Girsha Farbirovich with his friend V. Pelsh

This is my father, Girsha Farbirovich, he is 24 years old here. His friend and colleague V. Pelsh is beside him (first name unknown), who gave him this picture. The picture was taken in Eastern Siberia, in Beryozovka village, where they were serving in the army. They are both wearing military uniform. The picture was taken in Lev Goldenberg's photo-studio, there is his name on the picture, and an inscription: 'Eastern Siberia.' There is a dedicatory inscription in purple ink on the back of the picture written to Father by his friend:  'To be kindly remembered for a long time by my respected friend and colleague G. Farbirovich. V. Pelsh. 26th September 1909, Beryozovka, frontier post. Take a look at the picture and remember me.’

My father was born in 1885 in Roslavl. His mother-tongue was Russian. He went to cheder for six years. And right after that he started to work. He worked as a butcher. Actually all Farbirovich brothers were butchers, they had a stall where they chopped meat and sold it. Unfortunately I don’t have any other information about them. Father praised the Soviet power in every way possible, since all his children were able to get university education. Though, in general, my parents were not interested in politics. Father was a soldier in the Tsarist Army. At first he served at the frontier post in Eastern Siberia and later participated in World War I. He was taken prisoner-of-war by the Germans during World War I. He was very satisfied with the way they treated them. He was in prison for a long time and worked for the Germans during that period.