Lev Dubinski with his relatives and friends

My relatives and friends in the park. Standing, from left to right: Ilia Schweitzer, my co-student, me; my sister Maria's son Thomas Mancilia-Cruis; sitting: Maria's husband Anastacio Mancilia-Cruis, on the left, and my sister Maria Mancilia-Cruis, others - our friends. Amateur photo, taken in Kiev, 1953.

In 1944 my wife Elena, our 3-year-old daughter Irina and my parents returned to Kiev from evacuation. Elena went to work as an engineer at 'Ukrgiprogas' Institute. On 28 December 1947 our younger daughter Lilia was born. Since 1953 I worked in design institute 'Energoset'project'. I was chief of high-voltage power line design department. In 1970s my nationality issue had an impact on my career. There was a vacancy of chief engineer in my institute. I was an incumbent for this position, but the district Party committee did not approve me for this position due to my Jewish identity. Chief of department was the highest position for a Jew. A Jew could not become director or chief engineer - such was the state policy.  However, my wife and I had a good life. We earned well. We went to the cinema and theater and spent our summer vacations at the seashore. We didn't celebrate any holidays specifically, but we liked to invite friends for a party on Soviet holidays and birthdays and we also visited our friends. Occasionally we went to the theater or cinema, or went for a walk on weekends, but most often we stayed at home enjoying quiet family reunions. We usually spent vacations in the Crimea or Caucasus where we went with the family.

My sister Maria finished Moscow State University in 1949 and was planning to go back to Kiev. When she was a student she met with a Spanish student Anastacio Mancilia-Cruis. Maria lied to Anastacio that she was going to get married in Kiev. He took her to her train, but when she arrived home there was a telegram waiting for her. It said 'Don't do anything'. He came to Kiev with the next train and came to our house wearing boots, jacket and worn trousers: this was all he had. Our mother was ill and could not be bothered with Anastacio's non-Jewish origin.  My father said to my mother 'Maria, the girl loves him!'  They bought Anastacio a new suit and he married my sister. They had a civil ceremony in a registry office. He always had warm relationships with our parents. 

Maria's husband Spaniard Anastacio Mancilia-Cruis was born in Viscaria province in Spain in 1924. When the war in Spain began in 1936 Anastacio and other Spanish children were taken to the USSR. They lived in a children's home in Yevpatoria.  When the Great Patriotic War began this children's house evacuated to Saratov [in over 1 thousand km from Kiev]. Anastacio studied successfully in a Rabfak and worked and for his successes he got a stipend in Saratov University. The war was over. He finished his first year on the Faculty of Economics when the dean of the faculty told him to continue his studies in Moscow. He arrived in Moscow in 1944 and met Maria. They got married in 1949. In 1950 their older son Thomas was born. They often came to visit us in Kiev. Anastacio graduated from the University and took up postgraduate studies. After finishing his studies he was a lecturer in higher educational institutions in Moscow. In 1962 they moved to Cuba and lived in Havana for 3 years. Maria taught Russian in the Academy of the Russian language and Anastacio - political economy in Havana University. Anastacio was a convinced communist: honest and bright.  After they returned from Cuba he worked at the Institute of Social Sciences where he was Professor of Economics and Doctor of Sciences. His father died in Spain in 1949 and his mother was sentenced to 19 years of imprisonment as a communist. In 1957 she was released from prison and died shortly afterward. Two days before she died Maria gave birth to Vladimir, their second son. My sister worked as an editor in business publications. Since 1968 she has been editor of the 'Issues of Economics', a journal in Moscow.  Her husband Anastacio died in Moscow in 1987.