“In 1930, 1931 and 1933, I visited all of the places in Siberia” writes an eyewitness, “while in 1933, we travelled to Irkutsk, Nizhneudinsk and Balagansk.”
The township of Kachug – on the banks of the river Lena, was 200 miles from the town of Irkutsk, while there was a tract leading from Kachug to Nizhneudinsk and Balagansk. This tract ran exclusively on the Taiga and had no settlements except for those of prisoners that worked in the construction camps. At the time, there was unheard of oppression in the Kachug labour camps. People were executed arbitrarily, were beaten with sticks, struck with the butts of guns. The living conditions were horrific – 60 to 80 prisoners were crammed into barracks, being obliged to sleep on 2 story plank-beds. In cases where a prisoner hadn’t fulfilled his daily chores, the de-humanised guards had the full right to treat him atrociously and keep him labouring under the open sky for up to a week. People were dying from starvation and the intense cold.
We left Irkutsk aboard the ship “Buryat”, bound for Nizhneudinsk where we travelled by horse and cart along the Kachug’s tract - then 100 miles from the right shore of the river Angara toward Kachug. At the time, I was working as an observer water-gauger.
From the 8th to the 22nd of July 1933, our expeditionary crew stopped for a few days, close to a concentration camp, which was called “phalanges” - “phalange” No. 35, No. 3, No. 9 etc… This region had a more acceptable soil and weather conditions for farming, and was denoted as a state farm. The existing weather was very good. After dinner, we stayed up very late around the camp fire. We often heard some type of cries, which echoed along the taiga. At this time, we didn’t know what the cries were.
The night was clear and quiet: the fresh Siberian air spread the fragrant aroma of flowers along the valley. I will never forget this valley – I will remember it always! However, our sweet morning sleep was interrupted by some depressing human moaning. We quickly got up. The leader of our expeditionary party who was a citizen of Irkutsk, quickly grabbed his binoculars and we began to observe the moving throng heading toward us; because of the scrub-wood, it was difficult to ascertain what was happening.
There were 60 prisoners walking, and as they came closer, we could clearly discern that all of them were worn out from lack of nourishment and back-breaking physical labour. What did we see? Each person had a rope over his shoulder - they were pulling a sled – in the month of July… a sled! On it stood a large barrel with human excrement!
Apparently, the leader of the convoy was unaware that on the territory of the concentration camp, there was an expedition. We clearly heard the orders to the convoy: “Lie down and don’t move”. One of the guards ran back to the camp i.e. to the “phalange”, apparently regarding us as suspicious individuals – maybe even a band of White resistance bandits. For some reason, BN quickly assessed the situation of the prisoners and said: “We have prolonged their lives for a few minutes”. Initially, we couldn’t understand those words. After maybe 15-20 minutes had elapsed, we were surrounded by a squad of camp guards. They approached us with bayoneted rifles as though they were preparing for battle. We were approached by the commandant/commissar who demanded to see our documents. After checking them, they explained that these 60 individuals have been sentenced to death for being against the Soviet authorities. A large hole had been dug for these 60. The commissar suggested we return to our tents – which we did. The 60 martyrs were all clergy.
On this quiet July morning, we could quite clearly hear the speech of many priests, whose weak voices had reached our tents. Standing on the edge of the hole – one by one, the priest would be asked by the executioner: “You are taking your last breath: speak – is there a God or not?” The answers of the holy martyrs were firm and positive: “Yes, there is a God!”
The first shot then rang out. Sitting in our tents, our hearts were beating loudly… A second shot was heard, then a third etc… Each priest was taken in turn to the edge of the hole and asked – is there a God? There was only one answer: yes, there is a God!
We are living witnesses who have seen with our own eyes, and heard with our own ears how people confessed their faith in God before their deaths.
Maybe years may pass - tens of years, the grave on the tract leading from Kachug to Nizhneudinsk and Balagansk must be found. Every Orthodox Christian everywhere, must not forget these holy martyrs who gave their lives for their faith.
(The above text has been kindly translated by Seraphim Larin.)