Freidin Lev Moiseevich (1914)

Freidin Lev (Lew) Moiseevich (10 May 1914, Mstsislaw) - technician-lieutenant.

Lev Freidin graduated from a vocational school in Orsha in 1933 and studied at a workers’ faculty in Smolensk from 1933 to 1936. In 1936 he entered the Smolensk Medical Institute, but a year later transferred to the Leningrad Military Aviation Technical School, which he completed in 1939 with the rank of technician-lieutenant.

From 1937 to 1947 he served in the Armed Forces of the USSR as a technician and senior armament technician. In 1946–1947 he served in Poland, and in 1947 he was discharged to the reserve. From that year he lived in Riga.

In 1947–1949 he worked as an armorer and instructor at the Riga Aviation Technical School of Civil Aviation. In 1949–1950 he served as an instructor and acting head of a party office in Riga. In 1950–1951 he was director of markets in the Riga district. In 1951 he worked as a dispatcher at the base of the Ministry of State Farms of the Latvian SSR.

In 1952 he worked as a storekeeper at the Riga fruit and berry wine factory, and from 1952 to 1954 as an agent at the Stalin district office of “Glavutylsyryo.” From 1954 to 1960 he worked as a manager and agent at the procurement office “Vtorsyryo.” In 1960 he was a senior workshop foreman at the Riga sorting and washing factory.

In 1962–1963 he worked as an agent at the Riga procurement office of the Latvian Consumer Union, then as a supply department merchandiser at the experimental plant of the Central Design Bureau of the Latvian SSR, and also as a design engineer at military unit No. 29245 in Riga. From 1963 to 1966 he worked as a merchandiser at the Riga Aviation School.

In 1966–1974 he was a senior merchandiser at the Riga Thermal Power Plant of Latvenergo. From 1974 to 1976 he worked as a laborer in the repair and construction administration of the Main Supply Directorate of the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR. In 1976–1977 he worked as a fitter at the Riga production facility of school and children’s furniture.

In 1978 he worked as a senior engineer at the republican administration “Medtekhnika,” and later as a ticket agent-cashier in the Jurmala department serving vacationers without vouchers. In 1978–1980 he worked as a worker-expeditor at “Latvkolkhozstroysnab.” From 1980 he worked as a repair fitter at the Riga central post office.

Lev Freidin was a member of the Communist Party from 1944 to 1981. He was awarded the medals “For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945” and “20 Years of Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945.”

He was married to Stisya Freidina (née Etina) (1921, Gomel). Their children were Margarita Freidina (1948, Riga) and Yakov Freidin (1950, Riga). During the Holocaust, his parents, Moisei Freidin (1876, Mstsislaw — 1942, Mstsislaw) and Fruma Freidina (1880, Mstsislaw — 1942, Mstsislaw), as well as his brother Zakhar Freidin (1904, Mstsislaw — 1942, Mstsislaw) and sisters Ida Freidina (1908, Mstsislaw — 1942, Mstsislaw) and Sofia Freidina (1917, Mstsislaw — 1942, Mstsislaw), were killed. His brothers Grigory Freidin (1910, Mstsislaw — 1942) and Fridik Freidin (1921, Mstsislaw — 1942) were killed in action during the war.

In 1981 Lev Freidin received permission to emigrate to Israel at the invitation of his daughter, Margarita Freidina (1948, Riga).

Family:

Stisya Freidina (née Etina) (1921, Gomel) – wife
Margarita Freidina (1948, Riga) – daughter
Yakov Freidin (1950, Riga) – son
Moisei Freidin (1876–1942) – father
Fruma Freidina (1880–1942) – mother
Semen Freidin (1901, Mstsislaw – 1980, Nalchik) – brother
Zakhar Freidin (1904–1942) – brother
Grigory Freidin (1910–1942) – brother
Fridik Freidin (1921–1942) – brother
Ida Freidina (1908–1942) – sister
Evgenia Belugina (née Freidina) (1912, Mstsislaw) – sister
Sofia Freidina (1917–1942) – sister