Prologue 4 - Novograd Volynsk

After two nights in Kiev, Vitaly drove us to Novograd Volynsk. Our photographer and his son accompanied us in a separate car. The drive itself was an experience. Ukraine lacks the interstate highway system that we take for granted In America. The main roads that connect major cities would be considered side roads in the United States. On our drive we shared the road with an assortment of old, dilapidated vehicles, a few newer ones, horse-drawn wagons, bicyclists, and people on horseback.

Cars and horse-drawn wagons sharing the road are a typical sight in rural Ukraine.
Photo credit (top left): Miriam Weiner of Routes to Roots

Because of its close proximity to the Polish border, Novograd Volynsk is a military town with a large garrison. Prior to the Holocaust, 50 to 60 percent of the population was Jewish. Now only 5 percent is Jewish—800 people have acknowledged their Jewishness. Perhaps two to three times this number are Jewish but they are afraid to declare it. Most of the Jews in Novograd Volynsk came from other regions of the former Soviet Union, and are not descendents of the pre-Holocaust Jewish population.

In Novograd Volynsk we stayed at what was billed as a “four-star hotel.” It contained the best accommodation and restaurant in the region. Miriam Weiner had warned us ahead of time to bring our own pillowcases, towels, soap, and toilet paper. We were glad that we had heeded her warning.

Our accommodations on the fourth floor were called the “Presidential Suite”, which consisted of two rooms and a bathroom with ancient plumbing. Unfortunately, the water pressure in the town was so low that water reached us as a trickle. This was good enough for a slow sponge bath but insufficient for a shower.

One of the bedrooms contained two single beds, which were old and uncomfortable. The other room had a futon that didn’t unfold completely. Not unexpectedly, the rooms lacked TV and radio, but they did have roaches. The hotel’s restaurant served a limited selection of food, most which was fat laden and almost inedible to the American palate.

Vitaly and Miriam had prearranged meetings with the town officials for us wherever we went and we were treated like visiting dignitaries. We always brought gifts such as pens, rulers, staplers, and scotch tape, and in turn the officials gave us souvenirs, such as postcards of the town (not easy to find because they aren’t available for purchase), booklets containing town histories, town maps with Jewish sites marked, even a vase.

In 1974, Baruch had published a paperback book, The Personal Nixon: Staying on the Summit, which contained Nixon’s final extensive interview as president. A photo of Baruch interviewing President Richard M. Nixon in the Oval Office emblazoned the front cover. During our travels Baruch carried around a supply of these books. When we encountered someone who had been especially cordial to us or could smooth the way, Baruch would autograph a copy of the book and give it to the person. Nixon had been very popular in Russia, so the books were a big hit.

In Novograd Volynsk the mayor, Vladimir Ivanovich Zagrevy, showed up the first day to greet us but that was the extent of our interaction with him. The assistant mayor, Leonty Nikolayevich, was assigned to us to be certain that we were 100 percent satisfied with our treatment.