About this site

This site has two linked purposes:

• As a constant work-in-progress, to tell the story of one interesting family (mine!), of its origins, its many interesting and occasionally prominent members, and of their struggles in the turmoil of revolutions, wars and holocaust.
• As a central reference point for information about the Bogopolsky family, to gradually bring to light the still unknown persons and events of that story.

From their start – probably in or near the small town of Bogopol – this family’s story is inextricably intertwined with the history of eastern Europe in the 1800s and 1900s. Of course, the story goes back much further, but so far we have no information at all beyond the mid-1800s. The part of the story we do know something about concerns a single branch of a larger family, and is in large part the story of oppression, pogroms, continual upheaval, destitution and often sudden death. And yet, in the midst of that, it is also the story of amazing resilience, striving, love of education, and solidarity. Through all the turmoil of 20th century Russia, the Bogopolskys produced an almost unbroken succession of doctors, scientists, mathematicians, inventors, musicians and artists. In many cases, more than one of these descriptions applied to a single person! If for no other reason, this fact alone would make them worthy of having their story told.

This site has two linked purposes:

• As a constant work-in-progress, to tell the story of one interesting family (mine!), of its origins, its many interesting and occasionally prominent members, and of their struggles in the turmoil of revolutions, wars and holocaust.
• As a central reference point for information about the Bogopolsky family, to gradually bring to light the still unknown persons and events of that story.

From their start – probably in or near the small town of Bogopol – this family’s story is inextricably intertwined with the history of eastern Europe in the 1800s and 1900s. Of course, the story goes back much further, but so far we have no information at all beyond the mid-1800s. The part of the story we do know something about concerns a single branch of a larger family, and is in large part the story of oppression, pogroms, continual upheaval, destitution and often sudden death. And yet, in the midst of that, it is also the story of amazing resilience, striving, love of education, and solidarity. Through all the turmoil of 20th century Russia, the Bogopolskys produced an almost unbroken succession of doctors, scientists, mathematicians, inventors, musicians and artists. In many cases, more than one of these descriptions applied to a single person! If for no other reason, this fact alone would make them worthy of having their story told.