Exile/Camp Report given by Yekaterina Yakovlevna Dubova

On the 06.09.41 the Communists deported the Volga-German family WITMAN from the village of KANO, canton GMELIN, Autonomous Republic of the Volga-Germans:

• WITMAN Jakob Friedrichovich (1906-1980), tractor-driver on a kolkhoz (= collective farm) named Tshapaeva,
• WITMAN Margarita Yakovlevna (born in 1908), lives in Beryozovka,
• WITMAN Jakob Yakovlevich (born in 1929), lives in Beryozovka,
• WITMAN Emilia Yakovlevna (born in 1931), lives in Germany,
• WITMAN Yekaterina Yakovlevna (born in 1934), lives in Krasnoyarsk,
• WITMAN Friedrich (mistaken Fyodor) Yakovlevich (1936-1952),
• WITMAN Reinhold Yakovlevich (1940-1942).

Originally, they were intended to be sent away to Kustanay, but then they were forced on prisoner train No. 840 and taken to Siberia together with other exiles.

The whole group was compelled to get off the train in KRASNOYARSK and were taken up the river YENISSEY on barges. Jakob Friedrichovich WITMAN and his family came to a kolkhoz in MOISSEYEVKA, in the district of KRASNOTURANSK. In 1942 the Soviets forced him into the "Trud-Army" (= Labour Army) and took him to the VYATLag (a forestry work camp).

In 1942 his youngest son died during the exile in MOISSEYEVKA.

In 1943 the Communists released Jakob Friedrichovich WITMAN from the VYATLAG, due to his invalidity, and sent him back into exile. But in 1944 they forced him and his wife into a camp at SOROKINO station, MANSK district, where the refinery maintained a podkhoz

(= farm that provided nationalized factories in towns with vegetables, etc.), P.O. Box 121, today the Krasnoyarsk Non-Ferrous Metal Works. And their children were taken into a children's home. Later, they came into another children's home in the near-by BELOYARSK.

In 1945, when Jakob Friedrichovich WITMAN and his wife were still in the camp, their daughter Erna was born. In 1946 they were released from the camp. However, they remained in exile at TAYOSHNIY station and had their children come and live with them.

In 1948 their daughter Olga was born there in exile. From 1950 the whole family was held in exile in SOROKINO, where the second son, FRIEDRICH, lost his life in a fire.

Jakob Friedrichovich WITMAN, his wife Margarita and their children were released from exile on 23.01.56. Later they lived in Magansk, then moved to the settlement of Beryozovka.

Margarita WITMAN received her rehabilitation by the UVD (= Administration of Internal Affairs) of the Volgograd region on 01.12.93.

Jakob Friedrichovich WITMAN, as well as his children (except Reinhold) were rehabilitated on 19.04.2000 by the UVD of the Volgograd region.

Oct. 09, 2000, recorded by V.S. Birger, Krasnoyarsk, "Memorial" Society

Archives:

• copy of the rehabilitation certificate of Jakob (F.) Witman,
• copy of the rehabilitation certificate of Margarita (J.) Witman,
• copy of the rehabilitation certificate of Jakob (J.) Witman,
• copy of the rehabilitation certificate of Emilia (J.) Witman,
• copy of the rehabilitation certificate of Yekaterina (J.) Witman,
• copy of the rehabilitation certificate of Friedrich (J.) Witman,
• copy of the rehabilitation certificate of Erna (J.) Witman,
• copy of the rehabilitation certificate of Olga (J.) Witman,
• copy of the registration card giving evidence of the prisoner transport for Jakob (F.) Witman's family,
• copy of an archival certificate about the period of exile concerning Jakob (F.) Witman and his family,
• copy of an archival certificate about the period of exile concerning Margarita (J.) Witman,
• copy of an archival certificate about the period of exile concerning Yekaterina (J.) Witman,
• copy of a list specifying Jakob (F.) Witman's property and belongings 

Home