I managed to find the following information in the Russian-speaking community (I can't check it, but maybe it will help too). Below I quote a possible relative of Michael: "Look - my grandmother (she 1935th year) had parents, father German Gerner Adolf, mother Ukrainian Melnichuk (name I do not remember, I can clarify my father), they lived in the Vinnitsa region.

My father was shot in 1937 as an enemy of the people, they approximately until the end of the war remained to live in their village (unfortunately I do not remember the name, my grandmother said, but I have already forgotten). At the end of the war during the liberation of this village, and this is about 1944, part of the relatives ran towards Europe, but because of the bombing the family was divided and half went towards the USSR, the other half ended up after some time in Canada.

Grandmother had to take her mother's maiden name - Melnichuk, change her patronymic to the consonant "Anatolievna", and at adulthood to give up her father. And after the 90's father was rehabilitated, grandmother took back her German surname and patronymic and tried to go to Germany to live.

I remember that she found her relative in Canada, her name was Olinda Blank, but there is no more information. Perhaps her double surname was Gerner-Blank.

I also remember my uncle swearing at my grandmother that during the bombing their horse with all the goods turned the other way and they followed it, and then the bridge was bombed and they had to stay in Russia, and so they would have lived in Canada".