Gulags Like Nazi Death Camps Zarod

Inside Stalin’s Gulag: A True Story of Survival, by Kazimierz Zarod. 1990

Some of the Gulags Approached (or Reached) the 100% of the Mortality of the Nazi German Death Camps. It Just Took Longer

The author begins with his experiences during the 1939 German-Soviet conquest of Poland. He joined the evacuation of the remaining Polish forces to Romania. Unlike some others, he did not encounter any attacks by Ukrainian separatists (OUN) engaging in 5th-column activities in the Tarnopol area. But he never made it to Romania. He was caught by the Soviets invading from the east.

Zarod spent some time in a local Tarnopol prison, and then was deported to northwestern Siberia. (See map, p. 13). He was a second-generation Siberian inmate: His father had been sent there in 1912 for pro-independence activities in Russian-ruled Poland. (pp. 83-89).

“LIFE” IN THE GULAG

When temperatures fell below -45 C, the prisoners got to stay indoors. (p. 113). He recounts Christmas, which he was fortunate to have a half day off because of the weather. The inmates made a makeshift Christmas tree. An inmate priest performed an illegal Mass with lookouts posted. (p. 118).

EXTERMINATION WITHIN HOURS (NAZI GERMAN DEATH CAMPS) OR EXTERMINATION WITHIN A FEW YEARS (SOVIET GULAGS). BUT EXTERMINATION JUST THE SAME

Zarod worked in the camp records department. He estimated that, of some 4,000 men incarcerated in camp 936 between September 1940 and April 1941, 936–that is almost one-quarter–had died. Almost no one survived after 3 years. (p. 151).

OPERATION BARBAROSSA, AND THE SOVIET “AMNESTY” OF THE SURVIVING GULAG POLES

Nazi Germany attacked its erstwhile Soviet ally, and he was one of those released. As he traveled to the warmer climes of the southern part of the USSR, he met up with other “amnestied” Poles, but saw many of them die from various residual diseases (e. g., p. 247). He met a Russian woman who had a portrait of Stalin which she spat on, but which served to conceal a religious icon. (pp. 238-239).

Zarod eventually traveled to Iran [as my parents and grandparents did] and then India. From there, he was shipped to South Africa before leaving for England. Imagine surviving the horrors of Siberia only to almost lose your life in the shark-infested waters off South Africa, after the ship you are on is torpedoed. (pp. 269-272). Fortunately, he was picked up by another ship, and made it safely to England.

Finally, Zarod served in the RAF, as described by Air Commodore E. S. Williams. (pp. 9-11). Unlike far too many British leaders, Williams described Communism in true, stark terms.