Asta Pekker’s grandfather, my mother's father, Pyotr Borisovich Shwartzman

My grandfather, my mother's father, Pyotr Borisovich Shwartzman. The picture was taken in Berlin, 1931.

I am Asta Grigorievna Pekker. I'm 72 years old. I was born in Berlin, in June 1929. I lived there for four and a half years. My parents and my grandfather and grandmother were Soviet citizens. With Hitler coming in 1933 the Soviet government called our family to Moscow at the end of the year.

My grandfather quit quietly all his official positions, and he lived and worked as if in a shadow until very old age.

My grandfather Pyotr Shwartzman knew seven languages, including Hebrew.