Irena Montvydaitė-Giedraitienė, daughter of partisan leader Vladas Montvydas, passes away

Irena Bronislava Montvydaitė-Giedraitienė, the eldest daughter of Vladas Montvydas, commander of the Žemaitija district partisans, has passed away at the age of 88, LRT.lt reports.

Montvydas, known by his code names Žemaitis, Etmonas, Algimantas, and Dėdė, led partisan resistance in Žemaitija. His daughter lived under assumed names during her childhood and youth. She dedicated her life to preserving the memory of her father and his comrades.

After Lithuania regained independence, she became a founding member and long-time leader of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Army Soldiers and Supporters. In 2022, she stepped down from her leadership role due to health reasons but remained an honorary member of the union.

Montvydaitė-Giedraitienė co-authored and edited the book series “Lietuvos laisvės armijos kovos Žemaitijoje” (The Struggles of the Lithuanian Freedom Army in Žemaitija) and initiated the construction of numerous monuments and memorials dedicated to the partisans. In 2023, she was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania for her public activities in commemorating the partisan struggles.

A farewell ceremony will be held on July 27 at 14:00 in the funeral hall at M. Valančiaus St. 2A, Jurbarkas (near the church). A Holy Mass will take place on July 28 at 08:00 at the Holy Trinity Church in Jurbarkas. The funeral procession will depart at 11:00, with burial to follow at the old cemetery in Jurbarkas.