List of Gulag camps

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The list below, enumerates the selected sites of the Soviet forced labor camps of the Gulag, known in Russian as the "corrective labor camps", abbreviation: ITL. Most of them served mining, construction, and timber works. It is estimated that for most of its existence, the Gulag system consisted of over 30,000 camps, divided into three categories according to the number of prisoners held. The largest camps consisted of more than 25,000 prisoners each, medium size camps held from 5,000 to 25,000 inmates, and the smallest, but most numerous labor camps operated with less than 5,000 people each. [1] Even this incomplete list can give a fair idea of the scale of forced labor in the USSR.

Contents

A list of Gulag penal labor camps in the USSR was created in Poland from the personal accounts of labor camp detainees of Polish citizenship. It was compiled by the government of Poland for the purpose of regulation and future financial compensation for World War II victims, and published in a decree of the Council of Ministers of Poland. [2]

Camp system operation

There were a number of particular categories of convicts that were imprisoned there including:

  1. Any person convicted to a term of imprisonment of more than three years (all those convicted to less than three years were to be sent to "corrective labor colonies").
  2. Opponents of the Soviet rule. Initially these were dubbed "class enemies" (White Army combatants, members of opposition parties, nobility, etc.). Later, when the full victory of the Revolution was declared and there were supposedly no more "class enemies" left, a more flexible term of the enemy of the people was introduced, as well as an infamous Article 58 (RSFSR Penal Code) that covered "counter-revolutionary activities".
  3. Soviet combatants returned from captivity. As a rule they were held liable under Article 58.

The prisoners of war were generally imprisoned in special POW camps, which existed independently from the network of corrective labor camps, and were subordinated to a separate administrative apparatus within the NKVD (since 1946: MVD) called GUPVI. However, a fair number of POWs ended up in the regular camp system eventually. Unlike Gulag camps, located primarily in remote areas (mostly in Siberia), most of the POW camps after the war were located in the European part of the Soviet Union (with notable exceptions of the Japanese POW in the Soviet Union), where the prisoners worked on restoration of the country's infrastructure destroyed during the war: roads, railways, plants, etc., see POW labor in the Soviet Union. Polish citizens and members of other nationalities who were imprisoned at the Soviet forced labour camps during World War II worked also for the Soviet Army, digging trenches, employed in lumber and cement works, airport runway construction, and unloading of transport goods. [3]

Gulag Location Map af.svg
Location map of the Soviet Gulag system of concentration camps

Main camp directorates with acronyms

GULAG

Construction works

Continued from the Polish Dziennik Ustaw complete listing of NKVD camps with Poles. [2]

A

Memorial for the Akmolinsk camp for wives of "traitors of the Motherland" (ALZhIR) Gulag ALZHIR in Astana, Kazakhstan, Monument to the victims 02.jpg
Memorial for the Akmolinsk camp for wives of "traitors of the Motherland" (АЛЖИР)

Continued from the Polish Dziennik Ustaw complete listing of NKVD camps with Poles. [2]

B

Continued from the Polish Dziennik Ustaw complete listing of NKVD camps, [2] and the Russian Карта ГУЛАГа – Мемориал

C

Continued from the Polish Dziennik Ustaw complete listing of NKVD camps with Poles. [2]

D

E

F

G

I

Continued from the Polish Dziennik Ustaw complete listing of NKVD camps with Poles. [2]

K

L

M

Continued from the Polish Dziennik Ustaw complete listing of NKVD camps with Poles. [2]

N

O

P

R

S

Continued from the Russian Карта ГУЛАГа – Мемориал listing of NKVD camps, [7] and the Polish Dziennik Ustaw listing of camps.

T

U

V

Y

Z

Continued from the Polish complete listing of NKVD camps with Poles. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulag</span> Soviet forced penal labour camp system

The Gulag was a system of forced labor camps in the Soviet Union. The word Gulag originally referred only to the division of the Soviet secret police that was in charge of running the forced labor camps from the 1930s to the early 1950s during Joseph Stalin's rule, but in English literature the term is popularly used for the system of forced labor throughout the Soviet era. The abbreviation GULAG (ГУЛАГ) stands for "Гла́вное Управле́ние исправи́тельно-трудовы́х ЛАГере́й", but the full official name of the agency changed several times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharashka</span> Soviet-era prison for scientists

Sharashkas were secret research and development laboratories operating from 1930 to the 1950s within the Soviet Gulag labor camp system, as well as in other facilities under the supervision of the Soviet secret service. Formally various secret R&D facilities were called "special design bureau" Russian: особое конструкторское бюро, ОКБ and similar terms. Etymologically, the word sharashka derives from a Russian slang expression sharashkina kontora,, an ironic, derogatory term to denote a poorly-organized, impromptu, or bluffing organization, which in its turn comes from the criminal argot term sharaga (шарага) for a band of thieves, hoodlums, etc.)

