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Basia and Her Son Evacuate from Kharkov to the Ural Mountains

Jacob Yaroker-Stolin — Mon, 27 May 2013 04:25:45 +0000

Nahum Yaroker, my father, was drafted into the Red Army a few days after Germany invaded the Soviet Union on Sunday June 22, 1941. Basia, my mother and a medical doctor, was summoned to the draft office the same day. She was dismissed as soon as the officials learned she was nine months pregnant.

I was born in the city of Kharkov, Ukraine, two weeks later and saw my father for the first time when I was five.

What happened after my birth I first learned from my uncle Yakov Lipovsky, who also lived in Kharkov at the time. The story of our evacuation from Kharkov to the Ural Mountains was well known in our family, and both uncle Yakov and my mother added some more details when I asked them later.

Nahum Yaroker – 5 May 1943

My father, Nahum, had served in the Red Army before and had a military rank of Lieutenant (the second officer rank in the Soviet Army). He was in the army through the entire war, was wounded, and finished the war in the rank of Major (the 5-th officer rank). My mother, Basia, was a medical doctor, and as such, she also had a military rank as an Army reservist – it was a mandatory part of her training in the medical school.

The day I was born, German air forces were already bombing the city on a regular basis. After my birth my mother and I stayed in the maternity hospital for several days. Mother told me that during the air raids the newborn babies and their mothers were rushed to the shed next to the hospital. The infants were often separated from their mothers. Sometimes the labels on babies’ hands were missing, and mothers had hard time recognizing their newborns. There was a good chance that some children were switched.

After we left the hospital, the city was already heavily bombed, and the evacuation was well under way. My mother was assigned a high priority for evacuation. It was not because she was Jewish, but for the reason that she was the wife of a serving military officer and had a newborn baby. The highest priority for evacuation was assigned to Communist and Government bureaucrats with their families, followed by military institutions, military personnel and their families. It is hard to believe, but very few Soviet citizens knew in 1941 about Nazi’s atrocities toward Jews. After Stalin and Hitler signed a treaty in 1939, the government controlled Soviet media did not say anything negative about Nazis. Most of Jews did not know that they were doomed to be murdered if they did not leave the occupied territory.

Soviet Cattle Car

We were directed to the train that was to leave to the East. Uncle Yakov helped us to pack the most necessary belongings, and my mother and I (a few days old) went to the railroad station. We and several other families were packed into so called “teplushka” — a cattle car.

It was the middle of a hot summer, and the car had only two small windows on the top. There was no running water, no place to swaddle a baby, there was barely enough space for all people to sit on top of their suitcases. Because of damaged railroads and general disarray of the first days of the war, the train was moving very slowly, with frequent stops. After more than a full day of this ride, we were still in the vicinity of Kharkov, less than 20 miles from our home.

When mother finally had a chance to take me out at the rail station, she realized that I could not survive such a ride much longer. The major problem was that she could not swaddle me. She told me, that as a doctor she recognized signs of severe poisoning. On the top of this, she started to lose milk, probably because of lack of drinking water.

I do not know what other woman would do in such a situation, but my mother did not have second thoughts. She washed me at the rail station and simply walked back home. She only took her documents and whatever money she had, and walked.

I mapped the exact distance from the rail station of Merefa (where we got off the train) to our home in Kharkov: it was 26 kilometers (16 miles). There was no transportation there, especially into the city; everybody tried to leave the city. So my mother walked all 16 miles holding me in her hands. She left all her belonging in that car. It may look now as not a big loss – just some clothes, dishes, etc., but at that time it was a treasure. The country was poor, and the war made it much worse. I heard and read of many occasions when people were happy to give their jewelry, antiques, rare old books for some food, or for a pair of warm shoes, or a coat. But at that time my mother did not care about the clothes or other things left in the car, she only cared about her baby. (All family photos, letters and other papers were lost there too. A very few old photos I have were given to us by our relatives.)

