Lonely, forgotten, abandoned, but with the remains of attractive architectural features house built on Pushkin Street in Zhytomyr attracts residents and visitors. Particularly interested people bypass it from all possible sides, take pictures, and learned that until recently it was conventional municipal bath, so they transfer their attention to more attractive sites. And nothing! For the history of this handsome fireplace, which is over a century bravely confronts the challenges of the time and the history of its owners noteworthy

At the end of the second half of the nineteenth century wealthy merchants bought in Uman Galli family of land (Edward Marian Galli (1816-1893 gg.) – writer, playwright, physician, scientist and collector), built a typical single-storey town house, which survived until now. Villas fenced and the entrance set small house. From 1898-1900, including requests time successful entrepreneurs built a wonderful building urban public bath. The idea was timely and very profitable: business income received, and cleaned citizens and visitors gratefully recalled the Umanskyis. With the establishment of Soviet power, bath was taken away, but before the mid-1930s, public utility was known only as “bath of Umansky.” Older Zhytomyr generation still remembers the name.
In 1907, in a large family of Umanskyi was born Moritz – known figure in the future of theater and cinema. Almost all of the big family of Umanskyi were avid theater-goers, many of whom worked in the theater. In the 1925-1927 biennium in school number 5 (this place is entertaining establishment “Canyon” and store “Vopak”), Moritz Umanskyi initiated and led popular throughout the city theatrical group “Blue Blouse”.
My close friend Elena Moskaleva, who recently celebrated her 102 (!) years birthday, with a good memory and bright head says:
“I knew Umanskyi Moritz was a member of theatrical drama, which he headed. By the time our manager graduated in art-industrial school and was a student at the Kiev Art Institute. Came and had lived in Zhtomyr relatives, acquired practical experience as a future theatrical figure. Moritz was known in circles of intellectuals, attracted the attention of artistic behavior, and talked a bit theatrically, but always politely and with respect to the interlocutors. This suited him completely. He was selfless love with the theater scene, wanted to join the world of cinema. Having first successes in Zhytomyr, and then in Kiev, eventually became a famous artist, a director. ”
Winner of the Stalin Prize Moritz B. Umanskyi worked with Dovzhenko, took part in the creation of nearly 30 films, including the then religious “Shchors”, “Alexander Parkhomenko,” “Kapitoshka” and others.
Moritz son, Henry, was born in 1936 in Kiev, continued success of his father. He noted painter and theater artist-multiplikator.
Awarded by many national and international awards, author and co-author of about 25 cartoons, including the commonly known “Alice in Wonderland”, “Through the Looking-Glass,” “Scarecrow,” “How the Cossacks at the wedding walking”, “As wives of men selling” “Kapitoshka” and others.
I met Henry when he was already 80 years old. He shared memories of his father and said: “In 1935, famous, hitherto unsurpassed German director and operator Leni Riefenstahl, praising Nazi Germany, created a two-hour film” Triumph of the Will “, which until now is recognized as the best propaganda film in movie history. The film had a great hypnotic power and is banned in some countries, including Germany. ”
Stalin sought to show the achievements and benefits of Soviet cinema, famous film director suggested Rooma, twice winner of the Stalin Prize, a film in contrast. Moritz Umanskyi was the first in team of Rooma. Preferred pearl in cinematography called “Strict boy”, even approximately has failed. Stalin was disappointed and angry, but Rooma Umanskyi miraculously escaped repression and left behind a great legacy of great and talented works of cinema.
Here’s a story … Meanwhile handsome fireplace waiting for a caring owner, because the architecture – a material object history, they should be kept as museum exhibits store!
Serhii Sobchuk
Member of the National Union of ethnographers in Ukraine
Translated by Aliona Matushevich