There were a succession of Soviet secret police agencies over time. The first secret police after the October Revolution, created by Vladimir Lenin's decree on December 20, 1917, was called "Cheka" (ЧК). Officers were referred to as "chekists", a name that is still informally applied to people under the Federal Security Service of Russia, the KGB's successor in Russia after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalstroy</span> Special directorate of the NKVD

Dalstroy, also known as Far North Construction Trust, was an organization set up in 1931 in order to manage road construction and the mining of gold in the Russian Far East, including the Magadan Region, Chukotka, parts of Yakutia and parts of present-day Kamchatka Krai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sevvostlag</span>

Sevvostlag was a system of forced labor camps set up to satisfy the workforce requirements of the Dalstroy construction trust in the Kolyma region in April 1932. Organizationally being part of Dalstroy and under the management of the Labor and Defence Council of Sovnarkom, these camps were formally subordinated to OGPU later the NKVD directorate of the Far Eastern Krai. On March 4, 1938, Sevvostlag was resubordinated to the NKVD GULAG. In 1942 it was resubordinated back to Dalstroy. In 1949 it was renamed to the Directorate of Dalstroy Corrective Labor Camps. In 1953, after the death of Joseph Stalin, with the reform of the Soviet penal system, it was again resubordinated to Gulag and later reformed into the Directorate of Far Eastern Corrective Labor Camps Управление Северо-восточных исправительно-трудовых лагерей, УСВИТЛ (USVITL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norillag</span> Gulag labor camp

Norillag, Norilsk Corrective Labor Camp was a gulag labor camp set by Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia and headquartered there. It existed from June 25, 1935 to August 22, 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matvei Berman</span> Soviet security officer and head of the Gulag prison camp system

Matvei Davidovich Berman was a Soviet security officer and head of the Gulag Soviet prison camp system from 1932 to 1937.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NKVD</span> Secret police of the Soviet Union (1934–1946)

The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs, abbreviated as NKVD, was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) secret police organization, and thus had a monopoly on intelligence and state security functions. The NKVD is known for carrying out political repression and the Great Purge under Joseph Stalin, as well as counterintelligence and other operations on the Eastern Front of World War II. The head of the NKVD was Genrikh Yagoda from 1934 to 1936, Nikolai Yezhov from 1936 to 1938, Lavrentiy Beria from 1938 to 1946, and Sergei Kruglov in 1946.

Sevzheldorlag was a penal labor camp of the GULAG system in the USSR. The full name was Северный железнодорожный исправительно-трудовой лагерь НКВД, Northern Railway Corrective Labor Camp of NKVD. Established on May 10, 1938 from subcamps of Ukhtpechlag, because of the sharp increase of the convicts due to the Great Terror. On July 24, 1950 it was merged with North Pechora ITL to make the Pechora ITL. The camp was at its largest in January 1941 with 84,893 inmates. The main operation was railroad construction. The sites of the camp were within Komi ASSR, East Siberia: at Kotlas railway station, Knyazhpogost settlement, and Zheleznodorozhny settlement.

Unzhlag or Unzhensky ITL was a camp of the GULAG system of labor camps in the Soviet Union. Named after the Unzha River, it has headquarters at the railway station Sukhobezvodnoye, Gorky Oblast. It operated from February 5, 1938 to 1960. The main operation was logging and wood processing industries, but also served a wide variety of other small-scale industries: construction, metalworking, railroad servicing, clothing, footwear, pottery production, etc. The camp had 30 sites (lagpunkts).

Temlag (Темла́г), Temnikovsky Corrective Labor Camp, or Temnikovsky ITL was a camp of the Gulag labor camp system of the Soviet Union. It was in the Mordovian ASSR. Its name derives from the town of Temnikov because it was in Temnikov District, although its administration was in Yavas. It existed during 1931-1948. Major industries were logging, wood processing industries, and railroad construction. In addition it had a wide variety of other small-scale industries: construction, metalworking, railroad servicing, clothing and footwear production, etc. Upon liquidation its assets were split. The camp system was transferred to Dubravlag while the industries were reorganized into the Temnikovsky Industrial Combine of Gulag, which itself did not manage any camps, and later it was also merged into Dubravlag.

Minlag or Mineralny Camp Directorate was an MVD special camp for political prisoners within the Gulag system of the Soviet Union. It was established on February 28, 1948 based on the Inta labor camp, Komi ASSR. In 1954, after Stalin's death it was reorganized into an ordinary Mineralny Corrective Labor Camp.

