Inna Meiman-Kitrossky

Inna Ilyinichna Meiman-Kitrossky (Russian: И́нна Ильи́нична Китро́сская-Ме́йман, 16 October 1932, Moscow – 9 February 1987, Georgetown, Washington, D.C.) was a refusenik, a member of a group of refuseniks-cancer patients, and an author of textbooks for the English language.

Inna Ilyinichna Meiman-Kitrossky
Инна Ильинична Китросская-Мейман
Born
Inna Ilyinichna Fuxson

(1932-10-16)October 16, 1932
Moscow, Soviet Union
DiedFebruary 9, 1987(1987-02-09) (aged 54)
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
NationalityRussian Jew
Alma materMoscow State Linguistic University
Occupationteaching foreign languages
Known forRefusenik
Spouses
ChildrenLev Naumovich Kitrossky
Parent(s)Ilya Naumovich Fuxson, Khasya Samuilovna Fuxson

Life

Inna Meiman was born as Ina Fuxson in a Jewish family in Moscow, and graduated from Moscow State Linguistic University, where she worked for many years teaching English. This experience resulted in being awarded a Ph.D. and also in two textbooks: Russian: Английский язык как второй иностранный (начальный курс) (English as a second foreign language (basic level)),[1] Russian: Современный английский язык (продвинутый этап)) (Modern English (advanced level)),[2] which was in usage in several Russian Universities. Meiman also translated from English to Russian and vice versa.[3] She was married for several years and had a son.

In 1979, she applied for an exit visa for the first time,[4] but after two years of waiting, she was refused. In 1981, she married the refusenik and activist for human rights, Naum Meiman, and became active in this field as well. She also started to teach Russian to foreigners, including the personnel of the US embassy. The Meimans were under surveillance by the KGB, which disconnected the telephone in Meiman's flat and also searched their home.

In 1983, she was diagnosed with cancer which progressed quickly, requiring several surgeries. Naum Meiman worked hard to enable his wife to go abroad for treatment. Inna Meiman then joined the group of refuseniks-cancer patients.[5] A campaign to help her gradually accelerated, which was joined by US Senators Gary Hart and Paul Simon. Inna Meiman met many people from abroad, and gave an interview to foreign TV.[6] A young American student Lisa Paul, who was very impressed by Inna, held a 25-day hunger strike to bring attention to her case.[7]

In 1987, at the inception of Perestroika, she was finally allowed to leave. Inna Meiman arrived in the US, but died after several weeks in February 1987 in Georgetown (Washington, D.C.). Naum Meiman was not allowed to attend her funeral in Washington D.C.[8][9]

25 years later, Lisa Paul published a book of memoirs about Inna Meiman.[10][11][12][13] Inna's Meiman life is a dramatic episode in the history of the refusenik movement and helped to expose the internal policy of the Soviet Union in the latter part of its existence. Naum Meiman died in Tel-Aviv, Israel in 2001. Inna's son and seven grandchildren have lived in Israel since 1987.

References
  1. Китросская И. и др. Английский язык как второй иностранный (начальный курс). English French German Spanish М. Высшая школа, 1976.
  2. Китросская И. И. Современный английский язык (продвинутый этап). М. Высшая школа 1978 г.
  3. Muratova, Xenia; Kitrosskaya, Inna (1984). Srednevekovyj bestiarij = The medieval bestiary. Iskusstvo Art Publishers, Moscow.
  4. "100 Stat. 4382 - Dr. Naum Meiman and Inna Kitrosskaya-Meiman--Emigration from Soviet Union". USA Congress. Retrieved 2023-10-15. Whereas Naum Meiman, member of the Moscow Helsinki Monitoring Group and a leader in the Soviet Jewish refusenik community, and his wife Inna Kitrosskaya-Meiman have sought since 1974 and 1979, respectively, to emigrate from the Soviet Union;
  5. About medical refuseniks and their patients. Seek «Inna Meiman», «Refuseniks Cancer Patients Committee»
  6. Interview on YouTube
  7. TV6 News, Washington on YouTube
  8. Saxon, Wolfgang (10 February 1987). "Inna Meiman, emigre, dies at 53; left Soviet for cancer treatment". The New York Times.
  9. Taubman, Philip (26 February 1987). "Old and alone, Soviet dissident looks to exit". The New York Times.
  10. Paul, Lisa (2011). Swimming in the Daylight: An American Student, a Soviet-Jewish Dissident, and the Gift of Hope. Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61608-203-1.
  11. Lisa Paul presents her book on YouTube
  12. Lisa Paul talks about her book on MPTV on YouTube
  13. Dr. Leonid Stonov. "Book review". Association «Remember and save». Retrieved 2011-02-23.
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