The First Escape
This story was found among Avo’s files after this death.
Copyright Avo Kubar, 2022.
Mass arrests had started people were deported in cattle cars and many were just killed. The war with Germany was going bad. No word from father for days. He was attached to Red Army but where. Everyone was afraid of being arrested.
June 1941 was a warm and Sunny day.
The lilac bushes were finishing their fragrant blooms surrounding our little House.
The vegetable garden indicated nice crop this year.
I was looking forward for my 10th Birthday.
The Russians have been here since last June.
At the time My stepfather had been stationed at the Russian Border in Petseri with Estonian Army.
But the Prime minister had capitulated to the Russians to stop a hopeless loss of life.
My first sight of the Russians was when they marched into the town. They looked terrible dusty exhausted ready to drop. Compared to our soldiers who looked sharp directing traffic for them
My Stepfather had with the other Estonian Army officers been included into the Red Army. He commanded one Estonian Soldier to ten Russians.
We had been also transferred to a small Town Elva, which was a nice little vacation town with 3 lakes and a river near our house. Ideal place for little boy who was curious about everything. Listening to the grownups the times were getting worse and the arrests were getting more frequent.
The Political Police had requested a cattle car to the railroad siding. And the word was that they were going to fill it with arrested people to take them to Siberia.
The arrests were more frequent since the Germany declared war on Soviet Union.
Mother assured us we were safe because our father was in the Red Army
My sister Aime was 4 years younger and my brother Heigo was a little over one. He was born on 29 of February.
We had not heard from father for a week, and I was worried.
Never the less It was a beautiful day. Mother had just hung the wash on line and soup was cooking on the stove. When our part time maid came and talked to Mother very seriously. She called me in the house and told me we are leaving immediately and don’t ask any questions. I but my good boots on. Mom made a small bundle which she attached my brothers two wheel carriage. And she said that if we run into someone we are taking our usual daily walk.
Instead Mother had decided to walk to a small railroad station about 4 km away from our Station. She was certain that they were watching our station. An official had shown our maid a list of people to be arrested that night, and our names were on the top of the list. Mom and the nice maid had agreed that she would come at her regular time turn off the soup and take the laundry in like nothing had happened in case someone was watching.
We were in luck The regular commuter train stopped just when we arrived at the small stop and we got on the train without anyone seeing us.
Mother had decided to go to Grandmother’s in the city of Tartu. About 30 km north. Grandmother was surprised to see us and told us that Aunt Lidia had decided to go and visit us. Our trains had passed.
Later we found out that the maid had clued Lidia in. And later that night when they came for us. Aunt Lidia raised hell with them and accused them of false arrest. She had some Official papers that scared the arresting police.
Meanwhile we decided that we could not stay in Tartu. It was too dangerous. So next morning we took a small paddle wheeler down the Ema (mother) River. Ema River is the main River in Estonia flowing into Lake Pepus ( Dividing Estonia from Russia) We had some relatives in Kastro area. Farmers and one mothers Cousin who had built a weekend house. He had told mom we could stay there till the Germans arrived.
The boat ride was exiting and the side-wheeler docked at various spots to let people off. By the time we arrived at our destination the boat was almost empty.
Fortunately a farmer was waiting with his horse and wagon for someone who did not come and we caught a ride to our destination. The Banker Cousin had built a nice little brick cottage which was almost finished. With an ancient water well in front. Mother and I carried our small bundles to the basement and brought down couple of mattresses and bedding down. Mother explained that it was safer to sleep in the basement.
Next morning Mom walked to our relative’s farm. He was not too happy to see us and told mother to keep a low profile. There were still some Russian patrols lurking around. The Russians had decided to dig in on the other side of the Ema River and brought people from the city to dig trenches to resist the Germans who for some reason had stopped about 10 or so Km away and were using artillery to soften up their advance.
So here we were stuck in the no one’s land for over ten days. At night we watched groups of men (both sides) using the edge of woods 200 meters away creeping forward to spy on the enemy. We were very frightened that some of them would come and kill us. Years later I realized that Ema (Mother) was afraid for worse. She handed me a pistol and told me to wait after she would talk to the intruders before shooting. Fortunately they never came. Then some shells landing nearby. Finally the German troops and Estonian Partisans (Metsa Venad) arrived. Metsa Venad means Forest brothers and they resisted the Soviets for years after the second occupation.
Our relatives still were cool about us staying at the house that was near their large farm. Ema decided to seek other housing about 10 Km away with a very friendly and caring farmer. Where I met my first Partisan who was screening local communist collaborators who had ratted. And it was a young woman with a pistol in her belt. Even at 10 years old I knew she was pretty but brave and strong.
Ema was getting anxious about our home away but how to get back there? When our friendly host told Ema that she could borrow a horse and wagon and then bring it back and then she could walk back home or something.
We loaded our wagon with our bundles and the friendly family gave us food and blankets for sister Aime and brother Heigo to sleep. And off we went. I felt very grown up since ema let me to handle the horse. We found a small farm house for the night and the farmer’s wife was curious about the news since her husband was somewhere with the Partisans. Along the whole trip we were like news bringers. We were the only ones on the road. Sometimes we would get off the wagon and walk to stretch the legs and sometimes to pick some berries.
Finally on second evening we were approaching the little town of Elva. And we were stopped by a man who wanted to know where we had come from and what was the news from the Front.
It turned out that He was the brother of our friendly farmer who had loaned us the horse and he was anxious to get back to his brother and was so happy that everyone had survived since the news had been of a battle where we had come from.
Our maid had looked well after our place. And the horse was happy to rest and munch away our lawn before starting back next day with someone he knew at the helm to take back the brother for a surprise reunion.
That night we were all happily having a nice dinner from our friendly Farmer and slept again in our own beds.
Not knowing what the future would bring
Still no news from Father and it would be years before we heard from him. He had also survived.
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