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Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, Spending Saturday Night In The Gulag

Museum employees depict how prisoners were tortured to extract confessions.
1/15 Museum employees depict how prisoners were tortured to extract confessions.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
The former main building of the KarLAG system in Dolinka has been renovated to house the Museum of Political Oppression.
2/15 The former main building of the KarLAG system in Dolinka has been renovated to house the Museum of Political Oppression.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
A live brass band entertained visitors outside the museum. This was also done in the years of repression.
3/15 A live brass band entertained visitors outside the museum. This was also done in the years of repression.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
Visitors to the Hall of Deportation were offered qurt, the Kazakh national cheese, to symbolize that Kazakhs often shared their food with the deported, saving them from starvation.
4/15 Visitors to the Hall of Deportation were offered qurt, the Kazakh national cheese, to symbolize that Kazakhs often shared their food with the deported, saving them from starvation.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
The camp's Exhibition Hall houses the personal files of prisoners.
5/15 The camp's Exhibition Hall houses the personal files of prisoners.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
Vera Mihodenko, a resident of Dolinka, reads about the victims of the 1930s famine that killed hundreds of thousands. 
6/15 Vera Mihodenko, a resident of Dolinka, reads about the victims of the 1930s famine that killed hundreds of thousands. 
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
An employee depicts a tortured prisoner.
7/15 An employee depicts a tortured prisoner.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
In the Hall of Remembrance, a visitor reads about those who died in the KarLAG.
8/15 In the Hall of Remembrance, a visitor reads about those who died in the KarLAG.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
A visitor is photographed in the re-created office of a KarLAG officer, where new prisoners would be accepted and their personal files reviewed.
9/15 A visitor is photographed in the re-created office of a KarLAG officer, where new prisoners would be accepted and their personal files reviewed.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
Entire families, including pregnant women, were transported in overcrowded cattle cars. Many died en route and the dead were transported along with those who survived.
10/15 Entire families, including pregnant women, were transported in overcrowded cattle cars. Many died en route and the dead were transported along with those who survived.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
In the Hall of Remembrance, a visitor reads about those who died in the KarLAG.
11/15 In the Hall of Remembrance, a visitor reads about those who died in the KarLAG.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
Political prisoners were confined in the same cells as those convicted of criminal offenses.
12/15 Political prisoners were confined in the same cells as those convicted of criminal offenses.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
A guide tells visitors how people of different nationalities were deported to Kazakhstan from various parts of the Soviet Union in the years of repression.
13/15 A guide tells visitors how people of different nationalities were deported to Kazakhstan from various parts of the Soviet Union in the years of repression.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
A scene showing how female prisoners fed their children. Mothers saw their children only at feeding time. The mothers worked the rest of the time.
14/15 A scene showing how female prisoners fed their children. Mothers saw their children only at feeding time. The mothers worked the rest of the time.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
A museum employee demonstrates how hungry and exhausted prisoners used to churn clay with their feet to make mud bricks.
15/15 A museum employee demonstrates how hungry and exhausted prisoners used to churn clay with their feet to make mud bricks.
A museum of the Stalin-era prison camp system in central Kazakhstan has given visitors a nighttime tour, where they were "treated" to prison meals and a performance of mock interrogations. The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka. The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG). (15 PHOTOS)
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A Kazakh museum documenting political oppression during the Soviet era opened its doors to visitors for a nighttime tour.

The unusual visit on the night of May 18 was organized by the Museum of Political Oppression in Dolinka.

The central town became infamous in the 1930s as the center of the Qaraghandy Corrective Labor Camps system (KarLAG).

Some 1,000 visitors took part in the tour, dubbed “Night in KarLAG.”

The guide took the group to the prison hospital, cells, a torture chamber, and the KarLAG head’s office.

"This is the office of the head of the KarLAG prison camp [system]. There were 11 camp heads," the guide said. "Otto Bin was the first head of KarLAG. When he was the chief here the authorities allowed families to be together. That was the only time when men and women could live and work together in the KarLAG camp.”

Overnight Plans Scrapped

In the room, actors performed a mock interrogation scene in which a young woman is pressured to denounce her father.

The group also witnessed performances that included an inmate who was hanging by his hands while being mistreated by a guard.

To have a better taste of being a prisoner at KarLAG, the visitors were also offered gulag-type meals.

The museum initially planned to offer visitors the chance to become “Stalin-era prisoners” for one night, but museum director Svetlana Bainova told RFE/RL the plan was scrapped following a request by local officials.

She said the officials argued that such an experience could scare or even psychologically traumatize the participants.

The Museum of Political Oppression occupies the building that served as KarLAG headquarters. It was formally opened in May 2011.

The KarLAG prison camp system was set up during the purges in the 1930s launched by Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the Soviet Union were sent there through the 1950s.

Written by Antoine Blua in Prague based on reporting by Yelena Weber of RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service
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    Antoine Blua

    Antoine Blua is a senior correspondent for RFE/RL.

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