The first episode of the “GULAG. Witnesses” project explores the history of the GULAG—one of the most notorious symbols of Stalinist repression.
The system of labor camps emerged under Lenin and grew into a vast mechanism of oppression under Stalin. From 1930 to 1956, over 20 million people passed through the GULAG. 600,000 perished due to inhumane conditions, and nearly 800,000 were executed. Forced labor was used in the construction of major Soviet infrastructure projects: cities, mines, railways, and industrial sites.
The GULAG was not just a network of camps but an entire civilization that left a profound mark on millions of lives. After Stalin’s death, the camps were gradually closed, but the mechanisms of repression never truly disappeared.
The dramatized portion of the first episode is dedicated to Viktor Krasin—one of the most well-known GULAG prisoners. He is portrayed by Alexey Serebryakov.
Viktor Krasin was first arrested on January 16, 1949 and accused of “anti-Soviet agitation” and forming an “anti-Soviet group.” After serving five and a half years in labor camps, he was amnestied and released. In 1968, he joined the Soviet dissident movement and was arrested again…
#GULAGWitnesses #HistoryOfGULAG #StalinistRepressions #DocumentaryProject #58thUnseized #Memory #ECGProductions #OlgaAntimony #GregoryAntimony
