Jakob Antonovich Albert, born 26.05.1927
Born on the river Volga, in the Saratov Region. A family of five persons.
In September 1941 we were deported to Siberia. My parents were workers, simple peasants. At that time people used to work for daily work units and the kolkhoz organisation would pay
Them in kind: cereals – 17 kg per daily work unit. It was a lot of cereals which they received in return for their labour. We kept cows and even produced butter ourselves. Every now and then we would drive to Saratov to sell our products and then buy ourselves clothings. We had a good life.
And then they passed this ukase; they came for us and roundly loaded us on waggons; they Did not allow us to take anything along. Thus, we got to the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
We had to leave the train; carts were already waiting for us at the station. All men atv the age of 17 to 60 were directly sent to forced labour camps. They came to fetch my father, as well; He was taken to Reschoty. He had to lay rails, received a miserable food ration and finally died from entire debility. The people were hostile to us – we were Germans after all.
When I was still a minor, I began to work for a forger as a hammersmith; when he died, I took over his position. I worked from morning to night – without any days off, without any holiday.
The Germans were rehabilitated only after Stalin’s death. I even received a military passport, but I never joined the army. Later-on, all kolkhoz farmers were issued passports (identity cards). I began to work for a factory. We began to enjoy high days and holidays. I have always been an upright, diligent worker. I also had a job as a driver for many years. I own a house, I have a family. What else does one need to be happy?
The above material was provided by the Bogutchansk Museum of Local Lore.