Jewish HOMELAND of the famous bard: talks about Vladimir Vysotsky in the club of Hesed

Recently in our club, the regular meeting with clients from the cycle "Theatre Mansy from Emil Krupnik" was successfully held. It is more than a year now that this cycle continues - every first Thursday of the month the journalist, poet and singer-songwriter Emil Krupnik tells about famous artists.

This time the meeting was devoted to Vladimir Vysotsky. Several generations of natives of the former Soviet Union have grown up together with songs of Vysotsky. "Song about a friend", "Fastidious Horses", "the Ballad about truth and lie", "I do not love you" – these are not hits or chartbusters – these songs are an integral part of our lives.

However, at the meeting a lot was said about Jewish – and Kievan! – the roots of the famous bard and the Jewish theme in his life and work.

Vysotsky and Kiev

Vladimir Vysotsky in his short and brilliant life never sang about Kiev. Strange – because this is where are his roots on his father. His grandmother, Daria Alekseyevna Semenenko, until her very death in 1970, lived in a communal apartment on b. 20 Ivan Franko street, and during each of his tour visits to Kiev her famous and talented grandson did not forget to visit her.

Vysotsky is obviously considered a Russian national poet, the artist, creator. Nevertheless, regarding the roots (and therefore genetics), everything is not so simple and straightforward.

"My brother – Vysotsky" - so called her book of memoirs a cousin of the poet Irena Alekseyevna Vysotskaya. In the book were firstly published numerous documents and facts from the history of the genealogy of Vladimir Vysotsky-the father. Moreover, everything there is our native – Jewish and Kievan, from the names of streets to the unique atmosphere.

Two educations of grandpa Wolf

In 1911 a 22-year-old native of Brest, the son of a master glassblower Wolf Shlemovich Vysotsky arrived in Kiev. Wolf enrolled at the faculty of Economics of the Commercial Institute, which was located then at the corner of Shevchenko Boulevard and Pirogova street (today there is a Pedagogical University named after Dragomanov). In October 1917 he graduated with a diploma and the title of candidate of economic Sciences of second category.

Subsequently, Wolf Vysotsky graduated from the law faculty of Kyiv University and in 1919 was entered the Kiev Institute of national economy (KINH).

Probably the "theoretical" specialties at that difficult time were not in demand, and it was necessary to maintain a family – an elderly mother (his father died), his wife and two sons. That is why Vladimir Semenovich Vysotsky (this way he rewrote his name and surname the former Wolf Shlemovich) tried to organize artisanal workshop for the production of theatrical make-up, and during the NEP worked successfully in the cosmetic production facility.

However, the previous qualifications were not forgotten by a holder of three academic degrees. For example, in Moscow (where Vladimir Vysotsky moved in 1926 and where in 1938 his grandson -the namesake was born), he competently performed the duties of the legal counsel, commercial director, etc. Vladimir Semenovich-senior died in 1962. Until the last minute he kept the clarity of mind and love of life.

Five names of grandmother Iradiada

Wolf Vysotsky married still being a student, in 1915. His fiancee was born in the family of a wealthy tradesman from Zhytomyr Evsey Bronstein.

Interestingly, the grandmother of Vladimir Vysotsky in different documents has two dates of birth and five names. Metric record of her birth is dated 1891, and she is recorded there as Deborah. In the record of marriage with Wolf Vysotsky, she appears as Dora, and her year of birth is 1893. In the documents issued later, she is pompously called Iradiada. Relatives and friends often called her Irina. The fifth name of Deborah-Dora-Iradiada-Irina appeared later.

Having received medical education in obstetric school, Iradiada subsequently mastered the profession close to her husband's business - became an expert beautician. Golden-haired, lively, witty woman knew her worth and did not allow her husband to command. However, you cannot throw words out of a song: conjugal fidelity was not very dear to Wolf Vysotsky. From time to time, he had love affairs. Probably his lawful wife was mostly put in a fume with his fiery affair with Elga Arens, famous pop singer at that time in Kiev. Though a married couple moved together in Moscow, this marriage was doomed. Vladimir Semenovich stayed in Moscow, where he created a new family, and Iradiada Evseyevna returned to Kiev.

