Chapter 12

Free, working as a director of a clinic. Come right away to Izma. The place where the father of Dworecki Fanya and Ethel works. Approved- chief of the division of SZDL (the north railroad labor camp) signed Borutto“.

Borutto was the director of the second division of the Gulag. This was a document needed to get a travel permit. I saved the document.

Borutto, whom I met when we arrived to Izma, was in the real life a nice guy. His wife was Jewish. They had a daughter my age, living in Moscow. He was tall and heavyset. His exile to work in the labor camps was a part of the politics of the Stalin people. In 1937, 38, 39 there were many arrests without any evidence of a crime. People were trapped in a system without law.

The letter mother wrote to father when he was in a Gulag (March, 20, '41)  Zolotko moyo, my darling, Today I had a good day. I mailed to Fanya letter from Bubi, which I received today, even, sent her a telegram.  My darling, I am happy that girls are able to study, .It eases my pain that you are so far away.  My work is successful, they refer to me all complicated cases. My darling your letters are less often. What is the reason? My letter could be read by anyone. There are no secrets. There is about my pain missing you. May be one day people will see how wrong they were. I am very proud of the accomplishments of our daughters. Why did you write that you are tired? Do they force you to work so hard at your age?  I know that you are hard working and not lazy and you are known to do good work. I wrote a very good petition to the general attorney of the Soviet Union.