Yefim Volodarskiy and his colleagues

This photo was taken in a kolkhoz near Kiev in 1975. Regretfully, I don't remember its name. I am the second from the left and the Board of the kolkhoz is around me. Each bigger plant or enterprise, such as my motor cycle plant, had to patronize a kolkhoz. I was responsible for this activity at my plant. We helped them with equipment repairs and sent our employees to help them with harvesting. When representatives of the plant arrived, the kolkhoz members arranged a 'red carpet' reception and parties.

In 1950 I went to work as shop superintendent at the motorcycle plant. I was promoted to chief mechanic and then became assistant chief engineer of the plant. In the 1950s the Party central Committee issued an order to send engineers to kolkhozes to enhance their operations. I was sent to work as chief engineer at the Uman equipment yard in 250 km south of Kiev. I went there alone. I need to say that I had a nice welcome reception in Uman. They gave me a big apartment in Uman. Was alone. My wife was in no hurry. So, I organized a club of preference players [card game], we gathered in the evenings and played until morning. Of course, we drank. When Anes visited me she was horrified. There were so many vodka and beer bottles that if taken back to the store where they gave money in return, one could live a month on this cash! I tried to convince my wife to join me there. My wife went to the educational department to ask them about a vacancy of French teacher, but they didn't have French at schools. They had English classes. So she stayed at home. When my three years were over my management didn't want to let me go. I never regretted going to Uman. I enjoyed working there. There were many engineers in Kiev, but in provinces they valued engineering professions. Secretary of the district party committee gave his word to let me go three years later. He kept his word. I returned to the motor cycle plant in Kiev where I worked till retirement.