We continue working on the «GULAG: Witnesses» project, recording interviews with those whose families survived Stalinist repressions.
The story of Ida Shchupak is one of many. Her father, a patriot of his country, was convicted under Article 58 and spent years in the camps. Deprived of freedom, he survived only thanks to his craftsmanship—sewing leather coats for the prison authorities. After his release, he struggled to return to a normal life, while his family lived in fear of even mentioning his name.
Through the years and across different countries, Ida carried a treasured relic—a painting created by a fellow prisoner from her childhood photograph. Prisoners had no canvas—the portrait was painted on plywood, the only available material. The artist added details that were not in the original photograph—instead of a plain background, he depicted Ida standing among trees, as if in the Siberian forest where fate had cast her family. He signed the painting: «To my dear daughter, Idotchka, from your loving father. City of Uglich»—but Ida later covered part of the inscription to hide where her father had been imprisoned.
This portrait accompanied her throughout her life. It traveled with her family from the camp to Bobruisk, then to Zaporizhzhia, and later, after emigration, to Canada. Today, it is preserved in Toronto, serving as a symbol of remembrance for broken lives and the people who endured the horrors of repression.
If your family has similar stories, we would be honored to hear them and help preserve the memory of those whose voices must not be forgotten.
#GULAGWitnesses #HistoryOfGULAG #StalinistRepressions #DocumentaryProject #58thUnseized #Memory #ECGProductions #OlgaAntimony #GregoryAntimony
