The Secret Holocaust Diaries

by Nonna Bannister

  BIRTH CERTIFICATE • IRO-certified copy of Nonna’s birth certificate.

  IRO CERTIFICATE • Document from the IRO certifying Nonna’s residence at the hospital in Kassel, Germany.

  MARRIAGE LICENSE • Nonna and Henry married on June 23, 1951. Their photograph, taken as they cut their wedding cake [see the Prologue], appeared in The Journal, the local newspaper. In that article Nonna listed her birthplace as Frankfurt, Germany. She kept her Russian/Ukrainian heritage a secret even from her family for many years.

  LETTER TO HENRY

  COMMEMORATIVE CERTIFICATE

  LETTER FROM HENRY • This was one of Nonna’s last notes from Henry. She died just over a year later, fifty-three days after their fifty-third wedding anniversary.

  Appendix D: Genealogy of Nonna Lisowskaja Bannister

  Nonna’s Father’s Family

  Paternal Grandfather: Johan Stanaislaus Lisowsky

  Paternal Grandmother: Wanda (maiden name unknown)

  Known children of Johan and Wanda:

  Yevgeny Ivanovich Lisowsky (Nonna’s father), b. 1897 in Warsaw, Poland

  Stanislaw Lisowsky

  Nonna’s Mother’s Family

  Maternal great-grandfather: Alexander Alexyevich Ljaschov

  Maternal grandfather: Yakov Alexandrovich Ljaschov

  Maternal grandmother: Feodosija Nikolayevna Ljaschova

  Children of Yakov and Feodosija:

  Ivan (Vanya)

  Xenja

  Anna (Nonna’s mother)

  Leonid (Ljonya)

  Antonja (Tonja)

  Yevgeny (Zhenya)

  Nonna’s Family

  Anna Yakovlevna Ljaschova, b. 1906 in Novorossisk, Russia; m. Yevgeny Ivanovich Lisowsky, b. 1897 in Warsaw, Poland

  Children:

  Anatoly (b. 1925, last seen in 1939) Yevgeny

  Nonna (b. 1927, d. 2004) Yevgenyevna

  Taissia (b. 1940, died in infancy in 1940)

  * * *

  William Henry Bannister, b. 1927 in Bogalusa, Louisiana; m. Nonna Yevgenyevna Lisowskaja

  Children:

  W. H. (Hank Jr.) Bannister

  Elizabeth J. (Bannister) Sumner

  John D. Bannister

  Chronology

  Nonna wrote a chronology, including German and Russian national history along with her personal one, to which a few additions have been made. It begins in the late 1800s with the birth of her father and ends when she sets foot on American soil to begin a new life. Though some of the information has been covered in other places, its inclusion here reflects the events Nonna particularly wished to make known. Editorial additions appear in italics.

  1897: January 8

  Yevgeny Ivanovich Lisowsky (my father) is born in Warsaw, Poland. His father, Johan Lisowsky, and mother, Wanda (last name unknown), were wealthy landowners around the Warsaw and West Ukraine areas, which were still occupied by Poland.

  1906: December 24

  Anna Yakovlevna Ljaschova (my mother) is born in Novorossisk, a city near the Black Sea (Caucasus). Her father, Yakov Alexandrovich Ljaschov, and mother, Feodosija Nikolayevna, were owners of at least seven dachas with grain mills and orchards throughout the southern parts of the Ukraine and southern Russia, with most of them located near the Black and Caspian seas.

  Yakov’s holdings were vast, and at each property there were hired hands to take care of the house and lands when the family was away. Their favorite place was in Konstantinowka, where they had a thirty-seven-room house referred to as the Great House. Whenever possible, the entire family gathered at the Great House for Christmas and other celebrations.

  1907

  Yakov Alexandrovich Ljaschov is accepted into the Imperial Cossack Army.

  In doing so, he follows in the footsteps of his father, Alexander Alexyevich Ljaschov, who had been a count and also a Cossack. Alexander fought in the war with the Tatars around Odesa near the Azov Sea, and he was killed in the war somewhere near Odesa. His son, Yakov Alexandrovich Ljaschov, was to become Nonna’s grandfather.

