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Our life was very hard, and, in 1926, I went to work. Everybody wanted to be a worker with a red scarf back then. I was sent to work in an office, and at first, I was horrified by this work. But I got a wonderful profession there. I worked in a bank in Kreschatik Street and soon became a bookkeeper. Then I entered the English department at university. Then I went to Moscow to the Institute of Foreign Languages. At that time it was called the Institute of New Languages. But this institute was merged with a technical institute and we were supposed to become engineers who knew a foreign language. Well, we learned neither technical things nor language. So, I transferred to the economics department. Finally, in 1932, I found myself in the Engineering and Economics Institute, which I finished in 1937. Part of my diploma project was in English.
I went to Moscow because my sister Vera went to study at the Moscow Conservatory because of Genrich Neigauz. We were afraid to leave her alone, so I went to Moscow. Vera was a very talented pianist. In the morning I'd go and feed her, and then I went to work and to study.
At my Institute I suddenly learned that two boys from our group were arrested. They were simple Russian boys. They disappeared. And other people disappeared as well. At the university we organized a registry office for those students who wanted to get married. We were afraid to live together without getting married. I got married then. My husband's name was Vanya. He was a Cossack. We registered at our students' registry office because we were of different nationalities. We lived together for 4 months, and then he was arrested. He was arrested because he studied at the French department where there were only two boys: my Vanya and a French Jew. They were good friends. So, the French Jew was arrested first, and then, Vanya. Once I sent him some money (10 rubles) when he was in prison, but when I came the next time I was not allowed to pass him money. There were many officers in the reception room, and one of them told me in whisper, 'Girl, don't ever come back here.
I went to Moscow because my sister Vera went to study at the Moscow Conservatory because of Genrich Neigauz. We were afraid to leave her alone, so I went to Moscow. Vera was a very talented pianist. In the morning I'd go and feed her, and then I went to work and to study.
At my Institute I suddenly learned that two boys from our group were arrested. They were simple Russian boys. They disappeared. And other people disappeared as well. At the university we organized a registry office for those students who wanted to get married. We were afraid to live together without getting married. I got married then. My husband's name was Vanya. He was a Cossack. We registered at our students' registry office because we were of different nationalities. We lived together for 4 months, and then he was arrested. He was arrested because he studied at the French department where there were only two boys: my Vanya and a French Jew. They were good friends. So, the French Jew was arrested first, and then, Vanya. Once I sent him some money (10 rubles) when he was in prison, but when I came the next time I was not allowed to pass him money. There were many officers in the reception room, and one of them told me in whisper, 'Girl, don't ever come back here.
Location
Ukraine
Interview
lubov ratmanskaya