Code,800035
Subject,"Maria Minko, Ukranian Immigrant during World War II"
Date,4/10/2005
Interviewer,Michelle Minko
Abstract,"Maria Minko, a first generation Ukrainian immigrant, recollects on her life in Ukraine and the United States.  There is a detailed conversation regarding life in Ukraine during World War II.  Other topics include World War II, family history, coming to the United States, and establishing a life in Cleveland."
Special Notes,Audio is Muffled on 800035 A and 800035 B
minutes:,
800035 A,
0,"Ukrainian, born 1921, to U.S. Oct. 1954/56. before WWII-travel"
1,"German government, Ukrainian relatives, post WW II, German occupation"
2,"German occupation, hardships, no food, garden for reg. soldiers in home"
3,"German soldiers, Russian government"
4,"Grandfather during the war, his return home"
5,"nothing to eat but what in garden, ""it was a hard life but we survived"""
6,"Russian language, Ukrainian subject, school"
7,"languages, German work camp?"
8,Germans making them leave
9,"not knowing where to be, family-professional book keeper- working for government- 7 years"
10,"knowing the language. Some people went to s. Am, didn't have relatives here"
11,"American government helped get them here, had to wait 3 years, 2 kids already"
12,"waiting for visa approval, needed to prove what they did, death"
13,"soviets, studying English, learning German, ""started a new life"""
14,"kids were little-harder for husband who never studied any language, other than Russian Ukrainian, Garfield Heights."
15,"Starting to learn Eng., Garfield Heights Baptist Church, mostly Polish community"
16,Helping in Church
17,"Life in America, kids going to school, learning about living in America"
18,"poor section vs. rich sections of Cleveland, 1st house in Slovak/Polish section, most UK. On west side."
19,"UK on Westside, working- at home and in factory"
20,"Grandfather worked in factory until it closed, couldn't work as book keeper w/out language but helped some people"
21,"Factory work, skills, eastern European workers"
22,"language barriers, working until 6"
23,"upset not working, retirement, working on house; helping"
24,"Ukrainian Orthodox Church, education"
25,"""this is not our country, our language"", didn't wish to return to Ukraine, hard life for those who stayed"
26,"death of husband, 1944 in town Pope John Paul II born in camps"
27,"physical exam in camp, TB, had tank spot on lung"
28,"survival, sons 7-5- no school, school in Germany"
29,"never had chance to go to cultural gardens, 1950s 60s the house"
30,"bought house for $4000, $36 a month, Ukrainian markets."
31,"Westside market, in markets spoke Ukrainian/ Russian/Slovak"
32,"helping Ukrainian woman, church minister"
33,Speaking Polish
34,Person showing up at the house scaring her
35,not fixing up the house-tired
36,Polish speaker-person trying to break in
37,"She was scared, husband wasn't., going to police"
38,"took a long time to learn English, mostly used Polish/Ukrainian"
39,Meeting husband-he was working as book keeper
40,She was secretary and school teacher…(end)
800035 B,
0,"2-4th grade- war started, lost job., people getting killed 1945 war over…"
1,"1944 very hard time, ""thinking they were going to die."""
2,"hiding, hearing airplanes coming, German occupation, laying with dead horse to hide"
3,"hiding, mother was screaming because she thought she would be killed"
4,"met husband at interview for a job, fight but the war was not over, no jobs during war time."
5,"husband book keeper, meeting him"
6,trying to get job-application
7,"got job, got married right away"
8,"teacher, book keeper for government, wartime job"
9,"food from garden only food, no money to buy anything"
10,working
11,"watch after her, getting married"
12,"he helped me, and I helped him too., father taken from home to battle."
13,if God wants you to survive you'll survive…..jobs
14,"effects of war, ""somehow we just survived"""
15,"writing down her stories, reading them over…."
16,Garfield Heights sponsor not very good
17,"hospital on Westside, friend took her"
18,"help from others, husband had a hard time learning English"
19,professional but could not communicate well
20,"examination, learning from other people, his life was numbers"
21,"husband died in 1984, experiences of life"
22,"many times ""I thought I was going to be killed now"", could see the German poilet who flew right over her head."
23,"""it was a beautiful day. I heard my mother crying"
24,"""it’s a true story, my life"", wrting books"
25,wrap up