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Sometimes the temperature falls to -50 degrees. And then there is the wind. When the wind starts blowing everything just disappears, your face and eyes are covered in ice.

In this environment prisoners worked with just picks and spades. Boots were in short supply. Food was scarse and the prisoners had no warm clothing.
Now, it is silent on the hills, but in 1937 hundreds of prisoners worked in these conditions in Norilsk

d I have spent the last 35 years of my life living and working in Norilsk. In my spare time I have researched about the Gulags in the Norilsk region and the prisoners who worked and died there. Step by step I have collected information about where the barracks had been located and the facts about the prisoners life.

This was not just an historical exercise for me but came from a deeper attempt to try and understand the pain, suffering and even courage that the prisoners showed.

The map you see here is actually 1,5 by 2 metres. I took as a starting point the general map of the modern Norilsk region.

I have tried then, to the best of my knowledge and ability, add rivers, lakes and the railways. Then, on top of where today are houses and factories I have added the rectangular Gulag barracks

As you can understand this is a work that is always in progress. There are still too many things that I don't understand. But, I hope that one day I will have it finished which will be my contribution to the memory of the Gulag prisoners.

vjatcheslav@norilsk-gulag.org
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