Pavel Lieb, Science Chair

This is a photo of my family from Belostok, Poland, circa 1910.  My Great Grandpa Yuliy Skurnik is third from the right in the second row.  My Great Grandma Revekka is seated first from the right.  

Yuliy was a successful businessman whose manufacturing facility and business were moved to Moscow in 1912, invited by the administration of the Tsar.  Yuliy and Revekka’s family moved from

Poland to Russia because of that.  Everyone else in this photograph, as well as all of their children have perished in Aushwitz, Buchenwald, and Treblinka.  Moving to Russia has saved Yuliy’s and Revekka’s family.

 Of course, in 1918 Yuliy’s business and all possessions were taken away by the Communist revolution and he spent the rest of his days in a drab Soviet anisemitic reality.

 The second image is that of my Great Grandpa’s watch – the only thing that is left (my Dad claims that there is also some ancient Kiddush cup that exists, but I am yet to see it:).  This watch was hidden from the authorities until the moment we left Soviet Union in 1992.