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The campaign against cosmopolitans 29 in 1948 had no impact on me. I was young and hardly cared about anything, but my personal life.
In 1951 my husband was recruited to the army. I was already pregnant. Our first son Igor was born in 1952, when my husband was away from home. My husband and I did not observe Jewish traditions and our sons were not circumcised. Aron didn’t want me to go to work. He believed that a married woman had to take care of the household and the husband had to provide for the family. I had to quit my job, when my son Igor was born. At that time the maternity leave was one month before and one month after the birth. There was no children’s food sold and I had to breastfeed the baby. I had to walk 5 km to work and could not come home to feed the baby. I had to choose between my son and my job and I made my choice. My mother-in-law was not too well, and it was hard for her to have a baby in the house, particularly, when the baby was crying and she could not sleep at night. I had to stay with my mother, when my husband was in the army. My mother-in-law often visited us. My husband served in the army for four years and came to visit us on his two-week leave once a year.
In January 1953 newspapers began to publish article about poisoning doctors [doctor’s plot] 30, who wanted to poison Stalin, and by the way, they all had Jewish surnames. This caused a flow of anti-Semitism. It was hard to believe these articles and I didn’t want to believe what they published. However, I didn’t get much involved in this: I stayed at home taking care of my son and hardly communicated with other people. I remember how the radio announced that Stalin died on 5 March 1953. I had a feeling that this was the end of the world, as if heaven collapsed onto the Earth. There was a medical school across the street from our home where they had Stalin’s portrait in the black frame on the front wall. I stood by the window looking at the portrait sobbing like a child. My mother and relatives grieved after Stalin. When Khrushchev 31 spoke on the 20th Party Congress 32 about Stalin’s ‘crimes’, I didn’t quite believe him. I have always been Stalin’s admirer. Our family did not suffer from any persecution, we had a good life, and we studied and worked during his rule. My cousin Riva was awarded a medal for her work and the title of an Honored Teacher of the USSR. I’ve always respected Stalin as a political leader. This is my point of view and it is my right.
In 1951 my husband was recruited to the army. I was already pregnant. Our first son Igor was born in 1952, when my husband was away from home. My husband and I did not observe Jewish traditions and our sons were not circumcised. Aron didn’t want me to go to work. He believed that a married woman had to take care of the household and the husband had to provide for the family. I had to quit my job, when my son Igor was born. At that time the maternity leave was one month before and one month after the birth. There was no children’s food sold and I had to breastfeed the baby. I had to walk 5 km to work and could not come home to feed the baby. I had to choose between my son and my job and I made my choice. My mother-in-law was not too well, and it was hard for her to have a baby in the house, particularly, when the baby was crying and she could not sleep at night. I had to stay with my mother, when my husband was in the army. My mother-in-law often visited us. My husband served in the army for four years and came to visit us on his two-week leave once a year.
In January 1953 newspapers began to publish article about poisoning doctors [doctor’s plot] 30, who wanted to poison Stalin, and by the way, they all had Jewish surnames. This caused a flow of anti-Semitism. It was hard to believe these articles and I didn’t want to believe what they published. However, I didn’t get much involved in this: I stayed at home taking care of my son and hardly communicated with other people. I remember how the radio announced that Stalin died on 5 March 1953. I had a feeling that this was the end of the world, as if heaven collapsed onto the Earth. There was a medical school across the street from our home where they had Stalin’s portrait in the black frame on the front wall. I stood by the window looking at the portrait sobbing like a child. My mother and relatives grieved after Stalin. When Khrushchev 31 spoke on the 20th Party Congress 32 about Stalin’s ‘crimes’, I didn’t quite believe him. I have always been Stalin’s admirer. Our family did not suffer from any persecution, we had a good life, and we studied and worked during his rule. My cousin Riva was awarded a medal for her work and the title of an Honored Teacher of the USSR. I’ve always respected Stalin as a political leader. This is my point of view and it is my right.
Location
Ukraine
Interview
Riva Pizman Biography
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