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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Stunaep on May 21, 2003, 08:07:53 am

Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: Stunaep on May 21, 2003, 08:07:53 am
Since we seem to be into literature these days, take this as a mouthful. All 99% facts.

Paragraph 58 is the most infamous paragraph of the Soviet Criminal Code, in the 1920-1950 Stalinist period. On charges based on this paragraph, *millions* of people were sentenced to hard work in Siberia, and other work camps, were most of them died, and thousands were shot without trial, or died after torturing. That includes over 80 000 Estonians (out of 1 200 000 in the 1940) who were ruthlessly captured and taken to Siberia in 1941 and 1948.

Paragraph 58 consisted of 14 articles.

Article 1: Any action bent on weakinening Soviet Power is to be considered counter-revolutionary, and to be punished with either 10 years of hard labour, or death. This includes treachery, conspiring for treachery, and based on similar analogies.

IN OTHER WORDS: Being unable to work in camps, due to malnutrition, insomnia, and hypertonia is an action bent on weakening soviet power, and you will be shot on sight. Of course, if you were a Soviet Soldier, who was taken captive by the Allies during WW1, getting 10 years of hard labour was unspeakably humane. By the law, you should have been shot.

Article 2: Armed mutiny, seizing power with the intention of violently attacking a part of the Soviet Union.

IN OTHER WORDS: Any kind of attempt to break free from the Soviet Union, or even THINKING of breaking free, which means, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, got their 10-25 years easily.

Article 3: Helping a country at war with the Soviet Union in any way.

Well, if you lived in an occupied part of the USSR, and, say gave a sack of carrots to a German soldier - shot without trial. Fell in love with a German soldier, danced with him, made love to him - enlightened his morale, 25 years.

Article 6: Espionage, Shot without trial, for actual espionage, 25 years for cooperation in espionage, 10 years for being suspected in espionage.

WHICH MEANS that if your wife´s relative´s friend went to the same hairdresser as a foreign diplomat, you were guilty for having connections with spies, and got 25 years.

Article 10: Propaganda, agitation or any action that might work as a call to destroy or weaken the USSR, are to be given at least 10 years (notice, no upper limit).

Of course, that could have been any conversation with a friend, a relative, your wife, that was held privately, any thought that differed from the ones presented in today´s newspaper (because if you didn´t agree with Stalin, you were obviously weaking the USSR. Who´s not with us, is against us).

Article 11: If any crime, mentioned before involves a hostile organisation, then maximum punishment for all involved is recommended.

That, of course meant anything. If two people were discussing the flaws of the USSR, then that was an hostile organisation - 25 years.
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: tEAbAG on May 21, 2003, 01:05:40 pm
Just replace Soviet Union with HLP and, bingo-bango, we got forum rules.

Victory to the peaceful workers & pesants of Mother Russia!
Death to the imperial capitalist pig-dogs!




(http://www.pbs.org/redfiles/rao/gallery/posters/h524.jpg)
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on May 21, 2003, 01:17:25 pm
If only communism could work without turning into Fascism, as it did under Stalin.
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: tEAbAG on May 21, 2003, 01:24:21 pm
If only we were ants...
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on May 21, 2003, 01:25:56 pm
Indeed.

Hmm, Anarcho-Communism, now there's an idea.
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: Flaser on May 21, 2003, 06:37:10 pm
As a resident of the once "happiest barrack" I should give you stories about the horrors of communism....
Instead I'll tell you that the situation was actually better 30 years ago than now. The Rákosi - Stalin's best student and secretar of the Hungarian Party 'til 56 was not that hard.
"Who's not against us is with us" - by Kádár the next leader of the party.
Of cource socialism was wrecking the economy...
but you hadn't been robbed on the corner of you street *it happened to me* and politicians couldn't steal a sum with seven zeros behind it *in forints 200 forints = 1 dollar*.
Well, that's enough fuming.
Let's just say living in socialism was not as hard as living in a country filled with its debris and waste and people who keep living on it, instead cleaning house.
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: Shrike on May 21, 2003, 06:58:32 pm
Ooook.  I'll be sure to keep this in mind.  Why did you post this again?
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on May 21, 2003, 07:03:52 pm
The USSR did have a good National Anthem, though, despite all the horrors under Stalinist rule.

Oddly enough, I found a version of the song, sung, in English, by Paul Robeson, the American Bass singer!
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: Flaser on May 21, 2003, 07:30:00 pm
People knew little what was truly going on inside the CCCP.
Some belived life was better there!
Inside it was the same people had strange sthoughts about the west:
sex is porno
all the cars are marvelous, same goes for girls
drugs are everywhere, and coca-cola is one of them
:)

You see it was double blindness
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: vyper on May 21, 2003, 08:02:43 pm
Why did I think "Patriot Act" when I read this? :nervous:
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: Stunaep on May 22, 2003, 11:15:09 am
Quote
Originally posted by Petrarch of the VBB
The USSR did have a good National Anthem, though, despite all the horrors under Stalinist rule.
 


That's now the anthem of the Russian Federation. Take a note.
Title: The 58th paragraph (excerpt from A.Solzenitsõn´s Archipelago GULAG))
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on May 22, 2003, 11:16:34 am
I thought it was a new Anthem.

I seem to recall hearing it in Encarta, and I wasn't impressed.