Researching the History of the Gulags

Djamila Holmurodova (Julie Erkins), Verrazano Class of 2019, Completed Majors in Geography and History, with a Minor in East Asian Studies

  Being from Uzbekistan, I was always intrigued by Russian history as my country was once under the influence of the Soviet Union. I have always heard rumors about the Gulags while growing up and how it was a place for hardened criminals who had deserved the punishment they received because they were a threat to the societies within the Soviet Union.  Never did I think that the opposite was true, that in fact, most of those imprisoned were innocent and were sent to the Gulags because they were perceived by the Stalin regime as a threat. When I began to learn more about the people who suffered through the harsh conditions in the Gulags, I was appalled but also empowered, to read so many memoirs from women prisoners that displayed such great strength and perseverance in the face of unspeakable horror. 

Under the guidance of Professor Peter Kabachnik, I learned that his father was a Gulag survivor and I discovered the harsh conditions in which he and many others that were sent to these forced labor camps had to endure. This compelled me to research this period in Soviet Russian history. Reading some of these stories from the many memoirs of gulag survivors was heart breaking. To hear of the despair and agony suffered by people who were mostly innocent, impacted me greatly. But I also found stories of great strength and endurance, especially from the women who were imprisoned. Some took on motherly roles, doing whatever they could to look out for each other. I found this to be quite inspirational. At times, when I was not focused, Professor Kabachnik would encourage me to work harder and pushed me to my greatest potential, which I am very thankful for. 

Towards the end of my research, my Geography class took a field trip to Manhattan in which we visited several memorials including the 9/11 memorial and the Irish Hunger Memorial. At the Irish Hunger Memorial, I was reminded of the suffering that the Irish had endured during the Great Potato Famine and the quotes that were inscribed along the walls, illustrated the suffering of many other cultures throughout history. One quote, from a prominent gulag historian and survivor – Alexander Solzhenitsyn, that Professor Kabachnik had pointed out to me, was surprising. The quote was about hunger and further reminded me why my research and the opportunity to share what I have learned is so vastly important, that others can learn and understand the tragedies of the past so that we do not repeat them.