  1909–1910

  Yakov becomes a member of the Imperial Protection Unit and is honored by Nicholas II as a faithful servant to the Tsar.

  Nicholas II, last Tsar of Russia, sends Yakov a postcard saying, “Mother Rossija is bleeding.” The card, along with other family photos and documents, was hidden in a small pillow Nonna wore around her waist during the Holocaust and was brought to America in 1950.

  1916

  Yakov assumes a post with the Imperial Guard.

  As a trusted staff member, he is to protect the Tsar and his family.

  1917: Spring

  Yakov is engaged in transporting people of some influence out of the troubled areas of Russia, which were hit hard by the Revolution.

  1917: Fall

  The Revolution reaches its peak.

  Everything in Russia is in chaos. Yakov and Feodosija make plans to flee Russia by sailing from the Black Sea to Romania or some other safe place.

  1917: Late Fall

  Yakov Alexandrovich Ljaschov is slaughtered by Bolsheviks while on duty transporting people by train.

  1917: Late November

  Feodosija Nikolayevna and her six children receive the tragic news of Yakov’s death from his best friend, Dimitry Ivanovich, who encourages her to take the family and flee to Novorossisk. With his help, the family travel to Ukraine, where they have a dacha with an orchard. The village was called Santurinowka (later, Konstantinowka).

  1918

  Arrangements are made to send Anna to the university in St. Petersburg to attend an institute for gifted young girls, to study music and art.

  Yevgeny Ivanovich Lisowsky and his brother, Stanislaw, enroll at the University of St. Petersburg. The arrangements are made by Yevgeny’s oldest sister’s husband, then a professor of physics at the university. Yevgeny’s sister and her husband lived in Riga, Latvia; her husband was Latvian.

  1918–1921

  Yevgeny studies physics, art, and languages. His brother, Stanislaw, studies chemistry and physics.

  1922

  Anna (age sixteen) and Yevgeny (age twenty-five) fall in love, and Yevgeny remains in St. Petersburg while his brother, Stanislaw, returns to Poland.

  1923: Spring

  Anna and Yevgeny travel to Santurinowka to ask Feodosija Nikolayevna’s permission to get married.

  1923: Summer

  Anna and Yevgeny marry at the Orthodox church, with Feodosija signing a consent.

  1923: Late Summer

  Yevgeny makes an attempt to move Anna and her family out of Russia and into West Ukraine but does not succeed.

  1924

  Another attempt to move Anna’s family, this time to Poland, fails.

  1924: December

  Anna and Yevgeny decide to move to Taganrog (near the Sea of Azov) to a house that belonged to Feodosija’s family and was vacated when they moved to Poltava.

  1925: November 3

  A son, Anatoly, is born to Anna and Yevgeny.

  1927: September 22

  A daughter, Nonna, is born to Anna and Yevgeny.

  1928

  Yevgeny makes contact with the Romanian friend he had met while studying at the University of St. Petersburg. They arrange several meetings in attempts to establish some communication with the Polish government.

  1929: Summer

  Yevgeny and his Romanian friend make another failed attempt to move to Poland (this time only Yevgeny’s immediate family).

  1929: Early Fall

  Yevgeny accepts a position as an interpreter for foreign visitors to the largest machinery factory in the city of Rostov-on-Don.

  1929: Late Fall

  Yevgeny and Anna move to Rostov-on-Don. There they are provided with a roomy apartment near the machinery factory and close to the housing of foreign visitors. The apartment is located about one and a half miles away from the largest park in the city of Rostov, which was called Park of Rest and Culture.

  1930

  An
na makes new friends and engages in music and art competitions. Yevgeny and Anna attend many parties and surround themselves with a circle of cultural people. They attend the Theater of Rostov regularly.

  1931

  Yevgeny invents a machine that slices sugar cones into cubes.

  1931–1932

  Anna leads a very busy social life, giving piano and violin concerts. She also paints constantly.

