INTERROGATION PROTOCOL
1949, 5 January

I, assistant operative plenipotentiary of the Baturin District Dpt. of the Ministry of State Security in Chernigov oblast, sen.[ior] sergeant Popchenko interrogated as a witness

Galina Efremovna Kuzmenko, born 1901, born in and dwelling at the v.[illage] [of] Baturin, Baturindistrict , Chernigov oblast, [descent:] of poor peasants, Romni*, not a member of the [Communist] party, a USSR citizen, semiliterate, married, regular worker at the ‘Stalin’ kolkhoz.

Warned of liability for false testimony under Art.[icle] 89 C[riminal] C[ode] of the USSR [Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic].

Question: Where have you lived and what have you been doing during the temporary occupation of the Baturin district?

Answer: During the temporary occupation of Baturin district, I have lived at my place of birth, where I worked for the community as a regular worker, I’m making a correction here, I did not work anywhere at that time.

Question: When living on the occupied territory, have you been subject to p.[unitive] repressions on the part of the police or other punitive bodies?

Answer: When living on the occupied territory, I have been subject to p.[unitive] repressions on the part of the police. This is the way it was: Sometime in March 1943 at about four in the morning to my apartment came the policeman Vladimir Orlov, I do not remember his patronymic – who [later] ran away with the Germans. When he entered my apartment, I started asking what do you need? To this Orlov replied: ‘Take your best belongings and go with me to the gendarmerie.’ Where [sic!] I with him took my best belongings; moreover, when I went outside I noticed a wagon, where he tells me ‘get in’. So I got into this wagon, where [sic!] brought me not to the gendarmerie, but the police courtyard. Here at the yard were already other arrested Roma* by the family name of Rybakov, my brother Vasilii Efremovich Kuzmenko and many other families who I do not know. In some 20 minutes they bring more arrested: Stepan Vasilevich Gorbenko, his wife Ekilina Antonovna Dusha with their three children and his elderly mother Gorbenko, I do not remember her name or patronymic, and two sisters. Stepan Vasilevich Gorbenko and his brother, all these I named above, were brought in by the policemen Vasilii Andreevich Khrestovyi and Novokhatskii – who was [later] killed. Like this we stayed in the yard until about 11 o’clock; thereafter we, in total about 10 families, were sent in the direction of Borzna in a convoy of four policemen: Feskov – [later] ran away with the Germans, Orlov – also [later] ran away with the Germans, Drobyazko – [later] convicted, and the fourth policeman I do not remember, but I know that four policemen brought us to Borzna, where they handed us over to Borzna policemen. When we were brought to Borzna, here I made an escape by paying a ransom of 30 thousand rubles; I gave this money to Borzna policemen, but the rest of those arrested stayed behind and what their fate was I do not know.

I have nothing more to add. My words were protocolled correctly and read out to me, hereby I sign. [signed] Kuzmenko

Interrogated by as.[sistant] op.[erative] plenipotentiary of the Baturin District Dpt. of the Ministry of State Security sen.[ior] sergeant [signed] Popchenko

PROTOKOLO VAŠ O ŠUNIBE
5. Januari 1949 berš

Me, o operativno asisistento, legalno reprezentanto kotar o Baturin Regionalutno šorutnipe kotar o Ministeriumo vaš e Themsko Siguripe ko Černigov than, upruno oficiro Popčenko phučlem sar mujalnja:

E Galina Efremovna Kuzmenko, bijandi 1901 berš, bijandi thaj bešavni ko gav Baturin, Baturin regiono, Černigov thana, avipasa kotar e čorore gavutne, Rromni*, naj somdasni ki Komunistikani partija, USSR – eski themutni, dopaš džanel te hramosarel, prandini, sade bućarni ko Kolkhoz »Stalin«.

Vakerdo si olake kaj si telal e legalutne došalipa te xoxavdas, pala o artiklo 89 Kriminalutno Krisi kotar o USSR [Ukrajinaki Socijalistikani Sovjetengi Republika].

Phučipe: Kaj trajisarden thaj so kerden ki vrama kana jekhvar sas e okupacija ko Baturin regiono?

Mothovipe: Ki vrama kotar e jekhvarni okupacija ko regiono Baturin me traisardem ko miro bijamutno than, kote so me kerdem sade buti. Kerav korekcija, pe kodi vrama khanikaj na kerdem buti.

Phučipe: Kana trajisardan ki okupirime teritorija, sas li pe tu kerde varesave represalije kotar e policija vaj kotar aver krisutne?

Mothovipe: Kana trajisardem ki okupirime teritorija, semas teljardi kotar e policijake represalije. Kadala sas: Varkana ko Marto 1943 berš, trujal o štar časo anglamezmeri ko miro kher avilas ande mo stano o policajco Vladimir Orlov, na dav ma godi pe lesko dadesko anav– kon majpalal e Nemconca našlas. Kana vov dijas andre ke mo stano, phučlem le, so trubuj leske? Pe akava o Orlov phendas »le tusar te majlačhe šeja so si tut, thaj av manca ki žandarmerija«. Kana lijem me majlače šeja thaj kana iklistem avri, dikhlem jekh vordon, vov phendas mange »de andre«. Me bešlem ando vordon, thaj ki žandarmerija tradijam, ko policijako obori. Kote ko obori sas thaj aver phangle Rroma* familijake anavenca Rybakov, mo phral o Vasilij Efremovič Kuzmenko thaj buteder aver savenge anava na džanavas. Palal nekobor 20 minute ande si buteder hapsime manuša: o StepanVasiljevič Gorbenko, oleski rromni e Ekilina Antonovna Duša thaj olake trin čhave thaj olaki phuri daj Gorbenko, olengo anav thaj dadesko anav našti te dav m godi, thaj olakere duj penja. O Stepan Vasiljević Gorbenko thaj olesko phral, kolen so upre lepardem, andine si ki stacija kotar e policajcora Vasilij Andreevič Xrestovij thaj o Novoxackij – kon sas majpalal mudarde.

Kadija ačhilam ko obori dži ko 11 časo; thaj pala kodo sa po 10 familije ki Borzna bičhalde sam. Eskortirime samas kotar e štar policajcora: o Feskov thaj Orlov – majpalal liduj džene našle e Namconca, o Drobjazko – majpalal pala o mestipe došakerdo sas vaš pire buća, thaj o štarto policajco pe kon našti te dav ma godi. Sas aba štar policajcora so legarde amen ki Borzna, kote so dende amen ke thaneske ažutimaske policajcora. Kana avilam ande Borzna, sas ma šajipe te našav, kaj jekhe policajcos pokindem 30 milje rubli. E aver hapsime ačhile phangle; savi džung sas olen me na džanav.

Naj ma aver te dopherav. O protokolo si pe mure alava korektno hramome thaj si mange krlanes ginavdo, so me skrinimasa čačikerav

                                        [skrinisardi] Kuzmenko

Phučli kotar o operativno asistento legalno reprezentanto kotar o Baturin Regionalno kancelarija. Kotar o Ministeriumo vaš e Themesko Siguritako upruno oficiro Popčenko
[skrinisardo] Popčenko