In 1924, Vic Fischer was born in Berlin, Germany, as a citizen of both the U.S. and Russia. That complicated- worldly start in life is a small glimpse into the extraordinary childhood of one of Alaska’s most loved statesmen.
Fischer tells the fascinating story of his early life, which includes escaping from both Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia in his new autobiography, “To Russia With Love, An Alaskan’s Journey.” The book, co-written with Charles Wohlforth, also explores how Fischer ended up in Alaska and became one of the youngest delegates to Alaska’s constitutional convention and also worked as a city planner, a state senator, and a professor.
His mother was Russian and his father, a famous American journalist and author. Fischer spent a lot of his childhood in Russia, but in 1939, under Stalin’s brutal dictatorship his mother needed to get him and his older brother out of the country.
Vic Fischer has a new autobiography called, “To Russia with Love, An Alaskan’s Journey,” written with Charles Wolhforth. They will celebrate the book’s publishing with a book launch at the Consortium Library at UAA on Tuesday from 5-7 p.m.
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Lori Townsend is the chief editor, senior vice president of journalism and senior host for Alaska Public Media. You can send her news tips and program ideas for Talk of Alaska and Alaska Insight at ltownsend@alaskapublic.org or call 907-550-8452. Read more about Lori here.
