.
Where:
Siberia
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Picture of the Zubkus home (Vita’s parents) in Siberia before the war.
Where:
Siberia
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
A favorite picture of the family’s American 1938 Buick. Vita rode often with her father in this car all over Lithuania as he traveled as a physician.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Picture of Vita’s father Joseph Zubkus decorated for his medical achievements in Lithuania, Date unknown.
Where:
Lithuania
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Benedict Zemaitis’ Certificate of Graduation from grade school, in Lithuania.
Where:
Lithuania
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Janina Zemaitis’ International Refugee Organization Certificate of Professional Status, validating that she had been a certified practicing dentist in Lithuania.
Where:
Lithuania
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Zemaitis and fellow paratroopers are finally ‘airborne,’ drifting to the ground during their jump at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.
Where:
Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo