Mykola Jejna and Bohdan Jejna

00:05 Hello, my name is Bob. I'm 49 years old. Today's date is July 22nd 2009. Where in Rochester New York and I am here with my father today?

00:22 Let us know who you are.

00:28 And I was born on no.

00:32 Something is wrong here. And you can tell us when you were born. I was born October 20th 1928 and I am 80 years old.

00:44 What's today's what's today's date date is July 22nd, 2009 and location is Rochester, New York.

00:56 And relationship to partner is I am the father.

01:01 Hosta partner

01:03 I thought so well as I mentioned, my name is Angelina. I'm a first-generation Ukrainian who grew up in Rochester New York. My family calls me Donna with me today is my father. Imma call, you know, he's 880 as he just mentioned and has four grandchildren or story for children who was born in Austria artist who lives in Arizona who also resides in Arizona and myself

01:31 Our family includes four grandchildren and one great-grandchild my mom and I we all miss very much was a great man my father met and married her and Innsbruck Austria. Well enough about family background for the moment. I brought my dad here today at the suggestion of a friend to talk with my dad. So we call Tata about his life and what it was like leaving a home and a country at an early age to start a new life not knowing what it will bring or what will take him.

01:59 As a child we heard so many stories about what life was like when you were growing up but being a kid. So I will didn't listen very well naturally had I known what great stories they were I would have listened better, but back in 2006 you and I had a wonderful opportunity to travel to Europe together.

02:20 I saw the places where you grew up where you went to school with some of our family but even the street where you first so I'm not it was a great trip and I think that time I listened to your stories.

02:32 Your grandchildren put together a list of questions, they like to talk about and they all wanted to know what it was like what it was like for you that can Ukraine tattoo so high debating.

02:45 Norwell

02:48 This is a long story and we have to go back to 1943 or 1944 when the war was going on in our country, which is Ukrainian. And at that time the German occupation was ending because of the Russian.

03:06 Troops who are pushing the Germans out of the country and I went to Jimmy's room in better Johnny.

03:17 Her in 19 41 42 43 and the beginning of 44 the school was closed in March of 1944. And that was supposed to be able to do that 3 would leave the country. We were not very sure. Otherwise, my parents did not decide what to do whether to go underground whether to join the Germans, or was it just to leave the country and be on your own.

03:53 And they made that last choice we decided to leave the country and

04:00 Beyond our own and

04:04 Not knowing what was going to happen at all. Never and I believe my parents to never had any idea what it was.

04:16 And I didn't have any idea either.

04:19 So in March of 1944.

04:25 The front was getting much closer and we decided to leave the country. So we went about a hundred kilometers West.

04:34 And wanted to wait for the outcome of the operations that were being conducted by the Russian troops and German troops.

04:45 Has been had the opportunity to stay there for another couple of months and also had the opportunity to come back to our own home.

04:54 And that's was the last time.

04:59 The three were there.

05:01 And the journey back in about a short time was not very easy. Because the trains were not going there was no normal train. There were only military trains and most of the time that consisted of an engine and a couple of wagons behind one was designed to carry coal or wood because there were steam engines and the other was for any purpose at all, you know for people to ride or to carry some stuff or whatever, but we had the

05:46 They had lock or the opportunity to be other one train that had military personnel and one part of the train that it was only considered of steam engine and what if I can behind yours.

06:04 And and the tree or

06:08 Or five of us. I don't remember exactly right now. We should include my parents and myself and we went to a next station which was called the real and that station was bummed about one hour before we arrived and you could still see unexploded bombs between the railroad tracks and the between the wagons and between the train cars.

06:43 We were lucky to Mom to 1 train and my my mother and my father got into a little cabin that was usually attached to a

06:56 Boxcar, you know, I think it has had to break breaking possibilities and that's what

07:07 Bluetooth Coupe I should say. I wish I could accommodate maybe one or two people.

07:15 And I was not that lucky I had to ride on a step which is in front of The Boxcar and wishes very hard because the step is not in the outside is not allowed outside of the box car, but it's under it. So you have to hold yourself with your hands when you're traveling on the outside of it.

07:43 And we went to the next town which was three, I believe and there we had to do to find another train.

07:54 Go to another city and then the trails were bombed. It was interrupted and we had to walk about two kilometres and K whatever we had in our hands.

08:10 Has the likely we gots to a

08:15 Town Ridge Court Shawn Hook

08:18 And

08:21 We had the opportunity to stay there for about

08:25 I think 10 days and we found out that there was an opportunity to get on a train which was carrying the road building machinery and belongs to a company called Berkheimer, which was a German a mansion Sherman owner.

