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Lev Polykovsky

STORY OF A FAMILY FROM VITEBSK

Alexander Khazan with grandchildren.

Alexander Khazan.

Boris Iosifovich Khazan was born on September 9, 1928 in Vitebsk. His parents used to live in Chashniki until 1918.

Father – Iosif Iserovich Khazan, born in 1903, did not have an education and was illiterate.

Mother, Yelizaveta Aronovna Khazan (born Talan), born in 1902, was a housewife. She went to school only during 2 years but could speak Hebrew and subscribed to magazines in Yiddish. She adhered to Jewish traditions.

Before the war Boris managed to finish 5 grades at school. When the Great Patriotic War began, he was not even 13. His father had a possibility to evacuate the family together with the factory he worked at. So the people who left with him were Yelizaveta Aronovna, Boris, daughters Rimma (born in 1937) and Raya (born in 1931), small son Izya (born in 1940), wife'sister Asia Aronovna Fiselson with three children: Aron, Tamara and Raya) (her husband Moisey died at the front in 1941), second wife's sister Basia Aronovna Talan.

They arrived in Saratov region, where they worked for three or four months at a tobacco plantation.

Later they had to move to the town of Marxstadt and worked there. The evacuation lasted 5 years.

In 1945 the Khazans returned to Vitebsk and began restoring the local tobacco factory. Their house had been destroyed in the war.

Boris' father lost three sisters in the war: Genia, Pesha and another sister, whose name Boris doesn't recall. Each of them had 4 children. All of them were drowned by fascists in the Western Dvina.

Father's brother Alexander Iserovich was in the army during the war. He was injured in the war. His wife and one-year-old child were killed in Vitebsk by fascists. He remarried after the war and had two sons, Izya and Yasha. He lived in Israel with his children and died.

Boris' mother had three children and four brothers. One of them, Iosif Aronovich Talan, died in Smolensk region in the village of Kozlovo in 1941.

Zelman Aronovich Talan was wounded in Stalingrad battle and has his arm amputated. He had two children. He died in a car crash.

Isaak Aronovich Talan fought in the battle for Leningrad. After the war he worked in Leningrad. His son Marek (born in 1940) is now living in Washington.

Boris Aronovich Talan died at the age of 18 during the civil war in the battles with Makhno gang.

Iosif Talan.

Zelman Talan.

Isaak Talan.

Boris Khazan has daughter Emma, who is living in Rostov-on-Don. She has four children, two of them living in Israel.

His son Igor, daughter Rita and five grandchildren are also living in Israel.

Boris' sister Rimma is now retired in living in Vitebsk.

Sister Raya lives with her family in Hannover.

This is how the family of the Khazans is scattered around the world.

Jewish settlements in Vitebsk region

Vitebsk • Albrehtovo • Babinovichi • Baran • Bayevo • Begoml • Beshenkovichi • Bocheikovo • Bogushevsk • Borkovichi • Braslav • Bychiha • Chashniki • Disna • Dobromysli • Dokshitsy • Druya • Dubrovno • Glubokoye • Gorodok • Kamen • Kohanovo • Kolyshki • Kopys • Krasnopolie • Kublichi • Lepel • Liady • Liozno • Lukoml • Luzhki • Lyntupy • Miory • Obol • Oboltsy • Orsha • Osintorf • Ostrovno • Parafianovo • Plissa • Polotsk • Prozorki • Senno • Sharkovshina • Shumilino • Sirotino • Slaveni• Smolyany • Surazh • Tolochin • Ulla • Verhnedvinsk • Vidzy • Volyntsy • Yanovichi • Yezerishe • Zhary • Ziabki •

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