Places to visit

Memorial site of the fighter for independence and martyr of Rainiai Vladas Petronaitis

The grave-mausoleum of the notary public of Kretinga Jonas Kentra marked by a monumental red granite monument made during the period of 1932-1933 in the workshop of Kretinga (Bajorai) Hard Work Prison is in the southern part of the cemetery. The notary public's wife Felicija Kentrienė (1867–1932) and daughter, exile Bronislava Petronaitienė (1904–1996) are buried in the grave. The memory of the martyr of Siberia Jonas Kentra (1869–1942) is immortalised in the main facade of the monument, near the bas-relief of F. Kentrienė. The portrait bas-relief of B. Petronaitienė and memorial inscription "Bronislava Kentraitė Petronaitienė 1904–1996, Vladas Petronaitis 1888–1941, martyred in Rainiai" was fixed on the left side of the monument by virtue of Gražina Petronaitytė-Savoniakienė. Vladas Petronaitis was born on 2 November 1888 in Plaučiškiai Village, Pakruojas District Municipality, studied at Šiauliai and Mintauja (Jelgava, Latvia) Gymnasium. After he completed studies at the Physics-Mathematics Faculty of Sankt Petersbourg University, he worked as a teacher of mathematics in Peterbourg. At the beginning of the First World War, he was mobilised to the Russian Army, studied at the Faculty of Law of Moscow War School and University. During the period of 1916–1917, he served as military officer in the frontline of Germany. In 1918, he came back to Lithuania, became one of the first soldiers-volunteers, participated in the Wars of Independence. In 1920, he was appointed as the deputy military commandant of Vilnius, later on, he was appointed as the commandant, organised defence of the ciry against Bolsheviks and Polish soldiers. In 1921, he was appointed as the commandant of Kretinga County. In 1922, he married Bronislava Kentraitė from Kretinga. In 1923, he retired, practiced as a lawyer, was a lecturer of mathematics in Kretinga Progymnasium. He was engaged in public life, was the chairman of the union of retired officers of the county, a member and chairman of the board of the 15th riflemen's detachment. On 17 January 1927, he established a branch of the Lithuanian Nationalist Union and supervised it. In 1934, he was disqualified from the Nationalist Union for his support for the supporters of Voldemaras (voldemarininkai), imprisoned, but soon he was released. On 11-12 July 1940, at night, he was arrested by the NKVDists, detained in Kretinga; on 12 August 1940, he was transferred to Telšai prison. On 25 June 1941, at night, he and other political prisoners of Telšiai Prison he was martyred in Rainiai forest. During exhumation, his body was not identified, on 1 July 1941, he was buried in Telšiai cemetery, in common grave of Rainiai martyrs. In 1920, he was awarded with the First Class Order of the Cross of Vytis without swords, in 1928 he was awarded with the Medal of Independence of Lithuania.