the houses that hold our stories: discovering heritage with Vasily Zaitsau

By Tasha Ackerman

Every house has a story, but walking down the street, it’s often hard to know the history behind the structures we see. For Vasily Zaitsau, however, the dozens of houses across Belarus are more than just buildings; through his work with The Together Plan, he knows the family histories connected to them. Every time he is in downtown Brest, for example, he is reminded of the successful archive search of the family who lived in the house that still stands before World War 1. In his hometown Minsk, when he sees a specific house that was once within the borders of the ghetto in the Second World War, he is reminded not just of the painful history but the personal story behind its walls. He looks at the home and thinks- I know who lived there. He has discovered a roadmap of history and stories that deepen his appreciation for his own heritage.

In 2020, Vasily Zaitsau joined The Together Plan when he wanted to transition from his career in the banking field to something with a stronger humanitarian focus. He was looking for a new position with a mission he aligned with and where he could engage in more social activities. The Together Plan was a perfect match, with Vasily’s strong interest in history and advanced English skills, Vasily not only had a lot to offer TTP but he could see that he also had a lot to gain in return. Vasily has been able to be a bridge between The Together Plan’s initiatives and the on-site logistics in Belarus where he has been an integral part of several Belarusian community projects. Working for the Together Plan has allowed him to continue to learn about his country, and then create pathways for others to learn about Jewish heritage in Belarus. 

Vasily started out by working with many of TTPs projects in Belarus, and when the archive search services launched in 2020, Vasily took the role of Archive Services Project Manager. He has played an intrinsic part in the success of the program. He facilitates communication between The Together Plan volunteer caseworkers and local archivists, providing translations and educating them about the unique challenges of archival searches in Belarus. Vasily also plays a large role in organising Jewish Historical Clubs and hosts events such as musical events, exhibitions, and cinema showings. 

Vasily sees the value in supporting projects such as archive services and educational programmes in Belarus. He views the archive searches as a positive way to support these programmes. Beyond just the funding, providing people with access to the archives helps to create personalised Jewish stories connected to Belarus. Learning about the past reminds us of important themes in our present lives. Just as Vasily now has a new understanding of his country’s past through the homes and buildings that stand as a reminder of what once was, we are able to understand each others’ stories and humanise our history. So while we see so much conflict in the world right now, it’s important to remember the vitally important work of community building and cultural understanding that helps to create a climate where we understand each other as neighbours.

In Belarus, this work is important. Before World War 2, many urban cities such as Minsk, Vitebsk, and Pinsk had large Jewish populations, over 50% of the cities’ total populations. About 90% of the Jewish population in Belarus was murdered during the Holocaust, an estimated 800,000 people. After the war under Soviet rule, antisemitic restrictions made it challenging for the remaining Jews to continue to practice their faith openly. Much of the Jewish history has been physically built over or hidden with highly controlled access to records and documents. As Vasily navigates the archives in search of family histories, he reflects on how the Jewish communities in cities like Minsk and Vitebsk, which once thrived before the Holocaust, inspire his work. Understanding the historical barriers faced by Jews in Belarus drives Vasily’s commitment to ensuring that contemporary Jewish voices are heard.

Vasily recognises the large historical and social impact the Jewish community had on Belarus. By helping people find their ancestors, Vasily has built a repertoire of stories by working together with the archives and educating the local community. One client he remembers was seeking their ancestors in Brest. It was a successful search, and they were able to find an address where the ancestors had lived before World War I. By comparing old town maps to current maps, they were able to locate the house where they had lived, and it turned out that the house was still standing. He is reminded that the archive searches are not just about finding names and addresses, but reclaiming identities from a painful past.  

Moving the conversation from his professional duties, I asked Vasily about his own family history. As is typical for many secular families in Belarus, he grew up celebrating holidays such as Christmas and Easter according to the Orthodox calendar. Vasily thought he understood Jewish culture through a close friend, but joining The Together Plan revealed much more about Judaism from various perspectives: religious, cultural, and historical. Through the Together Plan, Vasily has learned a ton about Jewish heritage and traditions, participating in the holidays through their community programming. His favourite? Purim.

About ten years ago, Vasily’s mother researched her own family history, but she took a hands-on approach. She drew a family tree on paper, and rather than travel to the archives, decided to go directly to the places where her family had come from. They travelled to the city where she was from, Vitebsk, and spoke with her family members there, even reconnecting with her father who she had not seen since childhood and was able to ask him questions about their family history and experiences. They expanded their search to neighbouring towns, where they spoke with people who knew their relatives, meeting with people in their nineties who had known their relatives of earlier generations. He discovered that on his mother’s side, he likely has Jewish ancestry. 

Even working so closely with the archives, Vasily has not been successful in finding out much about his father’s family. There are many reasons why archive searches in these regions can be challenging and sometimes lead to unsuccessful results, such as changing borders over time and the impact of two world wars. In Vasily’s case, a lot of the documents in the region his father’s family is from, very close to Ukraine, have been lost due to changing borders and the impact of war. 

After helping to connect so many Jewish people around the world to their Belarusian roots, I asked Vasily what he would like people to know about Belarus. Vasily explained: that the best way to understand what Belarus is, is to come and see it with your own eyes.  He assured that The Together Plan is always delighted to assist individuals in planning their visits to Belarus, ensuring their stay is as pleasant and comfortable as possible. After hearing the way he described charming neighbourhoods and tasty local dishes, I was already Googling flights to Minsk. I imagined myself walking through the narrow streets of Osmolovka lined with old, quaint yellow buildings. Vasily explained that on days when he feels sad or tired, a stroll through this neighbourhood refreshes him, making him feel like a gentleman in the mid-twentieth century. I hope to one day try blini, Vasily’s favourite traditional Belarusian food which is similar to a crepe.

Vasily embodies the mission of the Together Plan: he sees that together we create history. He loves working for a small organisation like The Together Plan and speaks of his team in Minsk with a sense of respect and solidarity. He explains: that in the office, there are clearly defined roles, but after work, we share a drink as friends. Even with volunteers from overseas who Vasily has never met in “real life” beyond a computer screen, he has made friendships with people he would never have dreamt of connecting with before the Together Plan. Volunteer Carl Kaplan of Boston, Massachusetts has even mailed Vasily Boston Celtics fan wear over the years after learning that he was a fan of the basketball team.

When reflecting on his role at TTP, I could sense the pride he felt in his work along with his excitement for the projects’ continued growth. On a final note, Vasily shared his message of peace, reinstating the importance of cultural organisations and the fight to preserve history in order to foster surviving communities. Just as every house has a story, every person’s journey contributes to the broader narrative of cultural heritage. In closing, Vasily shared a message to our community:

“Our history shows that conflicts never end.

When it stops in one place, it starts in another.

But I hope that humanity will learn from everything that happens in this world and one day we can breathe safely and enjoy the peace. In this good and pure world.”

For more information on The Together Plan’s Archive Services – click here

Sources:

The Holocaust in Belarus – Wikipedia

How have we lost so much of Belarus’s Jewish history?  – a short animated film that was made by Ori Cohen-Rose one of our ‘Making History Together’ programme participants. He was inspired to make the film having completed the course.