Featured image: Berta Jaffet (Tobijas’ mother)
On Daukanto street in the center of Kaunas, Lithuania, there is a house. It was built before the Second World War, in 1931, by Rafael and Berta Jafetas. The family was quite well-off, as Rafael was an agent for an English textiles company in Lithuania. The house that Berta cared for with love was not big, but cozy. Jafetas family had three sons – the eldest Asia, the middle Fima, who succumbed to diphtheria at the age of six, and the youngest – Tobijas. For each of the boys their parents planted a Lilac tree – a symbol of family and prosperous future.
Kaunas was a vibrant city, where you could reach most places – from work, to school, to cafes – on foot. The war, however, was coming ever closer and started changing peoples’ lives.
Even before the hostilities began, Rafael sensed that life in Lithuania was becoming unsafe and together with his son Asia moved to England. Meanwhile Berta and their youngest son Tobijas went to France for vacation. After that she decided to return to Kaunas, despite the sense of impending war, to make sure the house remained safe.
Alas, the war started and borders closed, splitting Jafetas family in half. Just as most of the Kaunas Jews, Berta and Tobijas we forced to move into the Kaunas ghetto. Only Tobijas managed to escape, with the help of many brave Jews and Lithuanians. Berta did not make it out, as she was shot by the guard to whom she previously gave away all her jewelry.
After the war, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviets who banned private property and the house on Daukanto street fell into the hands of the government. The house remained intact but was turned into a military school. Tobijas lived in Lithuania, but all this time could only watch from outside and hope for change.
When Lithuania regained independence in 1990s, the law for restitution of private property for the Lithuanian citizens was passed. Tobijas used this opportunity and reclaimed ownership of the house and the land in 1992. It was not in best shape and none of the furniture survived, but the hardwood floors and cast iron heaters did. When you peeled the layers of wall paint, the original colors of children’s room or parents’ bedroom still shone through. It was still the Jafetas family home.
And in the garden the three Lilac trees still blossom every spring, reminding the good times the Jafetas family used to have in that cozy small house on Daukanto street.
The house on Daukanto street, Kaunas circa 2010. From left to right – Judita Spokauskiene (Tobijas Jafetas’ daugther, Michelle Barber
The house on Daukanto street, Kaunas circa 2010. From left to right – Judita Spokauskiene (Tobijas Jafetas’ daugther, Michelle Barber (Asia Jaffet’s daughter), Tobijas Jafetas
Raphael Jaffet (Tobijas’ father)
Three brothers: Asia
Three brothers: Fima
Three brothers: Tobijas
Berta and Tobijas Jafetas (location unknown, not in the Daukantas house)