Stasys Lukša

Stasys Lukša (Juodvarnis) (1926–1947) was born in the village of Juodbūdis into a working class (peasant) family. He studied at Veiveriai Progymnasium and, during the National Socialist occupation, at Vocational School No. 2 in Kaunas, later transferring to Kaunas Institute for Adult Education. In 1944–1945, he worked at the Railway Administration. In the autobiography contained in his personal file, he stated that he left this position due to poor health; however, other sources indicate that the job had been arranged as a cover to help him avoid service in the Soviet army. In 1945–1946, he continued his studies at Veiveriai Gymnasium. In January 1946, he joined the ranks of the 2nd Company of the Iron Wolf Unit in the Tauras Military District of the partisan movement. From September, he served as a liaison officer of the Central Command of the United Democratic Resistance Movement with the Tauras and Great Fight (Didžioji Kova) districts. With the help of his brother Juozas Lukša, a well-known freedom fighter, he obtained forged documents under the name of Antanas Petraitis so that he could study. In August 1946, he applied for admission to the Faculty of Chemistry at Vilnius State University to study chemistry. In January 1947, he returned to the Tauras District and was appointed Head of the Intelligence Division of the Iron Wolf Unit. In March 1947, by order of the Rector, he was expelled from the university for failure to attend lectures and practical classes. On 12 September 1947, he was killed in combat when Soviet forces attacked the Non-Commissioned Officers’ Military Training School of the Tauras District in the Kazlų Rūda forests.