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The Spike: or, Victoria University College Review, October 1916

Refugees in Russia

page 58

Refugees in Russia.

We have very kindly been given access to a number of letters from Theodore Rigg. who is now in Samara, Southern Russia. We have made the following extracts from them, knowing that our readers will find them full of interest.—Ed. Spike.

Buzuluk, Samara Govt., June 8th: The Russians are the most hospitable people in the world. Since arriving in this country, we have been treated like princes. Here in Bazuluk we caused the sensation of the war and in our visits to the country districts round Bazuluk, we were assured that we were the first Britishers to set foot in the village Yesterday we went to see a train-load of refugees (700 in number) who were coming into the Samara Govt. They had spent the winter in Turkestan, having been sent there from Poland when it was invaded by the Germans last year. The refugees on this train were mainly women and children, delighted to get back to a cooler climate and hear their own language spoken again.

I think I mentioned in my last letter that we were leaving Samara for the country districts of the Government. The Governor arranged a very interesting trip for us in the district adjacent to Samara in order to see something of refugee conditions there.

We proceeded down the Volga on one of the fine river boats running between Niji Novgorod, Astrakan. This boat was driven by steam (a paddle-steamer) but burnt oil. It was a great surprise to see how big the Volga is so far from the Caspian Sea. Here at Samara the river must be over a mile wide. From the start the journey was full of interest. On the quay could be seen Persians, Mohammedans, with their white turbans, Tartars with their Chinese type of face, Baskers with their dark features, and lastly the Russian peasant. The Russian is stolid in appearance with broad and large puddingy features......

As we were going down stream and as the current was running very strongly we quickly reached our destination, Vladmirovka. about 3 p.m. Here the authorities had been notified of our arrival and we were met by the page 59 Chief of Police for the district. Two fine carriages were waiting and we were soon galloping off to Ekaterinovka, where we were staying the night.

We were taken to the Visitors' house in this village and were greeted by the head-man, the doctor and a whole string of lesser officials. The head of the village, who had been notified by the Governor that we had come to inspect refugees from Poland, placed himself at our disposal and we went from point to point of interest for several hours. We first visited three large houses that had been converted into barracks for refugees, the number of refugees in each house varying from 30 to 70. The first house that we visited was occupied by Polish people —the Poles are invariably kept separate from the Russian refugees as the former follow the Roman Catholic faith while the latter are members of the orthodox Greek Church. The Poles, too, differ from the Russians in their manner of preparing food and consequently they have to keep separate kitchens running for these two main types of refugees. The Poles proper come from the western part of the invaded country while the Russians come from the eastern—from Grodno, Holm, Minsk, Lublin, etc.

These particular Polish Refugees were bright and intelligent—mainly women and children with a sprinkling of old men. Their lodgings, with fuel and oil are arranged for them by the village authorities. Each refugee in addition receives 4d. per day for the purchase of food. There is a good deal of squabbling among refugees and peasants in regard to the payment of work. The refugees complain of delay in payments of their allowances and the non-supply of clothing. Their complaint is in general just and it is really too bad that these unfortunate people should not have been better provided for.

We met many interesting cases among the refugees. One smiling woman was so thankful that she had managed to bring all her children alive with her, though they all had a dreadful time on their long retreat.

It was in this village that we saw our first peasants house. They usually consist of three rooms There is a comparatively large entrance-hall which opens on to the yard. It is used for storage of goods, 'washing, etc. The page 60 entrance hall opens into the main living room—in this case 14-ft. square. It contained the immense brick oven in one corner and a low broad wooden bench in another. The centre of the room was occupied by the dining-table. The room is kitchen, dining and sleeping room. The living room opened into the third room of the house, called the red room, for the floor is invariably painted with a reddish-brown paint. It is the show room of the house and. contains the dearest household possessions. In one corner will always be found an Ikon and if a visitor enters the room he is always honoured by being placed under the Ikon.

This trip to Ekaterinovka took slightly more than twenty-four hours, but it would take too long to tell of the many incidents packed into it. Since leaving Samara we have made a. very interesting tour of the Bazuluk district, where we are proposing to commence work shortly.