Early in the morning they made women to get on the trucks, Gotso Makharadze mother of Leila Gordeladze also was there sitting next to my mom, she was sentenced death. Soon men also appeared, Gotso noticed my father Otia, he was handsome and tall like my mom. He looked so pitifully that mother could not belive he was Otia. All the people were stuffed together in one trunk, I mean; things were unorganized despite that it was KGB operation. Gotso was very strong women, she managed to place me next to her. Mother managed to talk with my father, he was only 33 then, but all grey, with yellowish face and skeletal hands, “Otia you looked so good, what happened to you” – asked mother. Otia pulled out bandaged legs, bloody and purulent “They pooled out all my toes, when I leave from here I’ll barefoot reach the Kremlin” –he replied. It was April, he was shot three months later.
There were three other women from Tbilisi, among them Maro Makashvili , she was false charged in membership of fascist organization. Maro was classmate of Dateshidze’s niece, a young girl who was horribly tortured confirmed that Maro Makashvili was a member of her organization and they had been working together. She was in such a terrible condition that Maro could said nothing when seeing her, only 5 years later she asked to my mom “Taliko, please explain what is fascism?” Such a terrible was environment people have been living in.
Born in Borjomi in 1928; She was 9 years old in 1937 when her parents were arrested. As they found out later, father was shot right after the arrest, mother was exiled to Siberia. she was brought up by aunts.
Madlena was on the 9th form when mother returned. in 1947 she entered Tbilisi Art Academy, at the faculty of architecture. After graduation she has been working as an architect in multiple organizations until she retired on a pension.
Madlena’s husband was an architect, she has a son, and they live together in Tbilisi.
Madlena retells mother’s story, her life in exile.