08:50 When we got the to the

08:53 To where the train was located we found out that we were not the only ones that were thousands of people trying to get a nut on a train. The whole were you when all of this was taking place as old were you scared or never? I was never scared and it seems like a big adventure which it was in an allergy, but I didn't realize is that time?

09:31 And I took chances and I would never

09:35 Take it again. What kind of chances of gatech spring loaded discs between the cars railroad cars for when the train starts the hit together?

09:53 And there was a virgin Mary Lou's on room on it. And I used to ride on those disks. I would stand over there hold myself to something and driving it be there when the train was in motion. That's a big risk because you can fall in between the person you are gone. What did the bobbin diesel tell you that you were doing? Did they offer accessories? That was the only play that you could ride on and I always first

10:41 They usually got the much better suit the night they tore the place. So to be in the car in baban Gita ever tell you why you were leaving the country and what you were doing while I knew you grow up real fast and

10:59 I was growing up when I was 14.

11:04 So what did you do for food? That was one of Matthew's questions. He wanted to know what did you eat?

11:11 Well, we started out as a little package that you can cut in your hands and we had some we had a couple loaves of bread and melted butter because the melted about her does not spoil when it's exposed to outside temperatures like 70 80 90 degrees because it was the summertime.

11:36 And then whatever if we could get any place every time the train stopped and most of the time it was in the fields because the train had to stop when the alarm was on in the city it all like 8 alarm and then whatever was growing on each side of the train to people just go out cuz out and grab whatever they could, you know, it is going to be airport not sure is but that there were some some other food that I can remember the name of it in in hungry.

12:22 The road to just picking its and end the longer stays it would start a fire will build a fire.

12:36 Making some kind of mechanism that for the holds and the dish, you know that you had something to cook in it and I once in awhile restart restart the fire and the start to cook whatever it was always water somehow. I don't know where we got water from but there was always water in there. And in that water, you know what to be cooked beside the fire and it starts going and the train gives you the signal does it started to move we had to get rid of the fire and

13:14 Sojo's are our dishes put it on the train and then wait for the next stop to cook it a little further. So there could be something says you're going from City to city or stop to stop if you know where you're going to end up eventually. We love we never knew where the trailer was going west and that was enough for us because that's where our destination was. We want to be in a position to be in the area where the Western countries soldiers would be occupied and good portion of the country. Which country which was Germany of course, and how did you finally

13:57 Get to that destination or realize that it was safe to well. There was a boy look for a walk only but luckily there was our luck that the train was always in the front line and we got like that to Reena Roy shut in Austria.

14:16 So is that where you finally ended up? That's what we finally know we the train was stopped there for about 2 or 3 days and after that remote and further.

14:31 And we were of course the train was going west and we wound up in Linz.

14:39 So, how long do you think the whole trip was? How long were you on a train one month's one full months. And what what time of year was it that was in the

14:52 In August, I believe it was August know I was at time. I'm sorry. This was the first I mix it up with this was the first time the train comes up in the end in I made a little mistake. I got ahead of myself. The trainer wants to hartsburg in Austria, and it was exactly one month from the time that we saw it and we were lucky we got the

15:28 How to be a position to work to live in

15:38 Ethic of one house over there, which was very surprised when we got there at night because the fire the

15:53 The the alarm Sirens was supposed to the top of the roof. I think you told me that house where you ended up. How did you end up being at the house that someone bring you there? Well, as most of the people won't up in the camp, which was a labor camp not like that but it has barracks and most people want up over there if you want to listen to the private house because my uncle was a Shoemaker and the owner of that house or was also a Shoemaker and he was making shoes for the German Army and my uncle got the job and I was right the first day that we arrived over there and we kind of think like a family because there was seven of us and we stick together.

16:48 And my father was delivering the shoes from that area to Graz to the where I'm at. The collection point was so I had to go twice over there with you. It was dangerous because the garage was being bumped Everyday by the Americans and the English forces. So you lived so relieved are for from

17:14 Who lived out from July from the August window from August till May of 1944?

17:25 Now that you have any other friends with you or family, we didn't have any other family except my uncle and his family and my father and mother alive, but there were a lot of people that we got to know on the train because we were on it for so long cuz I got to know some people very, well you still see her or talk to any of those people that you met on the train back then did you do still see them or talk to them ever or know where they live now, but

18:06 Who is state that we stay there for 6 months, and I was not lucky so I have to work for the for that firm that you were that the trend along to the big hunt better, and I have to be a regular we were building Barracks for Military Hospital.

18:31 Hannah is not in the Heartbreak, but it was outside the Harvick about 30 kilometers and

18:41 They took as our one-time four of us. There were two Polish people and the one the Russian and myself and I put us on a truck and took a stroll to the place where the barracks were going to be built.

18:57 And I never telling us that we were not coming home. But that didn't that the same day same day. So my parents will find out about two weeks later where I was and accommodated in a in a room that previously was used as a scout store.

