Corporal Aleksander Jancewicz, 39 years old, concrete worker, married.
Taken into Soviet custody on 19 September 1939 in Równe.
Deported to Moscow and then to Pavlishchev Bor.
Bricked barracks, 120 people living in a room meant for 30 people (sleeping one on top of another). Pine forests surrounded the area. The barracks were dirty, full of lice and bugs. There wasn’t a single bath for three months.
There were solely POWs in the camp, including one barrack for officers. Mutual relations were very good. Moral standing was rather high.
A roll call took place at the square at 6.00 a.m., then breakfast (only those who forced their way actually received it – nie chwatajet cauldrons). After breakfast, we’d just swat lice. The dinner was either at 11.00 p.m., or not at all. Not only was there a shortage of food, but also a shortage of water. We were wearing our military clothes. There was no cultural entertainment.
Mortality rate was high; a few people were actually shot. Health care was done by our own means; [we used] Soviet medicines.
I didn’t have any contact with my family in that camp.
In November 1939, I was deported to Kryvyi Rih to work in the shakht [mine] “Gigant”. We lived in clean barracks, there were medical inspections, and we had our underwear laundered. Food rations were reasonable. The Soviets offered us to work as free men, but we turned that proposal down. A strike broke out – subsequently, we had a break from work. The NKVD forced us to use the canteen to force us to work, but only some left to do so. Those who didn’t want to work were taken to the North (including me), and the working ones were sent to camps near Wołyń.
I became ill on the way and stayed in a hospital in Kniaźpohost for a month. Wieczorek died in that hospital. I was taken from the hospital to the 12th settlement, 2nd unit, where I stayed for a month. Then I was sent to the 19th settlement (but was unable to work). I didn’t work. On 1 October 1940, I escaped the camp along with Captain Mendel. Platoon Commander Czerwiński and Corporal Odyniec were with us. We walked through taiga for 19 days. Corporal Odyniec, who went off to get food, turned us in to the gendarmes’ hands. Unwilling to be placed in a work camp again, we ran away. I was wounded in the left leg (knee) while escaping. Platoon Commander Czerwiński – who was ill – could not run, and Captain Mendel didn’t want to leave me wounded, despite an opportunity to escape. I was put in the hospital, and the others were placed in a punishment cell. I was placed in a camp in [Koryazhma?]. Another attempt to escape failed and I was moved to a camp in Aykino. Our yet another escape attempt also failed, because a Ukrainian from our area exposed us. I was assigned to work in a carpentry workshop, and then to the 9th settlement, but I wasn’t admitted there because the entry in my file mentioned three escape attempts.
Then I was taken to a trial in court, but my case wasn’t looked into. I was deported to the 41st settlement, 2nd unit, and worked in the forests there until May 1941.
Before the amnesty, I was taken to the prison in Kniaźpohost and received my sentence there: three years. I was sent to the 4th penal colony of Pechora. Before I was released, I had spent the whole time in a punishment cell.
I was released from the camp on 3 September 1941. I then left for Totskoye to join the Polish Army. I was assigned to the 6th Light Artillery Regiment.