Baku: interrogation, execution basement turned into museum of commemoration of victims of Soviet repression

A museum dedicated to the political repressions of 1920-1950 has opened in Baku, when hundreds of thousands of citizens of Azerbaijan and the entire former Soviet Union were shot or exiled to political camps.

• Former USSR commemorates the 13 million victims of Stalinist political repression

• Political prisoners ‘pardoned’ in Azerbaijan: a sign of change?

About the museum

The opening of the museum is timed to the 100th anniversary of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan, reports Trend.

The museum is located in the basement of the administrative building of the office, where, after 1925, people convicted under political articles were detained, interrogated and shot. People were repressed for any kind of dissent, even for kinship with so-called “enemies of the people” or “class enemies.”

The museum contains archival photographs and documents relating to the repressions. The very first of these documents is dated May 26, 1920, the year when Azerbaijan became part of the Soviet empire.

Reconstructed cells, punishment cells, and execution chambers in which they were interrogated and shot were also opened.

Political repression in the USSR

The peak of repression in the USSR is considered to be the years 1937-38. This period is called the “Great Terror” or “the Stalinist repressions”, because at that time Joseph Stalin was at the head of the USSR.

According to the most “modest” calculations, 13 million citizens of the Soviet Union were repressed in those years. There is no exact data on Azerbaijan, but figures range from 70,000 – 120,000 people. Just 3 million people lived in Azerbaijan at the time.

But repressions cover a much longer period of time — from the 1920s (the establishment of Soviet power) to 1953 (the death of Stalin).

For a long time this topic has not been touched publicly. It was only first raised in recent years in the late 80s.

Public reaction

Some Facebook users have reacted with a sense of irony to the opening of the museum.

Many users note that in modern Azerbaijan, there are also quite a few political prisoners, and international organizations regularly accuse the current authorities of repressive policies:

“And do they not speak about the modern history of Azerbaijan in this museum by chance?”

“Apparently, in prisons where political prisoners are currently being held they will also open branches of this museum.”

But, in general, the museum has interested the public:

“I will visit this museum at the first opportunity. You need to know your history!”

“Those who think that Stalin was a great leader must be forcefully brought there.