Lasar Blekhshtein’s sister

This photograph shows my sister Elizabeth shortly before she died. The photograph was taken in Leningrad.

My second sister Elizabeth was born in 1904. She had a bad fall in her childhood (I guess at the age of 12) and became humpbacked and very short.

She did not finish a school and did not get married. She worked as an accountant at a bank. Elizabeth read much, but had sullen disposition. She read in Russian: neither my sisters, nor my brother knew Yiddish (even the alphabet).

During the war my Mom, my sister Elizabeth, and my nieces (Elena's children) stayed here in Leningrad. Elizabeth took care of them.

Soon Elizabeth and her nieces left for the Urals. They returned to Leningrad (to their apartment) after the end of the war.

Elizabeth, my sister died at the age of 72 being a virgin: a heavy fate. She was a decent person: during the blockade she took care about her nieces (orphans) after Elena's death. Elizabeth went to evacuation with them.

After their return to Leningrad her private life was very poor, and the children were very difficult… The elder girl Vera was uncontrollable: in evacuation she tried to commit a suicide. Unfortunately next time (already in Leningrad) she managed: jumped forward to be run over by a train.

Elizabeth got in the hospital and one day they called me and informed about her death. She was cremated, and I buried her near our father's grave.