Inessa Vitkina’s mother's older sister Leya Vitkina

My mother's older sister Leya Vitkina.

I already mentioned that there were six children in the family. There were more of them born, of course, but those six survived. I only knew two children: my Mama's sister Leya - she was called Lina - and her brother Haim.

My mother's family was ordered to go to Byelorussia. My grandfather died on the way and my grandmother and Leya stayed there to bury him. My mother's older brother Haim and my mother ended in Byelorussia. Later, in 1920s Lithuania separated from Russia. That was how it happened that my grandmother and Aunt Leya stayed in Lithuania and my grandmother's children - Haim and my mother - lived in Byelorussia. Aunt Leya and my grandmother lied in Vilnius. Aunt Leya worked at the printing house. After the revolution of 1917 Aunt Leya became an active participant in the trade union movement.
The Soviet Union agreed to accept my aunt under condition that she would go to Birobijan . In 1934 Aunt Leya left Lithuania for Birobijan.