595 Days A SOVIET PRISONER Lubyanka Pri~on Moscow M-ly1983 By Dr. IVAN NIMCFtUK 595 DAYS A SOVIET PRISONER l'""\ -)~ \\RJ .) VAN NtMCHL~K ~'· Table of Contents In an Intense Atmosphere . .. .. .............. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 First Four Days Under Bolshevism.................................................................. 5 In Prison on Sapiha-Lontsko Street . ...... ........ .. ........... ........ ..... ........ .. ..... .. ...... 12 From Lwowto Lubianka .................................................................................. 21 The First Days in Lubianka .. ....... .... .. ........... ... .... .. ...... ..... .. ... .. .. .. ......... ..... 26 The Prisoners in Cham.her No. 29 .................................................................... 34 The First Interrogations .. ... .. ... ... .. ....... .. .. .. .. ... .... ... ........ .... .. ... .. ......... 3 8 Christm.as Eve in Lubianka . ....... ... ... ............ .. ...... .. .... ..... ..... .. ... .... ... .. .. .... 4 2 Further Interrogati.ons ...................................................................................... 46 In Cham.her No. 14 .......................................................................................... 51 From Internationalism to Nationalism to Imperialism.................................... 55 In Ch8Illber No. 13 .......................................................................................... 59 My New Investigators ................................. ...... ............... ............ ................... 63 During the Long, Dull Months........................................................................ 67 An Atmosphere of Psychological Pressure and Uncertainty........................... 71 Distinguished Fellow-Prisoners in Lubianka Cham.hers................................. 75 The Final Stages of Investigation :................................................................... 79 My Release and Departure to Freedom........................................................... 82 Returning to Lwow .............................................................................. ............ 86 An Intense Atmosphere War hangs in the air. - What to do now? General Mobilization in Poland. - War Begins! German Flight Incursions. - Raid on Ukrainians. - Germans Besiege Lwiw. "Vocation" in Position. - By what means Poland began and ended Domination on Our Lands. The summer months of 1939 were very hot. All indications were that of an approaching storm. The annexation to Germany without one shot being fired of the industrial region of the Saarland in 1935, all of the 7 ,000,000 population of Austria, large fragments of Czechoslovakia, and soon all of the Czech lands, all tied in with a rebellious triumph, swift and then full tragical end of independent Carpathian Ukraine, - Hitler also seized from Lithuania its only port of Klaipeda (Memel) and prepared for the jump to Poland. Stunned by his unprecedented progress, he observed Germanys rather tight and restricted situation, even in the widened boundaries. Not considering a pact of non-aggression, but rather a pact amiable to Poland, that co-existed a few years (from 1934), Hitler was not willing to agree to the existing Polish corridors, which divided Germany into two portions, but rather to Poland's existence entirely. War hangs in the air. Under those serious circumstances, gathered in Lwow a convention of the Great Peoples Committee of Ukrainian National Democratic Association (U.N.D.A.) and that consultation was directed not only by the entire Ukrainian citizenship, but it could be said by all of the Polish citizenry. As could be expected, the conference resolved unanimously that in the expectation of German-Polish military conflict the Ukrainian nation expressed loyally their obligation against the Polish state. Both the largest concerned countries, Ukraine and Poland withdrew accordingly, after, with easement: Ukrainians without consideration of political party affiliation withdrew due to the declaration of the leading political party to defend the Ukrainian nation against the chance of war - or so it appeared - from the repression of the Polish administration and interests; The Poles isolated without national spokesmen, were satisfied due to the fact, that the resolution validated their position and gave certainty that millions of Ukrainians would stand in the war with Germany against the Polish state. As to Germany, they understood the decree very well; certainly to the side of the German state and its aistinct indications of minor status in Poland declared continuity and clearly for over 20 years, its loyalty to the Polish nation, and German representatives in the Warsaw parliament never had occasion to vote against the budget so that it would never be faulted - God forbid - indications of non-loyalty to Poland. The type of indicative designs of the Germans who lived in Poland were displayed in the first days of the war, and more clearly in the latter years of the war. In such a tense atmosphere responsible Ukrainian spokesmen reflected regularly as to what action be taken in the event that Poland capitulates in the war against Germany (in this there was no sorrow) and West-Ukrainian lands in consequence of this or other military-political coincidence of events would be conquered by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. I recall that in this theme we discussed broadly at the editors office of the "Vocation" (a Ukrainian publication of which Dr. E. Nimchuk was editor) then, when Stalin on the 16th Congress of the Communist Party put forward an awareness and d~mand a transaction in the affairs of the Carpathian Ukraine. Later we occasionally returned to this theme and particularly and regularly felt infringed upon in those days and weeks preceding the outbreak of the German-Polish war. Evidently - somehow any transparent definite resolution in this affair was never accepted. However, I remember the general opinion was for all those citizens without involvement in anti-Bolshevik activities, it is necessary to remain in the cities together with the population masses. What would the masses - it was discussed - think if its leadership abandoned their native land and left it alone to the sacrifice of the Bolsheviks? And how would such a departure of the intelligent (cultured classes) to the west, would then be taken advantage of by the Bolsheviks. The month of August 1939 obligated the editorial staff of "Vocation" to a vacation period. On leave were three members of the staff, amongst them editor John Kedrin-Rudnitski with whom I during the last four years existence of "Vocation" (1935-1939) directed the editorial. He wrote us bitterly, thoughtless, letters and preferred not to believe in a war which hung above us. In the interim Hitler declared one military speech after another, and set directly day after day, every time greater demands on his recent ally. Amid confusion, Poland responded with replies from the Minister of Foreign Affairs Beck, resulting in a provocative situation. Approximately a week prior to the outbreak of the war began the massive return to their administrations, offices and shops, the Lwiw vacationers. Arrived back from an interrupted vacation also editor Kedrin and along with him other members of the editorial staff. On the 30th day of August Poland proclaimed general mobili7.ation. From all parts moved in groups of young soldiers to Lwow which was the headquarters of the comnup1d corps. Swarmed with young people were all the savings banks, parks, market squares, and streets of the GaJician capital. It appeared that the mobilization was not skillfully organized: a lack of military provisions and also beds and linens for the medical providers, which from the first day of the war had to be collected from the civilian population. Thousands of the reserves suffered for a few days until they received necessary military equipment. One other interesting observation: not even at that moment was there any confidence in the military leadership of the Ukrainian nationality {of which there are very few) because not all of the Ukrainian intellectuals in the Polish army received mobilization calling cards. This appeared to be in return to the leadership of the reserves because the recruitment of Ukrainians for active service in the Polish army was entirely unacceptable (beyond a few emigrants) of the previous Ukrainian National Republic (U.N.R.) On Friday, I st of September at dawn, just before sunrise squadrons of German aviation bombarded numerous Polish strategical objectives and airfields, and at the same time, including in Sknilowa near Lwow. In the morning of that day, residents of Lwow were advised by radio that Germany had attacked Poland. Thus the war began! Of no aid whatsoever were endeavors of England and France's statesmen, and attempts of Mussollini as an intermediary in the rebellious conflict. The voice of the Pope was of no assistance. The war began, that in agreement broadened across the entire world, and ended only on the 8th of May, in the year 1945, and that was only formally. That war which cost humanity tens of millions of sacrifice~ killed, disabled, homeless - a multi-million dollars of wealth. Interestingly, did any one in the world imagine its terrible consequences? First flight incursion on Lwiw were experienced by the residents on I st of September precisely at noon. Sitting at the editorial offices stone building Prosvita (adult education) Market Square no. I 0, on the 11th floor, at the time we heard above ourselves