We set to work organizing my father’s accounts of his experiences, and in 1976, the Jewish Publication Society published stories from the first twelve of the 28 notebooks as The Samurai of Vishogrod. Between jobs writing for television and the stage, Shimon continued working on the remaining sixteen diaries, intending to publish them too, but he passed away before he could complete the job. Before his death, I promised him that the diaries would be published.
How appropriate it was that, when I worried that I might not be able to fulfill my father’s, my mother’s, and my husband’s dreams, that the job was taken on by my daughter, Bryna, who was named after the young girl who had saved my father’s life so many years ago.
Anita Marateck Wincelberg
Author's Note
As the third and final author of this book, I approached the task differently than my parents had when they produced The Samurai of Vishigrod, based upon the first twelve of my grandfather, Jacob Marateck’s, 28 diaries. While they had been faithful to the translation of the diaries, I didn’t have access to the original translation but rather to what my father had done with it, so I began with what he had done and directed the narrative to follow a storyline of which the multiple death sentences formed the spine. The objective was to create an entertaining and enlightening narrative without changing the story.
Creating a cohesive story line occasionally necessitated combining incidents that made the same point. I also eliminated redundancies and corrected discrepancies, and excised chapters or scenes that did not fit with the storyline and were distractions. Sometimes, it was necessary to develop additional material based upon what I knew or could surmise from the text in order to fill in gaps. I also tightened the narrative, while expanding on the dialogue and description in areas where I felt it was lacking. On occasion it was also necessary to relocate certain scenes to better emphasize the point they made. What I hope is not obvious from reading this book is where my grandfather’s or father’s words end and where mine begin.
For contextual understanding, and often to satisfy my own curiosity, I tried to identify some of the historical individuals referenced in the book. (To my great disappointment, I was unable to locate or identify Captain Mikhailoff, my grandfather’s rescuer on one occasion, or “Left-handed Stepan.” I am also aware that some of the names had been changed, but other than Pyavka’s, I don’t know which ones.) Later, by following clues in the text, I tried to figure out the location of the transit camp from which my grandfather had escaped, merely for the purpose of showing, on the map, his journey home from Siberia. Yet none of these changes affected the essence of my grandfather’s stories.
As my mother recognized, it was important to include some background information about my grandfather so that the reader would understand who Jacob Marateck was and how he ended up in the positions in which he found himself. To provide this context, I reused and rewrote some material that had previously been published in The Samurai of Vishigrod.
While my grandfather didn’t live long enough to produce more than a first draft, it is his unguarded, unedited personal thoughts and feelings that give his story its unique intimacy. Although the original purpose of keeping a diary had been to leave something behind for his parents in the event that he didn’t survive the war, what he left, instead, is something that brings each of us closer to his heart.
Bryna Kranzler
Footnotes
Chapter 1
1 Hebrew: Jewish educational institution at elementary or high school level, or beyond
2 As St. Petersburg was known at the time
3 Hebrew: Commentary of the great rabbis from centuries past; focuses on Jewish laws, customs, etc
4 Hebrew: Seven-day mourning period for the dead
5 Spelled, in Polish, Warszawa
6 Hebrew: Refers to any Jewish holiday
7 Yiddish: The Sabbath
8 Yiddish: Member of Jewish Socialist Labor Party
Chapter 2
9 Spelled, in Polish: Wyszogrod
10 A nickname for ‘Ivan’ used as a general term referring to all Russians
11 Yiddish: Supported or ‘kept’ son-in-law
Chapter 3
12 Russian: Province
13 Spelled, in Poland: Siedlce. NOTE: The Siedlce pogrom actually took place in 1906, not prior to
Marateck’s conscription in 1902. It is likely that, since he didn’t write down many of his stories until
years after the events described, Siedlce had been the pogrom foremost in his memory, and he had
simply confused the dates.
14 Yiddish: Taken from the Russian word for 'devastation.' Refers to a sanctioned attack carried out against one group of people (such as police) against another group (usually Jews) that involves destroying property, looting and murder
16 Russian-Yiddish: Nationalistic term for a Russian person; someone who is wholly Russian, not a
hybrid with another nationality
17 Russian: Jacob
18 Hebrew: A prayer said for someone who was ill. Here the term is used sarcastically
19 Russian: Authorities, or Officials
Chapter 4
20 In Jewish Folklore, the golem was created from mud, and became animated when the name of God,
written out, was placed in its mouth
21 Chief Minister of King Ahasuerus of Persia (aka Xerxes, 486-465 B.C.E.) who wanted to exterminate
all the Jews in the kingdom, using a lottery to choose the date on which to do so.
22 This Biblical text retells the story of Purim, and Esther and her cousin, Mordechai’s, roles in
preventing the destruction of the Jewish people
23 ‘Purim’ comes from the Hebrew word for ‘lottery.’ The holiday celebrates the Jews’ reprieve from
Haman’s plan to determine the date for annihilating the Jewish people by drawing lots
24 Russian: Colonel
Chapter 5
25 The Japanese attacked the Russian Pacific fleet in Port Arthur, Manchuria (which was of strategic
importance to both Japan and Russia), on February 8-9, 1904. It was the first battle of the Russo-
Japanese War, which Russia formerly declared on February 10, 1904.
