Selected text
There were more than 22,000 Jews in Vitebsk before the war. There was
a synagogue too. (editor's note: dozens of synagogues were closed after the
1917 revolution). Of course many Jewish people who were communists feared
to go there. But Grandfather was a simple house- painter and he regularly
visited it. He went there more often then Grandmother. He sang in the
synagogue choir and helped with maintenance work - he would paint,
whitewash and climb if necessary - he was not afraid of heights.
I remember there was a municipal theater in Vitebsk. We used to see
plays there, but they never presented anything Jewish. Public transport
consisted of streetcars only. When I came to Vitebsk for a short time after
the war, I couldn't even recognize it. The city was not only restored, but
rebuilt anew and per new designs - now you could see multi-storied
apartment blocks, administrative buildings, Houses of Culture. Vitebsk
became a big city, and its transportation system was well developed.
a synagogue too. (editor's note: dozens of synagogues were closed after the
1917 revolution). Of course many Jewish people who were communists feared
to go there. But Grandfather was a simple house- painter and he regularly
visited it. He went there more often then Grandmother. He sang in the
synagogue choir and helped with maintenance work - he would paint,
whitewash and climb if necessary - he was not afraid of heights.
I remember there was a municipal theater in Vitebsk. We used to see
plays there, but they never presented anything Jewish. Public transport
consisted of streetcars only. When I came to Vitebsk for a short time after
the war, I couldn't even recognize it. The city was not only restored, but
rebuilt anew and per new designs - now you could see multi-storied
apartment blocks, administrative buildings, Houses of Culture. Vitebsk
became a big city, and its transportation system was well developed.
Period
Location
Vitebsk
Belarus
Interview
emma nikonova