I don't know who was the first to use the term "parliament" and how it came to Zabludow. But for the sake of truth this name fits reality. It's impossible that they have ever used another term.
The order was as a real parliament; all factions of society were represented in it. The main meetings were held in the big hall, and in the small rooms the parties' activity took place. The place was crowded and noisy day and night like a flour mill.
The news that reached through the newspapers were a subject to arguments. Every issue that kept the Russians' attention was echoed in town and was discussed in the meetings of our parliament.
I think that the parliament opened at the same time the Russian Duma was established. The parliament used to meet every day and many of the meetings lasted until the late hours of the night. If my memory doesn't fool me the police were carefully watching over our parliament at the same time the Czar's cabinet disolved the "Duma". I don't know if the parliament of Zabludow had any tie to the "Duma"…but our company used to draw comparison and even brought "proofs" for all that is common . When the first Duma opened- we declared the opening of our parliament. When the Duma was disolved the police surrounded our parliament. Thanks to hidden exits our "representatives" managed to evade arrest…
I have never seen the palace, in which the meetings of the first Duma took place, but I remember what was written about it in the newspaper; they wrote that it was a beautiful and extraordinary building. Such was our parliament too.
This was a unique building in our entire town, one floor building with white walls. I assume that not one single ray of sun ever entered the building. One side faced Bialystock Street. There was a driveway for coaches leading to the parliament. Behind the building there was a fruit garden surrounded by a tall fence. Whoever entered found himself in a big room with a closet, tables and benches. On the sides there were four small rooms. The frost on the windows melted only in the second half of Tamuz (4th month from the month of Passover- around July). There was a big furnace on the wall of the big room, but it wasn't enough to overcome the cold winter.
The most important thing is that we enjoyed "freedom" there. There were two sisters and a brother without parents who lived in that building. To make a living they opened a stand and sold soda water and candies there. There was a feeling that our parliament had its own buffet. This was a real parliament with all the little things common in parliaments.
All Russian parties of 1905 were represented in the parliament. Even the Zionist Landlords' Party. There was a true spirit of tolerance, we wish it was that way in today's parliaments.
There were no elections of representatives, but they weren't dictators either. All the small rooms on the sides were taken by parties or by groups of various people. The general meetings took place in the big room. Sometimes there was a big commotion there. All arguments dealt with one issue: what will happen the day after the revolution?
There were groups who opposed the parliamentary system. They called for an active struggle, for violence, strikes and so on. Quite often we could see young people sitting on the tables cleaning their pistols, and sometimes they had explosives in their bags. The parliament treated them with tolerance. We all believed that our actions are greatly important for the liberation of Russia.
One evening, while one of the guests was playing with his pistol, he was not careful and accidentally shot a bullet that hurt the hand of one of the sisters. The parliament members condemned it and no one ever brought a weapon again to the parliament.
The parliament continued its activity until the reactionary and tyrant Russian regime regained it's power and the police began to pay it frequent visits. Meetings of the parliament stopped but for a long time after that we the youngsters continued coming to the locked gate of the house, getting closer and touching the gate. Even now, being so many years after zabludow, I remember those days with love and yearning. We spent so many happy days and weeks in our parliament.
Back to Table of Contents Web: 2003 Tilford Bartman
