Mikhail Yanovitch Makarenko (1931-2007)

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In New Jersey, a young Texan beat to death the 75 year old Mikhail Yanovitch Makarenko, one of our parishioners.

On March 15, New Jersey state police arrested Brian White, a 26-year old resident of Texas, in the beating of Mikhail Makarenko, an elderly йmigrй from Russia who had earlier served time in the Gulag; Mr. Markarenko died in the hospital shortly after sustaining his injuries.

According to the Associated Press, the incident took place at a rest area near the New Jersey Turnpike. An ambulance crew responding to a report of the vicious beating of an elderly man took Makarenko to a hospital, but the elderly man had sustained serious head trauma, and efforts to save his life proved unsuccessful.

Eyewitnesses reported that the attacker fled the area, and that police followed in pursuit. The chase went on for about one hour, until the suspect turned off onto another road, then stopped his car, got out, and ran toward his pursuers. The police officers quickly subdued White.

Makarenko had been accompanied by another of our parishioners, Gregory Burnside; at the time of the attack he was inside the building next to the rest area.

Police report that they do not know why White carried out the attack. The possibility that the murder suspect was mentally ill has not been ruled out.

Mikhail Yanovitch Makarenko was born in 1931 in the town of Galats, Romania. In 1939 he ran away from home, and found himself on the territory of the USSR. He was raised in a camp for homeless children, from which he also ran away, hiding in various parts of the country. During World War II, he became a serviceman.

In 1965 in Novosibirsk, he organized the УPod Integralom ClubФ and the Academgorodok art gallery. He drew the attention of USSR security authorities by organizing a virtual organization known as the УParallel Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

M. Makarenko spent 11 years in Soviet prisons and camps, for engaging in Уanti-Soviet agitation and propaganda.Ф With the help of other political prisoners, he waged a campaign in support of prisonersТ rights, filing numerous complaints and making public appeals to various courts and legal institutions.

Joseph Mendelevitch, who made his acquaintance in the camp, reminisced: УThose who respected him called him a Сfish.Т In camp jargon, a fish was someone for whom the sea was only knee-deep [one who did not give a darn about anything] and who could swim in any water whatsoever [could function no matter what the circumstance]. While camp authorities hated him, inmates admired him. He could find the light even in the grayest of camp routines, and would never refuse to help someone in need. His boisterous activities were sometimes confusing, as it seemed to others that he must be pursuing a specific goal. In fact, he had no goal. This was what made him ready to launch into any adventure, any hazardous venture, and to ally himself with anyone who did not accept Soviet authority

In 1979, Mikhail Makarenko emigrated, coming to the United States of America, where he lectured and worked on his memoirs.

Mikhail Yanovitch was interred in our section of Rock Creek Cemetery. The Panikhida for the 40th Day will be served on Sunday, April 22, after the Slavonic Liturgy.

We extend our sincere condolences to Mikhail YanovitchТs entire family.

Фотографии Евгения Трубецкого

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