Gorlag or Gorny Camp Directorate, Special Camp No. 2 ) was an MVD special camp for political prisoners within the Gulag system of the Soviet Union. It was established on February 28, 1948 on the part of the premises of Norillag, Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, RSFSR. In 1954, after Stalin's death it was merged back into Norillag, which was closed in 1957 together with most of the Gulag system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berlag</span> Gulag labor camp

Berlag or Beregovoy Camp Directorate, Special Camp No. 5, Osoblag of Dalstroy ) was an MVD special camp for political prisoners within the Gulag system of the Soviet Union. It was established on February 28, 1948 and operated within the Dalstroy organization. In 1954, after Stalin's death the camps of Berlag were converted into regular corrective labor camps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intalag</span>

The Inta Corrective Labor Camp or Intalag was a forced labor camp of the Gulag, which existed between 1941 and 1948 near the town of Inta in the Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Prisoners at the camp were mainly engaged in the mining of local coal deposits.

Serpantinka is the informal name for the place of detention and execution at the times of Stalinism. Though never officially found by any expedition it is believed to be located somewhere in the Kolyma region. It was under control of Sevvostlag, and the local NKVD troika used it as the second major place for the enforcement of their death sentences during the Great Terror. The few survivors recall "Serpantinka" as one of the most brutal sites, even among Stalin's camps in the Kolyma area.

Sergey Yakovlevich Zhuk was a Soviet hydraulic engineer, technician and state official. Hero of Socialist Labour (1952).

Usollag, full name: Usolye Corrective Labor Camp was a Gulag forced labor camp established on February 5, 1938 and functioned after the dissolution of Gulag, until 1960. It was headquartered in Solikamsk, now in Perm Krai, Russia, and it had numerous "lagpunkts" in the northern parts of the then Molotov Oblast. Its main occupation was logging and associated industries. Its reported peak occupancy was 37,000 inmates on January 1, 1942.

The Chief Directorate of Railroad Construction Camps was a directorate of NKVD in charge of Gulag labor camps which manned railroad construction during 1940-1953. It was created on January 4, 1940 under the title Chief Directorate of Railroad Construction (GULZhD). From 1941 it become known as GULZhDS. Its main task was railroad construction, with other occasional projects, such as construction of highways in Ukraine and Volga Region, some plants, airfields, mines and housing. Its best known project was the construction of the Baikal–Amur Mainline.

Ustvymlag was a Gulag labor camp in the Soviet Union, Komi ASSR, with the headquarters in the village of Ust-Vym, later moved to Vozhayol. The full name is Ust-Vym Corrective Labor Camp. It was created from a detachment of Ukhtpechlag (Ухтпечлаг) on August 16, 1937. After the dismantling of the Gulag system it remained a corrective labor camp of the Soviet penal system at least until 1958.

References

  1. ↑ "НИПЦ "Мемориал", при содействии фонда Фельтринелли и кафедры картографии географического факультета МГУ". Карта ГУЛАГа (Gulag map). The Memorial Society, Russia. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rada Ministrów (20 September 2001). Decree of the Council of Ministers regarding places of Soviet detention of Polish nationals. Dz.U.2001.106.1154. ROZPORZĄDZENIE PREZESA RADY MINISTRÓW z dnia 20 września 2001 r. w sprawie określenia miejsc odosobnienia, w których były osadzone osoby narodowości polskiej lub obywatele polscy innych narodowości. (Dz. U. z dnia 29 września 2001 r.) (in Polish)
  3. ↑ А. Kokurin. Тюремная система. 1934–1960 [The prison system, 1934–1960] (in Russian). Memorial . Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  4. 1 2 Лагеря ГУЛАГа в Красноярском крае (включая Хакасию)
  5. ↑ Information about Dalstroy and SVITL (para #5) Archived 2006-12-09 at the Wayback Machine (in Russian)
  6. ↑ ИТЛ И СТРОИТЕЛЬСТВО ВЛАДИМИРСКОЙ ГЭС (ИТЛ и Строительство Верхне-Клязьминской ГЭС)
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Виктор ЛОЗИНСКИ. "Archipelago Gulag". Объединенный ученый совет СО РАН по экономическим наукам. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  8. ↑ ОРЛОВСКИЙ ИТЛ
  9. ↑ Томско-Асинский ИТЛ
  10. ↑ ТОМЬ-УСИНСКИЙ ИТЛ
  11. ↑ История Междуреченска
  12. ↑ ВОРОНИНСКИЙ ИТЛ
  13. ↑ ЕНСКОЕ СТРОИТЕЛЬСТВО И ИТЛ (Енлаг)
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