Jonas Mockunas 1917-1975; a birth centenary

February 2017 marked the 100th anniversary of my father's birth.  Here are some photos and a few facts about his life to mark that occasion. 



Kaunas, c1936



Jonas Mockūnas snr grew up in the independent republic of Lithuania between the First and Second World Wars, but after the country was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944 he became a displaced person (refugee) and later settled in Australia.

He was born on 11 February 1917 in Vladimir, Russia.  His Lithuanian parents, Kazimieras and Ona, returned to the city of Kaunas in their homeland with their son shortly after the end of the First World War.


c1924 First communion/Pirmoji komunija

c1922, Kaunas



Mano tėvelis Jonas Mockūnas užaugo nepriklausomoje Lietuvoje, 1948m įsikūrė Australijoje.  Jis gimė Pirmojo Pasaulinio karo metu, 1917m vasario 11d, Vladimire, Rusijoje.  Karui pasibaigus Mockūnų šeima – tėvai Kazimieras ir Ona su kudikiu Jonu  – sugryžo į Kauną.    



c1927 Home/namai; Žaliakalnis, Utenos 22, Kaunas

1930














Jonas was an only child and grew up in a single parent family (his father died in 1920).  He attended the Aušros boys school in Kaunas and then the Pavasario commercial college before being called up for military service in 1937.  He spent the next several years in Kaunas, working as a bookeeper/accountant at the Žaibas publishing house until that was closed in 1940, and then at the state flour mill and bakery until 1944.

 Jonas lankė Aušros berniukų gimnaziją ir Pavasario komercinę mokyklą.  Karinę prievolę atliko nuo 1937m.  Dirbo buhalteriu Žaibo spaustuvėje, vėliau Kauno malūno treste. Karo gale tūkstančiai lietuvių atsidūrė Vokietijoje.  Ten Jonas sukūrė šeimą su Brone Žaranskyte.  1948m jie isikūrė Australijoje.





The end of the Second World war found Jonas in displaced persons' camps in Germany.  He married Bronė Žaranskytė in 1946 while they were living in the Dillingen an der Donau camp and by early 1948 they were on their way to Australia.  Jonas and Bronė settled in Adelaide where they worked hard to establish a safe and secure life for their family.

My parents' wedding, Dillingen an der Donau, May,1946
Lietuviškos vestuvės Vokietijoje

Grapepicking, Berri, 1948
Pirmas darbas Australijoje, vynogyno darbininkai

A temporary home in Australia; Berri, South Australia
Laikini namai






Clearing the block for our own home, Adelaide, South Australia
Ruošos darbai naujiem namam 

New home completed, 1957
Namo statyba baigta

Jonas was an active member of the Adelaide Lithuanian community, particularly in cultural affairs.  He wrote many articles for Australian Lithuanian publications and was present at most of our community events.  From 1971 to 1974 he managed the Adelaide Lithuanian choir Lituania. 

1964, Adelaide; keynote speaker at the 250th anniversary of the birth of the poet Kristijonas Donelaitis.
Kristijono Donelaičio 250m gimimo jubiliejus Adelaidėje.