Okolovich Ksenia - the organizer of Emma Nikonova's family's rescue

In this photo you can see the doctor of tuberculosis branch of one of Vitebsk hospitals Ksenia Sergeevna Okolovich. Her work in the hospital gave her access to Municipal Administration and allowed her to supply necessary documents to Jews, hiding in city, partisans and captives Also at the very beginning of the occupation, when our family was not registered, based on mother's decision, grandfather tore out a cellar in the house, to which a bed covered the entrance. Over the bed was a carpet. In response to a slight knock at the door or a noise on the courtyard grandfather and grandmother hid in the cellar. We lived in this scare for 11 months. Mother did not look Jewish and she was able to find work in a hospital, where she met the doctor of the tuberculosis ward, Ksenia Sergeevna Okolovich. It was she that helped get Russian passports for mother, grandfather and grandmother. In addition to her, other people who had a connection with partisans helped in the processing of documents. Okolovich helped to save many Jews and Soviet prisoners of war. In 1941-1942 she made documents for approximately 100 people and in April 1942 took a large group of Soviet prisoners of war to the partisans. The destiny of Okolovich herself was also dramatic. After the war she, an honest patriot, was accused of some failure in the underground organization in Vitebsk. She was arrested and sentenced to 7 years in jail with serving of her term in Siberia. Later she was rehabilitated and received a one-room apartment in Leningrad. Esther Babitskaya frequently met her in Leningrad. She adored the kind and noble saver of the family.