Leonid (Lema) Bernstein collection

Copyright Holder: Center for the Studies of History and Culture of East European Jewry (Judaica Center) of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Kyiv, Ukraine Lema Bernstein served in the Soviet Army as a member of its jazz ensemble, and performed both for military and civilian audiences. Throughout his service during World War II, he traveled with this ensemble throughout many cities and regions in Russia, including: Leningrad, Yurev Polskii Oblast, Moscow, Mahachkala, Murmansk, and Warsaw. Some of the letters are written from forest areas, where his unit was sent during periods of heavy fighting in nearby locations. He had a close relationship with his parents, which is evident from the many letters he wrote to him during this five-year span of his life The collection contains letters sent by Lema Bernstein from the Front to his parents who were evacuated from Kiev to Saratov, and later back to Kiev. The letters span the period of 1941-1945. Lema describes his service in the Soviet Army from 1941-1945, including his experiences performing as a member of the Soviet Army jazz orchestra.