[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Re: Volhynia - Deportation Stories

[Richard Benert]

Well, Virginia, if you can hang on to your hat for a few weeks, I'll be able to
fill in a few of the blanks for you at the convention in Calgary.  I'll try to
give a "composite and more complete" picture.  For those who won't be at the
convention but are curious about this whole affair, maybe (and again I say
maybe) I'll get around, one of these days, to putting some of what's available
down on paper.  And I assure you it will be in English.

And yes, in all likelihood, 'twas the Russians who burned the house down.  This
apparently happened to thousands of people, of all ethnic groups, who happened
to get caught in war zones.  You know, the old "scorched earth policy" that
warmakers have devised for the betterment of mankind.  You don't want to leave
anything useful for the German army.  Except, maybe, Jews.  General
Ianushkevich, after several months of deporting Jews eastwards from the war
zones, decided that maybe it was all a mistake, and gave orders to some
commanders to either leave the Jews for the Germans to deal with, or even
actually SEND the Jews westwards to REALLY get in the way of the Germans.  If
you don't believe this (which is understandable), it's in Eric Lohr's book,
"Nationalizing the Russian Empire:  The Campaign Against Enemy Aliens during
World War I."

Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: <GVLESS at aol.com>
To: <ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 6:05 PM
Subject: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Re: Volhynia - Deportation Stories


> I have another question for anyone who might provide a thought or two on the
> Deportation prior or at the beginning of WWI in Volhynia.  My one family
> story, the Anna Less Schoenrock-Unrau family left their home, probably in or
around
> Viktorowka, in fall of 1913, arriving in an area south of Moscow called
> Kaluga.  I have another family story from another Volhynian family that
probably
> were caught in this deportation as in the EWZ records found later of family
> members it was said that their father died in 1917 somewhere in the Volga
region.
> Which to me would say they may have been in that area as refugees from
> Volhynia around 1915 or so.  I have another family whose  records found for me
by
> RAGAS (if any one remembers the group that once existed to help you do
research
> in Russia)  indicate they were refugees in Samara from Volhynia and received
> funds which was recorded in a church record in Samara.  They were originally
> from the village of Annette in Volhynia.  The assistance was given to them
> probably after they arrived in the Volga region.  They needed help as there
was no
> work to be had according to the recorded comments.  Now - the questions?
>       Did Russia provide direction for the Volhynians when they were forced
> out of their homes?  Police support?  Why different places as my stories seem
> to indicate?  Or were they on their own after being evicted?  And could go
> anywhere except near the front line areas.  I think it would be interesting to
> have more of the story of just how this deportation was done.  This morning I
> received a story from someone who was in the Polish-Russian areas near the
"front
> lines" saying they were forced to leave and their home was burned down as
> they left.
> Who did this?  The Russians?
>        I really think we could use more insight of this period of time  if
> anyone who has a story, even a simple sentence on the subject, could share
that
> with us.  Perhaps a composite and more complete detailed story will emerge.
> Appreciate any one responding here.  If there is an official "story"
somewhere,
> where would it be?
>
> Sincerely,
> Virginia Less
>
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