19:19 I was third floor and the building was position out of the bank. That was the bank and I'm in the back of a bit too because there was a hilly terrain and whenever it's rained the rain was coming right through through the floor of that room and coming out on the other side. So you live there from November till about January when next year and then at some point you ended up moving to Innsbruck, right? Well. That was the second time because the front was coming closer and closer.

19:59 Sew-in in March of 1944

20:06 It was real close was it that one could hear the bomb explode in the front line? And I was like, so

20:21 We decided to run again because we had to run again because we were running away from the Russians. We didn't want to be captured by then. And not only did we want to we were scared of them. So we were trying to be as far away as possible.

20:40 And this was the second time that we started our journey West again and the likely.

20:49 About five families met in hard hard work and decided to stick together and go west.

21:02 And which one of the family had a little hand drawn wagon, you know, which is which which was a miniature horse drawn wagon so that you would you had you had to handle and you can pull it was on four wheels and it's seven people or whatever. We had. We put it on that little dragon and there were four other families.

21:33 We wanted to keep together and they started it was the weather yesterday was very hot day. And then once in awhile and end the military, why are you know that they were horse-drawn Wagons at that time and we were able to connect our wagons to directions once in a while and that helped tremendously because right after about two hours every everybody was ready to

22:13 I get rid of all the stuff that we had and just walk away. My except my father. He said if you would want to pull out for myself.

22:22 And luckily he listens and we got to the town called pillow which was about the 32 kilometers from Hardware.

22:37 And that's where we had about five families got together.

22:48 Coronavirus trying to find out how to cross the the mountains because the mountain terrain started right there. And then and we were we were going to put those wagons every would never done it ourselves. So my father was a real

23:08 He knew how to take advantage of any opportunity and he took a bottle of whiskey and a couple package of cigarettes and found somebody that had those some Belgian horses in a really huge horses with the wagon as with pool our all five little dragons up the hill and why the guy said that I cannot do it because the horses are not not not my but if you go on the outside of the town and then you can connect it to the wagon. So that's exactly what we did and we got the to the top of the hill when she was very steep as I remember.

23:55 And then we went down to a railroad that was had never wear tracks. It was a small it was like an Excursion or vacation type of railroad.

24:10 And my father again, I've got us on that train for a again for cigarettes and and whiskey because nobody had any money.

24:23 I just don't remember exactly how we find ourselves at that time. It's kind of skipped my mind. But as I remember when I remember walking in and there was a far more but our house when it was just begging for food banks. That was Mama's Family one of the five families that that's actually why I am at my wife. I'll really were you walking down the street or what happened up the hill and down the hill we hit the brakes so we had to have big pieces of wood and stick it into the real right as well because the wagons were just running but good by themselves so that and then we got to that little Ridge Road.

25:17 Had my father got us and that's really look again, and that that's touring took us to Lynch in Austria and we got stuck on the railroad station for about a week and a half.

25:35 We can go any further because we didn't have we didn't have any place. We didn't have a train or a car that would accommodate all those people song after about seven days my father again for cigarettes and whiskey got somebody to give us a boxcar full railroad boxcar.

26:02 And that we all loaded and we were still in that car for about 3 or 4 days and then finally my father finagle it somehow that they connected our car to a train that he was going to Innsbruck.

26:19 I'm from Utah from Linz.

26:22 So

26:25 What about after 3 days that connected to our wagon to the train everyone up in style Mark in Austria, and we were towns cars drift bike.

26:40 Doesn't know that was General. I'm sorry that wasn't early already, but they got there.

26:51 In that car

26:55 No, we're going to go any further because that there is a river called in.

27:01 And

27:03 The the bridge on that the railroad bridge was completely destroyed so that the bridge was bummed that we were able to reconstruct within a very short time. But this time it was bumped so that we can get you can get any further. So they moved our car out of sight tracks and we say the next car for the one full months as I remember it was snowing sometimes and all 21 people in there were three to five people at 21 people in the five families in the branches made the bed out of them and that's how we're sleeping. That there were sleeping both ways. Crosswise.

28:01 Softly As some people were sleeping good to the north San Felipe to the west and sometimes wear their feet got mixed up and that's how you didn't and I because of the debris was not tripping socket and that's were being bad to the American Army.

28:21 And well finally they got us out of that wagon out of that car and we had to find a place to stay so there was a haystack but covered in a little village for nothing and

28:46 And all of a sudden somebody came running and shouting that the Russians are in town.

28:54 And the everybody got scared really scared about some some person that you know that

29:04 New a little bit because it

29:08 What would happen that the guy got panicky because he showed the star on the side of the trucks. I didn't look what kind of stars was and he came running and shouting Russians are Russians of here and somebody else rent with the street and came back and said don't worry about it. It's not the red star.