It took my mother many hours to get back to the city. Fortunately, her older brother Yakov was still there. Two of her brothers lived in Kharkov before the war. When she returned to the city, the younger one was already in the army ( he was killed at the war the same year). Yakov was not drafted for medical reasons — he had a severe problem with his feet. My grandparents on both sides had many children, and most of my uncles fought in the war. Only uncle Yakov and my father’s brother Yefim could not serve in the army. (Three of my uncles were killed in the war.)

Uncle Yakov had a wife and two small boys. He worked at the military plant, that was about to be evacuated. Somehow, in the midst of the the turmoil he managed to add my mother and me to the evacuation list as a part of his family. In several days we were in the train again. The conditions should have been not as bad as during our first evacuation attempt, so we made it. It took us many days to get to the destination, to the industrial city Nizhniy Tagil in the Middle Ural Mountains. The military factory where uncle Yakov worked was moved there and soon it started manufacturing tanks for the army.

We stayed in Nizhiy Tagil for 4 years, until the end of the war. All 6 of us lived in one room – uncle Yakov, his wife Sonya, their two boys, my mother and I. Uncle Yakov worked at his military plant from the early morning to late night. Soon after our arrival my mother started to work at a local hospital, while aunt Sonya took care of all three kids. My mother was paid a very small salary (as everybody else), but she was eligible for the food stamps, which was much more important. There was a severe shortage of food, and the only sources of food were the stamps and the black market. Mother told me that she once tried to buy some food at the black market. She paid all the money she had for the stamps for bread, only to discover later that the stamps were fake.

But we survived that difficult time. Unlike those Jews who could not leave Kharkov and were massacred there.

Addendum

A few people informed me that Germany is paying compensation to evacuation survivors and they recommend that I should apply. But I am very reluctant to do it. I even asked my rabbi, whom I highly respect, about the moral aspect of taking this money. He gave me a few good reasons for doing it, and advised me to take the money; if I don’t want to keep it I can give it to my children or donate to a charity. Of course, a couple of thousand dollars would be very handy, as we live on fixed income after our retirement. However, I don’t feel I can take their bloody money. If you have read this story you could understand my feelings.

Yaroker Recipients of World War II Medals

Jon Jaroker — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:00:41 +0000

This is a list of World War II Orders and Medals awarded by the U.S.S.R. to Yaroker soldiers.

There were two types of decorations in the Soviet Union – which were called “Орден” and “Медаль” (“Order” and “Medal”). Officially, “Order” was considered higher than “Medal”, but during the war a medal often was awarded for more heroic personal deeds.

Most of the “Orders” were intended specifically for the high ranking commanders (and some of these commanders were just worthless bureaucrats). Some Orders were intended for non-military service. As a result, veterans regard military “medals” more proudly than “orders”.

“Orders” required a special case-by-case applications to be approved at the highest level, making these medals hard to obtain for Jews. There are well documented cases when Stalin personally struck out Jews nominated for the highest military award “Hero of the USSR”, for example.

The complete list of Soviet awards with their rank is here. Almost half of these are awarded for non-military achievements or are memorial awards.

Ярокер Шнеер Яковлевич

Zalman-Schneyer Yaroker

Медаль За отвагу

год рождения __.__.1899

ст. лейтенант медслужбы

в РККА с __.07.1938 года

место призыва: Днепропетровский РВК, Украинская ССР, Днепропетровская обл., Днепропетровский р-н

номер записи в базе данных: 18691818

Архив ЦАМО

фонд 33

опись 686044

единица хранения 1104

http://www.podvignaroda.ru/?n=18691818

номер документа: 121/н

дата: 02.11.1943

автор: ВС 40 А 1 Украинского фронта

спицок наград: Орден Красного Знамени; Орден Отечественной войны I степени; Орден Отечественной войны II степени; Орден Красной Звезды; Медаль «За отвагу»; Медаль «За боевые заслуги»

иcточник информатии: ЦАМО фонд 33 опись 686044 единица хранения 1104

номер записи в базе данных: 18691768

Ярокер Наум Яковлевич

Nahum Yaroker

орден отечественной войны I степени

медаль за боевые заслуги

год рождения __.__.1909

капитан

в РККА с __.__.1941 года

место призыва: Краснозаводский РВК, Украинская ССР, г. Харьков, Краснозаводский р-н

год рождения __.__.1909

ст. лейтенант

в РККА с __.07.1942 года

место призыва: Харьковский РВК, Украинская ССР, Харьковская обл., Харьковский р-н

Note: There are two records for Naum; in the first his military rank was “Captain”, in the second “Sr. Lieutenant”. It is correct; the rank applies to the time when he earned the reward.

