Slava Aidov had been imprisoned for trying to obtain a printing pressIn the depths of the Cold War, the daughter of an imprisoned Soviet dissident received a message from across the Iron Curtain that changed her family's life.
Slava Aidov had been imprisoned for trying to obtain a printing pressIn the depths of the Cold War, the daughter of an imprisoned Soviet dissident received a message from across the Iron Curtain that changed her family's life.
In June 1971, Marina Aidova was eight years old, living in the Soviet city of Kishinev. Her father, Slava, was imprisoned in a camp for political prisoners. When his family was allowed a three-hour visit, it took a two-day railway journey to reach him, paid for by her mother donating blood.
In June 1971, Marina Aidova was eight years old, living in the Soviet city of Kishinev. Her father, Slava, was imprisoned in a camp for political prisoners. When his family was allowed a three-hour visit, it took a two-day railway journey to reach him, paid for by her mother donating blood.
When her mother, Lera, found that Slava had been on hunger strike, she too began her own protest by only eating one piece of bread a day.
When her mother, Lera, found that Slava had been on hunger strike, she too began her own protest by only eating one piece of bread a day.
And then, into this bleak backwater of the Cold War, a letter arrived. It was a postcard addressed to Marina with a picture of an unfamiliar town. "With love from Newbury. Berks. England. Harold and Olive."
And then, into this bleak backwater of the Cold War, a letter arrived. It was a postcard addressed to Marina with a picture of an unfamiliar town. "With love from Newbury. Berks. England. Harold and Olive."
"When the first letter came it was like something from another planet. We were living in such a closed society that it was like getting a message from a UFO," says Marina, now aged 43, and speaking on a visit to London, where the story of this unexpected exchange is being published as a book.
"When the first letter came it was like something from another planet. We were living in such a closed society that it was like getting a message from a UFO," says Marina, now aged 43, and speaking on a visit to London, where the story of this unexpected exchange is being published as a book.
"We knew that England existed somewhere, but it was in a world that had nothing to do with us. And the idea that this letter had come through the Iron Curtain seemed unbelievable."
"We knew that England existed somewhere, but it was in a world that had nothing to do with us. And the idea that this letter had come through the Iron Curtain seemed unbelievable."
Lost worlds
Lost worlds
The postcard had come from Harold Edwards, a 73-year-old antiquarian bookseller, and his wife, Olive, prompted by an article published by Amnesty International, which listed the names of the children of imprisoned dissidents.
The postcard had come from Harold Edwards, a 73-year-old antiquarian bookseller, and his wife, Olive, prompted by an article published by Amnesty International, which listed the names of the children of imprisoned dissidents.
Letters were sometimes intercepted by the Soviet security servicesMarina sent a letter in reply, and so started a 15-year correspondence between Harold and Olive, Marina, Lera and, when he was released, Slava.
Letters were sometimes intercepted by the Soviet security servicesMarina sent a letter in reply, and so started a 15-year correspondence between Harold and Olive, Marina, Lera and, when he was released, Slava.
Shunned by neighbours who didn't want to be seen to be sympathising with the family of a dissident prisoner, Marina says that the support of these unexpected letters saved her mother from a nervous breakdown.
Shunned by neighbours who didn't want to be seen to be sympathising with the family of a dissident prisoner, Marina says that the support of these unexpected letters saved her mother from a nervous breakdown.
"My mother was living in a city where people were afraid to talk to her, it was a very lonely life. To receive these letters was a sign that someone cared."
"My mother was living in a city where people were afraid to talk to her, it was a very lonely life. To receive these letters was a sign that someone cared."
Because the letters were read by censors, they carefully avoided politics and focused instead on everyday interests - books, gardening, television, how their children and then grandchildren were getting on at school.
Because the letters were read by censors, they carefully avoided politics and focused instead on everyday interests - books, gardening, television, how their children and then grandchildren were getting on at school.
They were ordinary stories about ordinary lives - but swapped at a time when it was extraordinary to have such contacts between families from opposite sides of the Iron Curtain.
They were ordinary stories about ordinary lives - but swapped at a time when it was extraordinary to have such contacts between families from opposite sides of the Iron Curtain.
Curtain raised
Curtain raised
Marina, a translator in what is now Moldova, says her family were fascinated by the details of English life glimpsed through the letters because official information was so tightly controlled.
Marina, a translator in what is now Moldova, says her family were fascinated by the details of English life glimpsed through the letters because official information was so tightly controlled.
Now and then: Marina was eight when the letters began"I knew about England only through Dickens, television programmes such as the Forsyte Saga, and news reports of striking miners and demonstrations."
Now and then: Marina was eight when the letters began"I knew about England only through Dickens, television programmes such as the Forsyte Saga, and news reports of striking miners and demonstrations."
The exchanges meant that part of 1970s Newbury reached Kishinev - Marina stopped traffic with a red bell-bottomed outfit from Marks and Spencer.
The exchanges meant that part of 1970s Newbury reached Kishinev - Marina stopped traffic with a red bell-bottomed outfit from Marks and Spencer.
With the Soviet Union crumbling in the late 1980s, Marina was able to travel to the West. But her first taste of this new world was bitter-sweet.
With the Soviet Union crumbling in the late 1980s, Marina was able to travel to the West. But her first taste of this new world was bitter-sweet.
"I was going to the West, taking my first breath of freedom," she says. But when her train arrived in West Berlin, her first conversation with the free world was a bunch of drunk teenagers shouting "Russian swine" at her.
