to 45 to 65 below zero. Life at Vor kuta became one of slow death — starvation, hard work, killing cold, and horrible monotony. QUESTION: How long were you at Vorkuta: ANSWER: Actually I was at Vorkuta until January 2, 1955 when I was taken to Moscow on the first step of my way out of Russia and to freedom. QUESTION: How did your release come about after these nine and a half years? ANSWER: At Vorkuta there were a few pris oners who had the privilege of a limited correspondence to their rela tives through the International Red Cross. I did not have that privilege. However, one of the prisoners who never used his privilege was willing for me to write to my folks in his place, but he was afraid because the censor knew every connection of everyone of the privileged writers. Fortunately for me, however, the censors were changed, and we knew that the new censor would not be so well informed. We decided to take the chance. I addressed a card to a relative of mine in West Germany. I wrote it over the name of the other prisoner, but my closing greeting was “ your noble nephew,” hoping that it would be recognized that “ Noble” was my name. The card served its purpose. It was forwarded to my rela tives in Detroit, including my father, who had been released in 1952. This card brought evidence that I was still alive. The Russians had denied having me for about eight years. With this card as evidence, the State Depart ment began putting new pressure on the Soviets. In December 1954, Presi dent Eisenhower sent a diplomatic note to our Ambassador in Moscow stating that they had evidence that I was alive and a prisoner in Russia. Ambassador Bohlen took it up directly with the Kremlin and soon I was on my way home. QUESTION: While you were in Russia did you have any opDortunity of observing any religious Nothing behind the Iron Curtain is so severely attacked as the Word of God. In our camp, if a man was caught conducting a service, he was punished in the most horrible way — five days in the dungeon where the winter temperature was 40 to 50 de grees below zero. It was unbearable in these dungeons. During the five days they were there, they were given only two warm meals, and they were chained to the wall at the ankles and at the wrists. But everyone of them, persecution? ANSWER:
I saw behind the Iron Curtain. Many times when I speak there are some Communists present to try to confuse people. QUESTION: How and when were you finally taken to the Russian slave labor camp? ANSWER: My first imprisonment under the Russians was in the Munchemerplatz prison in Dresden. My next stop was Camp Muhlberg. My father was with me in this prison camp and we had many hours together. The Russians repeatedly questioned my father as to how he came to own a large fac tory. They were sure that we were in league with the Nazis, the capital ists, or something very undesirable. By the middle of 1948, Muhlberg was abandoned. Many of the prisoners were released, but my father and I were transfered to camp Buchenwald. Many prisoners who were at Buchen wald under the Nazis and later under the Soviets testified that conditions were worse under the Russians. QUESTION: Were you with your father in Buchen wald? ANSWER: Yes, for a while. Finally in late January we were separated and I did not know for four years and a half what had happened to him. One day I was arrested and taken to court for questioning. The court scene is one that I shall never forget — Russian flags everywhere, red drapes, secret police at the red covered table, and a girl asking the same and inevitable questions. She finally showed me a paper on which was written that I had been sentenced to 15 years of slave labor. My only reaction was, ■ “Why, f o r w h a t r e a s o n ? What charge?” Her reply was, “ You ask questions when you get where you are going.” QUESTION: Well, where did you go, or rather where were vou taken? ANSWER: My destination was the North tip of the Ural Mountains, 50 miles be yond the Arctic Circle to Vorkuta. This was one of the main slave labor camps with a half million prisoners and 200,000 guards. I finally landed at Camp 3 where 4,500 men worked in the coal mines. I was given a num ber, l-E-241, which was sewed on my hat, my trousers, and my shirt. QUESTION: What were conditions in Vorkuta: ANSWER: My bunk consisted of a section of one of two long shelves that ran the length of the barracks. There was no mattress, no sheet, no blanket, no pillow! The temperature soon dropped
Ready for Launching . . . FIRST ANNUAL B IOLA A LUM N I H OM EC OM IN G
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9TH 4 attend classes with students 4 special assembly service 4 tour of new campus 4 alumni banquet 4 student basketball game — Make Reservations Now — Biola Alumni Department 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, Calif.
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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