my brother - Ilya Melenevsky

In 1921 when my brother was born, Petliura (Petliura was a Ukrainian politician, one of the leaders of  national government of Ukraine. Military units under his command killed Jews during the Civil War in Ukraine) appeared in the village. My mum and her neighbors secreted themselves in a cellar, because they were afraid to be found. By that time my brother did not reach the age of 1 year yet, he was nothing but a little child and suddenly he started crying. Then people who were sitting in the cellar offered my mum to strangle him (my mum told me), because his cry could announce their presence. But certainly, mum did not do it, thank God, Petliura did not find them and they survived. He was called up for military service when the war with Finland burst out in 1939. At that time he just entered the Institute. So, he left for army. Mother helped him pack his things and a bit later she turned up to work. As for me, in 1939 I was about 13 years old.