Peter Bargen was just seven years old when he and his family narrowly escaped the Russian Gulag and an almost certain death. The rest of his relatives were not so fortunate. During Stalin's reign (1922-53), thousands of Mennonites, along with 45-60 million people perished through enforced exile, execution, famine, and resulting disease.

Now, in a story that crosses continents and binds together generations, a rare and long forgotten cache of letters reveals the terrifying details of his family’s fate.