“What happened to Natasha?”
“I don’t know much. When after the war her father—” She half-turned to glance at a framed picture of herself with a very handsome man whose eyes, despite the black-and-white snapshot, appeared as luminous as Natasha’s on the photo. “He set off for Vitebsk and came back with sad news. Natasha was killed and left a daughter behind. Afanasiy made an inquiry and only years later I—my husband had died by that time—received—wait, I’ll show it to you.” She rushed to the desk and, after rummaging for something in its drawer, brought an official document, judged by its letterhead.
Based on your request, we could find the following information:
Natalia Afanasievna Ivanova, born August 13, 1913 in Lipetsk, residing at Komminusticheskaya 11, Vitebsk, Byelorussian SSR was reported killed on January 3, 1943. She left behind a daughter, Lyubov Sergeyenva Ivanova, born on October 29, 1942 (as recorded in the civil registry books to the Civil Council of Vitebsk). Her daughter’s whereabouts are unknown. Your sister Anna Stepanovna Ivanova died on April 2, 1945. Buried in the Troichanskoye cemetery.
“I have sent numerous inquiries about Natasha’s daughter to various authorities, but nothing came of it.” A sigh escaped her.
After they talked a bit more while drinking some tea—a usual Russian hospitality—Natashen’ka thanked Svetlana Andreyevna and exited into the lovely warm day. A thought, a nagging thought, didn’t leave her. She set off for the house where she’d lived with her mother, sat on the bench tagged to its wall and, inhaling the sweet and ripe scent of their flowers, watched the linden trees, now much taller than she remembered them.
Svetlana Andreyevna’s reaction stuck with her. And she mentioned eyes. What was it about my eyes that astounded her? All of a sudden, something clicked in her mind, thoughts swirling so quickly it was hard to follow them. Natasha’s daughter was born in October 1942 as to the statement from the Vitebsk Civil Council. When was Natasha killed? In January 1943? Her mother told her once they arrived at Lipetsk on May 8, 1945 and that’s where, soon afterward, her birth certificate was issued. According to it, she was two-and-a half years old then. On one occasion, somewhat vaguely, her mother mentioned she had been in German captivity. If I was born in captivity . . . It didn’t link with the series of events. To slow the sprinting of her heartbeat, she took deep breaths through her nose. She couldn’t be Lyuba’s daughter. But of course she was, she corrected herself. Her mind racing, searching for answers, seemed to connect all missing pieces together. Can it be possible that—? She moved her eyes up and as if looking for answers stared at the windows behind which she’d lived with her mother. Can it be really possible—? She covered her mouth with a hand, shaking her head and closing her eyes. Suddenly, as if experiencing a beautiful dream, she saw in her mental eye her mother and Natasha embracing each other and reaching each with one arm to her. That was it. She was sure she knew the truth now.
Mama. You may have not been my biological mother, but you gave me so much love and care, you’ll always be my mom. Natasha, thank you for giving me life and I love you without remembering you and will always be thankful to you. So were her feelings as she sat on the bench by the house where she’d spent fifteen happy years with her mother and let hot exultant tears trickle down her cheeks.
That was months ago.
With much effort, Natashen’ka wills herself to return to the reality of the day and place and listen to the praising accounts of her archival work. She is aware of the smile spreading on her face and feels the weightlessness she’s carried in her since that fateful day when she met her mothers.
Glossary
Agitprop brigades—the groups of Komsomol and Communists members who spread the political propaganda, especially the communist propaganda used in the Soviet Union to the general public through public lectures. Typically, Russian agitprop explained the ideology and policies of the Communist Party and attempted to persuade the general public to support and join the party and share its ideals
“Bitter! Bitter!”—an encouragement for newlyweds to kiss each other during the wedding party
Budenovka—a distinctive type of hat, a classic part of the Communist military uniform of the Russian Civil War (1917-1922). It is a soft, woolen hat that covers the ears and neck. The cap features a peak and folded earflap that can be buttoned under the chin
Belomorcanal—Russian brand of cigarettes, also the White Sea-Baltic Canal, a ship canal in Russia opened in August 1933
Bolshevik Revolution—the revolution in Russia on October 25th (November 7th – by new Calendar) 1917 that overthrew the czar and brought a Communist party to power
Citizen—criminals and suspects were addressed as “Citizens” and not as “Comrades”
Commissar—Soviet Communist Party official responsible for political education and organization
Dzerzhinsky—a Bolshevik revolutionary and official; led the first two Soviet state-security organizations
Frühstück, Mittagessen, and Abendessen—Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Garelka—a Byelorussian vodka
GTO—abbreviation for Ready for Labor and Defense of the USSR; was the All-Union physical culture training program, introduced in the USSR in 1931 on the initiative of the Komsomol. GTO was a program for all Soviet people of almost all ages
Gulag—acronym for Main Administration of Camps, the system of forced labor camps in the Soviet Union instituted in 1918
Herod—the Roman client king of Judea; appears in the Christian Gospel of Matthew as the ruler of Judea who orders the Massacre of the Innocents at the time of the birth of Jesus
Hivi—a German abbreviation of the word Hilfswilliger, meaning “willing helper,” in reference to people recruited (or forced to act as auxiliaries) from the local populations in the areas of Eastern Europe
Jawohl—“Yes Sir” or “Aye, aye, sir!”
Judenrat—a WWII administrative agency imposed by Nazi Germany on Jewish communities across occupied countries, principally within the ghettos, to control Jewish population
Kilometer—is equal to 0.621371 mile
Kolkhoz—a collective farm in the former