26 Respectful way of referring to the Czar
27 Commentator on the Torah (Hebrew Bible), who lived from 1040-1105
Chapter 6
28 The Battle of Liaoyang, one of the major battles of the war, took place from August 24-September 4,
1904
29 A simple biscuit or cracker used during wars, extended seagoing voyages (where they are
known as “sea biscuits,”) or wherever perishable foods would not endure
30 Hebrew: Short for Shema Yisroel, a central Jewish prayer: “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God; the
Lord is One”
31 Hebrew: Phylacteries. They consist of leather straps and two square leather boxes, and contain four
sections of the Torah written on parchment
Chapter 7
32 Convicts and Jews made up much of the early population of Siberia, however there was strict
regulation of Jews’ movement and actions. Later, when the Pale of Settlement in far western Russia
became overcrowded, Siberia became the only other location in which Jewish settlement was permitted.
33 Cathay is another name for China
34 Hebrew: The Day of Atonement
35 Aramaic: Prayer said on the eve of Yom Kipper before beginning the service
36 Hebrew: Pertaining to a Hasid, a member of a strict sect of Orthodox Jews
37 Jewish holidays begin on the eve before the holy day
38 Hebrew: A good deed
Chapter 8
39 Hebrew: Holiday commemorating the rededication of the Old Temple in Jerusalem following the
Maccabean victory (165 B.C.E.). The eight-day holiday, which begins every year on the same date on
the Jewish (lunar) calendar, f
alls on a different date on the secular calendar each year, either in late
November, or December
Chapter 9
40 Yiddish: Prayer shawl
Chapter 10
41 Aka Prince Oyama Iwao, Field Marshall and one of the founders of the Imperial Japanese Army
42 A demonstration by laborers on January 22, 1905 that was initially peaceful but turned violent when
the unarmed workers were fired upon by troops, triggering the Revolution of 1905
43 Hebrew: Psalms from The Book of Psalms
44 For his role in negotiating The Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War,
President ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (1906)
45 Pertaining to the Hasidic dynasty originating in Góra Kalwaria, Poland; Ger comes from the Yiddish
name for Góra Kalwaria
46 When used generically, “the Talmud” refers to the Babylonian Talmud, which was compiled in
Babylon in the 5th century. The study of Talmud, great rabbis’ commentaries on the Torah, reflects a reverence for logic in which questions pertaining Jewish law are rigorously debated and analyzed from
all angles with the goal of arriving at a final answer .
47 Hebrew: Prayer said by relatives of the deceased so that the deceased benefits from the merit earned
by its recitation
Chapter 11
48 Polish: Often known as “Angel Wings,” these are ribbon-shaped pastries that are fried and then coated
with confectioners sugar
Chapter 13
49 Hebrew: Inclination to sin
Chapter 14
50 The heroine of the Purim story
51 Yiddish: In Jewish folklore, a malicious spirit of a deceased person that attaches itself to a living one
52 Yiddish: Nickname for Jacob, or Yakov
53 Spelled, in Moldova (located between Romania and Ukraine): Chişinău
Chapter 16
54 According to the Talmud, forty days before birth Heaven calls out the name of a child’s soul-mate.
It is another way of saying, “A match made in heaven.”
Chapter 17
55 Spelled, in Poland, Szczerców
56 Russian: The Russian secret police
57 Russian: An open carriage
58 Originally built as a fortress, The Citadel later became an infamous prison
59 The “Tenth Pavilion” was where political prisoners and revolutionaries were held prior to
Execution
Chapter 21
60 Russian: Carriage or sled drawn by three horses
61 According to the gemara (rabbinical commentaries on the Talmud), in every generation there
are 36 individuals who greet the Divine’s presence daily. Later literature suggests that they sustain
the world.
62 I have come across two possible Pototzkys (also spelled Pototsky, Potocki) to whom this might refer: Count Valentin Potocki, an 18th century Polish nobleman, renounced Catholicism and converted to Judaism. For this heresy, he was burned at the stake in 1749, though it is unclear whether this story is factual or legend. Alternatively, this may be a reference to Count Felix Pototsky, who was one of the richest men of the 18th century. He is remembered for having built Sofiyivka Park in Uman, Ukraine, in honor of his wife, Sofia of Greece. (It is unclear whether Valentin and Felix were related). Although my
grandfather might have been aware of both of these individuals’ by reputation, the context of the
comment above suggests that he was referring to Felix Pototsky
63 Pertaining to the Hasidic dynasty originating in Mszczonów, Poland; Amshinover takes its name from
the Yiddish name for the town of Mszczonów
Chapter 22
64 Reference sources give various explanations for why Lot’s wife might have turned back to see the
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, but all generally agree that her sin was disobeying God’s
admonition not to do so. Her punishment was to be turned into a pillar of salt because, during her
lifetime, she had “sinned through salt,” that is, she was stingy toward the needy by being reluctant to
share that precious commodity.
