Anna’s Notes
Terms
bolshaya zona: (the big prison zone) or the world outside the camps
bushlat: a long-sleeved, cotton padded jacket worn by prisoners
Christ’s followers: religious ones
deshovka: whore, a name given to virtually all the women
dokhodyaga: a person close to death
dry bath: a search
Ivan: a pigeon, a fall guy, a sap
ment: a jailer
Nasedka: a prisoner who worms from his or her roommate information upon which the authorities can act
pachan: the leader of a criminal gang
parasha: the pail for natural necessities; the toilet
popka: a parrot; an informing jailer
stone sacks: the niches hewn out of the monastery walls that unruly zeks were shoved into, making movement of any kind impossible
stukachi: informers
tufta: deception; getting credit for work not done
urki: criminal prisoners who love to hear stories
Idioms
The bear roared: the signal to begin working
The dove cooed: the signal to stop working
“I’ll make you suck the snot out of dead men!”: a threat made at the daily roll call for any infraction
shitting into someone’s head: brainwashing
to receive seven kopeks of lead: to be shot