Perm-36 — Decipher the Dissident's Code

Your quest begins in Komsomolskaya Square in Perm, a central 2-hectare space that was the site of intense political gatherings in the 1920s-1930s. Surrounded by Soviet administrative buildings constructed in the 1930s, this square was the starting point for official demonstrations. It is here, under the regime's gaze, that the first seeds of dissent may have been sown, amidst speeches and hymns to the Komsomol communist youth. Your first objective is to find a hidden clue near the former rallying points, a symbol of resistance discreetly left by a predecessor.

Next, your itinerary takes you to Perm State National Research University, founded in 1916. Its main building, erected between 1920 and 1923 in a Constructivist style, is a historic monument where dissidents like Anatoly Marchenko studied before being imprisoned at Perm-36. Imagine the secret discussions, the exchanges of forbidden ideas among the approximately 20,000 students of this institution. A coded message might be inscribed on the library walls, a reminder of the intellectual resistance that thrived within these walls.

Your journey continues to the Monument to Boris Pasternak, in front of the Opera House. This 4-meter-high bronze monument, sculpted by Anatoly Grishkov and inaugurated in 2000, commemorates Boris Pasternak's visit to Perm in 1958 for the premiere of his Doctor Zhivago. Pasternak, the Nobel laureate who refused the prize that same year, is linked to Soviet intellectual persecutions. The Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre named after P. I. Tchaikovsky, built in 1870 in a neoclassical style, was a Soviet cultural symbol, but also a place of censorship for dissident works. Look for a clue near the monument, an echo of the freedom of expression Pasternak defended.

The stroll then leads you to the Perm Regional Museum, founded in 1877 and one of Russia's oldest. Housed in a historic building from the 1840s-1850s, it holds a collection of artifacts from Soviet political repressions, exhibited since the 1990s. This museum, visited by Gulag historians for its archives on Perm-36, offers a concrete insight into the period. Nearby, the Monument to the Victims of Political Repressions, inaugurated in 1996, with its 3-meter commemorative stone, was erected by former prisoners and local historians. It is the site of annual ceremonies on October 30, the day for victims of political repression. A crucial clue awaits you, sealed in the marble of history.

Your exploration of Perm concludes on the Kama River Embankment, a promenade developed since the 1930s, 3 km long. This recreational area offers views of the Kama River, 1 km wide, but also witnessed river deportations to the North Ural camps during the Gulag. Contemplate the horizon and imagine the intertwined destinies, hopes, and tragedies. This thematic circuit in Perm will have allowed you to discover the city's Soviet heritage, understand the stakes of political repression, and the importance of the Perm-36 memorial. You leave this interactive visit with a new perspective on Perm's history and the courage of dissidents.