Family isolated in Russian woods for 40 yrs- unaware of WWII

[Adios Pantalones]

Completely amazing story

(broken link removed to http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/history/2013/01/for-40-years-this-russian-family-was-cut-off-from-all-human-contact-unaware-of-world-war-ii/)

 

[Danno77]

having problems loading the page. I'll keep trying, this sounds cool.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

They went to escape religious persecution in 1936, were discovered in 1976- and one of them is still living there (she was born out in the woods)

different link to story- took a while to load

(broken link removed to http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/history/2013/01)

 

[Badfish740]

Wow. Just wow... Thanks for posting.

 

[Danno77]

pretty cool. isn't it amazing that these things happen and even come out in the news 15-20-30 years ago and we don't even hear about them at the time, but sure enough on the internet in 2013 they resurface.

 

[Badfish740]

Gives a whole new meaning to "Alone in the Wilderness." Dick Proenneke started with at least basic hand tools, had a bush pilot who visited him regularly with deliveries and news from the outside world, and had visitors from time to time.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

I remember also hearing about Japanese soldiers living on islands for many years, not knowing the war was over: http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwarii/a/soldiersurr.htm

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Wow. just uhh- wow

http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/list.html

 

[Badfish740]

This is the part that, as a deer hunter, just blew me away:

It was not until the late 1950s, when Dmitry reached manhood, that they first trapped animals for their meat and skins. Lacking guns and even bows, they could hunt only by digging traps or pursuing prey across the mountains until the animals collapsed from exhaustion. Dmitry built up astonishing endurance, and could hunt barefoot in winter, sometimes returning to the hut after several days, having slept in the open in 40 degrees of frost, a young elk across his shoulders.

 

[Jags]

That is fantastically amazing. True grit to say the least.

 

[Delta-T]

reminds me of the movie "the gods must be crazy"....strange to think many people really are not connected to the information cycle, they must be so much happier.

 

[Badfish740]

strange to think many people really are not connected to the information cycle, they must be so much happier.

I actually wonder if they were happy. I think we as folks all too connected to society/information sometimes get a little romantic about such an existence. They did mention the period where they teetered on the edge of famine and how hard things got when what little supplies they had broke down (the rusted through kettles), etc... Obviously they had the will to go, and I would be that their faith played a role in that, but imagine all of that daily labor, cold, hunger, etc...just hoping to see the light of another day. Again, I think Dick Proenneke had a more idyllic existence at Twin Lakes in that he had the ability to establish a home (it sounds like they fled in the night with practically nothing), and had "just enough" connection to the outside world. Sure, he labored quite hard himself, but it sounds as though he had time to relax and take it all in at times, not just labor on and hope to survive another day.

 

[Delta-T]

no doubt, there are different levels of the "unconnected"...western russia (most of russia really) is not the place to be unprepared and hacking it on your own, unless you're a reindeer herder. there's a reason there aren't very many indigenous types in those regions. i was reading recently about one of the privately held islands of Hawaii that hosts a good number of natives and the people had made an agreement with the former King that they would do their best to preserve the native ways. To this day, they are still native speaking and live without the "modern conveniences" though it is difficult to continue to support a small village of people and still prepare the younger folks for what will inevitably be a move off the insland into the modern world. They have no electricity, running water or motor vehicles, no guns, and only allow visitors on 1 beach, and they are not allowed to see the vllage. Apparently they recently got access to a helicopter,to shuttle the small # of visitors, but its primary function is to allow the natives to get to big island to use the hospital. shuttling the visitors helps to offset the cost of the copter. Maybe its the idea of escaping the information cycle that is so attractive, I dunno, maybe its not as glamourous as I think it might be, but who didn't want to get shipwrecked in the middle of nowhere after watching Swiss Family Robinson?

 

[Badfish740]

Maybe its the idea of escaping the information cycle that is so attractive, I dunno, maybe its not as glamourous as I think it might be, but who didn't want to get shipwrecked in the middle of nowhere after watching Swiss Family Robinson?

Yeah but they had that whole ship full of supplies to salvage in the beginning LOL...that just made me think of something. Remember this old gem?

 

[Dune]

Fascinating. Thanks.

 

[pen]

wow