As we sought refuge from the pouring rain, we found ourselves inside the Alzhir Gulag Museum. The dismal weather seemed to foretell the somber and enlightening experience that awaited us. Alzhir, one of the largest Soviet concentration camps for women, existed in Kazakhstan from 1938 to 1953. It housed numerous political prisoners, along with their children, and held thousands of women during its operation. The camp detained many women solely because they were related to “enemies of the people,” including ballerinas, actresses, and high-ranking government officials. The prisoners were subjected to harsh conditions and brutal treatment.
Approximately 30 km outside of Astana, stands a partially underground, round museum that serves as a solemn reminder of the past. Situated beside a towering monument and a few model train cars, reminiscent of those that once carried countless women to their fate, this site bears witness to the atrocities committed during the Soviet era.
As we briskly walked under the monument, we made our way into the museum. Inside, we were immediately struck by the sight of a rose statue, emerging from the stone floor. This powerful image symbolized hope for the future and the resilience of humanity. After taking a moment to absorb the surroundings, we were warmly greeted by a friendly guide who led us through the museum. Above this statue hung a sculpture, resembling a twisted metal cage. In a less hopeful tone, this represented the nations that were all trapped inside the horrific cage that was the Soviet Union and its terror. The museum itself is split into two floors, which are each a single corridor, winding around the perimeter of the building. I also noticed that most of the lighting in the museum comes from windows peaking through the top of the rounded room. After further consideration, this seems to be a deliberate choice, as the building itself embodies the overall darkness of the exhibits, yet maintains hope by including limited natural light.
The museum’s exhibits feature a collection of old photographs showcasing the various victims of the terror. One set of portraits displayed the subjects before they were sent to a gulag, while another set depicted the same individuals after their imprisonment. In each photograph, the terrifying impact of the system was on full display as the subjects appeared more disheveled and fearful. Another exhibit that caught my attention was a large wooden door. We were told that this was the exact door, used to lock in countless women, during its decades of service. I was engrossed in an effort to examine each scratch and groove in the door, as my imagination ran wild crafting stories of their origins.
In addition, we gazed upon the belongings of a few prisoners. These items include clothing, shoes, and small trinkets, all of which serve as a poignant reminder of the lives that were lost. Impressively, we were shown sculpted pieces of bread, which were given to orphans by the women in the camp. They were further adorned with color, which is an impressive feat, given that they only were able to use flowers that they foraged for color. It was these, that showed me that people can maintain their humanity through even some of the worst suffering imaginable. Another hopeful story was that of one of Qazaqstan’s cheeses, which has a shape (and texture) reminiscent of a rock. The story says that locals threw balls of these cheeses at prisoners, and the guards, mostly foreigners, were completely unaware of what they were. After the prisoners figured it out, they had a surely necessary food source. It was moments like that, upon my exit, left not just sadness, but hope for the future, and our species as a whole.
The highlight of our visit to Alzhir was a video that, while overedited with distracting CGI elements like barbed wire flying through many shots, managed to deliver a powerful emotional impact. The video was a compilation of interviews with former prisoners of the camp and their relatives. It provided an eye-opening glimpse into the horrors that took place within the camp’s walls, and the lasting effects of those events on many families today. Despite the distracting elements, the interviews were powerful and moving, leaving a lasting impression on me. The video grounded all the exhibits that we had seen in my reality,
As we traversed the often strangely modern beauty of Astana, Alzhir served as a powerful reminder of the horrors of the Soviet concentration camp system, which came before. It gives me hope to see that Qazaqstan has embraced this terrible past, and is using it as an opportunity for education rather than sweeping it under the rug. As was emphasized at the end of a short movie we were shown, this helps ensure that history does not repeat itself. The museum is a must-see for anyone interested in learning more about this dark chapter in history, and its focus on education ensures that the memory of the women who were imprisoned there will live on for generations to come.
– Charlie Ney
