Volunteer Olga Juryś, born on 23 December 1916 in Rymanów.
I was deported along with my family to a free exile to Asino (Novosibirsk district) on 16 August 1940. There, I was separated from my family and sent away for heavy labor to a place where zakluczeni worked, 30 kilometers from Asino. We lived in barracks, the conditions were extremely hard because work went on from dusk till dawn, without any wychodne [leave] and in poor hygienic conditions; we lived in a space so crowded that we could barely fall asleep on the bunks, lying over our own packs. There was no time to tidy up anyway. Social life was difficult too, as there was only a bunch of us Poles, the rest being Ukrainians and Jews. Cultural life – none.
NKVD’s attitude towards Poles was extremely hostile; there was persistent communist propaganda.
Food rations were decent, but unfortunately accessible only to those who could fulfill the quotas, that is not to many; the norms were too high, set specifically for the exiles, as zakluczeni had to do half of them. For filling 60% of the quota we were fined and they wouldn’t allow us to buy warm clothes.
There was some medical assistance, but many people died, especially children.
Contacting the country and family was difficult.