This was all well before the school curriculum got completely changed too. A christofascist and card carrying member of the “victims of communism foundation” got elected and changed the school curriculum, because it was too woke of course.

I’m dealing with some of that kind of “generational trauma” in my own family now and it’s really interesting. I’m far enough removed from it that it’s not a big deal for me, and the people closer to it didn’t turn it into any sort of amped up family mythology, but it’s still quite a trip unpacking it all. I took it all at face value for most of my life, thinking, as you say, it’s my great-grandparents’ life stories, who am I to question them. Until a couple years ago I realized they sound pretty made up, and sure enough, I’m basically descended from Kulaks.