Leonid (Lema) Bernstein collection

Identifier
irn524078
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 2006.338
  • RG-31.046
Dates
1 Jan 1941 - 31 Dec 1945
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • Russian
Source
EHRI Partner

Web Source

https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn524078

Extent and Medium

folder

1

159 digital images, TIFF

Creator(s)

  • Leonid Bernstein

Biographical History

Lema Bernstein served in the Soviet Army as a member of its jazz ensemble, and performed both for military and civilian audiences. Throughout his service during World War II, he traveled with this ensemble throughout many cities and regions in Russia, including: Leningrad, Yurev Polskii Oblast, Moscow, Mahachkala, Murmansk, and Warsaw. Some of the letters are written from forest areas, where his unit was sent during periods of heavy fighting in nearby locations. He had a close relationship with his parents, which is evident from the many letters he wrote to him during this five-year span of his life

Archival History

Center for the Studies of History and Culture of East European Jewry (Judaica Center) of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Kyiv, Ukraine

Acquisition

Forms part of the Claims Conference International Holocaust Documentation Archive at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. This archive consists of documentation whose reproduction and/or acquisition was made possible with funding from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

Source of acquisition is the Center for the Studies of History and Culture of East European Jewry (Judaica Center) of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Kyiv, Ukraine. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Archives received the photocopied collection via the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum International Archives Project in April 2006.

Scope and Content

The collection contains letters sent by Lema Bernstein from the Front to his parents who were evacuated from Kiev to Saratov, and later back to Kiev. The letters span the period of 1941-1945. Lema describes his service in the Soviet Army from 1941-1945, including his experiences performing as a member of the Soviet Army jazz orchestra.

System of Arrangement

The collection is organized chronologically, and each page is double-sided. Disregard numbering at the top of each item. One item is missing

Conditions Governing Reproduction

Copyright Holder: Center for the Studies of History and Culture of East European Jewry (Judaica Center) of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Kyiv, Ukraine

People

  • Bernstein, Leonid (Lema)

Subjects

  • Jews--Ukraine--Correspondence.
  • Jews--Ukraine--Music.
  • Jews--Ukraine--Memoirs.
  • World War, 1939-1945--Participation, Jewish--Ukraine.
  • Jews--Music.

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.

Copies