Russian Refugees at the Hong Kong YMCA

Sat, 02/02/2019 - 09:21

My mother Lily Wang (Leah Gershevich in Hong Kong), her brothers, Alexy, Yuri and Tony, her mother, Rufima Gershevich and grandmother, Maria Kluchnikova, came to Hong Kong from about August 1964 to April 1966 as Russian refugees from Xinjiang, China, along with many other Russian families. My family settled in a hotel off Kimberley Road. Later, they went to live in Christchurch, New Zealand, where the majority of my family still reside, although my sister and are in HK.

I would love for my mum to make some connections once again with peoole from her past or at least find out what happened to them.

Notes from my mum. Basically anything she could remember: The man with the beard and the lady next to him are not a couple, can't remember who he is but the lady and her daughter went to Wellington, NZ. The Swedish missionary at the back with the suit, was from Germany, spoke Russian well. He used to take Russian church service at the YMCA every Sunday. The tall woman, back row, third from the left, was a missionary as well (more details in next photo about her). To her left is my Uncle and bottom right sitting down is my mum. My family are Russian/Chinese mix.

Date picture taken
1 Aug 1964
Author(s)