A letter from the residents of the vicinity of the Sjamozero Lake to voluntary expeditionWhen the Olonets expedition arrived to the Sjamozero Village, it were greeted by the men and women with white flags. Semyon Pezyaev, authorized by the residents of the municipality, arrived at the staff building and handed as a greeting the following address: Greeting to the White Guardsmen from the residents of the vicinity of the Sjamozero Lake Brothers White Guards. We greet you with slogan: Long live the White Guard! You freed us from the red bloody hardness, from the Reds, who held us by iron claws. They arrested and killed, raped women, plundered property and food, grossly desecrated churches and blasphemed. They did whatever they wanted to do. By one word: the Bolsheviks were like beasts. They despised and destroyed everything that was sacred and precious to the people. Look! This is what the Bolsheviks did to us! Brothers from free, white army! You liberated us from the harsh yoke of the Bolsheviks, you cleansed the red bandits from our homeland. You opened the windows of light to people, long-suffering kept in darkness. We hope that you will free us from bloodthirsty Bolsheviks. With a sincere heart, both young and old, we welcome and greet glorious white liberation army! This our letter probably best expresses the feelings of our Olonets Karelians, kept in darkness. All of us, Olonets Karelians, have the same aspiration, the same feelings, the same desire for liberation from our centuries-old oppressor, and that is why we cry out to the peoples and especially to our brothers in the tribe who are in a more favorable position. Help us, lend us a helping hand, and save us from the horrific situation and starvation into which the Bolshevik avalanche has put us! Finnish brothers in the tribe! You are in a more favorable position and therefore we turn to you in our distress: Save the Olonets Karelia! Save the White Sea Karelia! The prosperity of our tribes will be common! We, residents of the vicinity of the Sjamozero Lake, are free and most of the territory of Olonets Karelia is free. Now we have people, we have the power and energy to help ourselves, but we lack the tools. We ask them from you, brothers in the tribe! Finnish brothers! Help us as much and as best as you can. Then both present and future generations of Olonets and White Sea Karelians will bless and thank you builders of the Greater Finland! Essoila, May 2, 1919
|