Gulag

GULAG Logo

Gulag Location Map

File:Gulag montage.jpg

Gulag montage

Vorkuta

Yagoda kanal Moskva Volga

The fence at the old GULag in Perm-36

Government agency in charge of the Soviet forced labor camp system

The Gulag (an acronym for Glavnoe Upravlenie Lagerei, or "Main Camp Administration") was the government agency in charge of the Soviet forced labor camp system during the era of Joseph Stalin. The term is also used to refer to the camps themselves. The Gulag system was established in 1930 and became a major instrument of political repression in the Soviet Union.

History

The Gulag system was created under the administration of the NKVD, the Soviet secret police. It was initially intended to handle the growing number of political prisoners and criminals. Over time, the system expanded significantly, especially during the Great Purge of the late 1930s, when millions of people were arrested and sent to the camps.

Conditions

Life in the Gulag was extremely harsh. Prisoners were subjected to grueling labor, inadequate food, and brutal treatment by guards. Many prisoners died from exhaustion, disease, or execution. The camps were located in remote areas of the Soviet Union, including Siberia, where the harsh climate added to the suffering of the inmates.

Economic Role

The Gulag played a significant role in the Soviet economy. Prisoners were used as a cheap labor force for various construction projects, mining, and logging. The labor provided by the Gulag was essential for the development of many remote regions of the Soviet Union.

Dissolution

The Gulag system began to decline after the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. Under the leadership of Nikita Khrushchev, many of the camps were closed, and a large number of prisoners were released. The system was officially dissolved in 1960.

Legacy

The legacy of the Gulag is a dark chapter in Soviet history. It is estimated that millions of people were imprisoned in the Gulag camps, and many of them perished. The system has been the subject of numerous books, films, and academic studies, and it remains a powerful symbol of political repression and human suffering.

Related Pages

• NKVD
• Great Purge
• Joseph Stalin
• Siberia
• Nikita Khrushchev
• Political repression in the Soviet Union

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