Tale of a Vanished Land

Tale of a Vanished Land: Memories of a Childhood in Old Russia is a 1930 autobiographical memoir by Harry E. Burroughs, illustrated with woodcuts by Howard Simon. The book recounts the author's childhood in Kashoffka, a small Jewish village in the Volhynia region of the Russian Empire (later Poland), which ceased to exist in the early 20th century.

Background

Harry E. Burroughs (1887–1968) was a Russian-American lawyer, businessman, and philanthropist. He immigrated to the United States from Kashoffka at age thirteen, arriving in Boston with no money and no knowledge of English. He later became known for establishing the Boston Newsboys' Foundation in Boston.

The memoir was published in 1930 by Houghton Mifflin in Boston and New York City. The book is dedicated to the memory of the author's mother, Hannah (called "Hannah the Saint" in the village).

Content

Setting

Map of kashoffka

Kashoffka was a small, isolated village located near the junction of two rivers, the Styr and the Oser, surrounded by dense pine forests. At the time of Burroughs' birth, it contained approximately fifty Jewish families and two to three hundred Russian peasants on outlying farms. The village was so isolated that its inhabitants had limited knowledge of the outside world, and their way of life remained largely unchanged for generations.

The village experienced sudden, dramatic events such as devastating cholera epidemics and conflicts with local outlaws. The book also provides insight into the harsh legal restrictions imposed upon Jews in Russia at the time, particularly the 'Temporary Rules' of 1882 which forbade Jews from purchasing farmland or settling outside village limits.

Themes

The memoir explores several major themes:

• A vanished way of life – The book documents a primitive civilization that combined elements suggestive of the Stone Age and the Old Testament, which disappeared due to war, persecution, and modernization.
• Jewish peasant life – Burroughs describes the colorful life of Old Russian Jews, including the pathos and austerity of Orthodox Judaism and the "marvelous gayety and superstitions of the Chassidim."
• Immigration experience – The author contrasts his childhood in Kashoffka with his later life in America, challenging the assumption that immigrants' lives began only upon reaching the United States.
• Religious tradition vs. secular learning – The tension between orthodox religious observance and intellectual curiosity is exemplified through characters like Feivish and Gershon, who pursued secular knowledge despite community suspicion.
• Community and compassion – The author's mother, Hannah, is portrayed as a saintly figure whose kindness extended to all villagers, regardless of their status or condition.

Notable Characters

The memoir features vivid portraits of village inhabitants:

• Schloime Gimbel: A junkman and landlord who eventually immigrated to America and settled in Framingham, Massachusetts.
• Charton: A local outlaw and bully who terrorized the village.
• Stanislav: An educated giant of a man who worked at the distillery in Oley and was known for his incredible strength and endurance in fights. He later immigrated to Boston.
• The Nobleman's Son: A college-educated youth who brought the martial art of jiu-jitsu to the village, using it to subdue local bullies like Charton.
• "Short Friday" and "Long Saturday": Two brothers named after Jewish holidays who were known for their distinct physical statures and quick tempers.
• Libby and Meyer: A reclusive couple who sold castor oil. Libby was notable (and viewed with suspicion by villagers) because she knew how to read books, a rare skill for women in the village.
• Todor: An energetic worker known for his wit and deep appreciation for vodka.
• The Rotnik: The local authority figure who commanded the village deputies (*satniks*).

• Hannah – The author's mother, revered throughout the village as "Hannah the Saint" for her charitable work and care for the unfortunate.
• Feivish – The author's mother's stepbrother, a natural scholar who taught himself multiple languages and represented the intellectual element of the Jewish population.
• Gershon – Feivish's friend, whose pursuit of secular learning led to his mental decline and death, symbolizing the tragedy of being "in advance of one's time."
• David the Meshuganer (the Crazy) – A mentally ill villager who believed himself to be King David after losing his beloved Malke, representing the Hebrew Bible-influenced imagination of the villagers.
• Old Abish – An eighty-year-old buffoon and former cantor who entertained children by distributing fruit from rooftops while walking on stilts.
• Father – The author's father, described as hearty, adventurous, and shrewd, who was the first to leave Kashoffka for America.

Narrative Arc

The book begins with Burroughs' earliest memories, including his father's departure for America shortly after his birth. The family was considered the wealthiest in Kashoffka, and the author was destined to become a rabbi. However, he eventually followed his father to America, where he studied law and became a businessman, diverging from the religious path his mother had envisioned.

The memoir concludes with the destruction of Kashoffka, which came to general notice only in its passing. The houses and barns were burned and razed, and the graves of its inhabitants were obscured by rows of graves of strangers. Some villagers died violently, others from want and starvation.

Style and Reception

Burroughs writes in a nostalgic, lyrical style, seeking to "evoke the fragrance of its pines, the measured tread of peasants tramping forth to work at dawn, the chorus of the songs they used to sing." The book is illustrated with woodcuts by Howard Simon, including depictions of "The Holiday Fire," "King David," "Morris the Fiddler," "The Thirty-Nine Lashes," "The Dance of the Chassidim," and "A pogrom."

Historical Significance

Tale of a Vanished Land serves as a historical document of Jewish life in the Pale of Settlement before the Holocaust. The village of Kashoffka, like thousands of other Jewish communities in Eastern Europe, was destroyed during the upheavals of the early 20th century, including World War I, the Russian Revolution, and World War II.

The book provides valuable insight into:

• The daily life and customs of Russian Jewish peasants
• The relationship between Jewish and Russian Orthodox communities
• The Chassidic movement in Volhynia
• The emigration of Jews from the Russian Empire to America
• The destruction of Eastern European Jewish communities

Legacy

The memoir remains an important testament to a world that no longer exists. As Burroughs writes, "I should like to rescue it from utter oblivion." The book preserves the memory of Kashoffka and its inhabitants, scattered across the globe, and documents a way of life that vanished forever.

References

• Burroughs, Harry E. Tale of a Vanished Land: Memories of a Childhood in Old Russia. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1930.

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