My late Ukrainian paternal grandmother, Waselena (nee
PAVLOVIC/PAWLOWYCH/PAVLOVICI) BRESCIUC /BRESCHUK 1907 – 1980 conceived
my father in 1932 in a union with her true love who was a man other
than her husband at the time, Dimitrie Bresciuc / Breschuk. While she
was living in her home village of Cuciurul Mare (just SW of
Czernowitz) with her two eldest children, her husband was in Canada
preparing for the family’s emigration there. My father, conceived
during Dimitrie’s absence, was born in Cuciurul Mare in December 1932
and his mother emigrated solo to Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada in
1934. In 1936, my father and two older siblings were sent by
relatives to join her there. Dmitrie Bresciuc was killed in a train
accident in Canada in 1937. My father’s given birth name according to
his immigration documents is Mercea Emil BRESCIUC (BRESCHUK in
Canada).

I know very little about my bio grandfather. It was kept secret from
me until my mother clued me in with what little she knew in the late
70’s. My now deceased father never spoke of it to me. I have a vague
memory that his name could have been Anglicized as “Max Drake”, but I
am not sure how accurate that memory is. What I do know is that he
was described as “Jewish” and was “assassinated” after my grandmother
emigrated in ’34, but before the end of WWII. I suspect that his death
was the product of his Jewish faith. My sister has a vague
recollection of being told that he tried to pose as a German. Could
he have been found out and executed as a result? I don’t know how my
grandmother learned of his “assassination”.

I recently came into possession of 3 undated photos of this man. One
of them is of him posing with my grandmother. They appear to be
similar in age, he perhaps slightly older. The photos appear to have
been taken by Czernowitz (Cernauti) photographers. He may have been
from Czernovitz or Cuciurul Mare for her to have been acquainted with
him. I am willing to share these photos upon request as they are the
only substantive link to who he is. I don’t know if she brought the
photos over with her, or if there was some secretive overseas
communication and they were sent after the fact.

I am attempting to obtain my father’s birth certificate, though I
expect if it is to be found, Dimitrie Bresciuc’s name will be on it.

All other relatives who may have known this carefully guarded secret
are now deceased. I am hoping to identify this man by name or garner
some advice on how/where to do so myself.

Thanks in advance,
Vicki Bresciuc