Archives West Finding Aid

This collection follows the personal history of the Ostrogorsky family. Vasilij Ostrogorsky Sr. was born on February 14, 1888 in Jeletz, Russia. Prior to World War I he worked in a pawnbroker shop in St. Petersburg as the Chief of Warehouse. He participated in WWI against Germany as an Officer of Cavalry. After the civilian war ended he was evacuated to Turkey and then to Yugoslavia, November 1920. In Yugoslavia he worked as a draughtsman and technical engineer, specifically working on highways and roads between 1921 and 1941. In October 1941, Ostrogorsky and his family were sent to work in Austria and in 1945, they fled to Bavaria. In Kempten, he worked with UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Organization) and IRO (International Refuge Organization) as a bookkeeper and stock controller from 1945 to 1948. He also worked as a janitor and housekeeper for American officers' families from December 1948 to July 1949.

Vasilli Ostrogorsky Sr. was married to Maria Ostrogorsky, born on May 25, 1896 in Kursk, Russia. During WWI and the civilian war, she served as a nurse but after marrying she became a housewife. Together they had two children: Vera and Vasilij Jr.

Vera was born on October 30, 1920 in Sarona, Crimea, Russia. She attended the highest commercial school in Belgrad, Yugoslavia from 1940 to 1941 and then worked as a hospital nurse with the Russian Red Cross Hospital until she was forced to relocate to Germany in March 1942. She worked as a cleaner in March 1945 and then fled to Kempten with her family in April of 1945. She has also worked in the Yugoslavian National Committee as a Secretary. From 1946 she was employed with UNRRA, PCIRO, and IRO as a typist, interpreter and later as Reports and Statistics officer.

Vassiij Jr. was born on September 22, 1922 in Krusevae, Yugoslavia. Like his family, he was forcibly removed to Germany as a worker in 1942, and fled to Kempten in 1945. He worked as a draughtsman. From 1946 he was employed as a driver mechanic with UNRRA and IRO. He married Jagviga (Jaduyga) Ivanauskas who was born in 1922. She had a son named Richard from a previous relationship and had Michael and Helen with Vasilij Jr. The entire Ostrogorsky family would eventually settle in Idaho and remain in the Pacific Northwest.

Source: Donor provided biographical note.