номер записи в базе данных: 29322829

номер записи в базе данных: 150227042

Архив ЦАМО

фонд 33

опись 686196

единица хранения 7150

http://www.podvignaroda.ru/?n=29322829

номер документа: 74/н

дата: 07.05.1945

автор: ВС 3 Уд.А

спицок наград: Орден Красного Знамени; Орден Отечественной войны I степени; Орден Отечественной войны II степени; Орден Красной Звезды

иcточник информатии: ЦАМО фонд 33 опись 686196 единица хранения 7150

номер записи в базе данных: 29322701

Архив ЦАМО

фонд 33

опись 682526

единица хранения 288

http://www.podvignaroda.ru/?n=150227042

номер документа: 348

дата: 10.03.1943

автор: ВС 11 Армии Северо-Западного фронта

спицок наград: Орден Красного Знамени; Орден Александра Невского; Орден Отечественной войны I степени; Орден Отечественной войны II степени; Орден Красной Звезды; Медаль «За отвагу»; Медаль «За боевые заслуги»

иcточник информатии: ЦАМО фонд 33 опись 682526 единица хранения 288

номер записи в базе данных: 150226967

Ярокер Исак Борисович

Isak Borisovich Yaroker

NOTE: Check if this is Isai Borisovich Yaroker.

In the battle at the crossing of the Bug River on March 22, 1944, he was the first with his platoon to land on the right riverside; he bravely attacked the enemy trenches, threw multiple grenades at the enemy, broke into the trenches, destroyed a machine gun and its staff, and personally killed 6 German soldiers, thus making possible for other units to cross the river.

орден красной звезды

год рождения __.__.1921

гв. мл. лейтенант

в РККА с __.__.1939 года

место призыва: Ленинский РВК, Украинская ССР, г. Киев, Ленинский р-н

номер записи в базе данных: 30169166

Архив ЦАМО

фонд 33

опись 690155

единица хранения 92

http://www.podvignaroda.ru/?n=30169166

номер документа: 17/н

дата: 09.04.1944

автор: 13 гв. сд

спицок наград: Орден Красной Звезды; Орден Славы III степени

иcточник информатии: ЦАМО фонд 33 опись 690155 единица хранения 92

номер записи в базе данных: 30169148

Ярокер Исак Моисеевич

Isaac Moicevich Yaroker

In the battle at the crossing of the Sozh River on November 12-15, 1943 near the village Staroye Selo, Gomel district, comrade Yaroker under enemy’s fire carried from the battlefield to safety 46 wounded combatants, along with their weapons.

Медаль За отвагу

орден красной звезды

год рождения __.__.1905

рядовой

в РККА с __.07.1941 года

год рождения __.__.1893

рядовой

в РККА с 13.07.1941 года

место призыва: Черкасский РВК, Украинская ССР, Киевская обл., Черкасский р-н

Note: The date-of-birth difference (1905 and 1893) between the two medal awards is believed to be a mistake and that these awards refer to the same individual. The correct date of birth is 1905.

