The Zlotnyk Family's Lost Home
Following the Second World War, the family of composer Oleksandr Zlotnyk returned to Kyiv only to find they could not reclaim their home. After Kyiv's liberation in 1943, Zlotnyk's mother and her relatives discovered their two-story house near the Brodsky Synagogue was occupied by an NKVD colonel who refused to vacate the property. This was a common post-war injustice, where returning citizens found their homes seized by state officials or other occupants.
Oleksandr Zlotnyk is a People's Artist of Ukraine and rector of the Kyiv Municipal Academy of Music named after Reinhold Glière. His mother was born in Kyiv, and the family lived in a centrally located house opposite the Brodsky Synagogue, which had been purchased by his maternal grandfather. The home had been shared by Zlotnyk's mother, her three sisters, and their grandmother.
Post-War Hardships
Upon returning to the liberated city at the end of 1943, Zlotnyk's mother confronted the NKVD colonel now living in her family's house. When asked to return the property, the colonel responded dismissively:
"How is this your home? Excuse me, but why weren't you living here? Who forced you out?"
This exchange highlights the profound difficulties faced by the Zlotnyk family and countless others in the chaotic aftermath of the war.
The case of the Zlotnyk family home illustrates a widespread issue for many Ukrainian families after WWII. Returning to one's city did not guarantee the recovery of one's property, as homes were often occupied by new residents, and legal ownership claims were frequently ignored by the authorities. This story serves as a testament to the significant social and legal challenges confronting war survivors and underscores the need to recognize the rights of victims in such situations.