  1932

  Yevgeny demonstrates his invention at the factory’s banquet with many foreigners in attendance, and he is presented an award by a German representative.

  1933

  Yevgeny and Anna make friends at the University of Rostov, and Yevgeny takes on some extra jobs repairing some of the university’s medical and laboratory instruments.

  1933–1934

  We travel to Nachichevan, where the university was located, quite often. We went by streetcar, about a thirty or forty minutes’ ride. It was then that I believe we became acquainted with Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who had been studying in the chemistry department at the university. (It is only to the best of my recollection.)

  1935

  Rumors of war spread throughout Russia. Yevgeny keeps in close touch with foreigners from the Western countries. He receives much news from Europe. We have visitors to our apartment quite often, and I could never understand what the conversations were about. They were spoken in several languages.

  1935–1936

  Russia prepares for warlike situations. Children in school have drills about what to do in case of the enemy’s attack. Planes fly over, dropping fake “chemical bombs.” People are encouraged to dig shelters in their yards. Air-raid-alert sirens are installed in all the neighborhoods, and occasionally they are turned on in exercise and practice drills.

  1936–1937

  Yevgeny and Anna take the rumors of war seriously and decide that it would be beneficial to move to Santurinowka, which by then had been annexed to the town named Konstantinowka, Ukraine. Plans are made to move in with Feodosija while the house there is being divided into apartments. Other members of the Ljaschov family are heading back home also. Yevgeny thinks it is a good idea to be closer to West Ukraine and Poland in case war breaks out.

  1937

  The members of the Ljaschov family move back to the Great House with its thirty-seven rooms, four kitchens, and stable for six horses.

  1937–1938

  Yevgeny and Anna open a photography and portrait studio in Konstantinowka. Anna engages herself in working at the “Little Theater” at the Civic Club (next to the studio). They also organize a music school for young girls at the club.

  1938

  Yevgeny travels to Yalta in the Crimea (a resort area on the Black Sea), where he meets his Romanian friend again in an effort to get out of Russia. This time he is willing to make an attempt to get to Romania.

  Yevgeny receives the discouraging word from his friend that emigration to Romania is impossible. (It all seemed so hopeless.)

  1939

  Germany invades Poland. World War II is on. All communication with the West ceases. The Russians become suspicious of anyone who makes even the slightest contact with the outside world. Grandmother dismisses all the hired hands except Petrovich, whom she claims is a relative.

  Yevgeny makes arrangements to take Anatoly to St. Petersburg (Leningrad) to attend school and stay with relatives.

  1939: Late Summer

  Anatoly is brought home for his last visit with the family by Grandmother’s brother from Riga, Latvia. The family is in an emotional and confused state. I do not understand any of their plans. Yevgeny and Anna, for the first time in their marriage, are faced with great emotional outbursts. I am confused and frightened. Anatoly leaves, and we never see him again.

  1940

  Anna is with child and has a difficult pregnancy because of an attack of malaria. Her fever attacks grow frequent, and she spends a lot of time in bed.

  1940: August 29

  Anna gives birth to a baby girl. She names her Taissia.

  1940: September 3

  The baby dies of hepatitis as a result of Anna’s malaria attacks during her pregnancy.

  1941: Summer

  The war is now on Russian soil. All young, able-bodied men are drafted into the army. Jews from Poland flee to Russia and the Ukraine, and they are being transported to Siberia.

  Russians begin evacuation of those who want to go farther east. The trains are loaded every day. People are in great confusion. Many do not wish to be evacuated and want to remain behind.

  1941: Early Fall

  German planes bomb Konstantinowka frequently. The Germans approach. The Russians move out, burning and destroying much behind them.

  Yevgeny decides to remain behind and plans to go into hiding until the Germans arrive.

  1941: Late Fall

  German soldiers move into Konstantinowka. They are searching homes and cellars for food. They are cold, hungry, and desperate.

  Anna and Nonna sought out deserted homes in the next village, staying for indefinite periods of time and searching for food themselves, while Feodosija and Yevgeny stayed behind in the Great House.

