Document 148

Letter from special migrants' children to Kalinin, 1932

RGASPI, f. 78, op. 1, d. 432, ll. 8-9ob. Original manuscript.

To Uncle Kalinin

From children

This is us writing uncle we are special migrants. You live there in the city and we are stuck here with our fathers. We live a long way from Arkhangel'sk. Our fathers all lounge around and moan and groan and we don't have much bread. It's very hard for us uncle really hard. We are twelve years old and some are even younger there is a whole hungry mob of us in the children's home and everybody is asking for bread. We don't even know what to do. And all our hopes are on you. That's why we're writing to you. So uncle Kalinin if they let you go or you can get away yourself please try to find the time in the spring and come visit us in the settlement. Don't come in the winter our settlement is a long way from the city and if you go by sleigh you will definitely catch cold or your hands and ears will get frostbitten. As soon as you arrive come straight to see us. From here we will take you to the city ourselves in somebody's cart and maybe the commandant will give us the next available one. Oh it's so hard and it seems to be too late already. Well come here and you will easily find us we are poor looking little kids. If you can't find the time then send a letter. We will write letters to each other write a lot we will figure out everything. Well uncle we have a secret to tell you we have one thing in mind we will grow big and enlist in the party and we will fight against neediness. Neediness is dirty bourgeois stuff.

Our address is Arkhangel'sk Okrug, Pinega Raion, Kokornaia Station, Children's Home C.

This was written and composed for you by children.

uncle don't be insulted that we are sending this letter without a stamp we don't have any money.