August 22, 1932

[ . . . ] I cannot consider it an offense that I was born into a kulak family; in this I was powerless, and there are many in my position [ . . . ] You need only to come and have a look at the special settlements—75 percent of those who remain (many have run off and many have died) are swollen, and the primary reason is hunger. You can see the picture: a teenager goes somewhere to get hold of some bread or even steal it, since hunger is not his brother, and going along the road he falls down and dies. And on top of this, for some time he lies there like a log. When they bring in the train, loaded with building materials, there's a strict accounting, which reveals that the accompanying staff is guilty of losing a log, and this can be set against [their] account, but the dead people, let them just go on lying about. No one is guilty.