Article about: My dad's travel document issued on his release from the GULag's of Kolyma. It was to allow him to get to Akmolinsk - but he never got there and thankfully joined the Polish 2nd Corps. Appare
I know this is an old thread, but I was just wondering if anyone knew exactly where the Duskania camp would have been located. I just learned that my grandfather was sent there. On his paper it states "Kopalnia Złota - Duskania - Kolyma" and I can find the general region with Google searching, but I'm just trying to figure out where he was actually located during his imprisonment during 1940-41.
Hi Chris, Yes I know where Duskania was. My father was also there. I'll post full details when I get home later, but basically, the Duskan was a river that flowed into the Kolyma at the point after the Kolyma flows south to flow north. Duskania was a Gold mine and there are still mining operations there today.
Kopalnia Złota is Goldmine in Polish. I attach some maps to show where Duskanya is, an extract from my description of my dad's arrival there from my book, and a link to some pictures taken in 2010 ( not mine - I hope one day to visit myself) ??????.????????.
>>The trucks travelled down the Tenika to just before it flows into the Kolyma where it is joined by a small tributary flowing into it from the right called the Duskan (Дускан). At this point the trucks came to a final stop and the party of prisoners unloaded. They were then herded up the imposing steep sided river valley of the Duskan for about 5 kilometres until they finally came to their destination; the gold mining complex of Duskanya (Дусканья). The almost 400 kilometre journey from Magadan had probably taken 2 days or more to complete, and this the very last stage, the trek on foot up the valley was the most arduous.
The Duskan was the same valley that Varlam Shalamov used in his short story ‘Dry rations’ from his book ‘Kolyma Tales’: “When the four of us reached the mountain spring ‘Duskania’, we were so happy we virtually stopped talking to each other …..”.
Like the majority of GULag camps in Kolyma, Duskanya, was laid out in a rectangular format for better surveillance, in fact no irregular shaped camps were allowed by law. It comprised of high barbed wire fencing with tall wooden watch-towers enclosing a ‘zona’ of simple wooden barracks, some wooden administrative buildings, perhaps a kitchen/dining area, and a punishment isolator (штрафне изолятор). Outside the wire fence will have been commander’s quarters, the guards’ facilities (vakhta), and the food and equipment stores. The whole complex will have been built by previous prisoners who will not only have created the route up the valley from the road, but also sourced the timber from the surrounding area for all the structures.
More than likely the entrance to the camp will have been emblazoned with a slogan extolling Soviet virtues with words to the effect of “Work in the Soviet Union is glorious, honourable, valiant, and heroic” or simply “The country needs metal (gold)”.<<
Thank you so much for your reply! My family and I are truly grateful for every bit of information that we are able to learn about my grandfather's history.
Hello Polish 2 Corps.
Even in the 1980s, Russian language were taught at Polish schools, although a few years have passed but there is something in the mind ...
I also remember such a rhyme:
Alfabit my uże znajem,uże piszem i czytajem... ...
It's such a Christmas digression.
Sometimes this language is useful.
Ps:Karta kołymskich łagierej u łagiernych uprawlenj,
karta razrabotana studnej Wideograf,
W opisanie łagierej i uprawlenij ispołzowana informacja obszestwa Memorjał,www.memo.ru
ML:Mużskoj łagier-male camp,
ŻL:Żenskij łagier-feminine camp,
MPP:mużskoj peresylnyj punkt,
ŻPP:żenskij peresylnyj punkt,
Usnowlenje uprawlenja i łagierja
Tjuremnyje zonyrison area
About post #1:
NKWD CCCP,Uprawlenje Sewero-Wastocznych Isprawleno-Trudowych Łagierej,gorad Magadan Chaborowskogo kraja.
Udostowierenje,Predjawitel sego grażdanin Pleszak Nikołaj Wikantawicz,1920 goda rażdenja,urożeniec d.Szwachty Kobylnikowskoj Bołosti,
Pri nim nachoditsa...Grażdanin Pleszak NW,naprawlajetsa k izbronnomy im miestu żitelstwa w gorad...
Udostowierenje diejstwitelno na tri mesaca i podleżit obmenu na pasport.Izłożenoje udostowerjaetsja podpisju i piczaciu.
Naczalnik Uprawlenja Sewosstłagierej,Calstroja NKWD CCCP Kapitan Gosbaeopastnosti,17 Febral 1942:17th February 1942.
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