researching family Zakhowaev

[Nelld]

Hello all!

I am doing research on the last name of Zakhowaev. My Grandparents live in Dnipropetrovsk, they passed away in the 1930's. I have recently discovered that that are a few people in the Kharkov region of Ukraine by that name. I was told that many live in a small town called Korobochkino. Does anyone know if there is a Ukrainian phone book online, or anyone in Ukraine that can look up these names in the local phone books?

Thanks,
Nell

[Hannia]

The surname, Zakhovayev, strikes me as Cossack. Characaturish surnames were frequent among the Cossack. Zakhovayev could be such a surname. It would refer to someone who knew how to hide or disappear well.

But you tell me, what is your family history?

What religion did they follow? This is important info re locating records for your ancestors.
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In 1918 Yekaterinoslav/ Ekaterinoslav (to become Dnipropetrovsk in 1926) was called Sicheslav, the Glory for Sich/Fortress of Cossacks. It was founded in 1776 by the Russian duke, Potemkin, by order of Catherine II, Empress of the Russian Empire, and called Yekaterinoslav.

In the beginning of 19th century the city of Yekaterinoslav had only 6389 inhabitants, in 1865 there were 22,816, in 1887 48,000 and in 1897 the population had increased to 121,200 people. In the last thirty years of that century, the population of the city increased 5 times.

In 1926 the city was renamed Dniepro (after Dniepro River) -Petrovsk (after Grigoriy Petrovskiy -1878-1958 - the first Soviet Parliament leader of then new communist Ukrainian Republic).


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First you need to locate death records for Grandparents that died in 1930's. These are most likely to be located in the RAHS (District Archives) or in the State Archives.

Were they born in Yekaterinoslav, or did they come from a small village nearby, or another town in another region? Do you know the names of their siblings?

My contention is that you need to track your direct family line and come up w/a true conclusion that way, as opposed to trying an easy way out and searching where this surname might appear. In Ukraine there are many that would gladly be your relatives, especially if you are from the West. The economy facilitates such connections.
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The Dnipropetrovsk Oblast/Region is a land where the historical and cultural heritage of the Ukrainian Cossacks is carefully preserved, a land, where the Cossack Sich was situated. There are many museums and preserves in this region devoted to this subject.

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I know someone in Dniepropetrivsk that might be of help to you. He might be able to help w/any archival work. His prices are very fair and he could do things like help w/the local telephone listings, because these are not available online. I suspect that Serhii (too) has a Cossack heritage.
skulik2001@yahoo.com.

Korobochkyne is a village of about 3 thousand. In the 17th century this was one of the many cossack military garrisons in this immediate region.

Address for Village administrator:

Holovi Silskoji Rady
selo Korobochkyne
Chuhuyivskij Raion
Kharkivska Oblast
UA 63540

PS>Legend has it that long ago, in the early 17th century, there was a farmstead of a rich Cossack in the place where Kharkiv stands today. His name was Khariton, but people called him Kharko, and the place where he lived was called Kharkov (that means Kharko's) farmstead. After that the whole place was named Kharkov. But it is most probable that the town received its name after the river Kharkiv, which flows through it.

The first settlers of this area were Ukrainain peasants and Cossacks.

[Edited by Hannia on 28th April 2004 at 14:26]

[Nelld]

Thank you Hannia for all the great information!

The family was Greek Orthodox. My mother was born in Dnipropetrovsk in 1924. In 1942 when she was 17 years old the German took her to a forced labor camp in Lauf Germany, when this camp was liberated in 1945 she worked in Germany for a few years then was sponsered by a church in 1950, which brought her to the US, I was 4 years old at the time.

Her mother and father were Martin and Helene Zakhowaev. Helene's maiden name was Wolkowa. They both died in the 1930's. All I know about them is that Martin worked in a flour mill and died from lung failure due to inhaling all the flour. I don't know where they were born. I remember my mother once telling me that Helene, was from 300 miles north of Dnip. I recently contacted the archive in Dnip, they are doing some research for me. My mother had 3 brothers, George, who died in the 1950's. He was already married when my mothers parents died he was born in 1907, he took my mother in to live with him and his wife when she was probably about 10 years old, they had no children. Then there was Victor, who went missing in World War 2. He most likely died. The youngest brother was Valentine, he did have 2 children Yuri and Nadia, they were born in the 40's. I found Yuri and his wife thru the red cross about 4 years ago. As soon as I found them, I received a letter from his wife, she told me he died recently. I have been writing letters to Nadia, who is my cousin, but I am not getting any replies.

