Volunteer Stanisława Puchalska, born on 8 May 1919 in Wilno voivodeship, no profession.
I was deported for non-confined exile on 10 February 1940 to Omsk Oblast, Tobolsky Region, Uvatsky District, Almist hamlet. On 23 March, during our long and arduous journey, my little daughter Jadwiga died; I don’t know where she is buried.
The hamlet was situated in the taiga, 140 kilometers from the nearest human settlements. In summer it was impossible to reach it either on foot or by car; one could only leave it in spring and autumn, in boats.
It was very difficult to get anywhere. The hamlet comprised Polish families and a few families of the NKVD men. We lived in wooden barracks, 10 families per barrack.
Hygiene and medical assistance were horrible and the mortality was huge. The NKVD’s attitude towards Poles was awful: they persecuted us for our religious beliefs and for using the Polish language, which I myself was interrogated for several times and threatened with imprisonment. We worked in the forest and at loading barges. We were unable to meet the work quotas, so they didn’t want to pay us wages and we received smaller bread rations.
Clothes were given only to those who met the work quotas. The food was bad. The young were forced to go to schools where they were taught the communist system.
Making the smallest mention of Poland was strictly prohibited. Communist meetings were held three times a week.
I was released on 7 September 1941.