I was appointed the secretary in the municipal ispolkom [9]. I was given a separate one room apartment. I was happy for it as it was harder and harder for me to get along with my parents. The apartment was in a posh building in the heart of Siauliai. It was built by one of the managers of Frenkel Mordel. With nationalization the apartments in that houses were given to the soviet and party activists. It was a five-storied building with elevators, fridges, cold and hot running water and conditioning system. I got a great apartment in that building.
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Displaying 44221 - 44250 of 50826 results
Yakov Furmanas
After nationalizations arrests and exiles came. It usually referred to people unwanted by the soviet regime – the rich, right activists, religious activists, Zionists. There were the so-called troikas, made of the representatives of the ispolkom, military and internal affaires. They acted in every part of the city and they dealt with the confiscation and deportation [10]. There were trains which took the whole families to Siberia. It was an unpleasant episode in my biography, but I was sincere about it. I found it important and did not do anything wrong in that. Though, the conditions in the train were terrible and many people died on their way. Fortunately, my relatives were not affected by it maybe for the reason of the lack of time.
Soviet regime in Lithuania was effective for almost one year and on 22 June 1941 fascists attack Lithuania, which was one of the first to take the hit. Siauliai was bombed on the first day. The first bomb was released in the vicinity of Murek’s plant. Early in the morning on 22 June, I and the rest of the employees of the ispolkom was called to work. We exterminated the documents for them not to be taken by the enemy, prepared most valuable things for evacuation.
There was a panic in town- many people were leaving Siauliai. My father called me and asked to organize some transport to evacuate the family. I was very tough saying that there would be no car and there was no reason for panicking. I did not want the town to speak that the Furmans are fugitives. Father did not call me again. On Tuesday father got some cart, put mother and siblings on it and they left Siauliai. I had no idea what happened to them until the end of war. As far as I know, uncle Meyer did not leave with my parents. He was going to depart the day after, but on Wednesday, on 25 June Germans were in Siauliai.
I do not remember in what Russian city we got on a train with the fugitives. We had traveled a long time, about three weeks. On our way we started exchanging our things for food. At the stations we got the boiled water, soup and porridge. In general evacuation was not erratic, it was rather well organized. We were bombed on our way, and some people died. We also had to make long stops letting go military trains first. In about three weeks we were taken to Cheboksary, the capital of the Chufas republic [about 700 km from Moscow], wherefrom we, the evacuees from Lithuanian (10 people), were taken to the regional center Ibresi, located kilometers in 80 from Cheboksary.
Here on the day of my arrival I went to the regional healthcare department. at that time there were very few people with higher medical education and they were very happy to see me. I was assigned the chief doctor of the hospital. Some of my friends from Lithuania also were hired by the hospital. Later we headed for the rear together. We were given lodging by the hospital. They brought us food from the canteen. We had a very hard living there. We were malnourished, which was common for that time.
The local population was nice to us, I was the only Jew there and nobody treated me differently.
I had lived in Ibresi until the beginning of 1942. In December 1941 Stalin issued the order on the forming of the 16th Lithuanian division [11]. Lithuanians were drafted in the army from all ends of the country – from Siberia, Far East, Usbekistan. My friends and I got the notice. In early January we were sent in Balakhna, Gorky oblast, where our division was being formed. I was assigned commander of the military platoon at once. We belonged to the sanitary unit. All top Lithuanian people came to us as the governmental representative office of Lithuania was in Moscow, and then in Kazan. Snezhkus and other said ardent words and then called upon resisting the fascists and taking revenge on our humiliated motherland. We lived in the barracks, dugs-out. We were well nourished. We stayed in the training division for a about a year.
In February 1943 Lithuanian division was taken to the hardest part – the vicinity of Kursk [Kursk battle] [12]. There were a lot of casualties. Many people were severely wounded. We practically had no time to sleep. My young ladies, the aides who took the militaries from the battle field, often were in the leading edge. I had to make operations in the field conditions. The most important was to stop the hemorrhage, accompanying severe wounds. At times we had to cleanse up to 100 wounded. It was very hard at first as I was not used to that. It turned out that the combatant spirit considerably exceeded the level training and equipment. That is why so many people died. In a while I got used to inhuman loading both emotional and physical. I covered the territory of Byelorussian and Baltic fronts with my division. I went through entire Byelorussia and in summer 1944 I came in my Lithuania. I was lucky, I was slighted wounded for times.
. On the 13th of July I liberated Lithuanian capital. I was happy and frustrated at a time. I saw many survived prisoners of Vilnius ghetto [13] and understood that my kin was most likely dead.
After Vilnius my division liberated very many towns and cities of Lithuanian and approached my native town- Siauliai. Battles were very severe. There was a lot of bloodshed. Fascists fought desperately understanding that it was their last bulwark in Lithuania. Then our division came in Klaipeda and was renamed into Klaipeda Red Banner division. When our division was approaching Siauliai, I and one of my compatriots asked the commander to send us in reconnaissance. We wanted to be the first to enter our town.
In 1945 I came back in Siauliai straight after demobilization. I came to the lady, whom I liked so much and settled in her place. Appeared, that she also very much waited for me and very much worried about me, it was a love at first sight. I have lodged in her house. In a while we got registered our marriage.
