Lost souls whisper from the walls of the Museum of Victims of Political Persecution. This museum, once a poignant reminder of Mongolia’s turbulent past, stood as a testament to the thousands who perished during the political purges of 1922 to 1962. The Museum of Victims of Political Persecution was more than just a building. It was a repository of memory, housed in the former residence of Prime Minister Peljidiin Genden. Genden, a significant figure in Mongolian history, was executed in Moscow in 1937 for defying Stalin’s orders to carry out the purges. His daughter, Gendengiin Tserendulam, later spearheaded the creation of the museum, ensuring her father’s legacy and the memory of the victims lived on. Opened in 1996, the Museum of Victims of Political Persecution held within its walls the chilling chronicle of the 1930s purges. These purges were a brutal campaign against “counter-revolutionaries,” resulting in the arrest, imprisonment, and execution of countless intellectuals, monks, and civilians. The museum’s haunting displays revealed the magnitude of this tragedy. The names of 20,000 victims adorned the ground floor walls, each marked with a colored dot. Yellow dots represented monks, red signified communists, and blue indicated civilians. A stark visual representation of the widespread impact of the political repression. Sadly, the Museum of Victims of Political Persecution itself became a victim of time and progress. The wooden structure, built in 1928 by a German engineer, was demolished in 2019. A 22-story office block now stands in its place, a stark contrast to the quiet remembrance the museum once offered. Though the physical building is gone, the stories of the victims and the legacy of Peljidiin Genden should not be forgotten. They serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of human rights and the devastating consequences of political oppression.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to