What happened here
After leaving legal life, Kazimieraitis moved between temporary headquarters: Cimakavas, a bunker by Dumskabalė near Viečiūnai, Šunupis. On 13 July 1945 the staff settled in the Merkys camp by Lake Lavysas, in the Jakuliai forest, and worked here until about August.
From here he wrote to his family “from my summer retreat, the quiet forests of Dzūkija”. The first leaflets were printed here: according to A. Vainilaitis, Kazimieraitis urged everyone first to pray sincerely that the copies would reach every corner of Lithuania.
“My life is divided like this: prayers for my dearest family…; my work for my homeland Lithuania – reducing injustice and wrongs, comforting the downhearted and those who have lost hope.”
Letter to his family, July 1945
What you will see
- Lake Lavysas and the Jakuliai forest. A marker for the exact camp site – [to be confirmed].
- A monument was unveiled in 1996 on the site of a former headquarters near Viečiūnai (by Druskininkai).
The gathering after which he began to lead the partisans of Dzūkija.
06 · 1945 08 02NedzingėMeeting with A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas.
07 · 1945 09 27 – 1946 01 12Skroblus, RudnelėThe winter headquarters, attacked on 12 January 1946.
Sources (in Lithuanian): V. Vitkus, “Pulkininkas Kazimieraitis”, 2nd ed., Kaunas, 2017, pp. 49, 58, 158–161, 216–217. Virtual exhibition “J. Vitkus-Kazimieraitis” (virtualios-parodos.lt). The map is schematic; we will confirm exact coordinates and routes with the museum.