Looking Back:
The Russian Revolution Through the Eyes of a Jewish Child
by
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Petlura made a dramatic entrance into our town. He waged an honest-to-goodness battle with Trotzky’s army to get possession of Minkovitz. We, too, had to witness the gruesome business of men killing each other. The Bolsheviki’s start in our town somewhat disconcerted Petlura. Previous to his approach toward Minkovitz, the Boisheviki gave way easily at signs of the lawless leader and. his band. They would exchange a few shots-—a sort of guerilla warfare-—and then leave the town to Petlura. Here, on the hills, where the Boisheviki had the trenches made by the Czar’s army, they made a stand.
The spring of 1919 came unusually early. In the early days of March the snow started melting away and warm weather prevailed. By the middle of that month no sign of winter was left. The grass grew green, and some trees started to bud. In this balmy weather, Petlura made his appearance. Immediately, Trotzky’s army took possession of the hill opposite the direction of the lawless band’s approach. Before all the soldiers had left the town the Boisheviki began cannonading over it to prevent Petlura from entering.
The first shot took us by surprise. We were totally unprepared for it. Furthermore, the shot was very strange to us. Never before had we seen actual cannon in action. When the Germans advanced we heard certain far-off cannonading. But that was a whisper compared to the report that day. The first report was soon followed by others. That day happened to be a market day. The town was full of people selling and buying wares. As the shots were repeated, the people and animals became panic-stricken. Hurriedly, the shop—keepers began closing their shops.
Parents ran in all directions calling their children. Children, frightened and crying, rushed from the dismissed school. Horses, unaccustomed to this strange noise, wildly stampeded over every one in their path. Dogs howled, as if the world were at an end. Everything was in a babel.
Before long Petlura’s band started a battery of artillery going on the opposite hill. Now projectiles kept flying over the town in both directions. Boom! Boom! Thundered the guns. Vizzzz! whistled the shells as they flew from one hill to the other.
The noise of the guns soon drowned out the general uproar of the people and animals. In a very short time the crowded streets were empty. The people had filled all the available cellars in the town; the animals apparently found refuge in the numerous narrow alleys. Not a person bothered with these poor animals; everyone looked out for his own safety. The streets became unbearably quiet. In the cellars we heard only the repeated reports of the guns and the constant whistling of the shells overhead. Squatting on the damp ground of the cellar, we sat crowded together. There was not enough room to stretch out our legs. As the bombardment continued throughout the day our crouching positions became unendurable.
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About the Book
This book is centered around the memoir “Looking Back”, written in 1928 by 20 year old Isadore Weiss, only six years after coming to the United States. Isadore provides a fascinating insight into Jewish life in the Ukrainian village of Minkovitz before, during and after World War One. As the war reaches Minkovitz, the reader experiences the rare insight of the community’s reaction to the fighting, the first cars, first motorcycles and first airplanes ever seen by people in that region. Contrary to popular current thought, we also see the excellent relationship between the Jewish community of Minkovitz and the German occupying troops, who made toys and gathered firewood for the homes of the people where they were housed during the winter. Isadore also recounts the artillery and the hand-to-hand combat between the forces of Simon Petlura, leader of the pogroms, and the Bolsheviks. We get to see how the new Communist regime establishes itself in Ukraine. Isadore’s wife, Sylvia, rounds out the story of how they built a life together in the United States. The story continues of how Isadore graduated with honors from the University of Pittsburgh, and then worked as a Federal investigator as he overcame the barriers of a new language and anti-Semitism. Contributing authors provide background on the contemporary social, demographic and political environment in Ukraine to help the reader put “Looking Back” into context.
About the Author
Isadore Weiss wrote the manuscript "Looking Back", which is published
as Chapter 1 of the book in exactly the same, unedited form as he wrote
it in 1928. After coming to the U.S., he graduated with honors from the
University of Pittsburgh, became a Federal investigator and played a
major role in the investigation and prosecution of the Salad Oil fraud
in Bayonne, NJ. Despite extensive traveling for his Civil Service work,
he managed to participate in civic and volunteer work in the several
locations where he lived and he was a proud and devoted father and husband. Sylvia Weiss, Isadore's wife was an at-home mother, active in the PTA, Scouting, League of Women Voters, and fund-raising for various charitable and civic organizations. Later, she started the Senior Citizen program in her town, and served as councilwoman in East
Windsor, N.J. and on the National Board of Elderhostel. In recognition
of her, the Mayor of East Windsor established an annual award in her
name. Dr. Eamon Doherty is a tenured professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University and studied Russian History with Dr. Alan Ball at Marquette University and provides commentary throughout the book to tie much of the material together. Contributing authors Todd Liebesfeld, J.D., and Joel Liebesfeld provide well documented research on anti-Semitism in Ukraine. William "Pat" Schuber describes the political upheaval in
Russia from 1914-1923, and Lew Meixler supplies geographic, social and
demographic information about the Ukranian town and region where Isadore and his family lived.