Kuba's Timeline

By jilitman

  • Birth of Kuba Litman

    Jacob (Kuba) Zalcman Litman born to Yehuda Meir Litman and Hanna Zalcman at his maternal grandparents' home in Novy Dvor, Poland
  • Period: to

    Emigration to Israel by some of Kuba's Polish cousins

    Beginning in 1934 and through 1936 Hayyim Litman, Leah Litman, and Fishel and Shifra (nee' Litman) Semiatytzki, among others of Kuba's extended family emigrate to Israel.

  • Kuba graduates from the State Seminary for Teachers of Judaism in Warsaw, Poland

    May, 1939: Rumors and fears of war are rife in view of which State Seminary final examinations for the graduating class of 1939 are held in May, a month earlier than usual.

  • Start of four week vacation in Ukrainian village of Zaleszczyki (Zaleshchiki)

    Start of four week vacation in a remote Ukrainian village in the vicinity of Zaleszczyki (Zaleshchiki)

  • Return to Warsaw

    Return to Warsaw from in the company of Bronka Klepfish

  • German Luftwaffe begins aerial bombardment of Warsaw

    At start of bombardment Kuba, his parents, and sisters take refuge in the basement of their apartment building at Grszybowska 7

  • Kuba flees Warsaw.

    Kuba Litman, age 19, flees Warsaw for Soviet occupied Poland
    Arrives in Malkinia, Poland that afternoon. Arrives the next day by train in Bialystok where he is taken in by the Semiatytski family, relatives by marriage.

  • Kuba arrives at the University in Lvov

    First three weeks of November, 1939: Kuba arrives at the University in Lvov where hoping to enroll he sleeps in a dorm taking one meal a day at a local convent/monastery

  • Kuba arrives in Peremyslyany, Poland

    Last week in November, 1939: Kuba arrives in Soviet-occupied Peremyslyany, Poland hearing of an open teaching position and begins as the teacher of 35 twelve year old boys and girls in the town’s Yiddish speaking school.

  • Kuba becomes a boarder in the Jankiewicz household

    Spring, 1940
    Kuba becomes a tenant taking a room in the home of Thaddeus and Helena Jankiewicz.

  • Kuba begins a second year of teaching in Peremyslyany

    Fall, 1940
    Kuba is invited to take his meals with the Jankiewicz family and begins his second year of teaching in Peremyslyany.

  • Hitler reneges on Non- Aggression Pact of 1939 and attacks the Soviet Union

    Hitler reneges on Non- Aggression Pact of 1939 and attacks the Soviet Union. Kuba spends that night under bombardment in Lvov, Poland and the next day walks the 30+ miles to Peremyslyany from Lvov

  • Massacre of Ukrainians by Soviet NKVD agents

    Last week in June, 1941 Soviet NKVD officers round up, incarcerate, and shoot in the basement of the Peremyslyany police station over 40 Ukrainians suspected as anti-Soviet saboteurs and sympathizers.