Political Repression
During the Soviet period, political repression was a central mechanism of state control. Widespread surveillance, censorship, and imprisonment were used to target perceived enemies of the state, especially during Stalin’s purges and later under the KGB. These measures affected not only political figures but also ordinary citizens, creating an environment where expressing dissent could lead to serious consequences.In present-day Russia, restrictions on political opposition remain significant. Laws targeting “foreign agents” and “extremist” have restricted the activity of independent civil society organization, media outlets, and individual activists. These ongoing restrictions continue to shape the political landscape, where challenging state narratives remains difficult. Oral histories provide insight into both Soviet-era repression and its lasting effects, offering perspectives often absent from official accounts.
Susanna Petschuro
This interview preserves a victim’s account of political repression in the Soviet Union, focusing on their arrest at the age of sixteen for involvement in a youth group labeled as anti-Soviet. The victim describes the support they received from teachers and classmates, the abruptness of their arrest, and the long sentence that followed. They reflect on their transfer between multiple labor camps, the harsh conditions of imprisonment, and the lasting impact of their incarceration.
View Item →Sergei Lwowitsch Schtscheglow
This interview preserves a victim’s account of Soviet repression, focusing on the arrest and imprisonment of their mother for religious activity in 1937. The victim recounts their early home education, the impact of their parents’ political and religious identities, and their own arrest in 1941 following years of surveillance and exclusion.
View Item →References
Dalrymple, Dana G. “The Soviet Famine of 1932–1934: ‘Food Is a Weapon’ — Maxim Litvinov, 19211.” Soviet Studies 15, no. 3 (January 1964): 250–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136408410364. AP News. “What’s Life like for Russia’s Political Prisoners? Isolation, Poor Food and Arbitrary Punishment,” February 27, 2024. https://apnews.com/article/russia-crackdown-prison-navalny-karamurza-putin-3e5b9f5d3cfde3256819fbde5e405067. OSCE, U. S. Mission. “Political Repression in Russia.” U.S. Mission to the OSCE, April 20, 2023. https://osce.usmission.gov/political-repression-in-russia/. Sauer, Pjotr. “Gulag History Museum in Moscow Temporarily Closed ‘for Safety Reasons.’” The Guardian, November 14, 2024, sec. World news. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/14/gulag-history-museum-moscow-russia-closed.