Once again I apologize profusely for not making much progress on documenting the lives of my grandparents, Valentin and Polina Shugaevsky. The last year of my business is consuming much of my time.
I was stirred into action by a request from an associate at a museum in Chernihiv, Ukraine (yes, very close to the border with Russia), requesting an image I had previously sent, but with better resolution. This was for an exhibit celebrating the 125th anniversary of the museum. Valentin was head of this museum from 1922 to 1925.
The photo taken at Valentin’s going away party. He was leaving Chernihiv to assume a new post in Kiev. Among the museum workers there are some other prominent Ukrainian scientists as well some family members.
The photo is from 1927. Valentin is seated, second from the right. Polina is standing and is blurred in the photo.
The image I sent to Chernihiv is visible in this photo of the exhibition. There is one other image I sent visible as well.
My mother was able to decipher some of the names written on the back and I did some research. One was accused of Ukrainian nationalism and he and his wife and son disappeared around 1934. Another refused to sign a false confession implicating a colleague and died in a NKVD (secret police) prison. Another (also accused of nationalism) was exiled to Tajikistan with his family. Like some others, he was freed during WWII, but he remained in Tajikistan and after some time was table to work in his field. Naturally, the other workers felt a sword hanging over their heads. The secret police might come at night and they could vanish without a trace.
In 1933, my grandfather was arrested and sent to prison but never charged. He refused to sign a false confession. I believe this is true because, if he had he would have been sentenced. Instead, he was released after three months and was even able to resume work.
It is hard to fathom how my grandfather, Valentin, survived Soviet repression. He was Ukrainian, educated, and from a noble family. These were all strikes against him. Somehow, he was able survive 3 months of interrogation by the secret police. His interrogators must not have been under pressure to get results. His prison records may be available but I have not looked for them because of the language barrier.
CERTIFICATE
"This was given comrade SHUGAEVSKY Valentin Andreevich, that being accused, his case was terminated and that he was detained from February 25, 1933 to May 16, 1933. "
In 1938, during the Great Purge which included all of the Soviet Union (not just Ukraine), my grandfather did lose his job. With his specialized skills he was able to do some contract work, but the family was mostly supported by my grandmother. In 1941, Germany invaded.
Some historical background that mentions my grandfather
During and shortly after the revolution, Lenin promoted Ukrainization, the promotion of Ukrainian language and culture. It was a way of co-opting Ukrainian nationalism. Also, Lenin visualized a worldwide revolution which would include many different languages and cultures.
Stalin was against Ukrainization from the start. After he consolidated his power, the purge of Ukrainian intellectuals began. Fake conspiracies were dreamed up. Under duress, imprisoned intellectuals signed false confessions that implicated others. After constant night time interrogations and harsh prison conditions, an art critic, Dmitri Gordyev, signed a false confession that included my grandfather.
"In Kiev there was the most powerful block of museum [counter-revolutionary] cells at the Lavra Museum (Kirin, Shugaevsky, Moshchenko, Morgilevsky, Potocki, Novitsky) …..”