A bit about my Dad ...

[manfredvijars]

A little about my Dad .. he was born in Russia 1911. My grandfather was an architect working for the Tsar (Nickolas) outside of Moscow in Kolomna managing works on a new paper mill. In the country in those days there was little religious connection except occasionally visits by travelling 'Monks'. My father was christened by Rasputin who happened to be in the area at the time.

Ironically, the family were close friends of Prince Felix Usupov (who later instigated the successful demise of Rasputin)

During the Revolution, Grandfather was beaten by a mob and subsequently died in Moscow. So, at the onset of the Russian winter during the Revolution, Grandmother pushed a hand-cart back to family estates in Latvia ... a mere 600 miles on foot with 2 young boys in tow.

Dad, grew up on the farm then moved to Riga, went to Military College, decided
to go abroad and joined the Foreign Legion. He spent some time in Abyssinia in the late '30s. At the onset of WW2, joined the Latvian Legion 19th then 17th brigades (with the Germans against the Russians) and spent the duration of the war on the Russian Front. He fought at the seige of Leningrad. Towards the end of the war he was captured and spent time as a POW in Belgium ... After the war he retrained as a typewriter mechanic, met Mum and migrated to Australia to (in his words) "..get far avay from zis bloody rubbish.!" ... meaning the many conflicts.

He worked of his indenture, bought some land and built our family home BY HAND (no power tools) and proudly became an Aussie. I remember the Naturalisation Ceremony where Mum, Dad and myself were up on the stage and my sister was screaming her lungs out. She was being 'sat' in the crowd and couldn't join us on stage because she was born here and was already an Australian.

[Vic Jefferies]

Amazing life! There is a complete book in almost every brief sentence you have posted Manfred.
Thank God your parents chose to come to Australia. We are the very much richer for their choosing us!

Vic

[manfredvijars]

Thank you Vic, what a wonderful thing to say ... I can tell you, I'm bloody glad he chose Austalia too ...

[Frank Daniel]

Wonderful story Manfred, I love people history.
Tell us more about your mother please.
I liked the photograph of her on Facebook.

Joe

[Maureen K Clifford]

Totally agree with Vic Mannie - you would be wasted as a Russian - any one with more feel for Australia would be hard to find.

Makes you realize when you read histories like your own family history - how bloody easy we have it here, even in our tough times. I could not imagine doing what your Grandmother did but no doubt she just put one foot in front of the other in many aspects of her life and just got on with it. You must be extremely proud of them all.

And your Dad christened by the mad monk - OMG there would have to be a poem in that one surely????

I wait in eager anticipation......................http://www.musicbuzzer.com/boney-m/rasputin-lyrics.html

There lived a certain man in Russia long ago
He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow
Most people looked at him with terror and with fear
But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear

He could preach the Bible like a preacher
Full of ecstacy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire

One of my favourite songs from my misbegotten past


Cheers

Maureen

[manfredvijars]

Over the years much has been lost unfortunatly. My Mum's story is not as flamboyant as Dad's, but an intereseting tale none the less (I'll share at a later time).
The most intriguing (for me) is my Grandmother's, particularly her flight from Moscow to Riga. I'll post more when I get home.

Thank you Mauzie, Frank and Vic for your kind comments. I must confess there was a time when growing up I was ashamed of my European heritage ... c'est le vie ....

[Neville Briggs]

Wonderful account Manfred.Nothing to be ashamed of I reckon.

It's amazing to have a family connection to some of modern history's significant events.

[Heather]

That is an absolutely fascinating story Manfred - the history and the tale of hardship. I've met a few people who were interred in prison of war camps by the Germans or Russians and it was a really tough gig. Your grandmother must have been one tough old bird - I guess you do what you gotta do to survive. Our instinct to survive is very primal despite our modern lives.

Most of my ancestors were Irish, Scottish or English but I do have a branch of Russian-Polish Jews that came to Victoria in the 1850s. They came from the area where the Crakow (I will check that spelling) Concentration Camp was so I expect later members of the family probably ended up there and more would have if they had not come to Australia (via England). I don't know much about them but I do consider them my "exotic" relatives.

Heather

[Vic Jefferies]

Good On You Manfred,

Meant every word of it!
What a fascinating man Rasputin was however, I find the most popular account of his murder more interesting. Some versions have him being poisoned, then shot, then shot again a number of times and finally drowned! All more or less at the same time and it is said the drowning is what finally did him in! He must have had something going for him.

Vic

[Zondrae]

G'day Manfred,

.... and I thought my Dad's life was interesting. Thank you for sharing this with us. It is amazing what some people can achieve.

My Dad too built our house with no power tools and with an 8 year old tom boy as a labourer. (what a handicap)