| Let me come back to my grandparents on my father's side. Having gone on land
in Atamanovo, grandma Maria Gof's (Hof's) family came to Shila and, like all the
other resettlers, was quartered with people they did not know. The landlords
took the Germans in with utmost reservedness and caution: they probably
understood that these poor, unlucky people had not come to Siberia at their own
request after they had been forced to leave their homes on the river Volga
behind. It was an act of providence, it could not be helped. Grandma Maria (who
was 13 years old at that time) endured the ordeals of life silently and with
utmost patience; in those times children would not make any complaints, at the
most they cried of hunger. In 1944 Oma Maria's family moved to Kirpichniy -
where very exhausting work was waiting for them once again. Already in 1942 the
family of grandfather Robert Frank had moved to Kirpichniy. All children of the
resettlers used to work together, and this is why grandfather and grandmother
were still children when they met for the first time. However, in 1948, Robert
took his family and went to Krasnoyarsk to work for the Voroshilov farm attached
to the factory there, but soon after it was liquidated and they had to leave
again. In 1949 they got to the fourth branch of the "Tayozhniy"
sovkhoz, but there was no possibility to find a lodging. They lived in an
apartment in Abakshino, about 3-4 kms away from the fourth branch; they had to
go to work there on foot every day. They somehow managed to get over the winter,
and when spring was coming, the people gathered fresh hope in a better lot. Some
families joined up and started building common dug-outs. They succeeded to get
used to their new surroundings, but soon after they were forced to leave the
place again, for they had built the dug-outs on land belonging to others.
According to grandfather's accounts they later "nailed together boards for
a little wooden hut, shingled the roof and painted everything". And there
they established themselves. In 1951 grandfather went to Kirpichniy on horseback, and when he returned
home, he brought along his wife Maria Gof (Hof). The children were born "in
frightfully cramped conditions", but novody complained or showed his
annoyance:
- Alexander, born in 1953
- Viktor, born in 1955
- Mina, born in 1957
- Fyodor, born in 1959 (my father)
Nine years later the living conditions improved considerably; they moved to a
new settlement, into a house built of squared timber, where they are still
living today. Grandmother brought up the children, and when she found
apossibility to go to work, she entered service as a seasonal, unskilled worker.
She worked for a period of 20 years; her children grew up. Grandma is a
pensioner today.
Untill 1966 grandfather Robert worked as a carter at different places of
work; in 1966 he was appointed as executive stableman, as he is a very reliable
and responsible man. He occupied his post till 1991. My grandfather has been
working for 42 years - and he did a good job. This is what one can read up in
his work-book; the first entry was made on the 20th of August 1963, the last on
the 17th of November 1988. The book includes 22 entries of official expressions
of thanks and the awarding of cash prizes. In 1957 grandpa received a medal of
honour "for the cultivation of virgin lands", and in 1984 the
"Veteran of Labour" medal for his reliable and careful work of many
years. Now grandfather is already being on a pension for 10 years.
Starting with the year 1764 the Volga region has been the home region of our
family, and only for my parents, my brothers and sisters and me the birthplace
and home became Siberia. My mother was born in the Sukhobusimo district, where
she grew up; after having finished the school in Bolsheprudovo, she received a
special training to be a teacher for the lower grades at the Gorki Teacher's
Training College in Krasnoyarsk. Now mum has already been working for the Istosk
school for more than 17 years; she teaches the little ones how to write, count,
read; and she also teaches them to see the beautiful and to love nature. And
this is what she also imparted to me, my mum - my first teacher.
Starting with the year 1764 the Volga region has been the home region of our
family, and only for my parents, my brothers and sisters and me the birthplace
and home became Siberia. My mother was born in the Sukhobusimo district, where
she grew up; after having finished the school in Bolsheprudovo, she received a
special training to be a teacher for the lower grades at the Gorki Teacher's
Training College in Krasnoyarsk. Now mum has already been working for the Istosk
school for more than 17 years; she teaches the little ones how to write, count,
read; and she also teaches them to see the beautiful and to love nature. And
this is what she also imparted to me, my mum - my first teacher.
Dad was born in the district of Sukhobusimo, too; he has been living in the
settlement of Istok all these years; 26 years he has been working for the
"Taiyoszhniy" sovkhoz as a groom. He loves his job, knows all horses
by their names, is very well aware of their particulat traits of character and
is always very attentive. There always occurs a lot of trouble when foals are
born, because they need special care. My father is a wizard: he knows how to
repair saddle and harness, he is able to sew together and ornament completely
new saddlery - a feast for his own eyes and something to proudly show to the
others.
The history of our family covers a period of 237 years starting with the
Polish cantons; only little is known about the first 140 years. Having
intensively dealt with the lives of my ancestors, I came to the conviction that
they were and are industrious people. I am proud of them.
Literature:
- V. Aferenko. A Reion in Mid-Siberia
- V.G. Fuks (Fuchs). The fateful History of the Volga Germans, 1763-1995
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