European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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And the Lithuanians were very bad to the Poles,
And the Lithuanians were very bad to the Poles,
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they were oppressing us, we worked without wages.
they were oppressing us, we worked without wages.
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Before the outbreak of war, I was an employee of the National Agricutural Bank.
Before the outbreak of war, I was an employee of the National Agricutural Bank.
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If I had agreed to become Lithuanian then I would have worked longer,
If I had agreed to become Lithuanian then I would have worked longer,
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but because I did not agree to do so, I was fired in October and came back to Orwidów,
but because I did not agree to do so, I was fired in October and came back to Orwidów,
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then I took up working at the farmstead.
then I took up working at the farmstead.
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On the whole, it was a male job. There were no men. And I was the main worker then.
On the whole, it was a male job. There were no men. And I was the main worker then.
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Those were very, very hard times.
Those were very, very hard times.
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In spring 1940 the Lithuanians asked, quote unquote,
In spring 1940 the Lithuanians asked, quote unquote,
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to include this part of Wileńszczyzna into the Soviet Union as a further republic.
to include this part of Wileńszczyzna into the Soviet Union as a further republic.
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So the Soviet power came.
So the Soviet power came.
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The Soviet power wanted to show off that they were better,
The Soviet power wanted to show off that they were better,
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better for us than the Lithuanians were.
better for us than the Lithuanians were.
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And the Soviet power came.
And the Soviet power came.
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Somebody informed me that I can make money in forests as a cart man.
Somebody informed me that I can make money in forests as a cart man.
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There were one, two horses.
There were one, two horses.
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As winter came, there was plenty of snow, so one of our workers drove one sleigh, I drove the next one.
As winter came, there was plenty of snow, so one of our workers drove one sleigh, I drove the next one.
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During the whole winter I worked as a cart man.
During the whole winter I worked as a cart man.
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When it was still dark outside we used to go to the forest by sleigh, load the timber, firewood.
When it was still dark outside we used to go to the forest by sleigh, load the timber, firewood.
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We took it to the station called Bezdany, there we had to unload the firewood and come back to the forest.
We took it to the station called Bezdany, there we had to unload the firewood and come back to the forest.