WW-II Evacuees

Generic search with a string < Repki Ukrainę > will return multiple hits, including murder victims (in English and Russian), family members evacuation records (in English and Russian text), etc.  In total more than 400 records are available to date. 

Generic string < Украина, Репки  >  will also return multiple hits, essentially a subset of the one above ( > 110 searchable records). 

Search with a surname and given name will also produce English translation and indexing. 

Each evacuation card is representing a fascinating survival story in its own right

• • The women had to endure travels for thousands of miles without even basic comforts. Often with little children in hand. Some were pregnant. Upon arrival, they had to figure out a 'better way' to feed their families. Their village living experience, and skills they had learned from their elder ladies came in handy. In the end, although they might have survived the ordeal, their elderly parents and many vulnerable toddlers had perished during the evacuation period. During this time the ruling local communist cadre had all the necessary food and clothing. It was a well known fact.   

  • Those that came back to larger townships and cities, experienced an additional insult to their injury. Most of the better homes were taken by the communist cadre. The former owners were thrown out on the streets. They had eventually found little rooms in communal dorms. They would have to stay in those rooms until the mid 1960's. Only then, did the Soviet government begun its massive construction of new apartments.  

The evacuation cards allow us to zoom-in on {de-}evolution of opportunities offered to the Jewish citizens of USSR during the 1930-1980 period

• • Jews were 'tolerated' during the initial phases of industrialization and throughout WW-II. Bolshevik government initially attracted all educated people. Many Jews were able to climb the political and corporate ladder to higher positions. As education improved, communists began to restrict Jewish presence. By the end of WW-II, communist antisemitic sentiment re-emerged in full-force. A full scale discrimination campaign against the Jews in high positions  began with Stalin, but it continued under 'new and improved humanistic' regime of Khruschev and even under 'modernist' Brezhnev. Somewhat naive dream of equality, the Jewish people had in 1945, has evaporated very quickly. Jews again became a "persona non grata" in just about any aspect of economical development. There was one exception - those that helped maintain 'humanistic' image of USSR were allowed to function. That includes notable radio and TV personalities, artists, writers, musicians, ballet dancers, scientists, champion chess players, etc. The rest have to settle with Jewish % quotas just like in the Tsarist Empire. In a way, Jews came full circle and returned to a 'Virtuale Pale.'