номер записи в базе данных: 37336197

номер записи в базе данных: 21152755

Архив ЦАМО

фонд 33

опись 687572

единица хранения 619

http://www.podvignaroda.ru/?n=37336197

номер документа: 16/н

дата: 17.05.1945

автор: 1819 сап РГК

спицок наград: Медаль «За отвагу»; Медаль «За боевые заслуги»

иcточник информатии: ЦАМО фонд 33 опись 687572 единица хранения 619

номер записи в базе данных: 37336172

Архив ЦАМО

фонд 33

опись 686044

единица хранения 2313

http://www.podvignaroda.ru/?n=21152755

номер документа: 36/н

дата: 21.11.1943

автор: 217 сд

спицок наград: Орден Красной Звезды; Орден Славы III степени; Медаль «За отвагу»; Медаль «За боевые заслуги»

иcточник информатии: ЦАМО фонд 33 опись 686044 единица хранения 2313

номер записи в базе данных: 21152716

Ярокер Имис (Илис) Моисеевич

Imis (Ilis) Moses Yaroker

орден красной звезды

год рождения __.__.1904

ст. лейтенант

в РККА с __.__.1941 года

место призыва: Днепропетровский ГВК, Украинская ССР, Днепропетровская обл., г. Днепропетровск

номер записи в базе данных: 16042178

Архив ЦАМО

фонд 33

опись 682526

единица хранения 450

http://www.podvignaroda.ru/?n=16042178

номер документа: 15/н

дата: 23.04.1943

автор: 322 сд

спицок наград: Орден Красной Звезды; Медаль «За отвагу»; Медаль «За боевые заслуги»

иcточник информатии: ЦАМО фонд 33 опись 682526 единица хранения 450

номер записи в базе данных: 16042122

Yarokers Killed or Missing in World War II

Jon Jaroker — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:10:41 +0000

This is a list of individuals with the Yaroker surname that were killed in World War II. The source documents sometimes show names and addresses for fathers, mothers or wives.

Ярокер Зельман Мойсеевич

Yaroker Zelman Moiseevich

Details
Source

1899 – Jan 1944
Recruited 11/07/1941 at Peter RVC, Ukrainian SSR, Kiev, Petrovsky district.
Missing in action.
Wife Hana Haimov Yaroker
Home Address: Kiev Kralial Piomid No 7/1

Source: TsAMO Fond 58, Inventory 977520, Case 270

USSR Military Record

Фамилия Ярокер
Имя Зельман
Отчество Мойсеевич
Дата рождения/Возраст __.__.1899
Дата и место призыва 11.07.1941 Петровский РВК, Украинская ССР, г. Киев, Петровский р-н
Причина выбытия пропал без вести
Дата выбытия __.01.1944
Название источника информации ЦАМО
Номер фонда источника информации 58
Номер описи источника информации 977520
Номер дела источника информации 270

Ярокер Хаим Яковлевич

Haim Yakovlevich Yaroker

Details
Source

1905 – Oct 1941
Born Kanev
Missing in action
Wife: Faina A. Sokolskaya
Home: Kiev, Micigorskaya Street, House 21. Sent letter No 06067.

Source: TsAMO Fond 33, Inventory 563784, Case 43, TsAMO Fond 33, Inventory 594259, Case 59

OBD Memorial

Фамилия Ярокер
Имя Хаим
Отчество Яковлевич
Дата рождения/Возраст __.__.1905
Последнее место службы истр. отряд. г. Киева
Воинское звание ст. политрук
Причина выбытия пропал без вести
Дата выбытия __.10.1941
Название источника информации ЦАМО
Номер фонда источника информации 33
Номер описи источника информации 563784 | 594259
Номер дела источника информации 43 | 59

Ярокер Ишия Моисеевич

Ishi Moiseevich Yaroker

Details
Source

-1942
Artillery, Senior Lieutenant
Wife: R. N. Yaroker
Home: Boroshilovgrad, Linia Sz, D, D 7-a, Apartment 20, List No 039430.

