Another year passed. Johann had resigned himself to his life north of the Arctic Circle. Nutrition had improved since his arrival, especially due to the care packages the prisoners were now allowed to receive.
In-demand things from Western Germany like shampoo, chocolate, or oranges could be traded very profitably with the townsfolk.
Some of the barracks had arranged for their own patch of vegetable garden, spending countless hours raking, sowing, watering, and weeding during the short arctic summer. The men took turns hauling water from the nearby river on their walk home from work.
Today was Johann’s day off and together with two fellow prisoners it was his turn to watch over the potato plants. It was a boring thing to do, but with the promise of potatoes to add to his soup during the
