Migrating From Belarus:

Alexander Kazuro migrated to Australia with his parents Aleksandra and Dimitri and his four siblings in 1949. They had survived the German occupation of Belarus, escaped Soviet invasion via an arduous journey, stayed at a Displaced Person's camp and spent three years in Belgium.

Carrying The Torch:

The family settled in Reservoir in Melbourne's north and in 1956, one of the children, Mieczyslaw (Mick) was chosen to carry the Olympic torch along Collins Street and pass it to Australian athlete John Landy. This was a source of enormous pride for the Kazuro family and for the local Belarussian community.

Alexander (Alex) married Australian-born Marie in 1952.

A Traditional Belarussian Shirt:

The traditional Belarussian child's shirt in the Museum's collection (HT 57365) was hand made and embroidered in Melbourne about 1953 by post World War II refugee from Belarus, Maria Basaranowicz. She made it for the first born child of Alex and Marie, John Alexander Kazuro, who was around one year old at the time.

The shirt was worn by little John to represent the Belarussian community in the Royal Visit, multi-national parade to welcome Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip to Melbourne in 1954. His father Alexander accompanied John and wore a similar shirt, featured in photographs in the Museum's collection (MM 154077, MM 154078, MM 154099).

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