“I worked in the mine, in the tunnel, only advancements and on production fronts. Just load materials and get out. There were large spaces, a plane could fit inside. They would put in a metal plate, and we filled many wagons: 30-35-40 tons, for three people. While advancement is the opening of the tunnel. I also worked on those, in the third zone.
How were the working conditions?
Very difficult, especially in advancement, where the tunnels were opened. There was mine acid, and in two weeks, it would corrode the thick rail to little pieces. The wagon would shake, come off the rails, and we lifted it with hooks, we carried it on our backs.
Did the guards exercise violence?
In addition to the hard work, when we came out from there, the first two years, there were no baths to wash, no showers, at the mine entrance… they made them later, three years before I was released. After the revolt of 1973, I went at the beginning of 1976, the camp was punished, the prisoner had no right to dignity. If you raised your head up, looked at the guard up high, when we lined up to eat, or for reading the newspaper, he would say: Get up! Whip! Whip!
How many of you slept in the barracks?
Well, from 50 to 60 people. It didn’t take more than 60, but we would be up to 60 sometimes. Up to 50, not.
Were the beds bunked?
One room was 5 m by 5 m. Three-tier. My head, and the one below, reached the foot of the other, reached the head of that one, up to the ceiling. On the third tier, the head touched the ceiling.”