This is a cross-post from Dust Of Europe, which is now the official blog for our story, documentary and travel. Feel free to follow along there as well, or add it to your RSS Reader!
In a previous update, I mentioned that Mike had contacted a number of names associated with Turiysk through the geneology website Jewishgen.org. Mike has made some great progress with this effort, and a number of people from Turiysk – living in both America and Israel – shared their stories with us. The tales exemplify the precarious location of Turiysk in the period ranging from World War I to World War II.
As a borderland, the town and neighboring villages were under constant siege and the threat of violence was always close at hand. Through one response we have reason to believe that the village at one point was completely destroyed, then resurrected just across the Turia River. We plan on following up with these stories, hopefully conducting some interviews for the documentary.
Another respondent pointed us to this website, established by former residents of Turiysk and their offspring who have emigrated to Israel. From the site, we learn that Turiysk first appeared in 1094, as a small community built by Jews along the Turia River. The location, it seems, was under constant siege, being occupied at least six times, by six different neighboring countries. During World War I, the Germans occupied Turiysk – but as we’ll see in just a moment, it may have been a less aggressive occupation.
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One story we want to share, that particularly stood out, was that of Bathshava Chizik Landau. The story of Shava – as she was know – was relayed to us by her granddaughter Estelle Hardin. According to Estelle, Shava lived in Turiysk from her birth in 1886 until immigrating to the United States in 1920 – the same year Joseph returned to Turysk. Shava’s amazing story occurred during World War I, in 1915 or 1916. While we haven’t established factual verification of this story, it is a tale that is too good not to tell. And I’ll let Estelle handle it:
At some point during the First World War, there was word that the German army was on the edge of town, and they were threatening to invade and advance on the town of Turiysk. The mere thought put fear in the hearts of the people. The town’s people decided to hold a meeting to discuss what to do. It was decided that they needed to elect a spokesperson to represent their town. The only people left in town during WW I were elderly men, women, and young children. This spokesperson would have to go alone, and be the sole representative on behalf of the entire town. He or she would have to walk alone to the far edge of town, and would have to be brave enough to speak to the invading German commander and try to convince them to leave their town alone, without so much as being able to carry a gun for protection.
My paternal grandmother, Shava Chizik Landau was about 28 years old at the time. She was the one who was chosen by the town’s people to be that stoic spokesperson. Since Shava was considered the strongest woman in town (personality-wise as well as physically) the town’s people felt that she could stand up to the German soldiers and convince them to leave their town alone; she was the one chosen. Knowing full well that she was the sole support of her children, and she could have been killed on the spot, she accepted the challenge with full knowledge she would not be armed; yet she never feared.
Shava Landau with son Sam Landau, 1945 (courtesy Estelle Landau Hardin)
When the day came, she was ready. She plowed ahead, walking along lonely dirt roads to the far edge of town with a strong determination to save the town–her town and her family–from the German army and keep them from overrunning and destroying it. She had to walk through the German lines and come face to face to talk with the military commander, and try to convince them to bypass the town. She knew that getting the opportunity to communicate with them was risky, but necessary.
Because German and Yiddish language were so similar, when Shava stood face to face with the German commander, she accomplished her mission–she talked the Germans out of advancing on their town. As she spoke with the German soldiers, they were able to understand her. She informed the Germans that the people left in Turiysk were no threat, and not worth bothering. Since there were no Russian troops left in their town–and it was just a simple little village, with only a few remaining people, she pleaded for them to be left alone. She had chutzpah! There is no record of the exact words that Shava spoke as she talked with the German commander, but somehow she was successful; indeed. She was a hero; she saved the town. Shava new no fear at any time in her life! She was “some kind of woman!”
Some kind of woman, indeed. And a testament to the sad – yet inspiring? – history of this area. Mike and I are learning a lot about this area, this situations it endured and the people it produced. We hope to continue to learn and receive more excellent feedback that helps to not only construct our story, but learn more about a significant era and area of world history, as well as Mike’s personal familial past.
