Suicide in the Soviet Gulag camps

Area of Science:

• History
• Sociology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• The Gulag system imprisoned approximately 18 million Soviet citizens between 1929 and 1953.
• Prisoner experiences in totalitarian regimes often involve extreme psychological and physical distress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the incidence and nature of suicide and self-mutilation within the Soviet Gulag system.
• To determine whether suicide was a frequent or rare occurrence among Gulag inmates.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of literary evidence from Gulag camp survivors.
• Review of published historical documents pertaining to the Gulag system.

Main Results:

• Reports of attempted and completed suicides were found in survivor testimonies and documents.
• The phenomenon of "Muselmänner" or "dokhodyagi" (emaciated, dying prisoners) was identified, sometimes conflated with suicide.
• The study discusses the incidence and methods of self-mutilation among inmates.

Conclusions:

• Suicide and self-mutilation were present, though their precise frequency requires further nuanced analysis.
• The extreme conditions of the Gulag likely contributed to these desperate behaviors.
• Understanding these acts provides insight into prisoner survival and resistance strategies.