George Andronov, deputy chief master of King Edward's School, retires after 30 years

Dec 30 2009 by Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

THE deputy head of a leading Birmingham school is saying goodbye after teaching thousands of pupils over the last 30 years.

George Andronov is stepping down as deputy chief master of the independent King Edward’s School in Edgbaston, after first moving to the boys’ school as head of physics.

His new-found spare time will enable George, aged 64, to further explore his amazing past.

George, who is having to retire from King Edward’s School, was born in Nottinghamshire in January 1945, the son of a Russian soldier, Oleg, who was captured by the Germans during World War Two.

But it was almost 30 years later, in 1974, that he learned the truth of his past – due largely to having Birmingham author David Lodge as his neighbour.

George, who is married with three sons and a daughter, said: “I lived next door to David and, one day in 1974, he comes in and says ‘tell me your story’.

“He then said he had just read a review of a book and that he thought chapter two was about me. So I went to see my father and he said it was him.”

The book in question, entitled The Last Secret, was written by historian Nicholas Bethell following the release of Cabinet papers under the 30-year rule.

It tells the controversial story of tens of thousands of Russian prisoners, forced to work for the Germans after being captured during the war, who were forcibly repatriated to the Soviet Union despite being branded as traitors.

But there was one happy story, that of George’s parents, Oleg and Yefaliya, who were allowed to stay in Britain following the birth of their son, who instantly became a British citizen.

“My father had never told me anything of this because he was worried that I would think he was a traitor.

“Sadly, my dad’s dead and my mother’s in a home now but it’s a good story because it shows what a good country this is.”

George added: “There has never been a day when I haven’t wanted to come to school. The kids and the staff are absolutely fantastic and I have loved it.

“People don’t believe that I have no plans for retirement because I am here at 7am and leave at 6.30pm, but I won’t be bored,” he insisted.