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Vasiliy MikhailovskyDeputy Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Association of Jews
Date of Birth: 01.01.1937
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Early Life and Family
- Tragedy in Kyiv
- The Holocaust Experience
- Liberation and Adoption
- Post-War Life
- Advocacy and Recognition
- Legacy and Honors
Early Life and Family
Vasiliy Mikhaylovsky, born as Cesar Petrovich Katz, was born in Kyiv in 1937 to Pyotr Solomonovich Katz and Zipa Zilbershtein. His father managed a café on Khreshchatyk, while his mother passed away shortly after his birth. Vasya, as he was called, lived in a communal apartment on Kostyolna Street with his father and brother, Pavel.
Tragedy in Kyiv
At the outbreak of World War II, Vasya's father was drafted into the Red Army but was captured and taken to the Darnitsa concentration camp. After escaping, he was apprehended and killed in September 1941. Vasya and his nanny, Anastasia Fomina, failed to evacuate from Kyiv. After returning to the city for supplies, they found their train had left.
The Holocaust Experience
On September 29, 1941, Vasya and Fomina joined the column of Jews headed to Babi Yar. Miraculously avoiding death, they hid in Kyiv's ruins for two weeks. Fomina then took Vasya to an orphanage for homeless children, leaving him with a note and a fictitious name: "Vasya Fomin."
Liberation and Adoption
Before Kyiv's liberation, Vasya was moved to a children's home in Vorzel. In 1945, he was adopted by Dr. Vasiliy Ivanovich and Berta Savelyevna Mikhaylovsky.
Post-War Life
After the war, Vasya graduated high school with honors and entered the construction institute. He worked on several hydropower projects and led a design and construction bureau in the 1990s.
Advocacy and Recognition
In the late 1980s, Vasya joined the Zikaron Shoah ("Memory of the Holocaust") organization and co-founded the All-Ukrainian Association of Holocaust Survivors. He played a key role in securing compensation for former USSR Jewish victims. In his later years, he headed the Kyiv branch of the All-Ukrainian Association of Jewish Former Ghetto and Concentration Camp Prisoners.
Legacy and Honors
Vasya Mikhaylovsky was awarded the Order of Merit, First Class, by the President. He passed away after a prolonged illness, leaving behind a legacy as a survivor, advocate, and witness to the horrors of the Holocaust.
