For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of WW2

SilentPanda · Jan 29, 2013, 05:35 PM

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...188843001.html

A family in Russia hid away in 1936 and wasn't discovered until 1978.

Quote:

It was an astounding discovery. The mountain was more than 150 miles from the nearest settlement, in a spot that had never been explored. The Soviet authorities had no records of anyone living in the district.

Quote:

The low door creaked, and the figure of a very old man emerged into the light of day, straight out of a fairy tale. Barefoot. Wearing a patched and repatched shirt made of sacking. He wore trousers of the same material, also in patches, and had an uncombed beard. His hair was disheveled. He looked frightened and was very attentive.... We had to say something, so I began: 'Greetings, grandfather! We've come to visit!'

The old man did not reply immediately.... Finally, we heard a soft, uncertain voice: 'Well, since you have traveled this far, you might as well come in.'

Very good article and worth the read!

SandboxGeneral · Jan 29, 2013, 05:38 PM

That does sound interesting, I'll give it a read.

Scepticalscribe · Jan 29, 2013, 05:48 PM

Terrific article, extremely interesting and rather oddly moving, too. Thanks very much for posting it.

scott craft · Jan 29, 2013, 06:03 PM

Great read, thanks for sharing.

SnowLeopard2008 · Jan 29, 2013, 06:18 PM

Agreed. It's sad some of them died once exposed to the outside world.

mobilehaathi · Jan 29, 2013, 06:27 PM

Really fun, thanks!

juanm · Jan 29, 2013, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobilehaathi

Really fun, thanks!

I'm not sure "fun" is the right word, but yes, it was very interesting. I wonder how they would have fared after stumbling upon civilization, had they not been so deeply religious, although after so much time severed from any social ties, I guess the outcome could only be a tragic one...

rdowns · Jan 29, 2013, 06:44 PM

That was a great read.

eawmp1 · Jan 29, 2013, 06:46 PM

A fascinating tale. Thanks for sharing.

eric/ · Jan 29, 2013, 06:55 PM

Great story

mobilehaathi · Jan 29, 2013, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juanm

I'm not sure "fun" is the right word, but yes, it was very interesting. I wonder how they would have fared after stumbling upon civilization, had they not been so deeply religious, although after so much time severed from any social ties, I guess the outcome could only be a tragic one...

Sorry but learning is fun for me independent of the emotional and social implications of the content.

stroked · Jan 29, 2013, 07:49 PM

It would make a good movie.

samiwas · Jan 29, 2013, 09:46 PM

I generally don't like reading long articles. But that was really fascinating.

And it's kind of sad. I mean, these people wanted to be this way, and even refused to reconnect with the outside world. So, they must have been happy with what they had. But, as someone who has lived in the modern world, you think "look at everything these people are missing!"

I can't imagine the life of the last girl, living in solitude up on a mountain 150 miles from anything. But it's all she knows, and may be all she wants to know.

Just fascinating.

4JNA · Jan 29, 2013, 10:15 PM

last of the Mohicans for real. cool story.

JoshMKB24 · Jan 30, 2013, 11:13 AM

Man.........how did they live without espn.com?????

Good story though, can't believe they went so long undiscovered, although I guess it was in the 70s?

firedept · Jan 30, 2013, 11:46 AM

Thanks for the good reading.

simsaladimbamba · Jan 30, 2013, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshMKB24

Good story though, can't believe they went so long undiscovered, although I guess it was in the 70s?

Yep, 1978.

Thanks for the story ScreamingPanda, sorry, SilentPanda.

Tilpots · Jan 30, 2013, 12:12 PM

I found this story last night browsing Zite. Great read.

I've been wondering how they passed the time. I guess life was full of maintenance for them. That part about protecting the last rye seed? Amazing. How many instances like that have affected the human race? Really blows your mind when you go there.

Kinda gave me hope in a weird sort of way. If this small family could survive in a frozen wasteland, then surely some of human kind will survive just about any type of apocalypse this world might throw at us.

Synchromesh · Jan 30, 2013, 10:36 PM

This is ancient history. It was on the tube in the old country back in 1980s. These guys were pretty famous back then.

matsukez · Jan 30, 2013, 11:44 PM

Wow, that was an interesting article. Crazy story! Thanks for sharing!