  1941: November

  Drunken German soldiers find Yevgeny hiding in the cellar. They brutally beat him and pluck out his eyes.

  1941: December 12

  Yevgeny dies from the injuries sustained during the assault.

  1942: Early Spring

  Anna and Nonna move back with Feodosija into the family’s Great House.

  1942: Summer

  Anna and Nonna engage in singing at the Orthodox church and move downtown in Konstantinowka to be closer to the church.

  1942: Late Summer to Early Fall

  The Germans offer to transport some Ukrainians and Russians to Germany to work in the factories because of the shortage of manpower there. Anna and Nonna decide to volunteer to be transported to Germany. Because of the age restrictions made by the Germans, Anna is forced to make quick arrangements in changing Nonna’s and her own birth certificates. The year on Nonna’s birth certificate is changed from 1927 to 1925, thus making her appear to be sixteen years of age; Anna’s birth year is changed from 1906 to 1909, making her under thirty-six. (The Germans had set the qualifying ages between sixteen and thirty-five years.)

  1942: Fall

  Anna and Nonna journey by freight train through the Ukraine and Poland and into Germany under poor conditions and heavy guard by German soldiers. (Any attempt to escape from this journey was foiled.) These train cars were packed with people like sardines in a can. There were two SS men and two dogs assigned to guard each car.

  1942–1943

  Anna and Nonna are assigned to work in a carton factory in Kassel, Germany, and reside at a labor camp known as Ostarbeiterslager (a labor camp for workers from the East).

  After a short stay there, they were transferred to a porcelain factory and back again, then to a textile factory.

  1943: Spring

  Anna and Nonna are transferred from the factory to a Catholic hospital known as Marienkrankenhaus, in Kassel, Germany. Nonna is given a job as an interpreter, and Anna is put to work as a nurse’s helper. They are put to work in a section of the hospital built specially for foreigners from labor camps and prisoners of war; there are five barracks set up as a hospital next to the main building.

  1943: Late Summer

  Anna and Nonna are transferred to the German hospital quarters because of conflicts Anna had with one of the Russian doctors.

  The nuns of the Catholic hospital transfer Anna to work in the German hospital’s isolation ward for communicable diseases such as diphtheria and scarlet fever. Nonna and her mother share a room in the upper floor of the hospital. Nonna is given the responsibility of all clerical work in the admitting office of the foreign hospital.

  1943: September 22

  Anna has to appear before the Gestapo authorities and does not return.

  Nonna visited Gestapo headquarters a few day
s after Anna’s disappearance.

  1943: October 22

  Kassel is bombed by British planes and is completely destroyed in a matter of twenty-five minutes. (The exact time was 7:45 p.m. to 8:10 p.m.) Thousands are dead, and everything is burning and in rubble. The Gestapo building is destroyed. All those in the hospital survive by being in the largest bunker in Kassel, which was built by French prisoners of war and was located at the back of the hospital and connected by an underground tunnel.

  1944

  After four months of not knowing Anna’s whereabouts, Nonna receives notice from a concentration camp in Bohemia that Anna is imprisoned there. The reason for her imprisonment is not given.

  Several letters from concentration camps arrive at intervals of four to six weeks. All letters are written for Anna in German by another person since Anna cannot write in German. Anna’s prison number is stated on the letters, which were very carefully screened by the authorities.

  1945

  World War II comes to an end and the Americans take over Kassel, freeing all the people in the labor camps.

  Four weeks before the war ends, Nonna comes down with rheumatic fever and myocarditis (an inflammation of heart muscle).

  Anna died just weeks before her camp was liberated. Nonna received her final letter in September but continued to hold out hope of finding her.

  1945–1947

  Nonna’s illness lingers for almost two years. While in the hospital, Nonna makes all possible attempts to find her mother.

  1947–1948

  After all the efforts to find Anna fail, Nonna asks to be transferred to a hospital in Merxhausen, Germany, where all the victims from the concentration camps—mostly Jews—are being taken. There she hopes to look for some clues about her mother.