Bamlag Explained

Baikal Amur Corrective Labor Camp (Bamlag) (Russian: Байка́ло-Аму́рский исправи́тельно-трудово́й ла́герь, Бамла́г) was a subdivision of GULAG which existed during 1932-1948.

Its main activity was construction of the Baikal Amur Mainline and secondary railroad branches. Its peak headcount was about 201,000 (1938). In 1938 it was dismantled into several railroad support camps: Amurlag,,,,, .^[1]

Its administration was headquartered in the settlement of Svobodny, Amur Oblast. For the most time it was headed by Naftaly Frenkel (1934-1938), who also headed the construction directorate of BAM (1933-1938). ^[1]

Notable convicts

• , Russian poet, novelist and translator
• Borys Antonenko-Davydovych, Ukrainian writer, translator and linguist
• Pavel Florensky, Russian Orthodox theologian and philosopher^[2]
• , Russian poet and translator
• Konstantin Rokossovsky, Soviet marshal, and Defense Minister of the Polish People's Republic.^[2]

• Абиссов, Александр Афанасьевич
• Анфилов, Глеб Иосафович
• Аргунов, Андрей Иванович
• Богданов, Евгений Иванович
• Варпаховский, Леонид Викторович
• Вермель, Юлий Матвеевич
• Воловик, Георгий Георгиевич
• Герман (Кокель)
• Ковалёв, Лев Борисович
• Легейдо, Дмитрий Константинович
• Матвеев, Андрей Фёдорович
• Таранушенко, Стефан Андреевич
• Фасмер, Рихард Рихардович
• Цветаева, Анастасия Ивановна

Notes and References

1. Web site: Байкало-Амурский исправительно-трудовой лагерь . Baikal-Amur forced labor camp . ru . 6 December 2023.
2. https://www.gazeta.ru/science/2022/04/13/14728232.shtml «Скопище шевелящихся людей»: как СССР строил БАМ