Memory Office: A. Kovtun
Crimean Tartar Asija Kovtun remembers life in a house in Laisvės Avenue together with other families, who found refuge in Lithuania after the 2nd World War. She tells about a poor but fulfilling childhood in the city’s backyards, a skating rink in Dzeržinskio Square, Sundays in the Zoo and elegant Kaunas’ families walking in a buzzing Laisvės Avenue.
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“When the family got too big, we received a room in Laisvės Ave. 1A (currently Laisvės Ave. 3). The apartment had 5 rooms, each housing a different family. The rooms were separated by glass doors. Each side followed their own way of living. This “transparent’’ life continued for a long time, as covering the doors or building a wall were not affordable. Those doors made the apartment authentic and beautiful.”
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“The apartment we lived in was large and elegant, but there were rats in it. These rodents got into the apartment through the sewers that were connected to the toilets. Dad told us that he used to stuff the toilets with shards of glass in order to block their entrance into the apartment, which were affected from this issue for a very long time. Every kitchen cabinet was being gnawed at by rats looking for food, despite them being empty – we lived very modestly. After some time, we finally managed to exterminate those rodents with poison. My friends mentioned that rats were a problem in many places in Kaunas. That was a sign of the post-war period.”
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“A Jewish family lived next to us and Lithuanians above us. Most of the people there were of Russian origins. Despite the outward luxury, tenants were rather humble. We spoke Russian in the backyard and only allowed Russian speaking children into our circle of friends. Others tried to talk with us to the best of their ability but we felt significantly disconnected from them. We did not understand where we lived and there were people next to us that spoke Lithuanian. We thought that we lived in the Soviet Union, so everyone had to speak Russian and go to Russian schools.”
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”A protest happened in Ramybės Park, after which it was decided to remove the cemetery located in the park. Three schools were located near the cemetery and we (students at the time) saw everything from very close. Male teenagers could not miss such an event. They scavenged graves and brought found bones into the classroom in order to scare girls. Braver ones went deeper into the graves and showed everyone crosses or rings they had managed to find. This was a most horrifying period of Kaunas history. It united us with the Lithuanians.”
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“Next to the Vytautas Park, there was Dzeržinskio Square, where a monument stood. In Kaunas, ice arenas were traditionally set up there during winters. We rushed to skate there immediately after school. Even though I had outgrown my skates, it was not enough to prevent me from enjoying it. I squeezed my leg and continued to skate.”
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“The most important place for me was the Sobor. Pretty much all of the most significant memories were associated with this building. I remember when a whole bunch of children ran to the Sobor, as a neighbour from a nearby house was getting married there. It was my first encounter with Lithuanian traditions and with the God in the church. I remember when we ran up the stairs and saw the bride with a veil, long white bridal gown and a church decorated with flowers.
When the Sobor was turned into a gallery, movies about the October Revolution were shown on one of its walls during October 7th and May 1st (Soviet celebrations). Young folk gathered, even though the movies were not amusing for anyone. We giggled and jokingly pushed each other around. Many new friendships were formed in that crowd.”
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“In the evenings, Laisvės Avenue was full of people. Families would go for a walk. It was a magnificent tradition. Lithuanian, Jewish and Russian families were walking in the avenue. The oldest members of the family would be walking in front of everyone else; parents following them and lastly a bunch of children were running after them. Slowly, constantly greeting each other, people passed through Laisvės Avenue and returned home. Women had to have a small handbag and a hat.”
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ASIJA CHAIBULA KOVTUN
Asija was born in 1947, in Kaunas. Asija’s father, Izetas Chaibul, was a Crimean Tartar, participating in the 2nd World War until its last day. When the Tartar genocide began, his family was exiled to Kazakhstan without him even knowing. Her mother, Klavdija Chaibul, was a Ukrainian and was taken to Germany for labour as a 14 year old, but went back to the unsafe Ukraine after Berlin was liberated. They married quickly, and after hearing rumours that Crimean Tartars are safe in Lithuania, together with Asija‘s grandmother, Ksenija, arrived in Kaunas in 1946. The Chaibul family settled in a dormitory room in Lydos St. where Asija was born. Later, the family received a room in a post-war apartment that was turned into a communal apartment in Laisvės Ave. 1a (currently Laisvės Ave. 3). Even though their living conditions were harsh, the Chaibul family stayed optimistic and valued education. Asija studied and was employed in Vilnius University, currently she is a professor in Vytautas Magnus University.
Date of the interview: 06/11/2017