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First we were taken to Aleisk, a town in the north, where we were driven to some club or palace of culture. We lived in this building for a few days and slept right on the floor, putting the our kit-bags under our heads. We were given half a kilogram of bread a day and water – that’s all. Several days later we were herded together and transported to Barnaul. The day after our arrival we were stripped of our clothes: they took away our greatcoats and new boots that had been distributed to us in the vocational school. In exchange the gave us quilted jackets – we called them something unprintable! – and boots with wooden soles.
We were settled in barracks. They had two-tiered bunk beds and one stove, called a “bourguika”. The windows were narrow and were situated at ground level. It was cold, dirty and damp there, we froze. We bought Valenki. Valenki were wet all the time. And if we put them into the stove to get dried – some burned up, some stayed wet all the same. And in the morning we had to put them on again and go to work, which was quite far away.
We were settled in barracks. They had two-tiered bunk beds and one stove, called a “bourguika”. The windows were narrow and were situated at ground level. It was cold, dirty and damp there, we froze. We bought Valenki. Valenki were wet all the time. And if we put them into the stove to get dried – some burned up, some stayed wet all the same. And in the morning we had to put them on again and go to work, which was quite far away.
Period
Year
1942
Location
Russia
Interview
Irina Voinova