What exactly was the Gulag?

[HATALbR]

American Metal:

Howdy! John McCain is a little "scary."

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Zinnia:

Welcome to russia.com!

I'm sure that the survivors were considered "displaced persons;" as well as many citizens & soldiers (a main condition of WWI & WWII).

Sincerely,
Natalie

[zinnia]

Hello Natalie,
TY.

Is there a literature of memories from the survivors, similar to Jewish Holocaust literature? I know about Solzhenytsyn, of course, but I am thinking of more popular level of writer, less detailed?

How has Russia come to absorb the Gulag experience into her collective memory?

[HATALbR]

zinnia:

Interesting question/comments....

Do you mean popular writer or well-known?

Is there a famous writer that was sent to the gulag? [I'm asking]

Or are these writer(s) known because of their "gulag diaries?"

A writer is suppose to be detailed--I'm not sure what you are getting at...

The Nazi henchmen singled out Jewish artists, writers and/or "perservers of Jewish history...."

Stalin spent some time in jail for...writing (political activity). If you wrote something derogatory about Stalin during his reign--you might not have even made it to the gulag.

Now, people make comments regarding President Putin and Censorship....[many topics converge].
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The word "absorb" is an excellent choice!

Stalin is very much alive in the heart and gut of russia and her citizens...and I've personally felt its shock waves over here in america....

[Zygmunt]

Originally Posted by HATALbR

Zygmut:

Welcome to russia.com!

The gulags were a form of "detention centers," considered more like labor camps, prison, and ultimately "death camps." These are comparable to the concentration camps created by the Nazis. They were usually in the upper region(s) of Siberia.

The secret police were first called the NKVD, then later, after Stalin's death the name changed to KGB. The "secret police" were usually responsible for making the arrests & sending violators to the gulags. The secret police received most of their information from common citizens, or perhaps coherced from common citizens spying on each other.

Natalie

Ahh, GuLAG... Get it.

[HATALbR]

LA[D] to LA[G]; inmate, prisoner....

what is there to really "get?"

[American Metal]

I'll tell you what the Gulag was-a good idea. We need to put American religious fundaMENTALists SOMEWHERE before they start World War III.

[HATALbR]

American Metal:

I did laugh out loud reading your post.

You REALLY don't like McCain? Of course, he REALLY doesn't like Russia....

How about a resort island?

Natalie