Chapter 240 Grandpa Kasemir Kanchas
3/26/2010
Lithuanian Roots
Many will not give a damn about this story, and that's OK. But I've been married to Kathy for 38 years and now all of a sudden I find out she's been living a lie. She's not really a Kanches but a Kanchas. Her Grandpa, Kazimer Kanchas (aka Kazimer Kinches aka Charles Kinches aka Kansas) born in 1881 Lithuania, a part of the Russian Empire. Their political boundaries have shifted endlessly but I'm guessing this map shows Lithuania at the time he emigrated.
He couldn't write English and changed his last name after he came to live in Schenectady's Stockade Section by 1915. He was escaping from behind the iron curtain, persecution, riots, and the draconian Russian rule. Imagine my surprise to learn I've been sleeping with the enemy. I was brought up during the cold war and the commie ruskies were the dreaded reds. Kaz ran the Texaco gas station at the corner of Rte 5 and Rte 67 in Fort Johnson with Kathy's Dad. The Lithuanian sculpture above represents tyranny under which they lived of the time. Between the years 1864 and 1904 the Russian government forbid you to speak, read, or write the language. The sculpture shows a mother secretly teaching her child the Lithuanian language. The alert dog symbolizes the fear and apprehension of those living conditions. The importance and correctness of Kaz's life changing decision to emigrate cannot be over emphasized for his life or his following generations.
Turmoil had been the normal state of affairs. Kaz at 24 years old must have felt the tension of the 1905 Russian Revolution above (as St Petersburg was only a few hundred miles away). Ellis Island data indicates Gpa departed the following year.
nice video feel for the old country
The first ruler Gediminas (year 1300) statue above is in the capital, Vilnius. 3D interactive view of churches etc. today.
Another beautiful 1926 coin Petras Rimson sculpture (Chicago/ Michigan stronghold for American Lithuanians). Liberation of Vilnius with slaying the Polish dragon representing the hatred of their neighbor with whom they alternately were at war with or formed a commonwealth union together. Famous Vytis (coat of arms symbol) warrior with Gediminas Tower in background.
video thumbnails
slick Lietuva promo video (supermodel & umbrella if adventurous)
goofy video but last 2 minutes best concise summation of Lithuanian history
Lithuanian expert
I contacted a few Lithos around the country and re-connected with the Lithuanian Community of Virgil. I called my old German teacher Casimir Norkeliunas (BA, MS, PhD) who went on to become director of Russian Studies and literature at Marist College. He travelled to Russia in '69 when it was touchy. (ironically article continues on page 3 headed by GIVE A DAMN). He was a great guy with a sense of humor and we had the greatest laughs in his class. He moderated while Frau Pappas interacted with us over the cable TV experimental teaching program.
deciphering history links pre WW1
Actually I don't even want to know much about east European or Russian History, but sadly I had to dip in to at least know where the country was and a smidge of history. The changing boundaries, confused politics, poverty, and brutality just made this part of the world a mess.
1881 Kasimer Kanchas born and 1881 Emperor Tsar Alexander II's assassinated
Feb 17, 1905 Emperor's brother (responsible for mass deportation of Jews) assassinated
Spring 1906 Kasimer leaves Lithuania between 1868 and 1914, approximately 635,000 people, almost 20% of the population, left Lithuania
Millions emigrated from Europe as a result of the Russian Pogroms anti-Jewish riots including half a million from Lithuania
Emperor Alexander II's assassination
20th century Russian Empire (best shows probable conditions Kaz escaped from) territories
WW1 poet of descendant of Lithuanian emigrants video
WW2
Perspective: Kaz made a good choice for his family. 30 years after Kaz emigrated, Erika Samide's family decided to escape from the neighborhood, East Prussia in front of the advancing Russian Army during WW2 via donkey and foot then ship from Hamburg, Germany. Other refugees who took the ill fated cruise ship the Gustloff (killing 9,000) perished after being torpedoed by a Russian sub. PBS Special.
Hitler occupied Lithuania then with much horrors the Russians counter invaded.
German occupation WW2 video
various occupiers of Lithuania WW2
Russian brutality (to say the least) (over 18)
Kasemir Kanchas only close match search of 25million immigrants
Statendam Ship and manifest transcribed page (2141 passengers, 98% Jewish immigrants)
Statendam Ship Manifest whole page 18 list 7 line 17 handwritten link
Statendam Ship Manifest Kanchas listing from page 18 list 7 line 17 handwritten link zoomed in
hometown = Wilkomer / Ukmerge(>1918) aka Wilkomir 1911map , Vilkomir, Vilkamir,Volkomir, Vilkmerge, Ukmerge Uyezd and Kovno Kaunas gubernia
This is about 100 miles from my grandmother who emigrated thru Baltimore, Olga (Nana) Maria Knochenhauer's birthplace1893 Lyck (Luck) East Prussia . [German Empire 1871-1918] = Elk, Poland [Germany 1939-1944] [USSR 1944-1989] [Poland 1989- 2016...] emigrated via Baltimore. Very confusing East Prussia
Last week's 20 anniversary of reconstructed monument to Lithuanian Independence Lituania Restituta in our Ukberge family home town where 13 book smugglers were arrested in 1899.