“To inmates of the Gulag” is one of the inscriptions on the Solovki Stone. Right here we find the \u0416\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430\u043c \u0440\u0435\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0441\u0438\u0439.
The \u0416\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430\u043c \u0440\u0435\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0441\u0438\u0439 is Moscow’s official monument to the victims of Communist terror. It stands across from the former NKVD headquarters in Lubyanka Square. The Solovetsky Stone is a landmark. Thousands of Russians gather here every year. They gather for the tradition of Returning the Names.
The stone is from the Solovetsky Islands. These islands held one of Russia’s most notorious gulags. Gulags were prisoner labor camps in the Onega Bay. This bay is part of the Russian White Sea.
The stone’s journey to Moscow was long. Its placement in the heart of the city marks a gravestone. It commemorates the millions whose graves are unknown. The monument’s grand opening occurred on October 30th, 1990. This day is the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Political Repression.
The Solovetsky Stone’s design is sleek. It is simplistic. The Stone itself is the statue. The Memorial human rights group hosts Returning the Names. They call out names of victims nonstop. This goes on from 10 AM to 10 PM every October 30th. The list of victims is so long. It has not been spoken to its completion.
Muscovites feel that the city recognizes its past. However, the Russian government stays separate from commemorations at Lubyanka Square. People believe Returning the Names lacks weight. They think state leadership does not value these events. Almost half believe political oppressions could recur. This could happen within the next generation.
Lubyanka Square once held Felix Dzerzhinsky’s statue. He founded the communist secret police. Although that statue was destroyed, the building’s shadow looms. It looms behind the \u0416\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430\u043c \u0440\u0435\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0441\u0438\u0439. It also sits where Dzerzhinsky’s statue once stood.
The Stone does not remind the government about past power misuses. Instead, private nonprofits use it for commemoration events. There is a somber paradox. It exists between the official monument and its location. The government’s lack of attention results in clashes. These clashes involve public versus citizen memory narratives. Private communities create their own versions of commemoration. These versions seem more representative.
The Remembrance Day for Victims of Political Repression mourns those who suffered. They suffered in the Soviet Union. This remembrance has been observed since October 30, 1991. The Supreme Soviet of Russia established it on October 18, 1991. This aligns with the Law on the Rehabilitation of the Victims of Political Repression.
Even President Putin visited the Butovo firing range on October 30, 2007. This shows some official recognition. Yet, some rights activists criticize this new use. They say the date was chosen by protesting political prisoners in the 1970s. They worry this distinction is being forgotten.
The Solovetsky Stone stands here. It is a reminder of a painful past. It symbolizes the ongoing struggle for remembrance. It also highlights the importance of honoring victims of political repression. It shows the critical role private citizens and groups play. They ensure that the memory remains alive. They keep it alive even when the state seems distant.