Censorship

Posted on February 26, 2012

Algimantas Kuzma, deported to the Krasnoyarsk Region of Siberia writes to Juozas Gaigalas, living in Chicago:

“Dear uncles, aunts and brothers-in-law;  In response to your letter, written on June 1, I answered it immediately after the death of my mother. I enclosed 3 photographs of the funeral, and I wrote rather superficially about life here. But, did you receive the letter? That is not clear. Thus, I do not know whether to write or not. When I receive word that our letters reach you, I will write about everything.”

In many letters from Siberia, the dates of letters received and written are carefully recorded, so that track could be kept of missing (meaning censored) letters. Mr. Kuzma, had written a carefully worded letter which was “rather superficial” but was censored. This second attempt made it to Chicago, as did at least one more subsequent letter.

Everyone who wrote letters from Siberia knew of the censorship, and expected their letters to be reviewed. Thus, the content of the vast majority of these letters deal with “rather superficial” life events and issues. Nevertheless, one can read between the lines and understand the true meaning. Also, some revealing items did slip through the censorship system, as this blog sequence, letters from Siberia, has revealed.