This is me, Moisey Marianovskiy. This photo was taken in Moscow in 1997, in the Association of Jews and invalids of the Great Patriotic War at the presentation of the 1st volume of the 'Book of memory of the Jews, who perished during the Great Patriotic War'.
In 1946 I entered Moscow State University named after Lomonosov, the Faculty of History. I was a lecturer at the department 'History of the CPSU'. I worked there for 35 years. I still keep in touch with the college and my former students. They visit me at home. There was only one reason why I enjoyed my work. I invited my comrades, who marched the paths of the war. My students wrote reports about the war. I emphasized the war events in the history of the CPSU. I stepped aside from this policy and though my subject was History of the CPSU, I did not care. I knew but too well what kind of history this was. I resigned in 1991..
I met my wife Valentina Kisliakova at the Likhachev plant before the war. She also worked there. She waited for me through the war. We waited for one another. Valentina was born in Moscow in 1924. She was a good person. We got married in 1946. Our first daughter Yelena was born in 1947. My wife worked as an accountant at the plant. In 1956 our second daughter Olga was born. We were a loving family. The happy life of our family came to an end, when our beautiful daughter Lenochka died in 1962. She was just 25 years old. She had brain tumor. Our daughter’s death was a hard blow for my wife. She developed cancer and died prematurely in 1976. Olia finished the Law College. She works as a lawyer. She takes care of me and helps me with my pub. She has a son. He is my grandson. His name is Ivan Barashev. Vania studies in the College of foreign languages. Olia’s husband Alexandr Barashev is Russian. He is director of a small polygraphist enterprise. Everything would be well if it were not for my ailments. We are a close and loving family. I have everything I need. I receive a bigger pension being a veteran and invalid of the war, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Of course, I identify myself as Jew. My parents were Jewish and I was born into a Jewish family. I’ve never kept the fact of my Jewishness a secret. We did not celebrate these holidays, but this was the life we lived, all in this country were raised atheists. There were other things concerning us besides religion.
I happen to take an active part in the Jewish life in Russia. I have been at the head of Council of the Jewish War Veterans and invalids for 12 years. I've actually been at its head since the date it was established. There were rumors that Jews had never been at the front during the Great Patriotic War staying in the rear spread in Russia. This was a widely spread and abusive rumor. I've always believed it was my duty to oppose those slanderers. It was not by hearsay that I knew about the war. Our Council was established to put an end to these rumors. After I retired I got involved in this life. I spoke out and suggested creating a Book of memory to list the names of all Jews who perished at the front during the Great Patriotic War. This was my initiative. I do believe this to be very significant and great thing to do. It's very difficult to publish these books. Hard to find money to publish them. Besides, thousands and thousands of Jews have left the country. Some are in Australia, the others are in Canada or Israel. It's hard to organize this. Now we're finishing the 8th volume. The memory of each person who gave his or her life, the most valuable thing that they had, must be cherished in the hearts of citizens of the country they protected.
