CHAPTER 1: THE LAST COMMUNIST
Gizkaneni and Gyulabasci were Gabriela's Great Aunt and Uncle, an important part of life in Chl'aba until they both passed away several years ago. Gizka's warm and generous personality, and her energetic and enthusiastic morning greeting, lent life and vitality to all around her. Gyulabasci offered exceptional insights into Chl'aba's history, including the days when Germans and Russians clashed for months during World War II, forcing local residents to hide in their wine cellars. He was an unrepentant Communist who paid his party dues (and received stamps in his membership book) until the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Their passing was a significant loss for the family and a marker of a generational shift.
