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TRIP TO SMOLIANY

My great grandmother’s brother (other people’s identities unknown).

My grandmother, Malka Zalmanovna Shafran, was born in the place of Smoliany in 1917. Before the war she used to work as a teacher in Smoliany school, teaching the Russian literature and the Russian language. I have some prewar photographs left with the teachers and students of this school. It would be interesting if some people found someone they know in these photos.

Prewar photos from Smoliany school.

I have heard a lot of stories about Smoliany but managed to get there only in 2009. The first thing one notices when driving into Smoliany is its old Catholic church built at the times of the Great Duchy of Lithuania.

Ruins of the old Catholic church.

While in Smoliany we talked to Nadezhda Korolkova, who lived in Smoliany during the war. She remembered my great grandmother and also remembered that she used to sell homemade ice cream. She did not remember my grandmother, but did have memories of her brother Leva and sister Riva. She said that Riva was executed.

Here stood Smoliany synagogue before the war.

A week later after visiting Smoliany I visited my grandmother who lived in Germany. I showed her photographs and told her about meeting her husband’s relatives. She was glad to hear my story.

Five days later she died.

Location of former Jewish cemetery in Smoliany.

Alexander Avramenko talking
to Smoliany residents.

Alexander Avramenko,
avramenko100@gmail.com

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