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The origin of my mother’s maiden name is very interesting. Her maiden name was Bezprozvannaya.
I’m not sure who exactly – my mother’s grandfather or great-grandfather – was an orphan. This orphan boy ran around begging for money. He was found and sent to the soldiers at the age of 13 or 14. When he was asked about his last name, he always said he was Gendelevich. But the soldiers wanted to baptize him. And every time they would force him to be baptized he would pretend to get crazy. He would bite, kick and yell at the top of his lungs, “I am Gendelevich, I am Gendelevich!” But in his documents it was written that he was “bez prozvanya” – “without last name”, that’s where his last name “Bezprozvanny” came from. So, his children became Bezprozvannies as well – grandfather, mother and father, their sisters and brothers.
I’m not sure who exactly – my mother’s grandfather or great-grandfather – was an orphan. This orphan boy ran around begging for money. He was found and sent to the soldiers at the age of 13 or 14. When he was asked about his last name, he always said he was Gendelevich. But the soldiers wanted to baptize him. And every time they would force him to be baptized he would pretend to get crazy. He would bite, kick and yell at the top of his lungs, “I am Gendelevich, I am Gendelevich!” But in his documents it was written that he was “bez prozvanya” – “without last name”, that’s where his last name “Bezprozvanny” came from. So, his children became Bezprozvannies as well – grandfather, mother and father, their sisters and brothers.
Period
Location
Ukraine
Interview
Maria Yakovlevna Komarovskaya
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