Date of letter:1992-10-16
Address of author:Ji’nan City, Shandong Province
Date of event:1944
Location of event:Shandong Province
Name of author:Liu Jianguo
Name(s) of victim(s):Liu Yuangang（Liu Jianguo’s father）
Type of atrocity:Slave Laborers, Murders(SL, MU）
Other details:In 1944, my father was caught by the Japanese soldiers to do hard labor. He was carried away by train, and we did not know where he was taken. After Japan surrendered, two labors came back and said that my father was unable to dig coal in the coal pit because of illness and was burned to death by the Japanese soldiers.
Comrade Tong Zeng,
Hello!
It was by sheer chance that I read your appeal on Chinese people demanding “damage compensation” from Japan with admiration in a digest monthly (No. 114 of East West South North), after reading it I was greatly moved, I more appreciate your personal integrity.
I am a family member of a victim, the details of my family’s persecution is below: Our family’s native place was Xihebei Village, Puji Town, Zhangqiu County, Shandong Province, from a poor peasant family. My father Liu Yuangang was captured to work as “slave labor” in 1944, he was taken away on a train (freight train), the exact direction was unclear at that time, there was no news about his whereabouts. Later (in about 1945) when Japan surrendered, tow lucky survivors from Zhangqiu retuned to my home and told us my father “Liu Yuangang was unable to enter the coal mine due to illness, the Japanese feared it would develop epidemic and burned Liu Yuangang into ash, when they returned on ship they inadvertently poured the bone ash into the sea”, in that year my father was only 28, since then my family was plunged into deep sorrow, the whole family’s hard life was inconceivable. My mother was then only 29, she remained a widow since then. (This year my mother is 78)
The misery and pain caused by the killing of my father by the Japanese invaders is very typical in Puji, Zhangqiu region. My mother would invariably burst into tears whenever this episode was mentioned, especially after watching the TV drama ‘Liu Lianren’, she could never feel reconciled with the absence of any concrete clues about her husband, whether alive or dead. Today I feel much gratified after reading your righteous appeal, this account must be settled, which is perfectly justified by any standard. Nevertheless, I don’t know the exact details, formalities and the materials being needed and so on, please give me a letter to tell me details, I will report everything to you truthfully. I’m also willing to take part in this civilian claim tide, if necessary I can go to your office to give face-to-face interview. Please give me instructions.
Address: 14 Shanshi East Road, Jinan City
Employer: Ministry of Metallurgical Industry Shandong Geological Prospecting Bureau
Tel: Jinan City 657971, 652083
Regards
Sincerely yours!
Liu Jianguo
92.10.16
