He Drew a Map of Zhytomyr, Ukraine

Summary

E. Katherine Kottaras reflects on her grandfather's journey from Zhytomyr, Ukraine to Chicago, his life in America, and the impact of his heritage on her family, while drawing parallels to the current situation in Ukraine.

Abstract

E. Katherine Kottaras shares a personal family history centered around her grandfather, Harry, who fled Zhytomyr, Ukraine in 1913 at the age of 13 to escape the Pale of Settlement's restrictions. Harry's experiences in Chicago, including his vegetarianism influenced by work in the stockyards and his sister Clara's nurturing of Kottaras's writing talent, are recounted fondly. Despite suffering from dementia, Harry's detailed memory of Zhytomyr's map is a testament to his roots. Kottaras expresses gratitude for her ancestors' sacrifices and empathy for Ukrainians affected by the current war, advocating for support through verified charities.

Opinions

The author holds her grandfather in high regard, describing him as kind, humorous, and resilient.
Harry's decision to become a vegetarian is seen as a significant and principled choice influenced by his early experiences.
Clara, the author's great-aunt, is acknowledged as an important figure in the author's life, encouraging her writing from a young age.
The author views her grandfather's ability to recall and draw the map of Zhytomyr despite his dementia as a powerful connection to his heritage.
There is a deep sense of gratitude towards ancestors for their life-altering sacrifices, which the author believes have shaped her life.
The author expresses profound empathy and sorrow for the people of Ukraine, drawing a parallel between their current plight and her family's history.
Kottaras promotes active support for Ukrainians through reputable charities and emphasizes the importance of remembering and aiding those affected by war.

Thinking of my grandfather who had to leave when he was 13 — thinking of all those who are leaving and fighting now

photo from writer’s personal collection

My mom’s father, Herschel or Harry, fled to Chicago from Zhytomyr, Ukraine in 1913 at age 13. (Yes! He was born in 1900.) He was the only grandparent I ever got to meet since my other grandparents died before I was born. He was one of the kindest and most funny people I’ve ever known.

The photo above is of Harry with his friends in 1915, only two years after arriving in Chicago (he’s on the right). At age 17, he became a vegetarian because of what he witnessed while working in the stockyards on the south side of Chicago — he remained a vegetarian until he died in 1997.

photo from writer’s personal collection

This is Harry with his sister, my Aunt Clara, in the 1920s in Rantoul, Illinois. I guess they liked to spend time on a farm that was somewhat like a commune. They were all into natural cures and healthy living — the original hippies.

Clara was like a grandmother to me. She was the first writer I ever knew — my mom would send her my little stories and poems and she would write me letters telling me how beautiful they were. In elementary school, I wrote a story about her and Renoir and the Art Institute that took me all the way to the Young Author’s Conference in Springfield, Illinois. She made me think I could write.

When my grandpa was in his 90s, he suffered from dementia. We would visit him in the nursing facility quite often. My mom would ask him what he ate for lunch or the name of his roommate, but of course, he couldn’t remember. When she asked him to draw a map of Zhytomyr, he drew it perfectly, in detail, even though he had been a child when he left. (I don’t know where that map is — I hope I’ll find it one day in her files.)

I always wanted to visit Zyhtomyr, (and Vitebsk in Belarus where my mother’s mother fled, also in 1913, when she was 7 years old — it’s also where Chagall was from.)

My heart is feeling deep gratitude to my ancestors for making the life-altering sacrifices that have led me to this moment where I can remember and write about them with love.

My heart is also breaking, deeply, for the people of Ukraine.

For all of those impacted by this war and all wars and by the madmen that terrorize us all.

My heart is breaking.

E. Katherine Kottaras holds an M.A. in English and an M.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on Integrative Wellness, and she is a contemplative writer and holistic teacher, having worked at the middle, high school, and community college levels for over two decades. She is a yoga teacher, personal trainer, and health coach while also living with invisible illnesses and neurodivergence, and as such, she is passionate about mindfulness, bodily self-determination, and health equity. As the queer daughter of an immigrant, Katherine believes that holistic and inclusive approaches to expression, healing, and growth should be accessible to all.