Source: TsAMO, Fond 33, Inventory 11458, Case 846, TsAMO, Fond 33, Inventory 11458, Case 665

OBD Memorial Military Record

Фамилия Ярокер
Имя Ишия
Отчество Моисеевич
Последнее место службы 1089 СП 322 СД
Воинское звание ст. лейтенант
Причина выбытия пропал без вести
Дата выбытия __.__.1942
Название источника информации ЦАМО
Номер фонда источника информации 33
Номер описи источника информации 11458
Номер дела источника информации 846, 665

Ярокер Евсей Моисеевич

Yaroker Evsej Moiseevich

Details
Source

1904 – Jan 1942
Born Kanev
Recruited Krasnogvardiysky RVC
Missing in action.
Wife Revecha Abramonov
Home Address: Zap Kaz Obi Dpechbertexit

Source: TsAMO Fond 58, Inventory 18001, Case 1099

OBD Memorial

Фамилия Ярокер
Имя Евсей
Отчество Моисеевич
Дата рождения/Возраст __.__.1904
Место рождения Киевская обл., г. Канев
Дата и место призыва Красногвардейский РВК
Воинское звание красноармеец
Причина выбытия пропал без вести
Дата выбытия __.01.1942
Название источника информации ЦАМО
Номер фонда источника информации 58
Номер описи источника информации 18001
Номер дела источника информации 1099

Ярокер Лев Зельманович

Yaroker Leo Zelmanovich

Details
Source

1922 – 15 September 1942
Missing in action
Mother: Yaroker Hanya Haedmovna
Home: Town Cverdlovsk, P/o 26, P/ya 40

Source: TsAmo Fond 56, Inventory 12220, Case 77, TsAmo Fond 58, Inventory 818883, Case 1745, TsAmo, Fond 58, Inventory 818883, Case 1754 (note: Name is mislabeled as “A” instead of “L”.)

OBD Memorial

Фамилия Ярокер
Имя Лев
Отчество Зельманович
Дата рождения/Возраст __.__.1922
Последнее место службы 229 СД 783 СП
Воинское звание военфельдшер
Причина выбытия пропал без вести
Дата выбытия 15.09.1942
Название источника информации ЦАМО
Номер фонда источника информации 56
Номер описи источника информации 12220
Номер дела источника информации 77

Ярокер Константин Дмитриевич

Yaroker Constantine Dmitrivich

Details
Source

1911 – 19 Aug 1944
Killed
Recruited 12/05/1944, Eletskii RVC, Orel., Eletskii district

Source: TsAMO Fond 58, Inventory 18002, Case 802

OBD Memorial

Фамилия Ярокер
Имя Константин
Отчество Дмитриевич
Дата рождения/Возраст __.__.1911
Место рождения Орловская обл., г. Елец
Дата и место призыва 12.05.1944, Елецкий РВК, Орловская обл., Елецкий р-н
Последнее место службы штаб 217 сд
Воинское звание рядовой
Причина выбытия убит
Дата выбытия 19.08.1944
Название источника информации ЦАМО
Номер фонда источника информации 58
Номер описи источника информации 18002
Номер дела источника информации 802

Ярокер Исаи Борисович

Yaroker Isai Borisovich

Details
Source

1921 – 17 April 1944
Junior Lieutenant
Killed in action
Father: Yaroker Boris Moiceevich
Home: Kiev Mihailevskii Pereylok, No 24/27

Source: TsAMO, Fond 33, Inventory 11458, Case 329, TsAMO, Fond 33, Inventory 11458, Case 242

OBD Memorial

Фамилия Ярокер
Имя Исаи
Отчество Борисович
Дата рождения/Возраст __.__.1921
Дата и место призыва Ленинский РВК, Украинская ССР, г. Киев, Ленинский р-н
Последнее место службы 13 Гв. сд
Воинское звание мл. лейтенант
Причина выбытия убит
Дата выбытия 17.04.1944
Название источника информации ЦАМО
Номер фонда источника информации 33
Номер описи источника информации 11458
Номер дела источника информации 329, 242

Sources

Sources for this information come from: Russian Ministry of Defense (Yaroker Search)

Dubrows Visit Kiev and Hana Gets Arrested

Jon Jaroker — Sat, 11 May 2013 00:49:00 +0000

Returning to the U.S.S.R. after emigrating fifty years before, Harry Dubrow and his wife Lea land at Kiev’s Boryspil airport. They are looking forward to seeing their family such as Harry’s cousin Hana Yaroker. Harry has money for Hana that her sister Fannie Hofstein asked him to deliver.

