I just finished my last assignment for HUX 555 which ends my Summer semester. This assignment, to investigate how Russia is dealing with its recent past, was interesting and I did learn a few things. Most notably, Russia is still finding mass graves, sometimes in the most unusual places by today's standards. There is also some concern about the rehabilitation of Stalin's reputation and what it may mean for the future of the country.
The most fascinating book I read on the topic is Adam Hochschild's work - The Unquiet Ghost: Russians Remember Stalin. It used material from the author's visit to Russia in 1991, but was compelling nonetheless. There were many gulags above the Arctic Circle and one in particular, Kolyma, was legendary for instilling fear. It was located on the far side of Russia and only accessible after a train and boat ride. In remembering the Purges and their aftermath there was a running joke amongst the people:
"What is the tallest building in Moscow?"
"The Great Bell Tower or the Intercession Cathedral?"
"No. The Lubyanka (KGB headquarters). From there you can see all the way to Kolyma".
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