The Early Years of Constantine and Lydia Shapiro
Growing Up a Foreigner in Wartime Japan
Fleeing Persecution and Finding New Beginnings
In 1926, professional musicians Constantine Shapiro, born in Moscow in 1896, and Lydia Chernetsky, born in Odessa in 1905, met and married in Berlin, Germany. Both families had endured continuous persecution in war-torn Russia, and the rise of the Soviet Union made their lives even more difficult. With the threat of National Socialism under Hitler in Germany, the couple decided to leave Berlin in search of safety, embarking on a journey that would take them through France, Palestine, and China.
The Shapiro Family's Wartime Life in Japan
Moving to Tokyo Amidst the Chaos
The Shapiro family ultimately settled in Japan during World War II, finding relative safety there compared to the violence in Europe. In 1944, the family was forced to leave Yokohama due to a ban on foreigners and relocated to Tokyo. During their time in the city, they faced constant hardships, including the relentless U.S. bombing campaigns. In March 1945, the operation known as Meetinghouse, later dubbed the Night of the Black Snow, decimated large portions of Tokyo.
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Isaac Shapiro’s Transformation and Journey to America
A New Chapter in the United States
In the wake of the war, 14-year-old Isaac, the fourth child of the Shapiros, became an interpreter for U.S. Marine Colonel John Calvin 'Toby' Munn, who played a pivotal role in Isaac's eventual immigration to the United States. Fluent in several languages, Isaac's talents were recognized during the American occupation of Japan. In 1946, Isaac’s life took a transformative turn when he arrived in Hawaii, a U.S. territory at the time, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his life and future.
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Isaac Shapiro's transformation from a young wartime survivor to an ambitious immigrant marks a pivotal moment in his life, as he embarks on a journey to build a new future in the United States.
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