In the course of the Day of Memory, which is celebrated in commemoration of the victims of political repressions, are going to be presented the seventh volume of the regional „Book of Memory“, the novel „Trailing Lobelia“ about Germans exiled to the region, as well as a „Guide to places of terror in the Krasnoyarsk territory”.
According to the information, which Aleksei Babiy, chairman of the Krasnoyarsk “Memorial” Organization gave „Interfaks“ on the occasion of a press conference in the Press Center of „Interfaks-Sibir, 26.000 victims of political repressions are presently registered with social welfare offices in the Krasnoyarsk region.
“They are mainly children of repressed persons. Almost none of those, who passed through the camps themselves, are yet alive. According to our state of knowledge about 55-60.000 individuals were arrested, 18.000 of them were executed (by shooting). It is, however, most difficult to make statistically firm statements on all those, who were kept in camps, for a great number of registration cards was not kept safe in the archives; nevertheless we may assume a number of about 400.000 political prisoners in the Krasnoyarsk Territory”, declared Aleksei Babiy.
The chairman of the regonal „Memorial“ organization stressed out that there
are no documents of those times hinting at mass graves of victims of political
repressions in Krasnoyarsk. During the construction of the Krasnoyarsk aluminium
works in the 1960s
constructions workers hit upon such a mass grave. According to the information
of eye-witnesses a number of objects from the 1930s were found in the excavation
pit, but someone decided to have all objects, as well as mortal remains, taken
away to some unknown place.
Besides, we dispose of documents which confirm that in this very place corpses
used to be buried, - said the human rights’ activist.
Apart from the „Guide to places of terror” will be held presentations of the novel “Trailing Lobelia” about the fate of Germans exiled to the region, as well as the 7th volume of the “Book of Memory” containing victims of political repressions, whose surnames start with the letters “R-S”.
Valentina Bondarenko, deputy director of the Krasnoyarsk Museum Center signalized that the Day in commemoration of the victims of political repressions will be commemorated in the premisses of the Museum Center from october 28- 30.
„Apart from the book presentations there will be a seminar for staff memebers of the museum and a scientific-explantory conference under the motto “Local history. Political repressions in the 1930s – 1950s”, and we will open the exhibition “In a world of two dictatorships. Russia and Germany. 20th century”. The commemoration day will end by a traditional action which takes place on the banks of the Yenisey – “Light a candle”. We appeal to the citizens to commemorate the victims of political repressions”, said Valentina Bondarenko on the press conference.
Traditonele commemoratiove action in Krasnojarsk – Candles on the Yenisey. Photo: Ilya Naimushin. Reuters
hro.org, 26/10/09