|
Upon the release from the Gulag, the former inmate's rights would typically still be restricted for a long period of time. Instead of regular documents, they would receive a temporary substitute, a so-called "wolf ticket" (волчий билет in Russian, or "volchiy bilet"), confining them to an internal exile without the right to settle closer than 100 km from large urban centers. This has resulted in many resident communities established at 101 Soviet Union, many such settlements have originated. Some were renamed, while others are still known as "Сто пе́рвый киломе́тр", "Sto pervyi kilometr" (The one hundred and first kilometer).
This limit was introduced in 1933 during the passportisation of the population, during which people without acceptable occupation were banned from Moscow, Leningrad and other significant cities of special regimen ("режимный город").
Sometimes the 101st km communities were used by the state as a "soft" exile. For example, in the summer of 1980, before the Moscow Olympic Games, thousands suspected of belonging to the risk groups, among them dissidents, homeless, criminals, prostitutes, etc, were forced by the KGB out of the capital city during the international event. In some cases they were arrested, in others this was a condition to avoid arrest.
"To send someone to the 101st kilometer" has become a common phrase of threat with respect to the perceived offenders. And this threat was easy to implement, because this could be done "Belarus since perestroika. Participants of unsanctioned meetings and demonstrations used to be herded into busses, driven some 25 km off city limits and unloaded to walk home or to hitchhike.
See also:
|
Feeds |
Contact