Leonid Karlinsky

Here I am, Leonid Karlinsky, on my bicylce at age 3. The photo was taken in Leningrad in 1933. I was born into the family of an officer of the NKVD (People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs) in Kharkov on 5 August 1930. I studied at an ordinary Russian school. The students of this school were mostly children of military personnel. Among the students were children of various nationalities, including Jews. But nationality didn't matter back then. We were just Soviet children. I had a carefree life--going to school, attending the young technicians' club and participating in gymnastics. My brother Victor attended the kindergarten, because Mama had decided to go to work. Although she had no education, the Soviet aurthorities sent her to study at a school for judges. She graduated, but couldn't get a job because my father started having problems.