Half a century ago I left a country the red color of which dominated a large portion of the world map. One way or another the fate of almost every single person described in this book is forever linked with that now noneexistent empire. Many of them ended up beyond its borders too. Cultures and traditions and certainly not least of all a Soviet mentality couldnt have just left them without a trace. Having been transplanted into a different environment they had to play the role of themselves apa