Born in 1914 in Vilkovisski, Lithuania, he became one of the founders of the local branch of Beitar in 1928. In 1933 he left his studies in Kovno University to start on agriculture training in preparation for emigration to Erets Israel. Having graduated from the course of Beitar instructors, he continued his education on failing to get an emigration certificate. In 1935 he was accepted to the Lithuanian (Beitar) Officers’ School becoming an officer in 1936. In 1937 he was appointed officer in charge of Lithuanian Beitar, responsible for the military training department and was the head of the Beitar’s course for sergeants. While continuing his education during 1938, he aided in the organization of Aliya Bet. As a leading officer of Beitar in Czechoslovakia, he was sent by the Jewish Agency to Vienna, which had already been overrun by the Germans, to coordinate the escape of Austrian Jews to Palestine. When the Germans occupied Czechoslovakia, he escaped, with his wife Luba, to Lithuania. At the beginning of the war between USSR & Germany in 1941, Shmariyahu was arrested and.sent to the Siberian labour camps, while his wife was banished to North Siberia. After 8 years of camps and exile, he and his wife were reunited and in 1952 their son Efraim was born. After 18 years of camps and exile, the family returned to Lithuania . They succeeded in getting to Israel in 1973. Remember & Save website.
