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There were 7 children in the family, including my mother. My mother’s older brother Isaak Minkovskiy was born in 1884. Isaak finished school and then my grandfather made him the manager of one of his stores. After my grandfather died Isaak got his jewelry shop. Isaak was a very successful businessman. His wife’s name was Rosa and they didn’t have any children. After the revolution and the Civil War Isaak decided to leave the country. The power in Kiev changed continuously and there were pogroms. Isaak understood that sooner or later he would have to part with his riches and he sold his shops and left for Canada in 1919. The family had no contact with him. Only in 1953, after Stalin’s death, my mother received a letter from him with a return address. But since people were afraid of arrests and repression my mother tore up the letter. She didn’t read it to the end and didn’t save her brother’s address. She only kept the picture of her brother with his wife Rosa and their daughter Shyfra. I have no information about my uncle Isaak’s family but I realize that neither my uncle nor his wife Rosa are among the living.
Isaak went to Canada with my mother’s sisters Rosa and Shyfra. They were older than my mother but younger than Isaak. I have no information about them. I only know that Isaak gave his daughter the name of Shyfra after his sister and the same name of his wife and his sister – Rosa – is merely a coincidence.
My mother’s sister Vera was born in 1891. Her Jewish name was Dvoira. After my grandmother died, Vera went to the family of some relatives that gave her a good education. She finished school, spoke and wrote in Russian well and knew French a little. Vera never worked. She married Moishe Golfeld. He owned an inn and was quite a rich man. They didn’t have any children. After the revolution Moishe was a cabman. He earned enough for a living. When the Patriotic war began in 1941 Moishe was called up to the army and was killed in the first months of the war. Aunt Vera was in the evacuation toTashkent and later she returned to Kiev. She died in 1975. My grandmother had two other daughters after my mother. One of them died when she was 2 and another girl died at birth. My mother had few memories of her childhood., because her childhood ended very early when her mother died after giving birth to the 7th baby. This happened around 1905.
After my grandmother died the two younger girls were taken to their relatives’ families. My grandfather Iosif sent the children to the relatives after my grandmother died. It was difficult for him to handle the children. He never remarried but he wasn’t interested in his children. He died shortly after my grandmother’s death – approximately in 1908. Vera went to a rich Jewish family but my mother wasn’t so lucky– she came into the family of Luba and Natan. I know neither their family name nor in what kind of relation they were with our family. I only remember my mother telling me that they were kind people and were nice to her. My grandfather probably gave them some money. My mother, when speaking about him, used a Ukrainian saying: “After the mother died the father went blind” (meaning that fathers do not take responsibility after something happens to the mother). Luba and Natan were not rich and my mother actually got no education. She studied at the primary Jewish school (4 years). My mother spoke Russian with an accent and at home she always spoke Yiddish.
Isaak went to Canada with my mother’s sisters Rosa and Shyfra. They were older than my mother but younger than Isaak. I have no information about them. I only know that Isaak gave his daughter the name of Shyfra after his sister and the same name of his wife and his sister – Rosa – is merely a coincidence.
My mother’s sister Vera was born in 1891. Her Jewish name was Dvoira. After my grandmother died, Vera went to the family of some relatives that gave her a good education. She finished school, spoke and wrote in Russian well and knew French a little. Vera never worked. She married Moishe Golfeld. He owned an inn and was quite a rich man. They didn’t have any children. After the revolution Moishe was a cabman. He earned enough for a living. When the Patriotic war began in 1941 Moishe was called up to the army and was killed in the first months of the war. Aunt Vera was in the evacuation toTashkent and later she returned to Kiev. She died in 1975. My grandmother had two other daughters after my mother. One of them died when she was 2 and another girl died at birth. My mother had few memories of her childhood., because her childhood ended very early when her mother died after giving birth to the 7th baby. This happened around 1905.
After my grandmother died the two younger girls were taken to their relatives’ families. My grandfather Iosif sent the children to the relatives after my grandmother died. It was difficult for him to handle the children. He never remarried but he wasn’t interested in his children. He died shortly after my grandmother’s death – approximately in 1908. Vera went to a rich Jewish family but my mother wasn’t so lucky– she came into the family of Luba and Natan. I know neither their family name nor in what kind of relation they were with our family. I only remember my mother telling me that they were kind people and were nice to her. My grandfather probably gave them some money. My mother, when speaking about him, used a Ukrainian saying: “After the mother died the father went blind” (meaning that fathers do not take responsibility after something happens to the mother). Luba and Natan were not rich and my mother actually got no education. She studied at the primary Jewish school (4 years). My mother spoke Russian with an accent and at home she always spoke Yiddish.
Location
Ukraine
Interview
Raissa Yasvoina