He sat down near me, and asked me if I had worked at the front. I said that unfortunately I had been detailed only to hospitals in the rear.
“Why was that man arrested?” I ventured to ask.
“Because he had no papers from the Soviet,” was the reply. “He will be shot immediately.”
“Do you execute everybody who has no papers?” I asked.
“Everybody, without distinction.”
“Even women?” I inquired.
“Yes, even women,” was the reply. “This is a war zone.”
“Holy Mother!” I exclaimed in horror. “How terrible! You really slay them all? Without even a trial?”
“There is little time for trials here. Once fallen here, there is no escape. Our firing squads make an end of all suspected persons on the spot,” he informed me kindly. “Come, would you like to see the execution-grounds? They are quite near here.”
I followed him reluctantly. A few hundred feet away from the station we stopped. I could go no further. The field in front of us was covered with scores of mangled, naked corpses. It made my flesh creep.