Date of letter:1993-09-30
Address of author:Zhangqiu County, Ji’nan City, Shandong Province
Date of event:1944-1945
Location of event:Gaoyi County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province
Name of author:Li Zengxi
Name(s) of victim(s):Li Zengxi, Li Lianbai, Wu Guangshun, etc.
Type of atrocity:Slave Laborers(SL）
Other details:I am from Gaoyi County of Hebei Province. In the winter of 1944, the Japanese soldiers caught and forced labors to dig coal, and appointed the Baozhang in villages to catch people for them. Li Lianbai, Wu Guangshun of my village and I were caught and forced to dig coal in Tanggu. We were stripped, and every ten of us were tied together. We would suffer beating in case of any rebellion. After we were detained for more than 20 days, we were provided with uniform black clothes, taken photos one by one and sent to Japan to dig coal. After the victory of Anti-Japanese War, the survivors of us returned home.
Mr. Tong Zeng,
Hello!
It is reported you are the chief person of the China Research Institute on Aging, today I take the liberty to write a letter to you, which will surely add extra workload to your busy work schedule. I was a slave laborer captured by the Japanese Army in 1945 (see the attached account of my experience), I heard you are very interested in the similar matters, today I write a letter to you, in the hope that you can tell me now what policies the government is now adopting, and what your opinions are, please give me help out of your busy schedule, and spare some time to give me instructions by writing me a reply letter. While posting this letter to you today, I also sent a document about my experience to the Japanese Embassy in China, (the address is Political Department, Japanese Embassy in China, 7 Ritan Road, Jianguomenwai, Beijing), I’m not sure if the address is correct or not, and if they can receive it; if the address is incorrect, please tell me.
Thanks a lot.
Regards
Li Zengxi
93.10.23
Compensation claim
I am Li Zengxi, a native of Hetou Village, Zhonghan Town, Gaoyi County, Hebei Province, now aged 74.
During the Japanese invasion period, in the winter of 1943, the Japanese Army conscripted slave laborers and sent them to coal mines in Japan to work, the puppet Bao heads of each village were commissioned to capture slave laborers for them, back then Li Lianbai, Wu Guangshun of my village and I were captured, and escorted to Gaoyi county town, two puppet military policemen escorted one slave laborer to board the train, which took us to Shijiazhuang, locked in one dark room for one night, on the second day we were sent to Tanggu, there were a total of 100 persons being captured. In Tanggu, we were stripped, ten persons were tied on one rope, no one was allowed to move about, the Japanese puppet traitors would beat us wildly with triangle stick and whip at the slightest sign of protest, we were detained in Tanggu for more than 20 days, each one was given uniform black garment, and taken a photo one by one, in Tanggu we were escorted onto a ship, after a long voyage lasting 15 day we arrived at Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture in Japan, where we received physical examination and disinfection before being transferred to a train and then a ship, followed by train to reach Kamisunagawa Coal Mine in Hokkaido, where we were forced to work as coal-digging slave laborers, it was not until 1945 when Japan surrendered that my fellow slave laborers and I who were still alive were released and sent back to China. Fellow slave laborers being captured together with me include Ren Dezi (Xiguan, Gaoyi), Guo Baoyi, Zhao Hongdan (Dongzhang Village), Lu Zhenyao (Nanguan), I’m not clear about the whereabouts of these persons, my fellow villager Li Lianbai who retuned with us has died, Wang Wang Yutai of Nanguan probably is still alive.
During the days when working in the coal mine in Japan, we received inhuman torment beyond description, each day we were forced to dig coal for thirteen hours, there was absolutely no life safety guarantee, many fellow slave laborers died of heavy beating in the mine, all of which were personally experienced or witnessed by myself. Because of the heavy workload in the mine and beating by Japanese foreman, I developed a number of lifelong diseases, I am unable to take care of myself, and I now still have to take care of my 90 year old weak mother at home, all these brought disaster to myself and the whole family.
In view of the above facts, I herby specially request assistance from relevant Chinese departments, I demand the incumbent Japanese government to follow international practice to offer humanitarian compensation atonement, and compensate for economic loss totaling USD 30000, in order to reverse the adverse impact caused by atrocities committed by the Japanese Invasion Army in China, alleviate and pacify the hatred due to barbarian looting & persecution suffered by myself and my relatives, develop the traditional friendship between Chinese and Japanese peoples, continually improve friendly relation between both countries, so that Chinese and Japanese people will maintain friendly relation for generations to come!
This document is sent to relevant Chinese departments and the Japanese Embassy in China respectively.
Li Zengxi, Mingshui Bauxite, Shandong Jinan Iron & Steel General Factory
Postal code: 250200
Tel: (05419) 212401
Correspondence address: Li Zengxi, c/a Mingshui Bauxite Supply & Sales Section, Jinan Iron & Steel General Factory, Shandong Province
September 30, 1993