"I was going to the West, taking my first breath of freedom," she says. But when her train arrived in West Berlin, her first conversation with the free world was a bunch of drunk teenagers shouting "Russian swine" at her.
There were other surprises ahead when she reached the UK. Why would people buy jeans that were ripped and why, when there were no food shortages, were people eating muesli?
There were other surprises ahead when she reached the UK. Why would people buy jeans that were ripped and why, when there were no food shortages, were people eating muesli?
And even though the Soviet dissidents campaigned for free speech, they wanted something more profound than consumerism and the freedom to shop.
And even though the Soviet dissidents campaigned for free speech, they wanted something more profound than consumerism and the freedom to shop.
"Many dissidents emigrated - but my father always said that if he had the choice between going to the East, which meant to the prisons, or to the West, he would go the East.
"Many dissidents emigrated - but my father always said that if he had the choice between going to the East, which meant to the prisons, or to the West, he would go the East.
"He said it was his fate, his country. He didn't perceive the West as the free country, but as being harsh, with aggressive capitalism."
"He said it was his fate, his country. He didn't perceive the West as the free country, but as being harsh, with aggressive capitalism."
Lost art
Lost art
If the book, From Newbury With Love, evokes the lost worlds of the Cold War, it's also a reminder of an era when people wrote each other letters, rather than e-mails and texts.
If the book, From Newbury With Love, evokes the lost worlds of the Cold War, it's also a reminder of an era when people wrote each other letters, rather than e-mails and texts.
Harold and Olive, Slava and Lera, who never got to meetAnd Marina says she regrets the lost pleasures of the letter.
Harold and Olive, Slava and Lera, who never got to meetAnd Marina says she regrets the lost pleasures of the letter.
"You looked at the stamp, you opened the letter, you smelt it. First, you read it very quickly, and then in the evening, when the children were in bed, my mum would take a glass of wine, light a cigarette and read and re-read and really enjoy the letter. It's physical, you see their handwriting, you keep the letters."
"You looked at the stamp, you opened the letter, you smelt it. First, you read it very quickly, and then in the evening, when the children were in bed, my mum would take a glass of wine, light a cigarette and read and re-read and really enjoy the letter. It's physical, you see their handwriting, you keep the letters."
Harold and Olive had died by the time Marina was able to travel to Britain. But Slava and Lera are both alive and living in Kishinev - and in 1989, the year the Berlin Wall was pulled down, Marina got to visit Newbury.
Harold and Olive had died by the time Marina was able to travel to Britain. But Slava and Lera are both alive and living in Kishinev - and in 1989, the year the Berlin Wall was pulled down, Marina got to visit Newbury.
"We came to Newbury and walked in their garden, looked at the apple tree and stood where the letters had been written," she says.
"We came to Newbury and walked in their garden, looked at the apple tree and stood where the letters had been written," she says.
The unexpected relationship at such a bleak time, Lera said in a letter to Harold and Olive's daughter, had been "a gift of fate".
The unexpected relationship at such a bleak time, Lera said in a letter to Harold and Olive's daughter, had been "a gift of fate".
Add your comments on this story, using the form below.
Add your comments on this story, using the form below.
It would be good for us all to read stories like this more often. Firstly to know that such a seemingly small good deed can make such a positive difference and secondly to be reminded that our western socio-economic systems may be better than what most other people have but we still have a long way to go in regards to acting responsibly towards our fellow human beings.Simon Densley, London
I'm sat here typing with tears rolling down my face, that was such a moving story. I'm absolutely gutted for them that they never go to meet the eccentric couple who had kept there spirits up during those dark lonely years. It just goes to show that anyone can make a difference to someone else's lives.Bobby Deaves, Liverpool
Those were the days, when letters brought happyness in a bleak time. Nowadays letters only bring bills.Johnny, London
What a wonderful story. I was growing up in Newbury around this time and still consider it as my home town. It is fascinating to learn that this hand of friendship was reaching out across the world to those behind the Iron Curtain from so close by. It brings home the fact that one person (or couple) can make a difference in this troubled world of ours.Paul Thompson, Devizes
This is a story that brings dual recognition. 1) What the Soviet countries have gained from their new found "freedoms" 2) What we in the west have lost, in respect for others and our selfish pursuit of "something for nothing" Ricky Campbell, Carrickfergus
What a touching story. This is exactly the sort of thing that the post Cold War generation should read to understand what the world was like at a human level between World War 2 and the start of the 1990s.Andrew Cunningham, Cardiff
I remember in the late Sixties reading a whole page advert about someone called Anthony Gray being held prisoner in China. There was an address to send a post card asking for his release. I sent that postcard, I was about 14-15 at the time, and remember feeling very happy when I read, not too long afterwards that he had been released. It was the first card of many cards and letters I have subsequently sent as I joined Amnesty International. I still have no idea who Anthony Gray (Grey?) was or is or what happened to him after his release.Nina Gallety, Nottingham
What a touching story. We take so much for granted in current times, our freedom to think, to travel, to live ... it's hard to comprehend how it could be any other way.Joelle, Hemel Hempstead
What a fantastic story, this brought tears to my eyes. The art of letter writing is a much missed skill. Joanna Clake, Long Eaton Nottingham
What a wonderful story. It shows the importance of normality in the life of families living under stress. Those letters kept the family sane in an insane world beyond their control.Carys Williams, Penygroes
