This is me, the student at engineering academy. The snapshot was made in Moscow in 1949. Red Star Order is on my chest and artillery school insignia is under it. To the right are the medals: 'For Defense of Moscow', 'For the Victory over Germany, 'For Liberation of Budapest'. I was a captain.
In 1942, after finishing the Tomsk artillery school I was sent to the front. I was heavily wounded in the thorax with the fragment of blasted shell during the liberation of Bratislava in 1945. I met the victory day in the hospital.
When the war was over I went to my squad from the hospital. We happened to be in Hungary. In early 1946 we were transferred to the Northern Caucasus, to the town of Georgiyevsk, Stavropol oblast. I got married during my service in the Northern Caucasus. At that time many of my fellows, young lieutenants, married off. My wife Larissa Goncharova, was born in the Northern Caucasus in the town of Georgiyevsk in 1925. Larissa is Russian.
When I was in the Northern Caucasus, I decided to obtain higher education. I entered the Artillery Academy. I passed all entrance exams with straight excellent marks. Baiting of Jews commenced in 1948 with the outbreak of the miserable cosmopolitans processes. I
n 1950, upon graduation of the 3rd course, I and some more of the Jews were expelled from the academy in spite of the fact that all of us had straight excellent marks, and sent to the remote military commands. I was sent to a small squadron in Siberia. I was the commander of the squadron in the corps regiment.
In 1953, after Stalin death I was called to the academy to finish my studies. Upon graduation there was a mandatory job assignment. Nationality was also considered and Jews were not assigned to good position. They wanted me to teach at high artillery school, but I was sent to scientific and research training area. Though, I do not regret that I happened to be there as the work was very challenging for me. I defended a thesis there and became a doctor of the technical science, acquired the status of the senior scientific employee - equal to the assistant professor in the educational institutions. I was a lieutenant colonel and later I became a colonel. We tested new arms on the training area. It was produced at Moscow military plants. Nudelman, a Jew, twice the Hero of the Soviet Union, a famous weapon designer, the head of design bureau of precision industry, came to test weapons. We met him. I was on frequent business trips in Moscow and took an active part in their elaborations. Nudelman suggested that I should be demobilized from the army and join his team in the design bureau. It was hard for me to get demobilized, as the general, commander of the training area, was against it. The medical board recognized me unfit for the military service in the civil times due to the consequences of my battle injuries. Thus, I had the grounds to get demobilized.
In the period of 1972-1990 I had worked in the design bureau of precision industry being involved in elaboration of new weaponry. We had an excellent team. There was an intelligentsia. There were 90% of Jews. It was a strategic military enterprise. Even in the full swing of anti-Semitism Nudelman was entitled to offer job to anybody he wished no matter what nationality they were. He picked gifted designers, Jews, who were fired from other organizations. There was such an excellent team, that Nudelman's design bureau provided several samples of the arms annually, meanwhile it took 5 years to elaborate one pattern at other enterprises.
I got married in 1946. My wife Larissa Goncharova was born in 1925. Larissa is Russian.
In 1947 our son Sergey was born. Larissa followed me no matter where we went, sharing adversities and inconveniences of the professional officer.
Of course, her life was not easy. I was constantly busy with studies and work and could not help her with anything. My wife was strong enough to stand fast without involving me in everyday problems.
