Solomon Shop Veteran, participant of the Great Patriotic War Date of Birth: 15.06.1921 Country: Romania

Biography of Solomon Shop

Solomon Gershevich Shop was born in 1921 in Romania. He grew up in a large family with three brothers and three sisters. His father worked in the timber industry but lost his job when the fascist regime came to power and Jews were not allowed to work in government positions. The family struggled with poverty, but they received some money from his father's previous service in the Foreign Legion, which helped them make ends meet.

They decided to move to Kishinev, on Soviet territory, to escape the fascist regime. Despite not speaking Russian at the time, Solomon was able to find work as a warehouse manager for timber materials. Eventually, the family was able to secure their own apartment, after previously sharing a room with two refugee families.

However, their lives were disrupted by the outbreak of war. Solomon decided to fight against the Germans and refused to seek refuge for his family. Unbeknownst to him, his family was unable to evacuate and stayed behind. On his way to the front, Solomon, who couldn't speak Russian, was almost shot as a spy. Fortunately, a former colleague recognized him and helped him find his battalion.

He served in the construction of defenses in Donetsk. After briefly liberating the city of Rostov, Solomon's sapper brigade was transferred to Taganrog, where the 28th separate sapper battalion was formed, consisting of Donbass miners and Bessarabian Jews. Hunger and especially cold weather led to desertion, and the former Romanians were considered "unreliable elements" and spies. However, the purge did not extend to the Jews in the battalion where Solomon served.

Solomon fought in Taganrog and Rostov, narrowly escaping encirclement. He then joined a group that worked on the Nalchik-Ordzhonikidze road, but the Germans threatened to surround them. After enduring exhausting battles, Solomon was sent to Grozny, where the 1st mountain-mining brigade was being formed. The brigade suffered heavy losses in 1943 but persevered in fierce fighting near the Crimea.

In the summer of 1943, the brigade was reformed into the 12th Assault Engineer-Sapper Brigade. They fought on the shores of the Sivash and crossed the Dniester river. Solomon later became the adjutant to the chief of staff of the brigade.

He participated in the campaigns in Yugoslavia and Hungary, including the capture of Budapest. Solomon returned to Kishinev as an invalid in June 1945. Unfortunately, his family did not survive the war. Solomon spent the rest of his life working in the timber industry.