Selected text
I remember 9th May 1945 when the radio announced the capitulation of Germany and the end of the war. People came into the streets. They hugged and kissed greeting each other. In the evening we went to the central square to watch fireworks. We felt happy: the war was over and so was this horror of life. We didn’t know whether we should leave Sverdlovsk. Nobody was waiting for us at home and we didn’t know whether our house was still there. There was uncertainty in Novosokolniki while here we had jobs and a place to live. We decided to stay in Sverdlovsk. Lev was out of my mind. I thought it was just an adventure. On 31st December 1945 I received a telegram from Lev. He notified me that he was arriving. He came when we were sitting down to have a New Year dinner. Lev said he had come for me. His parents received an apartment in Kiev. He told them that he was bringing home the girl he loved. We had a civil marriage in Sverdlovsk. We received food in our factory canteen for 3 days in advance: bread, soup and cereal and this made our wedding dinner. After the civil ceremony we ran home and had dinner with my sister and mother. Next day we left for Kiev. My husband’s parents were born in a village near Kiev. His father’s name was Froim Gendler and his mother’s name was Sarra. After they got married they moved to Kiev. Lev’s father went to work as a turner at the Bolshevik Plant [the biggest military plant in Kiev] and his mother was a housewife. Lev’s younger brother Usher was in Air Force troops in the front. He was a flight-engineer, was wounded and had awards. After the war he got married and went to live with his wife. Usher worked at the Bolshevik Plant. He died from cancer when he was young.
There were two rooms and a kitchen in Lev’s family’s apartment. My husband and I lived in one room. Lev’s parents were religious. They celebrated Sabbath and Jewish holidays. On holidays his mother and father went to synagogue. They had matzah at Pesach and fasted at Yom Kippur. My husband and I were not religious. Lev began to work as an engineer in the Ministry of Furniture Industry. My father-in-law helped me to get a job as human resource inspector at the Bolshevik Plant. I joined Komsomol [15] at the plant. I obtained my Komsomol membership card at the Komsomol Committee of the plant. I believed it was an important step in my life.
We earned little money. Life was hard in Kiev after the war. There were no goods in stores and markets were expensive. My husband received 600 rubles and a loaf of bread cost 300 in the market. On 7th December 1946 our first baby was born. We named him Arkadi, after my father: my father’s Jewish name was Arl-Itzhok and my son’s Jewish name was Arl. We could hardly make ends with our salaries. Subcarpathia [16] became a Soviet territory. Before 1945 it belonged to Hungary. They had a need of forestry engineers and my husband was invited to work at Zakarpatles Forestry Office in Uzhhorod. They promised to give us an apartment. My husband was appointed to the position of chief engineer at the forestry of Chinadiyevo in 50 km from Uzhhorod. Chinadiyevo was a small town. Men worked at the forestry and women were housewives. We received a small house. My husband went to work and I stayed at home with our son. I planted vegetables near the house and bought a goat and chicken.
There were two rooms and a kitchen in Lev’s family’s apartment. My husband and I lived in one room. Lev’s parents were religious. They celebrated Sabbath and Jewish holidays. On holidays his mother and father went to synagogue. They had matzah at Pesach and fasted at Yom Kippur. My husband and I were not religious. Lev began to work as an engineer in the Ministry of Furniture Industry. My father-in-law helped me to get a job as human resource inspector at the Bolshevik Plant. I joined Komsomol [15] at the plant. I obtained my Komsomol membership card at the Komsomol Committee of the plant. I believed it was an important step in my life.
We earned little money. Life was hard in Kiev after the war. There were no goods in stores and markets were expensive. My husband received 600 rubles and a loaf of bread cost 300 in the market. On 7th December 1946 our first baby was born. We named him Arkadi, after my father: my father’s Jewish name was Arl-Itzhok and my son’s Jewish name was Arl. We could hardly make ends with our salaries. Subcarpathia [16] became a Soviet territory. Before 1945 it belonged to Hungary. They had a need of forestry engineers and my husband was invited to work at Zakarpatles Forestry Office in Uzhhorod. They promised to give us an apartment. My husband was appointed to the position of chief engineer at the forestry of Chinadiyevo in 50 km from Uzhhorod. Chinadiyevo was a small town. Men worked at the forestry and women were housewives. We received a small house. My husband went to work and I stayed at home with our son. I planted vegetables near the house and bought a goat and chicken.
Period
Location
Ukraine
Interview
Evgenia Gendler