Editing Openai/6874b524-4134-8013-b5e6-0601c853d841 (section)

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After the war, Israel helped organize the state-sponsored Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee’s literary arm. He saw it as a way to bear witness without disloyalty. But in 1948, with Stalin’s pivot toward postwar antisemitism, the Committee was disbanded.

Several of Israel’s colleagues were arrested. He narrowly escaped—again—due to his prior loyalty and assistance in publishing postwar victory literature.

His health deteriorated. He began drinking heavily, though only at night, alone.

===== In 1948, with the Zhdanov Doctrine in full effect, Yakob was denounced once more—this time formally—as a “rootless cosmopolitan” and “anti-Soviet formalist.” A public letter signed by lesser composers accused him of “trafficking in decadent Western atonality.” =====

He was expelled from the Composers’ Union and barred from performance.

Artur offered to intervene.

Yakob refused.

He stopped composing. But he continued to write music—on pages he burned after finishing. “So it will exist only in me,” he told Franka.

===== By 1948, Artur was a senior administrator in the Ministry of State Security, the NKVD's successor. He was now wealthy by Soviet standards—comfortable flat, private driver, ration exemptions. =====

He made no attempt to help his siblings publicly.

He hosted mandatory literary salons with vetted guests. One evening, a poem by Israel was quoted. He said nothing.

Later, alone, he reread it in full. Then burned it.

===== Her dancing was increasingly subdued. Her body, once lithe and explosive, moved with measured nostalgia. =====

She was kept on the Bolshoi roster out of respect and quiet compliance. She choreographed a children's piece in 1947 called “The Birch and the Banner.” It received state approval and a note from Zhdanov’s office: “Suitably patriotic. Keep her useful.”

She visited Yakob weekly. They never spoke of music.