Scepticalscribe · Jan 31, 2013, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synchromesh

This is ancient history. It was on the tube in the old country back in 1980s. These guys were pretty famous back then.

Sure, but it was (and is) new to some of us here; I, for one, hadn't heard of it - and I've read a lot about Russia; besides, it remains an amazing story.

Again, kudos to Silent Panda for thinking to post it.

Jan 29, 2013, 05:38 PM	#2
SandboxGeneral Demi-God (Moderator) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: The New World	That does sound interesting, I'll give it a read. __________________ Twitter \| Website \| ♫ Free iTunes Music ♫ *Random Access Memories* ~ daft punk
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Jan 29, 2013, 06:18 PM	#5
SnowLeopard2008 macrumors 603 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: California	Agreed. It's sad some of them died once exposed to the outside world. __________________ YouTube \| Twitter MacBook Air \| iPhone 5 \| iPad mini \| iPad signed by Steve Wozniak
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Jan 29, 2013, 06:27 PM	#6
mobilehaathi macrumors 68030 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA	Really fun, thanks! __________________ Of crimes---none is greater than having things that one desires; Of disasters---none is greater than not knowing when one has enough. Of defects---none brings more sorrow than the desire to attain.
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Jan 29, 2013, 09:46 PM	#13
samiwas macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA	I generally don't like reading long articles. But that was really fascinating. And it's kind of sad. I mean, these people wanted to be this way, and even refused to reconnect with the outside world. So, they must have been happy with what they had. But, as someone who has lived in the modern world, you think "look at everything these people are missing!" I can't imagine the life of the last girl, living in solitude up on a mountain 150 miles from anything. But it's all she knows, and may be all she wants to know. Just fascinating. __________________ A lack of planning on your part should not constitute an emergency on mine.
	0

Jan 29, 2013, 10:15 PM	#14
4JNA macrumors 65816 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: looking for trash files	last of the Mohicans for real. cool story. __________________ KATE: RISC architecture is gonna change everything. DADE: Yeah. RISC is good. Try Folding, all the cool kids are doing it...
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Jan 29, 2013, 05:48 PM	#3
Scepticalscribe macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: The Italian café at the end of the universe	Terrific article, extremely interesting and rather oddly moving, too. Thanks very much for posting it.
	0

Jan 29, 2013, 06:03 PM	#4
scott craft macrumors 6502 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Louisiana	Great read, thanks for sharing.
	0

Jan 29, 2013, 06:44 PM	#8
rdowns macrumors Penryn Join Date: Jul 2003	That was a great read.
	0

Jan 29, 2013, 06:46 PM	#9
eawmp1 macrumors 601 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: FL	A fascinating tale. Thanks for sharing.
	0

Jan 29, 2013, 06:55 PM	#10
eric/ In Time-Out Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ohio, United States	Great story
	0

Jan 29, 2013, 07:49 PM	#12
stroked macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2010	It would make a good movie.
	0

Jan 30, 2013, 11:13 AM	#15
JoshMKB24 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Midwest	Man.........how did they live without espn.com????? Good story though, can't believe they went so long undiscovered, although I guess it was in the 70s? __________________ 2012/13 27" iMac, 11" MacBook Air, iPhone 5, iPad Mini, Apple TV
	0

Jan 30, 2013, 11:46 AM	#16
firedept macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Somewhere!	Thanks for the good reading.
	0

Jan 30, 2013, 12:12 PM	#18
Tilpots macrumors 68040 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wilmington, NC	I found this story last night browsing Zite. Great read. I've been wondering how they passed the time. I guess life was full of maintenance for them. That part about protecting the last rye seed? Amazing. How many instances like that have affected the human race? Really blows your mind when you go there. Kinda gave me hope in a weird sort of way. If this small family could survive in a frozen wasteland, then surely some of human kind will survive just about any type of apocalypse this world might throw at us. __________________ A tree is known by its fruit.
	0

Jan 30, 2013, 10:36 PM	#19
Synchromesh macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Taxachusetts	This is ancient history. It was on the tube in the old country back in 1980s. These guys were pretty famous back then.
	0

Jan 30, 2013, 11:44 PM	#20
matsukez macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2013	Wow, that was an interesting article. Crazy story! Thanks for sharing!
	0

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