Nomad News-Vol.4-No.83

GERMANY 1945-INTERVIEW WITH RUSSIAN FORCED LABORER:(Part 1 of 4) I was in Braunsweig at the war's end and visited a nearby forced labor camp. At the time I was taking a correspondence course on journalism from the University of Indiana. One of my comrades, Joseph Fobes from New Hampshire, spoke both German and French. With approval of the captain in charge, we spoke with a Russian internee. In my interview, I call him Ivan Skivar, not his real name. Mr. Skivar begged us to intercede and keep him from being returned to Russia where he would meet certain death or a Siberian concentration camp. We went to the captain and he informed us that nothing could be done. Orders from Washington were for all detainees to be returned to their native land. This agreement with Stalin was made by President Roosevelt, I believe. It was a heart-breaking moment when we had to tell Mr. Skivar the sad news. I have often wondered his fate. The following is a rather long interview so I am going to spread it out over several issues of Nomad News. This will be Part One: There was great rejoicing among the Russian internees at the forced labor camp when the Americans arrived. They had been liberated. They were free and happy--or were they? After the first wave of happiness, joy, and enthusiasm passes over and they settle down to rational planning for the future, what problems confront these displaced persons from a foreign land? What obstacles have to be overcome or circumvented before these people can be returned to their homes and settle down to normal community life? What, if anything, do they have to return to? How had interment in a German forced labor camp affected their economic life and their political status as far as the Russian government is concerned? Ivan Skivar, an internee in German forced labor camps since September 1942 was glad to supply the answers to come of these questions. This is not his real name, which must remain anonymous for reasons of his own personal security should he return to Russia. Aged 32, an electrical engineer by profession with five years of higher Russian education and training, he is above average in intelligence. He is keenly aware of the freedoms that rightfully belong to him and to all mankind--freedom of speech, political freedom, religious freedom, and freedom from economic want. Having studied Russian conditions against conditions in other countries, he was able to offer an accurate and reliable comparison and as a result, holds many fears for the future. The Russian Constitution. The new Russian Constitution, he stated, guarantees all Russians and Russian nationalities certain rights, among which are: 1. The right to work. 2.The right to ten years of schooling with an opportunity to continue through to a higher technical or professional education. 3. Freedom of religion. 4. Old age pensions after 55 years of age for men and 50 years of age for women. 5. The people were guaranteed freedom from fear of arrest or seizure of personal property except through legal court procedure. "However", he continued, "the Constitution is only an instrument of propaganda. Most of the so-called Rights incorporated in this Constitution are merely fictitious. "The Constitution claims, as one of its articles, freedom of speech, but anyone who says living in Russia is not good, must die. This same procedure follows throughout most of the Constitution on articles that provide for personal happiness or freedom. It is entirely theoretical and never applied by actual practice except for propaganda purposes. However, all articles that adhere to Soviet principles or that restrict the average man are followed strictly. The only freedom the Constitution provides the average man, is freedom to kill himself." "Article 58 of the Constitution provides that anyone taken prisoner by the enemy; or leaves the country except on diplomatic missions, is considered officially dead by the government. Every Russian soldier must use his last bullet on himself when his position becomes hopeless and he is surrounded by the enemy. This provision also includes civilians who have been taken into Germany as forced laborers. As an example, none of the Russians taken prisoner by Finland in 1939-40 and later returned to Russian hands, ever returned to their homes or were heard from again." (To be continued in Nomad News No. 84)...(copyright 2014 Andrew M. Dolan)