“Be it therefore resolved as an

_ Indication of its admiration and es-

teem for the magnificent stand of
the Soviet people against the Ger-
man hordes who so ruthlessly over-
ran their country, and as a mark of
Interest, goodwill and friendship
towards the people of Soviet Russia
and the City of Odessa, that the

Council of the City of Vancouver

deems it an honour and does here-
by adopt the City of Odessa. . .””

_It was the summer of 1944 and
People everywhere were heartened

' by the news that the war against

fascism had finally turned in favor

- Ofthe allied forces. And although it

is a fact largely obscured to Cana-
dians of the present generation, it
was abundantly clear in 1944 that
the decisive force in turning the tide’
of the war had come from a
beleaguered Soviet people.

Later four Soviet cities would
have the honor bestowed on them
of “hero city”? — where the whole
population rallied to withstand the

Nazi seige and ultimately to begin

the counter offensive. Those cities
were Leningrad, Stalingrad,
Sebastapol and Odessa.

As the last of these hero cities lay
devastated in the aftermath of a
three year occupation by the fascist
army, its heroism was recognized
by the people of Vancouver and in
the above resolution they reached
out their hand in a gesture of grati-
tude and friendship and adopted
the seaport of Odessa as their sister
city,

The resolution of Vancouver ci-
ty council August 14, 1944 adop-
ting Odessa was not just a goodwill

“Message; it began a spirited cam-

paign involving the city, communi-
ty organizations and thousands of
people to raise material aid for
Odessa’s population who had suf-
fered greatly in the war effort.

Odessa hadn’t asked for this
Special recognition. The gesture
was Vancouver’s, born in a sugges-
tion to a city relief committee for
devastated Russian cities by the
National Council for Canadian
Soviet Friendship.

Like all organizations and in-

~ dividuals which stood for friend-

ship with the Soviet Union, the
uncil was later to come under at-
tack during the cold war. However

You're invited |
to a special

banquet, reception §

in honor of
the delegation

in 1944 its Vancouver branch listed
B.C.’s premier John Hart, lieute-:
nant governor, W. C. Woodward
and chief justice, W. B. Farris as its
patrons. Committee members in-
cluded chairman Leon Ladner
K.C.; Cy A. Cotterell, Paul
Aivazoff, Garfield King, Nigel
Morgan, Nathan Nemetz and Jack
Henderson.

In July, 1944 the Council sug-
gested to the city committee chaired
by alderman George Miller that the
city adopt Odessa to support its
plans for a series of concerts and

banquets to raise money for

medical aid and assistance in
rebuilding the city.
The similarities of the two cities

-were offered as further justifica-

tion for Vancouver to pick Odessa
as its sister. Both cities are major
seaports and grain terminals: Van-
couver Canada’s western port, and
Odessa the Soviet Union’s largest
port on the Black Sea, and a major
city in the western republic of the
Ukraine. The cities were of roughly
equal size and each with a rich
ethnic mix common to a sea port.

Miller and mayor J. W. Cornett
went for the idea and the motion to
adopt Odessa was proposed and
passed, apparently without opposi-
tion. At a simple ceremony at city
hall August 14, Cornett officially
proclaimed the adoption and
declared the week of August 14-20
‘Odessa Week’”’ in Vancouver.

Lt. A. G. Pavloa, a Soviet navy
attache stationed in Vancouver,
was present at the ceremony and
thanked the city for the action,
pledging that the people of Odessa
had now joined with the Soviet ar-
my and were ‘“‘ready to finish the
beast in its lair-”’

Ascroll with the city’s resolution

hand printed was signed by Cornett
and sent to Odessa via the Soviet
embassy in Ottawa. About six
weeks later the city received a
telegram of thanks from Boris
Davidenko, mayor of Odessa
(chairman of the city Soviet), who
said that it was with ‘“‘much
gratification”’ that he learned of the
city’s decision “‘to take over
patronage of Odessa.”” 2

“In your solicitude we see the ex-
pression of solidarity of freedom
loving ‘peoples in the fight against
the hated Nazi foe. Please convey

i+

from Vancouver’s

sister city of

Odessa

Including the mayor and
representatives of Odessa who
will be guests of the city of

Vancouver

$10 by reservation only
254-7678; 879-1905; 420-5866

Russian People’s Hall

or from Co-Op Books, Pacific

Tribune

) VANCOUVER
When Vancouver adopted

AY Ff herers theMayor and Courtril of the

CIGY or VARCOUVER are in

ie
eke rg
i : alias
Viet Russia and the Git of CdeSsx,
pa SS a KORUET derma

: i CIBY or ODESSA.

Beit further TISOVED thal this Council on behalf of the
Mr eople ot

to Vancouver citizens greetings and
thanks of Odessites,’’ he wrote.

Davidenko’s lengthy telegram
captured the drama of the newly
liberated Odessa, citing the
deliberate destruction of the city by.
the Nazi’s, two of which were nam-
ed.

‘Approaching the waterfront
by a subway and looking left one
gets the impression of a watering
place or ancient park with lux-
urious foliage and neatly trimmed
lawns and flower beds,’’ he said
describing his city, “‘But turn right
and there is the shocking reminder
that “‘engineers’’ Kupfer and Olaru
once lived on earth.

“Traces of their vile life are still
evident in the heaps of scrap metal,
charred timbers and debris of
hoists, scores of machines and tools
accumulated over a decade, reduc-
ed to scrap. -

“‘The eternal waves splash
peacefully against the ruins of the
dockyards, but the Soviet people
live on and its workers and techni-
cians are determined to make their
native land stronger and more pro-
sperous than ever.”

