By Jacob Schenko
His message to younger generations is to remember that many people during the war had little choice over what happened to them and that war never stops even when it’s over. A message one could only gather from extreme endearment and will power.
Born in the aftermath of the Second World War, Roger Shevchenko’s childhood began with a family history shaped by war, imprisonment and displacement. His parents’ experiences in Europe would ultimately lead them to Australia, where they hoped to build a safer and more prosperous future.
Roger’s father was conscripted into the Russian Army at around 17 or 18 years old. Hoping to become a pilot, he soon discovered there were not enough planes and was instead sent into the infantry. During the war, he was captured and taken to Germany, where he was forced to work in a concentration camp.
“He had to work there otherwise he would become one of the people that ended up in the fireplace,” Roger recalled.
After the war ended, his father faced another difficult choice. Returning to Soviet-controlled Ukraine could have resulted in him being executed as a deserter or sent to Siberia. Instead, he sought to leave Europe.
His parents ultimately chose Australia over Canada and Argentina as their new home. In 1950, when Roger was just three years old, the family arrived in Australia aboard a migrant ship.
The impact of the war was not immediately visible. One reminder of Roger’s past was the German birth certificate he was assigned, which was difficult for him to harbour.
However, the stories passed down by his parents revealed the enormous hardship their generation had endured. His father came from a family of 11 children, but only four were lucky enough to survive. Stories of hunger, poverty and Soviet control remained part of the family’s history.
Visiting a former concentration camp in Germany later gave Roger a more personal connection to that history. Seeing the wooden bunks where prisoners had slept, and the sheer disbelief of the conditions that people had to endure, left him deeply affected.
“I just felt so bad that people can do this to other people,” he said.
Today, he fully appreciates and understands the fortune of living in a country without war.
He considers himself fortunate to have built a life in Australia and believes the country’s diversity is something to be valued.
“It’s terrific to be in one country, Australia,” he said. And even though his troubles were not over after arriving in Australia he has never been more grateful for the land in which he lives.
Featured image: Roger Shevchenko’s father was conscripted into the Russian Army, seen here fighting in the battle of Stalingrad. Photo: Cassowary Colorizations/CC/Wikimedia Commons
