Exhibit Categories: CensorshipImperialPrison and CampsSocial Philately
The Imperial Russian prison-and-exile system exerted a profound influence on the empire's development, culture, politics, social and natural sciences. Russia's history cannot be properly understood without taking prison and exile into consideration. The tsarist penal regime was a reflection of the greater struggle outside the walls, and for many of the early leaders of the Soviet Union, prison had been their university. The intentional horrors of the GULAG were based on what they had learned while 'in class,' but magnified a thousand-fold. This field of study is also an important one from the sociological standpoint. Russian language, art, literature, mannerisms, music, and demography have all been profoundly influenced by the penal system. This exhibit will examine seven areas: