Those who have been following the site for the past month know that we have been publishing declassified documents that were published on the Russian FSB (Federal Security Service) website on 1 June 2024, the International Day for the Protection of Children. This is Part Two of the first in a series of three separate interrogations conducted of Yu.N. Yevtukhovich. Yevtukhovich, a deserter from the Soviet Red Army as a Lieutenant, details how the children were prepared and trained to parachute behind Red Army lines to blow up railway lines, and the callousness of their handlers in regarding them as completely disposable.
I was informed about the social makeup of the children back in the Tuchingen camp; BUCHHOLZ knew about it, but he felt that children’s memories change quickly, as do their mindsets. He further knew that we had more than sufficient means available at our disposal to change and reeducate the psychology of any given child. I didn’t agree with him, but knowing that he was only interested in the number of children sent off on the assignment, I didn’t argue the point.
Later, the children were made aware of the fact that purportedly all of them on the German side as prisoners of war, as well as all others, were declared enemies of the people by the Soviet Government, that punishment awaited them, and that the only road back to their homeland was armed combat against the Red Army. As a personal example, I stated there were many people just like me, and fighting against the Red Army was the way out. Having planted the notion of carrying out and assigning for the youngsters a mission of “utmost importance,” which is only for these sorts of youngsters, and how they could trust that the entire Russian volunteer army is counting on them to do it, that under no circumstances were they doing this for the Germans, but only for like-minded people, such as me – only then did the group begin training.
The excursion was over, and the group returned to Łódź, and from there to Rzgów, where tasks were given upon receiving accommodations. The classes were held without any specially printed program. The only thing discussed was which sabotage devices were to be gone over, and so the training plan was worked out, which I personally carried out, with the exception of demolition techniques, which KRAUSE took on. The lesson plan was as follows:
a. physical education, one hour daily;
b. drill training, topography;
c. demolition techniques;
d. parachutes – its rigging and execution;
rifle practice, only to add diversity to the instructions;
f. jumping from a height of up to 2.5 meters from an embankment, daily;
g. discussions and talks on military information.
The following sabotage devices were taught:
TNT practice, how to use it on rails, and incendiaries.
Topography – studying the compass, brief familiarity with maps, and moving with a compass.
Parachute – Only theoretical studies, since it was impossible to provide practical training to familiarize the youngsters an hour before the start.
The discussions included anti-Soviet periodical materials, published Russian periodicals, and the Vlasov Movement. The most interesting stories from Russian history: Suvorov, Kutuzov, Russian folk tales, folk tales, and “Leskov” was read.
The limited number of sabotage devices (the main element of the group’s training) and the simplicity of their employment were mastered quickly by the youngsters. The group had a good deal of free time when the youngsters walked about the city in groups. The sessions also dealt with examples of cover stories when conducting the missions; the main cover story involved fleeing from a camp in order to search for their families.
The daily routine was as follows:
Rising – 0730
Washing, making beds, cleaning up rooms – 0730-0800
Morning inspection and health check – 0800-0830
Breakfast – 0830-0900
Lessons – 0900-1200
Lunch – 1200-1300
Rest – 1300-1500
Discussions (not daily, 2-3 times per week) – 1700-1800
Dinner – 1800-1830
Free time – 1830-2030
Bedtime routine – 2030-2100
Bedtime – 2100
Q: What missions were the youngsters assigned when sent to the Red Army rear? And how were they brought over?
A: At the order of BUCHHOLZ, the group of youngsters was divided into pairs on the volunteer principle. Each pair was assigned the mission to blow up a railway line using plastic explosives and throw incendiaries into depots and troop accommodations.
Each pair received 400 grams of TNT and 3 incendiary devices, as I described earlier. Upon completion of the mission, they would return by crossing the front line. This question was left entirely to the initiative of the youngsters, since neither I, nor BUCHHOLZ, nor anyone else can give precise information in how to do this, since we haven’t done this and have no information from any returning agents. We had to get by with simple phrases of just how simple it would be. The children, when ready to return, were instructed to tell the Germans what they had learned by heart: “Don’t shoot, I’m a friend of Lieutenant BUCHHOLZ, and I need a 1-C officer.” The youngsters were provided with Polish-style civilian clothes, in winter coats and boots. Valentin Vladimirov had Red Army cotton-wool trousers and a quilted jacket. A number of the youngsters had stars.
Each pair had one rucksack with a blasting charge and products. No documents were provided, since BUCHHOLZ had information from someone indicating that those younger than 16 years of age were never issued documents by the Red Army. Only the cover story that had been previously planted was to be put to use, learned in detail but not written down.
The drop area for the first group on 20 December 1944 (see list) Lublin Chelm – Kovel.
The drop area for the second group on 22 December 1944 (see list) Kovel – Brest.
The first group took off from the airfield in Krakow, and the second from an airfield near Tomaszów. Prior to boarding the airplanes, the parachutes were properly fitted: camouflage, automatic release.
The airplane was a twin-engine American bomber without identification markings. Jumps were made through the bomb bay. Each group member received 100 grams of vodka at the airfield.
Q: How was the small percentage of returning agents explained to the Germans?
A: The Germans usually attribute the small percentage of returnees to the difficult of crossing the front line during the Red Army offensive.
BUCHHOLZ was of course absolutely aware of the truth behind the non-return of the agents, therefore these questions were very rarely raised. From his statements, it was clear to me that the people “executing” the mission had wound up in the hands of the NKVD. BUCHHOLZ was generally uninterested in the further fate of the agents. The general attitude of the Germans to this was that, if we send over 100 agents and only 2 get through to carry out the mission, then fine, the rest will be eliminated by the NKVD, and not us. Moreover, within Abwehrkomanda-203 there was a certainty that the agents that didn’t come back, in one way or another, through their stories about German, the “new Europe,” etc., continue their work of destruction behind Red Army lines.
Q: What position did you occupy in German reconnaissance?
A: My position was that of education officer. The reports on the deployed agents would read “The mission was worked out by Sonderführer KRAUSE and a Russian officer.” They didn’t even put my surname. Officially, and in actuality, the head of the saboteur school was Sonderführer Krause.
Q: Give evidence on the work you performed as the education officer at the saboteur school.
A: On 12 September 1944, I selected a group of children, aged 14-15, from a group of children at the camp in Tuchingen near Łódź. From 15 to 25 September 1944, we traveled to Germany, to the cities of Wrocław and Dresden in order to divert them to…
[Translator note: Original documentation cuts off here.]
Translating History 