World War 2 fleeing across the steppes

[Gabriellem]

I am seeking stories of people who, caught behind the German lines, fled to the west as the Russians re-possesed the land. Is there anyone there who can tell us about this time?

[Felix_Caro]

Hello there. Although this is probably a very real fact I don't know about any particular stories. It would have been, and it was, very sound to run away from the "liberating" soviet armies since what happened later is that many soviet prisoners were thrown back into gulags or shot after returning to the USSR because, according to Stalin, they were suspicious of colaborating with the germans. Stupid, no? My fiancee's surviving grandmother was taken to Germany as a slave laborer, and after the war she returned to Russia. The funny thing here, is that my fiancee was wondering why in the world her grandmother didn't stay in Germany after the war? The life for all her relatives in the Ukraine and Russia was very difficult and would have probably been a thousand times better if they have lived under the rule of a western government. Well, this is my fiancee's opinion, what can I say?

[johncullen]

felix, you were wondering why all those russians pows and slave labourers actually returned to russia and were either imprisoned or shot, and that it does not make sense that someone who do this. Well the anser to your question is that during discussions between stalin, churchill and roosevelt it was agreed between them, although probably forced between them by stalin that all soviet citizens must return home. These unfortunates were then either shot for imprisoned in the many gulags across the soviet union to prevent any dissident movement among them and the russian authorities feared that they might bring bad ideas home such as thoughts of actual freedom of association, freedom to speak ones mind and so on which would endanger the regime
should you wish to read further you could take a look at alex de jong's biography on stalin
goodluck

[Gabriellem]

Thanks for the replies I guess we have a pretty clear idea of why people fled west. What I would like to know is how they managed. Many fled with nothing but clothes they were wearing when cities were closed off - how on earth did they manage? Who fed them? Did the beleagered German Army help them? I doubt this. I know that some formed small groups and that some were massacred along the way by partisans. I would love to hear any stories of this time, but I suppose most people who were there would be very elderly now and not be net users. Still I live in hope. Gabrielle