When our city was occupied by the Germans, she continued to live here. It jeopardized her life as the Jewish woman. In 1942 she enter into a Church marriage with George Lukic Semenenko, and joined the Orthodox. This is how Dora Evseyevna Vysotskaya became Daria Alexeyevna Semenenko. Under that name the grandmother of Vladimir is buried in Kiev Baikovoye cemetery.

By the way, Daria Alexeyevna was a real theater-lover, she did not miss a single premiere. And when Volodya left the Institute of civil engineering and decided to become an actor, she was the only one from kinfolks who understood and supported him.

Tchotchke from father

In most of canonized biographies of Vladimir Vysotsky it is said that his father was born in 1915. Actually his date of birth was corrected to send him to school earlier. In Kiev metric register is a record of the birth of Semyon Vysotsky - 18 June (1 July) 1916.

At that time the young Vysotsky couple lived on Bulvarno-Kudriavskaya street (now is called Vorovskogo street), in the building № 42. Semyon Vysotsky studied in Kyiv schools, at first at 24 Vorovskogo street, then on 4 Irininskaya street. He moved with his father to Moscow, graduated from the Polytechnic school of telecommunications, was awarded an officer rank. Then he married and together with his wife, Nina Maksimovna Vysotskaya, began to raise a firstborn son Volodya. In 1941, he was mobilized and went through the war, gaining numerous military awards, celebrated victory in Prague.

Only in 1945 he saw again his son Volodya (who was left being a three-year-old child) and gave him his military officer’s shoulder straps. "at the station I took my dad’s shoulder straps, like a tchotchke, and civilians flocked from the evacuation."

Later, Volodya’s parents divorced, as his grandparents at their time. Vladimir lived in the family of father and his new wife Yevgenia Stepanovna, an Armenian.

Vladimir considered her a second mother, called her "mama Jenia". Semyon Vladimirovich by the terms of service moved from town to town. For some time he served in the headquarters of the Kiev military district. It was then, in the early 50-ies, when Vladimir first visited Kiev...

Vysotsky – "yiddish"

What was the attitude of Vysotsky to his Jewishness? It is known that he refered to it well. He neither accented it, nor concealed.

As recalls A. M. Gorodnitsky: "It was in 1965 at the Polytechnics. Having met me, Vysotsky asked, "Are you Jewish, indeed?" Due to unexpectedness of the question I literally was dumbfounded. All I found to reply was: "Yes. So what?" Vysotsky smiled and said: "I have a direct relationship to this nation".

He communicated with his Jewish grandfather and grandmother, who spoke Yiddish at home, according to the testimony of living in Israel relative of Vysotsky. Therefore, the poet heard the Hebrew speech, at least some words and expressions that are always reflected in everyday speech of people whose native language differs from the language of official communication.

Moreover, his father who had never advertised his roots, on occasions could show off the Yiddish word or even a verse.

Among close friends of Vysotsky was David Markish, the son of famous Jewish writer and poet Peretz Markish.

Vysotsky was very familiar with the outstanding Yiddish poet Matvey Grubiyan (a soldier who was given seven years of camps after the war), visited and sang at his home, knew his poems.

It is likely that thanks to the relatives on the paternal side, as well as through communication with the families of fellow Jews, he took over knowledge of some Jewish words, some of the features of humor. Some researchers believe that Vysotsky knew Yiddish.

About the history of his family Vysotsky began to write the song, but has never finished, there is a rough sketch of the beginning:

When our ugly foundations
Were spread to dust by revolution, -
There lived the Jews Vysotsky,
Unknown in the highest quarters....

As for the surname, researchers agree that the genus of Vysotsky comes from the village of Selets, Pruzhany district of Grodno province, now located in the Brest region, Belarus. The surname is probably connected with the name of the city Vysokoye, Kamenetz district, Brest region. Fate decreed that the descendants of Vladimir Vysotsky returned to Judaism in the Orthodox sense. The son of Vladimir Semenovich, Arcadiy, married to a Jewish woman, made children, but later divorced. These children together with the mother went to the United States and there became religious Jews. Recently Natasha (Naama) Vysotskaya (granddaughter) married Chabad Shlomo Teplickiy — under the Chuppah, all, as it should be...

How Vysotsky won over ice-slick

Despite the adverse weather conditions, the hall of the club was crowded, and the atmosphere was very warm. However, as always...

Jewish HOMELAND of the famous bard: talks about Vladimir Vysotsky in the club of Hesed

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