Chapter 24
65 Pertaining to someone from Warsaw
66 Under the laws of Orthodox Judaism, a man and a woman are not permitted to be in the same room,
behind closed doors, unless they are married.
Chapter 25
67 Hebrew: The Jewish New Year (literally the “head” of the year)
Chapter 26
68 “Secret Jews” who had been forced to convert to Christianity but still practiced Judaism privately
69 Hebrew: Additional prayer said on Sabbath and holidays
Chapter 28
70 Russian: Taxi driver
71 Yiddish: Synagogue
Chapter 29
72 Yiddish: Tavern, or bar
73 Yiddish: Beggar (implies ‘professional’ beggar)
Chapter 30
74 Yiddish and German: A person of influence; a big shot
75 The Günzburgs were Russian-Jewish philanthropists
76 A traditional Jewish New Year’s blessing
Chapter 32
77 Also known as the Cossacks dance, it is a fast, Slavic dance with alternate squats, leg kicks and jumps
Chapter 36
78 A reference to one of the Ten Plagues, which was Darkness
Glossary
Banzai -- (Japanese) A war cry
Chanukah -- (Hebrew) Holiday commemorating the rededication of the Old Temple in
Jerusalem following the Maccabean victory (165 B.C.E.). The eight-day
holiday, which begins every year on the same date on the Jewish (lunar)
calendar, falls on a different date on the secular calendar each year, either in
late November, or December
Drozhky -- (Russian) An open carriage
Dybbuk -- (Hebrew) In Jewish folklore, a malicious spirit of a deceased person that
attaches itself to a living one
Eydem oyf kest -- (Yiddish) Supported or ‘kept’ son-in-law
Faworki -- (Polish) Ribbon-shaped pastries (often known as “Angel Wings”) that are
fried and then coated with confectioners sugar
Gemara -- (Aramaic) Rabbinical commentaries on the Talmud
Golem -- (Hebrew and Yiddish) In Jewish Folklore, the golem was created from mud,
and became animated when the name of God, written out, was placed in its
mouth
Gubernya -- (Russian) Province
Hasidic -- (Hebrew) Pertaining to a Hasid, a member of a strict sect of Orthodox Jews
Izvoshchik -- (Russian) Taxi driver
Kaddish -- (Aramaic) Prayer said by relatives of the deceased so that the deceased
benefits from the merit earned by its recitation
Katzap -- (Russian-Yiddish) Nationalistic term for a Russian person; someone
who is wholly Russian, not a hybrid with another nationality
Kazachok -- (Russian) “Cossacks Dance” (also known as ‘kazatzka’). It is a fast, Slavic
dance with alternate squats, leg kicks and jumps.
Kol Nidre -- (Aramaic) Prayer said on the eve of Yom Kipper, before beginning the
Service, pertaining to vows made during the previous year
Kretchma -- (Yiddish) Tavern, or bar
Macher -- (Yiddish and German) A person of influence; a big shot
Marranos -- (roots in Spanish, Portuguese, Aramaic-Hebrew) “Secret Jews” who had
been forced to convert to Christianity but still practiced Judaism privately
Misheberach -- (Hebrew) A prayer said for someone who is ill.
Mitzvah -- (Hebrew) A good deed
Musaf -- (Hebrew) Additional prayer said on Sabbath and holidays
Natchalnik -- (Russian) Authority,
or official
Natchalstva -- (Russian) Officialdom
Okhranka -- (Russian) The Russian secret police
Polkovnik -- (Russian) Colonel
Purim -- (Hebrew) The holiday celebrates the Jews’ reprieve from Haman’s plan to
annihilate the Jewish people of Shushan, which was in western Iran
Rosh Hashanah -- (Hebrew) The Jewish New Year (literally, the “Head of the year”)
Schnorrer -- (Yiddish) Beggar (implies ‘professional’ beggar)
Shabbos -- (Yiddish) The Sabbath
Shaliach tzibur -- (Hebrew) Intermediary of the Congregation Community
Shema -- (Hebrew) Short for Shema Yisroel, a central Jewish prayer: “Hear O Israel,
the Lord is our God; the Lord is One” (Literally, “Hear, Israel”)
Shiva -- (Hebrew) Seven-day mourning period for the dead (from the Hebrew word
“sheva,” meaning seven)
Sholom aleichem -- (Hebrew) A Yiddish greeting
Shul -- (Yiddish) Synagogue
Tallis -- (Yiddish) Prayer shawl
Talmud -- (Hebrew) Composed of Jewish law and commentary of the great rabbis from
centuries past
Tehillim -- (Hebrew) Psalms. Also, The Book of Psalms
Tefillin -- (Hebrew) Phylacteries. They consist of leather straps, and two square leather
boxes containing four sections of the Torah written on parchment
“Thirty Six” -- (Hebrew) According to the rabbinical commentaries in the Talmud, in
every generation there are 36 individuals who greet the Divine’s presence
daily. Later literature suggests that they sustain the world. (They are also
known as the “Lamed Vavniks” (from the Hebrew letters “lamed”
and “vav,” which are assigned the numerical value of “thirty” and “six”),
The Accidental Anarchist Page 35