Letter N 1.

Dear Takeda-san,

Our names are Regina Bayanova and Lena Novitskaya. We came to the camp from Yakutiya. It is very cold there in the winter. I (Regina) am 12 years old, and Lena is 11. I study ballet, and Lena swims. Here at the camp we are studying in the Telecommunications department.

Today we learned about you and your life. My grandfather also took part in the war, and he also says that the war was a terrible occurance. It is good that he, as you, survived the war and is still living today. We don't know too much about the war, only what we have seen in movies and read in books. It is very interesting to hear the first hand accounts of people your generation.

We have a lot of questions for you. We would like to ask you a few of them now.

When you were imprisoned, did your relatives know where you were?

Were you able to write any letters home from the prison camps?

How did your relatives meet you when you returned home?

Best wishes, Regina and Lena

Answers


Letter N 2.

Hello Takeda-san:

Our names are Ira Monakhova (10 years old), Masha Sedova (12 years old), and Marina Nasonova (10 years old). Ira is from Moscow, Marina is from Podmoskov'ya, and Masha is from Yakutiya.

We learn that you were in the war and in prison in Siberia. We also hope that there will not be any more wars. Now we have a war in Chechnya, and a lot of people are being killed. We would like to ask you some questions about your experiences:

1) While you were in the prison camps in Siberia, why did the Japanese Generals also cause problems for you? Where they also in prison, or were they in charge of you?

2) Were there any Russians who had good relations with the Japanese prisoners of war?

3) Did you ever visit the families of your friends who had been killed in Siberia?

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Masha, Marina, and Ira

Answers


Letter N 3.

Hello Takeda-san:

We received your letter. It was interesting to read your answers to our questions.

How many grandchildren do you have and what are their names? Do they live with you? Is Rumoi a pretty city?

What language is harder for you -- Russian or Chinese?

We know that you have a rose garden. What is your favorite color rose? How many roses are in your garden? Why did you start to grow roses?

Bye, Ira Monakhova, Vika Soldatova

Answers


Letter N 4.

Hello Takeda-san:

Our names are Masha Sedova, Ira Monakhova, and Nastya Sedova.

We were told about how you ate seaweed. Is seaweed edible? If someone fell ill in Russia, did they go to a hospital or just try to get along on their own? Why were you prohibited from taking any papers with you when you returned to Japan from Russia?

How many Japanese soldiers returned home alive from you camp?

Tell us what you are doing these days. Have you told many people in Japan about your experiences in Russia?

What do you think about Russia today? When are you planning on coming to Russian again?

What kind of weather do you have in Hokkiado? Is it as cold as it was in Siberia?

Lena, our teacher, told us that you like Russian music. Tell us about the kinds of Russian Music that you like?

We hope to hear from you soon!
Bye.

Answers


Letter N 5.

Hello Takeda-san:

Today we took a picture of our group especially for you. Here it is.

Thank you for your answers. We previously did not know that there were Japanese prisoners in Siberia after the war, and that they had such a hard life. We also learned a lot of new things about Russia and Japan. We want Russia to be friends with Japan, and hope that there will be no more wars.

We hope that you are able to visit Sakhalin and the Hermitage. We wish you the best of health.

We also drew a bouquet of flowers for you.

Goodbye!

- Masha Sedova, Nastya Sedova, Vika Soldatova, Marina Shpeko, Lena Ipatova, Ira Monakhova, Masha Batishcheva, Trgina Bayanova, Lena Hovitskaya