Memoir of a Siberian Labor Camp in Sketches | The Polish Center of Discovery & Learning

Memoir, 1939-42. This memoir, which contains sketches depicting life in a World War II-era Soviet labor camp, was drawn by an inmate. In the wake of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Poland in September 1939, about one million Polish citizens were forcibly removed to the interior of Russia, including forced labor camps in Siberia. After the Soviet Union joined the Allies in 1941, it agreed to release some of those Polish citizens. Over 115,000 Poles made it to Iran from which they were relocated to places such as Mexico, New Zealand, Palestine, East Africa, and India. This memoir includes sketches that appear to depict scenes from both a Siberian labor camp and a British-controlled camp for Polish refugees in India.

Polish Prisoner Sketch of Siberian Labor Camp

This sketch, the front cover of this memoir, shows the interior of one of the buildings in a camp. The relative abundance of books and containers suggests that this might have a been building in the British-run refugee camp for Poles in India.

This image shows inmates working rolling logs watched over by a Soviet guard standing next to the fire.

Siberian Labor Camp Sketch — This picture appears to be of the landscape next to the camp.

Siberian Labor Camp Workers Sketch — Inmates load logs onto a railroad car, while an armed guard watches

Siberian Labor Camp Workers Sawing Trees Sketch — In this wintry scene, an armed guard stays warm by the fire as the prisoners are sawing the trees.

Siberian Labor Camp Workers Saw Trees — In this scene, logs are sawn into smaller sizes in preparation for transportation, while the guard walks on the left.

Siberian Labor Camp Workers Float Logs Down Stream — Prisoners float logs downstream while guards on either side watch over.

Polish Refugees in India — This image shows the refugees’ living quarters, possibly in a camp in India.

This image appears to show Poles meeting a British Indian Army soldier. The words “English Soldiers” are written in the bottom left. This could be referring to when some Polish refugees, after leaving the Soviet Union and staying briefly in Iran, ended up in India when it was still part of the British Empire.

Polish Refugees in Iran or India — In this image, a British Indian Army soldier brings water and a basin to Polish refugees who are recovering in a hospital tent while the flag of the Red Cross flies in the background.

Polish Refugee Camp in India — This appears to be another drawing of the Polish refugees’ camp with the Red Cross flag in the background.

Siberian Labor Cam Sketch — This landscape sketch is similar to the second sketch above.

British-controlled Polish refugee camp in India — This drawing of a camp with tents, but without guards or barbed wire fences, and seemingly dated to 1942, suggests that it is a British-controlled refugee camp in Iran or India.

This drawing shows a kitchen in the camp, but it’s unclear if it’s a Soviet forced- labor camp or a British-controlled refugee camp. Across can be seen hanging over the window on the left.

Author: Kyla J. Lopez, Biology major, Elms College.