Throughout the fall of 1944 and
the first part of 1945 there was a
flurry of activity in Vancouver
around the newly formed relation-
ship. The final B.C. Electric sym-
phony concert of the summer of
1944 was dedicated to Odessa and
in September another concert in the
Vogue Theatre on Granville St.
collected over $1,600 in donations,

Odessa

in addition to ticket sales.

In December 1944, the Friend-
ship Council had raised enough
money to send an operating table
and surgical instruments valued at
over $5,500. In April of 1945, the
Council reported that over $13,000
of medical aid had been sent with
another $3,500 yet to be sent.

In February 1945, the Com-
modore Ballroom was the scene of
a gala ‘‘Odessa Ball’’ sponsored by
the Council which featured the
lieutenant governor Woodward
and the Hon. Eric Hamber as spe-
cial guests. A war bond was raffled
with the proceeds sent to Odessa.

And there were other gifts. One
particularly valuable gift was eight
oil paintings depicting the in-
dustrial contribution of B.C. to the
war effort donated by the artists in
the Labor Arts Guild of Van-
couver. The paintings were drawn
from a unique collection of 150
works in an exhibition titled
“British Columbians at Work.”

These months of 1944, 1945 and
1946 were pushed forcibly into the
background of Vancouver’s con-
sciousness with the onslaught of the
cold war and its crude propaganda
aimed at destroying the potential
for peace and social progress which
emerged from the victory over
fascism. However, Vancouver’s
special relationship to Odessa,
born amid the second world war
could not be eradicated by the cold
war.
In May, 1946 the mayor’s office
sent to Odessa a package of
children’s art specially prepared for
the children of Odessa by students
in 15 Vancouver schools. The
children hoped that Odessa
children would return the
greetings. A spokesperson for the
Friendship Council, Mrs. K. G.
‘Kern, was quoted as saying, ‘“We
cannot go far wrong in establishing
contacts between Canadian and
Russian children . . . the next
generation will undoubtedly reap
the benefit from this project in

- friendship.”

Those children, now adults, will
see a new stage in the sister city rela-
tionship between Vancouver and
Odessa open with the visit to Van-
couver August 17-24 of the mayor
and two representatives of the hero
city on the Black Sea.

LABOR
PICNIC

Aug. 23
12-6 p.m.

John Hendry Park

(Trout Lake)

Bring lawn chairs and enjoy music, games, tug-o-
war, volleyball, tournament races, swimming,
chicken, salads, hot dogs.

In case of rain:

VICTORIA DR.
NANAIMO ST.

Ukrainian Hall ©

CLASSIFIED
ADVERTISING

COMING EVENTS

AUG. 16 — COPE Garden Party, 2
p.m. at Rankin’s, 3570 Hull St. Van.
Dinner, refreshments, entertain-
ment. $5..-Bring your own
lawnchairs. In case of rain, it will be
at the Russian Hall, 600 Campbell
Ave., Ail welcome. :

AUG. 23 — Annual YCL Volleyball
Tournament will be held in conjunc-
tion with the Summer Labor Picnic.
Those who want to set up teams or
be on a team, should contact
Donalda at 684-4321.

AUG. 23 — SUMMER LABOR
PICNIC — 12 Noon — John Hen-
dry Park (Trout Lake). An event for
the whole family. Children’s games,
international food table, entertain-
ment, annual Y.CL invitational vol-
leyball tournament. Speaker: Jack
Phillips. Keep this day open for a
fine afternoon. If raining, picnic will
move to the Ukrainian Hall, 805 E. Pen-
der. For more information contact Bet-
ty Griffin, 988-2501, Donalda Green-
well, 254-9836 (days).

“AUG. 23 —East Fraser Regional
Picnic, Websters Corners Hall.
Celebrate 60 years of the Commun-
ist Party of Canada.

AUG. 30 — YCL Salmon Bar-B-Q
at Legebokoff’s, 3310 Cardinal Dr.,
Burnaby. Contests, swimming,
food, prizes, refreshments.

COMMERCIAL

Jewellery & Watch Repairs
Reasonable charge
: 254-7678

CONDOR’S PAINTING & build-
ing maintenance. Free estimate.
Phone 433-1145. A progressive firm
owned and operated by Chilean
Canadians. Reasonable rates.

ELECTRICAL, plumbing, appli-

ROOF REPAIRS — Reasonable.
New roofs and alum. gutters,
277-1364 or 277-3382.

GRAMMA PUBLICATIONS.
Complete printing services.
Brochures, menus, leaflets, etc.
Special rates for the progressive
movement. A union shop. 1595 W.
3rd Ave., Van. 733-6822. —

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
in Victoria Dr. & Marine Dr. area re-
quires’ a clerk-typist: Duties are
varied & interesting. Salary range:
$900-$1,050 per. mo. Call 879-5108

__ ‘to arrange an interview.

- LEGAL SERVICES
RANKIN, STONE, McMURRAY
& BOND, Barristers and Solici

tors. 500 Ford Building, 193 East
Hastings St., Vancouver 682-7471.

HALLS FOR RENT |

@ Real Estate and Conveyancing
@ Divorce and Family Law

RANKIN, ROBERTSON & DONALD

Barristers & Solicitors

3rd Floor, 195 Alexander St.
Vancouver, B.C. V6A 1N8

682-2781

Offers a broad range of legal services including:

@ Personal Injury and Insurance Claims

@ Labour Law
@ Criminal Law
@ Estates and Wills

RUSSIAN PEOPLE'S HOME —
Available for rentals. For reserva-
tions phone 254-3430.

WEBSTERS CORNERS HALL —
Available for banquets, meetings,

etc. For rates: Ozzie, 325-4171 or

685-5836.

UKRAINIAN CANADIAN CUL-
TURAL CENTRE —. 805 East