-
Period: to
Thieves and Prostitutes
This timeline follows Lina's family up until they reach the Altai collective camp, where they are forced to live in close quarters, farm beets and potatoes, and only get rations in return. -
Soviets Begin Moving Troops Into Lithuania
-
Lithuania is Officially Annexed by The Soviet Union
-
Lina's Family is Arrested
Kaunas, Lithuania. The NKVD come to capture Lina and her family in the middle of the night. They give them only 20 minutes to gather their belongings. The family is loaded onto a truck. -
The Lithuanians Are Put Onto a Train
Kaunas, Lithuania The NKVD rally the Lithuanians and divide them into groups. Jonas is almost separated from Lina and Elena, but they barter a pocket-watch for his life. Their train is labelled: "Thieves and Prostitutes" -
They Enter the Capital
Vilnius, Lithuania Their train enters through the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius. For Lina, this triggers a memory of an art school she was planning on attending that is located in Vilnius -
The Train Passes Through Belarus
Minsk then Orsha, Belarus As the train passes through these areas, the train stops once daily in the middle of nowhere. One passenger is allowed to leave and fill the buckets. Dead bodies were left on the tracks. -
They Discover Germany is at War With The USSR
Smolensk, Russia A train car full of men opposite of them pulls up. Elena speaks with the men in Russian and learns that Germany has invaded Lithuania, therefore they are at war with the Soviets. This boosts the morale of the passengers. -
Cross The Ural Mountains
The train crosses the Ural Mountains into Asia. This is day 21. The passengers speculated they were on course for southern Siberia, or possibly even China or Mongolia. -
Pass Omsk, Siberia
Omsk, Siberia Just past this place is a kiosk where Elena bribed a guard and bought confections and cigarettes for her fellow passengers. Lina lost track of how long they've been travelling. -
They Arrive at The Altai Labour Camp
Altai The trains stop just north of China.The passenger groups are being sold as slaves to men in black suits. Lina's group, too weak, is not sold and instead they are shipped to the Altai Labour Camp. They are forced to share a jurta with a rude woman named Ulyushka. To collect their 300 daily rations, they farm beets and potatoes, sew shoes, dig holes, etc. This is where the first part of the book, "Thieves and Prostitutes" ends. -
NKVD Ask Them to Sign Papers
In the middle of the night, the NKVD force the deportees to go to the kolkhoz office and sign a document declaring they are criminals with a sentence of 25 years hard labor. The deportees resist and are forced every other night to sign. -
They Celebrate Kucios
Kucios is a Lithuanian Christmas Celebration
Everyone gathers together in Mr. Stalas' hut with all their family photos. Some bring bisciuits from the village and others bring food they had stolen to share. Mrs. Arvydas brings a bottle of vodka and chocolate They sing carols and talk about their family memories.