[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Interesting report from Don Miller

[Jerry Frank]

Oct. 4, 2010:   Yesterday afternoon I had an interesting
experience.  I became part of a crowd,
some 700-800 people, which gathered in the downtown Square of Chervonoarmiysk
(formerly Pulin) to celebrate its 75th anniversary.  It was quite a gala affair, with numerous
speeches, music, dancing, banners, exhibits, vendors, a drawing  (one young man won a live chicken), and
fireworks to top off the day’s events.

While standing in the crowd, enjoying the festivities,
I was approached by Stanislav Karpinsky, the district administrator, to give an impromptu speech.  I rose to the occasion,
congratulated the people on the event, recounted my German heritage, alluded to
the historical significance of the day, and wished them well for the future.

Most people, I learned earlier in the day, had no idea
what they were celebrating.  When I asked
around, I was told repeatedly that it the was the 75th birthday of
Chervonoarmiysk,  When I  protested, saying, “Surely, the city is older
than that,.” I was told, “Yes, but that’s when it got its present name.”

True, but there was a lot leading up to that, which I
recount in my book, Under Arrest.  In the late ’20 and early ’30, the Soviet
Government, in an attempt to curry the favor of the various minority groups in
Ukraine, created a number of national districts.  There were seven such districts in the
Zhitomir region, including  Pulin.  This purportedly allowed the Germans within
the Pulin District to exercise limited self-government, enjoy freedom of the
German press, keep their German schools open and continue their various
cultural activities, such as theater, music, etc..

It all looked very promising, but it was
short-lived.  No sooner was the “national
contract“ written, than it was torn up.  
Within a few short years, the German schools and churches were closed,
freedom of the German press was restricted and all Germans living within 100 km
of the Polish border were resettled, many to Kazakhstan, Murmansk and Siberia.  On October 17, 1935, the Central Executive
Committee of the USSR passed a resolution dissolving the Pulin National
District and renaming it Chervonoarmiysk, 
 After that the repression of the
German minority group began in earnest.

All of this went through my mind as I stood up in
front and gave my speech, but, of course, I couldn’t say that.  Nevertheless, it was a nice day and I was
glad to be included.

Don Miller

P.S.  For those
who may not know, I’m writing this from Ukraine, having just concluded another successful
Volhynian Village Adventure Tour and finishing several weeks of humanitarian
work here.  On Monday, October 18, Alex
Brzhezytskyy and I will be in Edmonton, AB for a meeting in connection with
Samaritan Ministries in Ukraine, former tour members, and anyone interested in
next year’s tour, tentatively scheduled for the first two weeks in September,
2011.  You can contact me at dnmiller at whiz.to
if you are interested in attending the meeting or reconnecting with Alex.