Afanaseva, Ekaterina Aleksandrovna

Novosokolniki

January 2007

Today we're in the home of Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Afanaseva. We're from the school... we want to know about the history of our local region not from books, but from those who took part in in. We are interested in the periods before, during and immediately after the war...

I don't know – I've forgotten everything.

I mean, for example, how did people feel at that time? I mean – do you remember the 30s and 40s?

I got through the whole war, and what did God give me? Nothing. There were Germans, lots of them. They were holding Moscow, they were everywhere in Pskov as well.... And when they dropped bombs, we all lay down in trenches. There was a church next door to your house, just a bit further on, they were there for a long time. And we worked for the war, it was very hard.

And were you born in Novosokolniki? Who were your parents?

My parents lived not far from here, behind the forest, behind the school. When I got married, I used to go and visit them there. Father was a baker. His name was Aleksandr, my mother's was Tatiana. We had – mother had lots of children, 5 of us. Now two of my brothers are dead.

(They ask if she has any old photographs, then they asked about de-kulakisation, religion. Mostly she says she doesn't remember. Then they ask 'Can we photograph you?'

Oh children – no, don't do that!

Why not? We're going to write about you!

There were different people in power then, children. I talk badly, talk too much. Power was different then.

When the war started, did you used to go to church?

We went before the war, but when the war started, there was nowhere to go to.

You said the church was destroyed – do you know what happened to the priests?

No I don't know.

Were you baptised?

Of course I was! I'm baptised!

What did people do on festivals, holidays?

Walked, people walked at all the festivals. And then they ate well, better than now, and health was better. People went to church.

Did you have a passport during the war?

Of course I did! And there was one time when we had nowhere to live, and some people took us in – there were 7 of them in the family, just imagine that – 7 people, and we were 5. 5 of us, and Mama too, so 6 altogether. Then one old woman died, and there was typhus in the village – you know what that is. The Germans were in the village, they went right through our village. And whoever fell ill and died, they were taken off to the forest, they dug a huge pit, and everyone was thrown in there. From their family a small boy fell ill and then died. Everyone fell ill in the village, and then my mother and the woman we were living with, they started going round the village looking after people. I remember they put Mama in the corner, by the icon – I don't remember anything, didn't understand, but she lived. And then I started to get better slowly as well. Then we were put in the camp and we had to dig trenches. They sent us to the barracks – not barracks, tents. The beds were iron and we had to sleep on them. In the morning at 6 o'clock we were woken and we went off to work.

How long were you held in the camps?

I don't want to remember that. Some people sent me papers from Leningrad and I burnt them. I was there for about 3 months. Then our camp was destroyed. The camp was destroyed and we were caught and sent back again. And there was absolutely no work anywhere.

You spoke about your husband – tell us how you got married

We got married.. there were different sorts of men then, they were soldiers. Mama had 5 children, and then when our land was liberated, part of them went on further. They gave us 700 grammes of bread each, and soldiers got 900 grammes. That was alright for us, and alright for them. We ate while we moved. They bombed us. And Mama lived in a dug-out as well, with the lads – that's how they lived.

At work, were people punished for being late?

Not so much punished, but told off.

So for being late – that was very serious?

Very serious.

How long was a working day?

From 8 in the morning till 8 at night, and you take all your tools with you on the train. People used to carry everything, their spanners (kliuchi?) on their backs. I still have my labour book. (trudovaya knizhka)

Which were the most difficult years?

The war and after the war were difficult. There was famine. But it was fun: we used to get together and cook up anything.

If you compare those days with today, which is better and which is worse?

Well, children, it's good now. But it can be bad. Everyone's well fed now, overfed.

Was it hard with food products then?

Oh yes. Soldiers were given a small snack, and they had to work from 8 till 8. We marched on that. We marched on that and the military base – you know where that was? They've built a new one now, but there used to be another one. We marched, and we built that one, that was where we worked.

You built it yourselves?

Well – I mean we got everything ready and the soldiers did it, and we helped them get things ready. I was working there when I got married. Then the occupation ended. He was in the army, and we had nowhere to go after that.

But you married for love, didn't you?

I don't know.

Can you tell us what you think about Stalin himself?

Stalin... oh I don't remember. How many people died, grandfathers at the front, their children taken away. They sent everyone to the front, killed them.

Which events do you particularly remember?

Oh well – I was so glad when my father came home from the war. He was at the front. There were four of us – the fifth son died. And when my father came home, we could all celebrate. When he came home he could help us, and we all felt more cheerful.

Can you tell us what you think about today's young people?

Young people weren't like that in our day.

So they were very different?

Of course... I mean, they're not bad now, but not all of them. But then too – there were different sorts of people, everyone was different. Children today are very nice, good: some of them open the door for older people. They used to read more, but today people are different – rich, and they ought to read more. They have too much now. Only it's difficult: you have to pay so much for everything. I cry half the time.

Whose fault do you think it was – what happened?

When the war started – well who else, when Germany suddenly ...

You mean they started it

Of course. Germany struck us, invaded. There were so many wounded soldiers then. They were brought in wagons, and evacuees, and then back again.

Thank you so much for your time, for everything you have told us