In September 1977, the wife of P.(etras) Plumpa visited her husband who is imprisoned at the 36th Perm labor camp. Before the visit, she was completely undressed and thoroughly searched. If she had not submitted to the search, the visit would not have been allowed. Plumpa has been thoroughly exhausted by the harsh labor camp conditions, but remains in good health. Immediately after the visit, he was transferred to another labor camp. His current address is: Perm sr. Chusovskij r., Vservsvetskaya st., vs 389/35.
In October 1977, (Mrs) Lapienienė was allowed to visit her husband VI. Lapienis imprisoned in Mordovia. His current address is: Mordovkaya ASSR, Potma-Barashevo, ucr. zx 385/3-5.
Here are some excerpts from the interrogation of Vladas Lapienis:
Interrogator: "Because of your activities, you are responsible for the imprisonment of other people."
Lapienis: "I don't have a prison. If I did, I would have to think whom to imprison, them or you."
The interrogator stated that people in labor camps sometimes live a long time.
Lapienis: "Then don't imprison others, but imprison yourselves, you will live longer."
(Miss) Ona Pranskūnaitė is currently living at the 3rd Mordovian labor camp (the same camp where (Miss) N. Sadūnaitė was imprisoned). Her address: Mordovskaya ASSR, Tengushevskij r., Barashe-vo, ucr. zx. 385/3-4. She was sentenced to two years in labor camps under art. 199 of the LSSR Criminal Code. [Miss Pranskunaite is actually imprisoned in the Kozlovko Labor Camp, Chuvash Republic . . . Ed. Note]
On June 11th, (Miss) Nijolė Sadūnaitė was sent a package which was returned with the notation "Does not belong". On July 12th, another was sent, but 23 days later it returned dirty, wet and torn. Everything had to be thrown out.
On June, a medical commission determined that Nijolė should be hospitalized. (She ran a constant temperature of around 100°) However, camp authorities would not consent. They did not even allow chest X-rays to be taken.
Nijole Sadūnaitė spent March 13 to May 13 in the Saransk isolation facilities. Security police attempted to re-educate her: she was given good food, even chocolate, and urged to recant her "errors." Currently Nijolė is living in exile in a village spread out along the banks of the Angara River:Krasnoyarsk, Boguchany, Beregovaya 18-3. The trip from Krasnoyarsk to Boguchany is made by airplane across the taiga. Nijolė was brought to her place of exile under guard. Local residents are amazed that Nijolė has many visitors from her native land.
From the Letters of Nijolė Sadunaitė
"I left Barashev on August 24th. The camp's head bookkeeper came to see me just before I left and told me to write her a letter, when I reach my destination giving my address, because otherwise she would not know where to send my money. . . And if it weren't for good people, I would have to starve until my first salary. That would certainly not be healthy after a difficult 27-day journey. Thank God, there are good people everywhere and they helped and continue to help me in many ways.
"I spent one week each in the Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk prisons. There are many prisoners everywhere—over capacity—so that two often have to share one bed. There is no need to even speak of cleanliness and other hygiene necessities. By a lucky coincidence, I managed to avoid getting lice. I fought the bedbugs with all my might, and the women who had become accustomed to them laughed heartily at my expense. To my misfortune, I did not learn to sleep with the bedbugs biting . . . And when you lose one or two nights of sleep, you lose the last remnants of strength. It is not surprising that my heart began to fail me. But now, thank God, all that is in the past.
"On September 5th, I almost departed for the place where there are no more hardships or tears. And most interestingly, I felt completely at peace, no fear whatsoever. Only one clear thought: Thank God, everything is coming to an end! And the heart has no sense of humor: if it fails, then good-bye! But this time, the black sister passed me by; the little soldiers medication, water, air, and I regained consciousness.
"During the trip I had the flu and an ear infection. There was no medical attention, and now, as a souvenir, I have one deaf ear . . . Thank the Good Lord, that the other hears well. It would be wonderful if I completely stopped hearing curses and obscene language, but could enjoy only kind words and the polyphony of nature.
"Drafts are ever-present on the road and in prison. Windows without panes. Almost everyone sneezes, has a cold, coughs. Only the most hardy and strong withstand it. The worst part was on the train. It was very crowded.
"And so, I am free again! What a great joy that is! I fill my lungs with the pure taiga air, I rejoice in the space, in the innocent eyes of children. Thank the Good Lord for the beauty of nature, for the spark of kindness in the souls of people!
"Without the grace of God, man is the most miserable of beggars. That is loudly evidenced by millions of spiritual paupers who have not had the fortune to know and love the Good Lord and have been wandering the backroads of life since childhood. I met many of them on my journey. And regardless of how low they have fallen, the spark of goodness which a kind word ignites smoulders in each of them. How very essential is God's Grace to their souls, so long tortured by evil! Let us pray, let us sacrifice, because the ranks of spiritual paupers are growing by leaps and bounds. I saw for a fact how miserable man is without God.
"The middle school has not yet been repaired, and our students are studying at the grade school, in a second shift, from 2 P.M. We also go to work in the afternoon. We ring the bell for classes and recesses, we keep the hallways clean, and after classes, we give the building a thorough cleaning. There was a huge amount of work because there were too few cleaners, and Ana and I had to do the work of four. The day before yesterday, a third cleaner was hired and now it's much easier. Besides, my strength is slowly returning. This shows how important freedom is! Ten days in freedom and I am already standing more firmly on my feet, and even a strong wind no longer frightens me. My weakness is passing, I tire less at work and feel that I will soon be as strong as before—in freedom.
"My money from the labor camp has not yet been sent. If it were not for good people, I would have had to starve.
"I get along with the people, everyone is friendly and good to me.
I also try not to be indebted to anyone. We live very hannoniously. "My sincerest thanks to all who remember me! "May the Good Lord bless and keep all of you!
Adieu!
Your loving and grateful Nijolė"
