Gulag: A History

Chapter 24 recounts the series of revolts within the Soviet Gulag’s special camps following Stalin’s death, offering a glimpse into the transformative impact of political shifts on the prisoners’ psyche and their collective actions. The spread of rumors and the strengthening of national organizations within the camps signaled a growing unrest among the prisoners. The narrative highlights the distinct communal structures that had formed within the camp system, ranging from national groupings to ideologically driven factions. This organizational complexity not only facilitated a shared sense of identity and resistance among the prisoners but also allowed for the emergence of a sophisticated network of rebellion, underscored by acts of defiance such as the secret production and distribution of an underground newspaper.

The culmination of this unrest was a series of coordinated uprisings across the Gulag system, most notably in Norilsk, Vorkuta, and Kengir. These revolts were characterized by their unprecedented scale and organization, challenging the Soviet authorities’ control over the camps with demands for improved conditions and political reforms. The narrative documents the prisoners’ strategic mobilization, from the formation of strike committees to the execution of protests and the dissemination of anti-Soviet propaganda.