29:35 This was the first time that I've seen American soldiers.

29:45 So that's a some point you ended up in Innsbruck, right? Well for a little while and then Acts were they kept the French prisoners of War but his room is kept at French business War ever, of course after the American Army came over there today.

30:16 Is it better to empty removed from that Haystack they moved into the barracks and we stay in the barracks for about 2 months.

30:26 Or maybe not even that long by the approximated that time at the end of my father found out that the school the Ukrainian the gymnasium was starting in the it is broke and he took me over an hour to rent a room someplace and I started to go to school when the food is was still in Cedarburg. So all this time you weren't going to school where you

30:56 I beg you for all this time. You weren't going to any school. I lost about almost two years of school. I had to get to make up 1 grade. I made up in 2 months and another grade in about 5 months.

31:17 School in because I was in 5th grade. So I and the fourth grade fifth grade. I made two.

31:26 2/6 and 7 and 1/8 was a full year. How many years later did you end up marrying Mama? Cuz we went to the church in Innsbruck where you were married. So how many we went to school together because we were in the same class and we went to school together and we graduated 1946.

31:50 And we got mad at 1949 right? I remember seeing pictures from the wedding. It's a little different than the pictures. You see now from a wedding right that what we have now is our wedding is it was not available any place and she made it herself and I had to the new shoot. I guess you both look great.

32:24 The time has run difficult, but

32:29 Not critical, you know, I never I only remember one time where we were really hungry because money that's that's what it one big reason. And another thing is that there was nothing available any place and if you got any food, you have to go and back for it until I remember times where we went in the mountains to the farmers and we came back with one potato in a whole day. I had to walk all day up and down the mountains have a wonderful one or two potatoes and compliance with my mother was picking some

33:22 They call it was talking to the girls in the in the grass, but it's has a sour taste. She was used to make soup out of it. And there were some other things that she was gathering something was going to fields. And other than that there was nothing.

33:40 I'm sorry, go ahead after a while. We found the baker that we could get bread, but it had to have money so.

33:51 Why can leave on the chair by the American Army was standing there? I got a job in it with American Army. And so did my father and my uncle

34:01 Heather was very easy, because it was very easy job, but you got to Borden was her a pack of cigarettes most of the time cigarettes and expense like a pack of cigarettes with 200 marks.

34:19 So little by little we got to leave the money.

34:22 But that didn't last too long because then the occupation zones changed and American troops were moving out to Zaza's pork and his work was occupied the French troops so that the episodes of his cigarettes and it now but you are for any help that you gave him that one is there was a pack of cigarettes would reach for the Army Personnel at that time was $0.10 and and instead they wanted whiskey all the time. So we're father found the couple people that we're making whiskey at home because his was allowed at you know for the German word for the washing dishes and her and especially farmers and we got them you ski and they give us cigarettes and cigarette.

35:22 They're going to take it out to a hundred by 10. Mm marks. That's when we were kids. We used to listen to you sing all the time when the family would get together. Everybody would sing songs and just kind of sit around the dining room table singing. So did you do a lot of singing back when you were a kid growing up?

35:45 Well, we used to sing all the time in the Ukraine is like to sing and sing in the choir. I was about 13 years old, but actually 12 years old because the first time on the Russians came to us and occupied the country where I was from 39 to 41. I was 12 years old not quite 12 and I would rather sudden sing in the choir. What's your favorite song? Do you know?

36:18 Yeah, well it right now there's nothing nothing when you're trying to get us to fall asleep Spitta. Thank you. Spell I don't know but right now I know the melody.

36:45 Spirit

36:51 That's the way it goes. That's how it goes. Don't think too much cuz I fall asleep if you're going into detail is like 4 inches you're asked a question about cooking.

37:12 In my mind that I am and that's why you're clear about that. But I know that we used to make those, you know that she would like this and then in the kettle and a half of whatever you want to cook and you build a fire under it and it takes about 45 minutes. But if the train was going to just grab that cattle and get it on to the next station to start building again, that's that's the way it was, but I remember one time when I was in school already.

37:48 And I met a friend of mine. Didn't have anything so I will share your food with him.

38:01 And Monday if you wanted to eat supper with it enough that was always talk, and I was your supper. Maybe that's why you like onions so much now getting the signal to wrap it up pretty soon. This was a great conversation. Thanks.

38:36 Hug generally speaking because that's what was the most important things and and what would actually happen if it succeeded I would have got away from the Russians. We didn't have to go through the trouble by being sent to Siberia or being shot in the back of the head. All these are wonderful stories. Now you have a great granddaughter Chloe who can can listen to all the fine details.

39:09 Thanks doctor for taking the time to do this with me.