There was a ghetto in Siauliai where Jews were living in the inhuman conditions.
I went to the ministry of healthcare and was given a good offer right away. I was employed at the sanitation department of the Siauliai ispolkom. My wife worked as the cashier at station. In a while I lived in Regina’s place with her parents, who were very happy for our marriage and treated me very well. Soon I was given a very good apartment and my wife and I moved there.
I found out about my family by hearsay. Some people said that father was executed and my mother with siblings were in ghetto. I did not know what happened to them after that. Once I came in one Lithuanian house on business and my heart jumped- I saw the candlestick with the engraving АR- Anna Ragalina. They belonged to us, mother used to light Sabbath candles on it. I understood that our house was plundered and nobody would tell me the truth.
I get a good pension as I took part in war. In general, my wife and I have a pretty good living and even have a chance to help our granddaughters.
I am happy that Lithuania as well as other countries exited USSR and gained independence [21]. Though, communistic idea is close to me. It was sad for me to give up my party membership card.
I did not observe traditions in postwar years. I held a high post. I was the member of the party, so it was impossible for me. I joined Jewish religious community in Klaipeda. There has been an active Jewish community in Siauliai for quite a while. I also joined it. I attend all events. At times I go there for Sabbath celebrations. On Pesach and Rosh Hashanah my wife and I go there for sure. I have matzha at home. My wife supports me in everything. She goes to the community with me sometimes though she says that some Jewish ladies look askance at her and she feels it. At home we mark Jewish Pesach and Catholic Easter. My wife and I have a friendly attitude to each other. I get along with my Lithuanian neighbors. In general, Lithuanians treat Jews very well. I have lived a long life and have no regrets.
When I had just married, when Regina and I were living with her parents, the door of our small house opened, and my mother and sister walked in. Both of them were dressed in camp uniform. It is hard to describe that meeting.
It turned out that mother and sister were liberated from fascist camp Osventsim by the soviet troops in spring, but they stayed on the German territory for a while. They came back as soon as the could. They found out about my address from people. Mother told about their adversity. When the war began and I refused helping father, on the 24th of June 1941 they reached Lithuanian border and their cart was stopped by fascist paratroopers. All detained Jews were returned in Siauliai. During the first occupation days the fascists made the action here. They shot Jewish men, representatives of intelligentsia, famous people. Mother said that father was among the elected in the first row. Brother Dovid managed to get rescued. He was of lower height and he hid after the first row. Dad blocked Dodik wih his body. Dovid was imprisoned in Siauliai. He was in the jail for young Jews. He could hardly leave the place. The mother and sister had to go through all adversities of ghetto and were sent in Osventsim after occupation. Only God knows, how the three of them could survive. Dovid met a German Jew Ester in the camp. After liberation they got married and left for Palestine, where they got settled in a kibbutz. Mother and sister came back in Lithuania.
I had a good job and got the ration. We lived comfortably.
My wife and I stayed in Siauliai. I always had high positions. I started at the sanitation department of the town. There was a lot of work right after war. There was an epidemic of typhus fever, TB, lice and all kinds of infections. Later I was in charge of the sanitation department, chairman of the Red cross, in general I tackled administrative issues. Besides, I worked part time as a dentist. I was a good doctor and had my clientele. We lived comfortably, especially taking into account the fact that mother and sister helped us- they sent money and parcels from France.
The fight with the Jewish cosmopolites [18], evolved in USSR, in late 1940s-early 1950, was almost unnoticeable in Lithuania. Looks like Stalin understood that Baltic counties, Lithuania in particular lived by its own laws.
There were publications in press about rootless cosmopolites and doctors prisoners [19]. I understood that it was a provocation. There were only press releases on that in Siauliai and that was it.
Neither I nor other medicals were hurt because of Stalin’s death in 1953.
My wife finished college and started working as an accountant.
I got along with my son, but he was closer to mom as he identifies himself as a Lithuanian, and of course he is a Lithuanian in his heart and in his mind.
Wife and I often went to Moscow. At times we took son with us. I kept in touch with my cousin Eduard and uncle Ilia (father’s brother). they often came to us from Moscow. We went to Palanga together. Wife and I went to the all-soviet resorts in Crimea and Caucasus. I went to Paris twice, to see my sister and mom. Strange as it may be, I did not have any problem leaving the country.
My brother Dovid from Israel came in Parish both times when I was staying there. Dovid had a good living after war. He was rewarded for the ordeal. He took an active part in the foundation of the state of Israel. He was in charge of a large kibutz. He is currently living there with his wife.
Eta Gurvichuyte
My life was not easy. I raised my son alone. It was hard from material standpoint. I am not needy now. I get pension. Besides, in accordance with the law on restitution I received remuneration for our house in Kaunas. I shared money with my siblings and helped out my grandchildren. I knew love in my life. I kept friends with both men of my life in spite of the fact that we parted. Haim left for Israel and died couple of years ago. Augustinas is currently living in Vilnius. He is a very sick man and I am helping him. I have always had many friends, who made my life better. We feel ourselves free in independent Lithuania [Reestablishment of the Lithuanian Republic] [25] , which is positive for everybody. I hope, Lithuanian being a part of Europe will enjoy European standards and rules regarding Jews and other nations.