Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-03
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tTOl liIc pOlltlCdl pIlSOIlClo,
purged Red ministers of satellite
nations: thousands of deported
Latvians, Estonians and Lithu-
anians; Ukranians of the ban
dera" army who fought both the
Nazis and Communists for ma
tional independence; and q
handful of Americans.
I learned that Vorkuta is only
one of a vast network of Soviet
slave labor camps of 20 million
prisoners stretching from Vladi-
vostok to the Crimea that pro-
duce 80 per cent of the nations
coal and most of its lumber and
minerals.
During my years in the Soviet,
spoke to hundreds of free
laborers and Komsomol, Young
Communists serving as junior
executives. Most of them ex-
pressed dissatisfaction with the
state of the worker in the Marx
ist paradise.
Took Part in Mass Strike
In the summer of 1853 I took
part in the first mass strike in
the Soviet Union in IS years. I
was one Of. loo, 900 slave laborers
who. encouraged by the East
Berlin riots of July II and the
struggle for power in the Krem-
lin. laid down their tools and
chased the MVD guards from
our camp. We succeeded in
psychologically holding the
Kremlin at bay for over a week
before the strike was finally
broken with the machine-gun
fire ordered by MVD Gen. Mass
linenkov sent up from Moscow.
But not before we had already
given hope to millions in camps
like ours throughout the Soviet
world.
I was one of the few who sur
vived with an opportunity to tell
the full story to the free world.
I first met the Russians in
May, 1945, a few days after the
Nazis capitulated in Europe.
was in Dresden, Germany, where
my father. mother, brother and
myself were under local intern
ment by the Germans under pro-
lection of the Swiss consulate,
part of the 900 Americans
caught there by World War II.
I was born and brought up in
Detroit. and the war broke out
soon after we left for Kissengen,
Germany, and Karlsbad, Czech
oSlovakia, for treatment of my
fathers gall bladder ailment.
Hung Out U. S. Flag
The American and Russian
armies had met early in May at
a line IS miles west of Dresden.
Dresden itself was occupied by
the Russians. who soon became
aware of our presence by two
large American flags We hung
out. I had sewed them from
cloth in 1943 and hidden them
from the Germans.
Others saw the American flags.
too, especially sick and lost
American GIs who had been
prisoners of war or escapes hid
ing out in the countryside. From
May 10 on. our place was like a
United States Army replacement
center-behind Russian lines.
The first group of eight Ameri-
can soldiers were POWs who had
been liberated by the Russians
and were making their way back
to our lines on foot. Every day
a half dozen or more turned up.
They stayed a day or two,
washed up, ate. got some sleep,
then went on their way.
On May 20. caravan Of two
ambulances. three jeeps and two
American staff cars with two
colonies from the 10th Division
drove up at our place. They had
come to pick up sick CT whom
the Russians wouldn't admit to
their hospital. 1--WE have no
room for anyone but our own
troops" they had told him.
Red Advice Disregarded
A few minutes later, with the
CT in an ambulance. the cara
van, including myself. left for
the town hall where the colonel
saw the Red army general in.
control of Dresden. The colonel
asked about any sick American
or British troops who might be
in the area. but the Red general
brushed aside the request.
This is the Soviet sector, and
not your affair" he said. If
there are any Americans about.
they will be sent back to your
lines"
The colonel disregarded the
Russians advice and the caravan
secured the city. We found IS
sick American GIs. some in q
former POW camp. others In
nearby homes-all too weak to 90