Michael Sharfman WWII participant, infantryman Country: Ukraine

1. Childhood and Adolescence
2. The War Breaks Out
3. Evacuation to Central Asia
4. Training for the Front
5. Combat and Dreams of the Future

Childhood and Adolescence

Mikhail Davidovich Sharfman was born in Kiev in 1925 as the youngest of five children. His father worked as a bricklayer, and the family struggled financially despite the children's efforts to help. Mikhail was a sickly and weak child, starting school at the age of nine. He found solace in books and spent his free time at the library.

The War Breaks Out

When the war erupted, Mikhail's family faced the horrors of starvation. The once-supportive community was now consumed by hardship and self-preservation. Desperate and driven by hunger, Mikhail enrolled in a special Navy school that promised food and clothing to students.

Evacuation to Central Asia

The school was evacuated to Central Asia, bringing together a diverse group of students from across the vast Soviet Union. Despite their war-torn circumstances, they found camaraderie with one another and formed strong bonds with their teachers.

Training for the Front

Mikhail's dream of joining the fight against the Nazis led him to the Frunze Infantry School. However, he was unable to complete the accelerated three-month training program. Instead, he was sent to the front as part of the Narofominsk offensive in May 1943.

Combat and Dreams of the Future

Over the next two years, Mikhail fought in various battles, from the outskirts of Moscow to the Belarusian front. Despite the horrors of war, he longed to return to his studies once the war was over. He believed that education would give him a chance to escape the poverty and hardships he had known throughout his life.