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

SilentPanda

SilentPanda

Moderator emeritus
Original poster
Oct 8, 2002
9,997
33
The Bamboo Forest
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histo...ontact-Unaware-of-World-War-II-188843001.html

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

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.
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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.'
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Very good article and worth the read!
 
mobilehaathi said:
Really fun, thanks!:)
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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...
 
juanm said:
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...
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Sorry but learning is fun for me independent of the emotional and social implications of the content.
 
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.
 
Man.........how did they live without espn.com????? :D

Good story though, can't believe they went so long undiscovered, although I guess it was in the 70s?
 
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.
 
This is ancient history. It was on the tube in the old country back in 1980s. These guys were pretty famous back then.
 
Synchromesh said:
This is ancient history. It was on the tube in the old country back in 1980s. These guys were pretty famous back then.
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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.
 
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