Loish Lev (1905-1941)

Loish (Loisch) Lev (Lew) (1905–1941)

Lev Loish was born on 24 August 1905 in the town of Borisoglebsk, Tambov Governorate, into the family of a pharmacist originally from Ilūkste District. Father — Zalman; mother — Beila. From 1912 he lived in Kiev. In 1914 the family moved back to Borisoglebsk. From 1915 he studied at the Borisoglebsk Aleksandrov Gymnasium (from 1917 the 1st Soviet Workers’ School). In early 1919 he was an apprentice at the 1st Soviet Public Pharmacy; in the spring he joined the Communist Youth organisation. For several months he carried out guard service in a Komsomol fighting detachment.

In 1920 his father returned with the family to Latvia. Lev Loish lived in Rēzekne. In 1923 he graduated from the Rēzekne Jewish Secondary School. He was active in the illegal Komsomol organisation, as well as in the Arbeterheim organisation (where he managed the library), until 1922, when the organisation was closed. In 1925 he began studying law at the University of Latvia, graduating in 1933. Then he moved to Jaunlatgale. In 1922–23 he simultaneously worked as a private tutor in Rēzekne. In 1934–35 he performed compulsory military service in the Latvian Army, serving in the 9th Rēzekne Infantry Regiment. From 1936 until August 1940 he was the secretary of the sworn advocate B. Krup in Daugavpils. In 1937–40 he was also the secretary of the board of the Savings Society in Daugavpils.

During the Soviet occupation, from 28 August 1940, he served as an assistant sworn advocate. He was active in the Propaganda Section of the Liepāja City Committee of the LCP (Latvian Communist Party); during the elections to the People’s Saeima he was a propagandist and trusted representative of the LCP at the 15th polling station of Liepāja city. In September–October 1940 he was secretary of the presidium of the group of activists of the Liepāja City Police Department of Workers and Peasants, afterwards senior inspector. From February 1941 he lectured on the Constitution of the USSR, carried out political education work and taught Russian at the LCP Party School in Liepāja. He also taught political education at the Liepāja State Technical College and in the evening secondary school. In April 1941 his admission to the Bar was refused because it was found that he had concealed his membership in a student fraternity.

Lev Loish was killed in the Riga Ghetto during the German occupation in 1941.

In 1926 he married. A son was born in January 1930 and a daughter in 1939.

Filister of the Jewish student corporation Hasmonea.