Harry Dubrow was born Aron Dubrovsky in Imperial Russia. He and his wife Lea emigrated sometime before 1921 to Israel and then America. They have not seen their families since they left. Harry’s mother (name unknown) and Hana’s mother Hasia Kolik were daughters of the blacksmith Itzhok Yankiv Schwartz.

The year is around 1968 and the Dubrows are on a packaged tour organized by Inturist, the state-owned travel agency that oversees all foreign visitors. Viewed as spies by the Soviets, American visitors were not free to tour on their own. They stay with their group in an approved hotel and visit allowed sites.

Shuttled on a Soviet bus, the Dubrows arrive at their hotel. Harry Dubrow wishes to contact his cousin Hana Yaroker, but Hana’s apartment does not have a telephone and the Dubrows can’t just take a taxi. Harry decides to send a postcard to Hana and mails it from the hotel. Harry writes:

We arrived in Kiev and are staying at the Inturist hotel. Come meet us here. I have $80 to give to you from your sister Feige. We are looking forward to seeing you. Harry Dubrow, Inturist Hotel, Kiev

Visiting the Inturist hotel a few days later, Hana meets the Dubrows for breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant. The waiter comes and everyone places their breakfast order. Harry orders a hard boiled egg.

While reminiscing and discussing their lives in the two different countries, they are served breakfast. Preparing to break the shell with his spoon, Harry taps the egg but the spoon goes straight through. The egg is empty! Harry was served just the shell. The hotel’s wait staff is laughing. Leaving the table, Hana and the Dubrows go up to the hotel room to finish their breakfast.

In the hotel room, Harry says that he has money for Hana from her sister Fannie. It is $80. Voluta, hard currency, real money. There are voluta-only stores in Kiev where luxury goods like food can be purchased when the state-owned stores are empty. Eighty American dollars would mean a lot to the Yaroker family. Having foreign currency was a big deal in the U.S.S.R.

Hana refuses to take the money. The Dubrows insist, but Hana still refuses. Making plans to meet again, Hana and the Dubrows say goodbye and Hana leaves the hotel.

Waiting outside the hotel, the militsiya (Soviet police) see Hana exit and approach her. “You have 880 voluta,” they say. It is illegal for a Soviet citizen to have foreign money. The militsiya demand the eight hundred eighty dollars from Hana. She says she does not have any money, but they don’t believe her. Hana is arrested and driven to prison.

Lea Dubrow (l) recounting the money story to Hana’s daughter (r). Rose Dubrow (center). 1985 wedding of Sarah’s granddaughter.

Seeking the eight-hundred eighty dollars, the militsiya strip search Hana at the prison. Not finding the voluta, the militsiya head back to the Inturist hotel.

Confronting the Dubrows at their hotel room, the militsya tell them that Hana is a currency trader and accuse them of being accomplices. It is illegal for the Dubrows to give her money, the militsiya say. They are going to confiscate the eight hundred eighty dollars. Whoever spied Harry Dubrow’s message on his postcard to Hana mistook the funny squiggle for the number ‘8’ and not the dollar symbol ‘$’. The Dubrows are confused by the $880 demand. Frightened, the Dubrows pack and leave Kiev the next day, thinking that they have gotten themselves mixed up in Hana’s illegal currency trading activities.

Released from Lukyanivska prison late at night, Hana came home to her daughter who was scared because she did not know where Hana was. The Dubrows returned to America to report to Fannie and Sarah that their sister was a currency trader.

Yaroker Surname Etymology

Jon Jaroker — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:31:45 +0000

Beiber Surname Dictionary

Yaroker — see Eretskij (Kanev, Kherson) T: from the village Erki (Zenigorodka d.) {Yaretskij, Yarotskij, Yaroker}Source: A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russian Empire

Yerki is a village in Zvenigorodka District, Ukraine. It is 125km (25 walking hours) from Kanev. Could the Yaroker family name mean, ‘that fellow from Yerki‘?

