Date of letter:1992-12-03
Address of author:Luoyang City, Henan Province
Date of event:1941-05-04（lunar calendar）
Location of event:Kaifeng City, Henan Province
Name of author:Wei Changsheng
Name(s) of victim(s):Wei Changsheng’s father
Type of atrocity:Others (OT)
Other details:My father was caught by the Japanese soldiers and detained by the Kempeitai in Kaifeng. They tortured him by forcing him to roll on a plate with nails on it and drink urine, dumping cold water on him and so on, finally resulting in psychiatric disorders and disability of the right side of his body. I will actively participate in the claims and the Japanese government should compensate for my family’s loss.
Teacher Tong Zeng,
I’m writing to you for the first time. Sorry for the trouble.
I’m overwhelmed with respect to you after accidently reading an article titled “Wave of Civil Claims” from Henan Pictorial. I’ve learned that you’ve stood up for millions of Chinese victims who were killed or raped by the invaders. You are pursuing justice and defending the national dignity for them through legal means. Your actions show the world that there is no well-ending destiny for the invaders and that justice and truth will come to the peace-loving people.
Your article brought back my memories. On Lunar year of May 4, 1941, the Head of our village, a traitor, informed on my father, and my father was arrested and imprisoned by the Japanese Kempeitai of Kaifeng (known as the Palace of the King of Hell). In the prison, the Japanese army tortured my father by pushing him roughly, rolling him over a nail board, wrestling him and pouring cold water into his body. Moreover, they didn’t give him water to drink in hot summer. My father had to drink his own urine and take the peel of fruit to survive. He suffered countless brutal tortures. When my father was released, he was nearly dead, with bruises all over the body and suffered with mental disorders and right-side disability. This traumatizing memory has been causing not only great economic losses but even more mental pain to my family every time when it was brought up. Although dozens of years have passed, I still often have nightmares about it and woke up in the middle of the night. Every time I see similar scenes on the TV or movies, the past memories will appear again and make me cry. But there has not been any option for us to pursue any justice.
Today, how could my family not get emotional after knowing that teacher Tong is pursuing justice for the victims like us? Teacher Tong, what are the recent activities? And what can I do for your effort? Please tell me just anything about the related activities. I will do my best. Looking forward to your reply.
Wei Changsheng
December 3, 1992
