Mark Mikhailov

This is my father Mark Mikhailov.
The passport picture was taken in Moscow in 1955.

Father went to trade school in Warsaw, but didn't finish it.
My father was fond of communist ideas, and he left home when he was 16.
He stopped being in touch with his family then. He went to Russia,
and never came back to Warsaw.

I practically don't know anything about my father's prenuptial life.
Father adhered to revolutionary ideas, and then became a member of the Communist Party.
The party was banned, so its members took alias known to other party comrades.
My father's party alias was Mikhailov. Then his surname was changed to Mikhailov as well.
This name was written in the documents. Father studied at the Institute of State Economy;
he graduated from it in 1924.

At the beginning of 1941 father was transferred to the Ministry of Coal Industry,
which was evacuated to Molotov in June 1941.
Moscow wasn't bombed at that time. Bombing started in August.
Mother left her job, and the three of us were evacuated.
We traveled in a crammed freight car for five days.
There was provision in Moscow shops still, so we took some food with us.
It was possible to buy things at the stations.
We were lodged in a private house in Molotov.
First there was some food in Molotov, and we ate at a canteen.
About a month later the food cards were implemented.

During the war and for some time after the war,
my father worked in the Ministry of Defense Industry and Armament,
and then he was transferred to the Ministry of Heavy Industry.
He worked there until his retirement.