Beiber’s surname dictionary uses the Duma Voter List as a source. The 1906 Duma List lists three Yaroker voters in Kanev. There are many Yarokers in Kanev. The citation of Kherson is interesting and may come from a census. This deserves further investigation.

Cyrillic Spelling: Ярокер

The Yaroker family name is spelled Ярокер in Russian and Ярокеръ in the old style. In the 1906 Duma voter list for Kanev, there were three Yaroker voters.

1906 Duma Election Yaroker Residents from Kanev Permitted to Vote

Hebrew Spelling: ירוקר

The Yaroker name is spelled in Hebrew as: ירוקר. “Yarok”, the root of the name, is spelled יָר֫ק which means greenery, vegetable, verdu. Perhaps the Yaroker family name is derived from forestry or farming activities.

Phonetics

The Daitch-Mokotoff Soundex code are:

195900 197590, for Hebrew name ירוקר
195900, for ‘Yaroker’
195900 495900, for ‘Jaroker’

Hana and Her Children Evacuate from Kiev to Kazakhstan

Jon Jaroker — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:39:40 +0000

Fleeing Kiev one month before the city fell to the Nazis on 19 September 1941, Hana Yaroker, her two year old son Michail and seven year old daughter Hasia become part of the Soviet evacuation to central Asia. Traveling by train to the Black Sea port at Novorissiysk, the Yaroker family has only the clothes on their backs and the few possessions they carry.

During the journey, two year old Michail becomes gravely ill. Hana barters her fur coat for food — a chick — with which to save her son from starvation.

On the train Hana met and befriended Lea Wiener, a young woman traveling alone. Unexpectedly meeting her brother at a train stop, Lea says goodby to Hana and she and her brother depart. They eventually immigrate to America. (Lea and Hana will corresponded after the war. In 1974, Lea becomes an important figure in the Yaroker family’s first few months in America.)

The Battle of the Caucasus continues and the Nazis advance on the Eastern Front. Boarding the last military ship, Hana and her children evacuate Novorissiysk in advance of the Nazi’s 1942 attack. Traveling by train, they escape to Tashkent in Uzbekistan, Alma-Ata and finally Frunze in Kazakhstan.

Living in Frunze, a small village in the Almaty province of south-eastern Kazakhstan, Hana works on a kolkhoz, a communal farm, for the duration of the war. In 1944, the family begins the return trip to Kiev.

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Soviet Evacuation Route

The family’s evacuation route has been reconstructed from family documents and memories and historical books. The map below shows the route that we believe the family took in the years between 1941 and 1944.

The Yaroker family’s route from Kiev to Central Asia

Book List

Books related to the Soviet evacuation to Central Asia. See the Resources section for a review of these books.

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Kupchik Family Expelled from USSR in 1957

Jon Jaroker — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:50:19 +0000

The Kupchik family emigrated from the USSR in 1957 as part of the Soviet Union’s forced repatriation of ethnic Poles. Chava Kupchik‘s (née Yaroker) husband, first name unknown, was born in Poland, permitting the entire family to leave.

They first immigrated to Poland and then to Israel, possibly settling in the city of Petah Tikva.

The family may have been living in Mazyr during the 1950s and just prior to the emigration. Chava’s children were Sonya, Abram and Moitya. Chava’s brother, Isaac Yaroker, is believed to have joined his sister in Israel sometime in 1969.

Mihail Yaroker Bicycles from Kiev to Kaniv and Gets Arrested

Jon Jaroker — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:08:25 +0000

Bicycling 125km from Kiev, seventeen year old Mihail Yaroker and his friend rode into Kaniv, the birthplace of Shevchenko on the bank of the river Dnieper.

The streets of Kaniv were cobblestoneded so the boys rode their bicycles on the sidewalk. They were stopped by militsiya. Lacking the Soviet internal passport, they were arrested and jailed for three days until their identities could be established.

While in jail a guard told Mihail, “there are many Yarokers in Kaniv.”