A Story that can now be told Part 2

Last year I wrote the story of my great uncle, Jakob Gerk, and how I was able to fill in the blanks of his story. (Read the post here) The brother of my grandfather, Jakob perished somewhere in the Soviet Gulag. The family was never sure where he died, only that some fellow prisoner years later would contact them about when he died, and approximately where.

In the summer of 2007, I was able to meet one of his children, Lydia, who was 82 at the time. Lydia told us the story of how her Dad took care of them. But even in 2007, she had doubts about the rumours of her father's death....and hoped that someday, it would be learned that he had survived and not suffered the fate of so many millions.

Alas, this past week I researched a publication I had received from Russia: GEDENKBUCH: Книга Памяти немцев-трудармейцев Усольлага НКВД/МВД СССР (1942-1947 гг.). Сост. Э.А. Гриб. Ред. В.Ф. Дизендорф. М.: Общественная академия наук российских немцев. - 2005.

The book details a list of people who died in the labour camp located in Usolaga, Perm Oblast, Russia. Jacob Gerk is listed there, who died on December 3, 1942....all the particulars seem to fit that this is the same Jakob Gerk.

I'll write the family in Germany to let them know this sad news. And it is sad. The book details lists of a few thousand names. All these people had hopes and dreams. Families. And, most importantly, they had their faith.

I think of the quote by CS Lewis: “We're not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be”

At any rate, this closes a chapter that was waiting to be written. I had made numerous requests of archives in Russia, and came up empty handed. Now we know. Jakob is resting in peace. I know that. Now his family can have closure.

To our family, Jakob was a heroe. His story can be told.

Now it is on to another brother of my grandfather, Georg Gerk. He too perished in a labour camp...we do not know when...the family suspects it was in the Chelyabinsk region. Here was a notorious camp where thousands died. So the sleuthing continues....