and Molotov’s view that Jews were a narod144 and not a narodnost.145 Because of Stalin’s position, trust in Jews was apparent everywhere. Among other things, Salomea knew of cases where Red Army soldiers who refused to eat food and even to drink water offered by the local population, accepted food and water from Jews without hesitation, upon learning that they were dealing with Jews.
New party members were not accepted readily and those admitted were treated with reserve.
The economic situation of the working population altered only in detail. By contrast, the economic situation of the non-working population changed quite radically.
For the most part, workers were employed in the same occupations as before the war. They enjoyed greater freedom of choice and of movement fromone occupation to another, but most did remain in their own occupations. [5(9)] This situation applied both to workers in the strict sense and to artisans who had formed craft associations (artels) or who had taken employ-ment as workers.
Retailers had to give up their shops but sought work in commercial enterprises. The older among them obtained work as night watchmen and in similar positions which required no qualifications, and the younger, more active ones, as managers of warehouses, shops, and commercial enterprises.
Former owners of factories or property received no work because people suspected that they engaged in sabotage. In any case, they were certainly not employed in their own factories or buildings, which had been nationalised. There were, however, exceptions. Salomea’s uncle remained in his own building. That was because the building was considered a small holding which had been acquired through his own labour, and was therefore not nationalised.
Social adaptation was very difficult. The former non-productive members of society – merchants, manufacturers, property owners – were very hard to integrate into other branches of the economy. They muttered amongst themselves, were discontent, and complained. Refugees, on the other hand, happily accepted their new work. Those refugees who had had professional
