Michail J. Makarenko

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Michail J. Makarenko (1931 – 15 March 2007), né Moishe Herchkovich, was a human rights activist, born in Romania to Orthodox Jewish parents. When he was eight years old he ran away from home to live in Russia. During World War II, from age 10 to 13, he was a “Son of the Regiment”, bringing water and food to the troops. He spent a total of eleven years in prison for what the Soviet government considered to be dissident activities. His longest imprisonment was a result of a 1970 arrest for exhibiting the work of Russian avant-garde artists. He moved to the United States of America in 1979 after being exiled by the Soviet government. When asked who were the victims of communism, Makarenko is quoted as saying “Everyone who lived in the 20th century was a victim of communism.”

In 1982, Makarenko's testimony was published by the Republican Conference of the U.S. Senate regarding the human cost of building a natural gas pipeline in the Soviet Union. His testimony largely concerned the treatment of the prisoners in Soviet work camps.

Makarenko was murdered at a New Jersey Turnpike rest stop on Thursday, 15 March 2007. A suspect was identified by New Jersey State Police as Brian K. White. It was reported that White attacked Makarenko with a rock after Makarenko refused to buy a CD of White's Christian music from him. On 25 September 2007, White was indicted by a grand jury on counts of murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, and eluding arrest.

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