I found a few people online that I am corresponding with from Dnip, they found Nadia's phone number in their phone books, but they both told me that they get no answer when they call. I can't speak in Ukrainian any more, so I can't try to call myself, I can still understand a little bit tho. All the older people that I knew that were Ukrainian have died.

I found one Zakhowaev, in germany. He is not related to me but he is the one who told me that the last name is found in Korobochkino. I sure would like to know how many Zakhowaev's there are in that town.

My mother died in 1987. My mother was traumatized by the war, she did not think she had any family left in Ukraine. And unfortunatly she did not want to talk alot about her life. A few years after she died, I started to do family research, and haven't gotten very far. Hopefully the archives will find some information. It would be nice to find out where my grandparents are buried and get pictures of their graves.

I will contact skulik2001@yahoo.com.
Again, thank you for all the great information.

Nell

[Hannia]

DP's (Displaced People) had to answer extensive personal questionnaires before immigration. This will give you a better handle on mother's German experience and may provide you w/other personal info.

U S. Immigration & Naturalization Service: The Einwanderungszentrale of Nazi Germany had the complete vital statistics of every foreigner entering into Germany (name, age, place of original, date of entry and two photos (full face and profile). Using these files, the UNNRA and IRO (replacement organization for the UNNRA) categorized, provided medical exams, X-rays, TB and VD, mental and educational exams to determine who was eligible for immigration to the US and distant ports. (Genealogists should get freedom of information form G639 from the Immigration & Nationalization Services for their records.) The INS will tell you what camp your parents were in.

DP Camps - Addresses to search
http://www.dpcamps.org/dpcamps/addresses.html

[Hannia]

Name of the camp for Eastern workers, WALDLUST, Post Office Lauf, Pegnitz???

<"In addition to these bad conditions, there is lack of systematic occupation for and supervision of these hosts of children which affects the life of prolific families in the camps. The children, left to themselves without schooling or religious care, must run wild and grow up illiterate. Idleness in rough surroundings may and will create unwanted results in these children ***. An indication of the awful conditions this may lead to is given by the fact that in the camps for Eastern workers -- (camp for Eastern workers, 'Waldlust', Post Office Lauf, Pegnitz) -- there are cases of 8-year old delicate and undernourished children put to forced labor and perishing from such treatment. [Page 904] "The fact that these bad conditions dangerously affect the state of health and the vitality of the workers is proved by the many cases of tuberculosis found in very young people returning from the Reich to the General- Government as unfit for work. Their state of health is usually so bad that recovery is out of the question. The reason is that a state of exhaustion resulting from overwork and a starvation diet is not recognized as an ailment until the illness betrays itself by high fever and fainting spells. "Although some hostels for unfit workers have been provided as a precautionary measure, one can only go there when recovery may no longer be expected -- (Neumarkt in Bavaria) --. >

Document 9 on Slave Labor
http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/...nt/DOCSLA9.HTM

Trials of German Major War Criminals: Volume 2
http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/tgmwc...02-18-05.shtml

5. CONDITIONS OF DEPORTAION AND SLAVE LABOR
http://fundamentalbass.home.mindspring.com/x7935.htm

[Nelld]

Yes Hannia, That was the camp my mother was in Lauf,Germany.

I download the freedom of information form.

Thank you again for all the information.
They really suffered!

Nell

[Nelld]

I found some information that my grandparents (Zakowaev's )were from the Amur-Nizhne Dneprovsk district of Dnipropetrovsk. My grandfather owned a flour mill and Inn on a large piece of land. He lost it all in 1917 in the revolution. I have searched for information on this District and can't find any information. Does any one know any history on this area?

Nell