Steplag Explained

Steplag or Stepnoy Camp Directorate, Special Camp No. 4 (Степлаг (Степной лагерь), Особлаг (Особый лагерь) № 4) was an MVD special camp for political prisoners within the Gulag system of the Soviet Union. It was established on February 28, 1948, on the base of the Spasozavodsky (Спасозаводский) POW camp near Karaganda, Kazakhstan. In May 1948 it was moved to Jezkazgan. In 1956, Steplag was disestablished, and its camps were transferred to the administration of the Kazakh SSR.[1] [2]

Main works were construction works, copper and coal mining, but various odd jobs as well.[2]

Initially it was planned for 10,000 inmates[1] but it was expanded with more subcamps and at its height it held about 28,000 in 1950.[2]

Between May and June 1954, the Kengir uprising happened in Steplag.

Detainees by nationality

Detainee statistics by nationality:[3]

No.NationalityNumber%No.NationalityNumber%
1Ukrainians9 59646,36 %18Turkmens760,38 %
2Lithuanians2 69013,0 %19Ingush people560,27 %
3Russians2 66112,86 %20Chinese550,27 %
4Latvians1 0745,19 %21Tajiks540,26 %
5Belarusians8784,24 %22Koreans520,25 %
6Estonians8734,22 %23Kyrgyz people500,24 %
7Polish people3791,83 %24Japanese people300,14 %
8Germans3591,73 %25Romanians240,12 %
9Kazakhs2911,40 %26Greeks210,10 %
10Moldovans2081,0 %27Udmurts200,10 %
11Uzbeks2040,99 %28Iranian peoples180,09 %
12Jews1740,84 %29Finns und Karelians160,08 %
13Armenians1540,74 %30Bashkirs90,04 %
14Georgians1320,64 %31Pashtuns80,04 %
15Tatars1270,61 %32Turkish people80,04 %
16Chechens1240,60 %33Mongols20,01 %
17Azerbaijanis1080,52 %34Other1670,81 %

Notable inmates

Notes and References

  1. http://alexanderyakovlev.org/fond/issues-doc/1009123 Приказ МВД СССР № 00219 «Об организации особых лагерей МВД»
  2. http://www.memo.ru/history/NKVD/GULAG/r3/r3-324.htm СТЕПНОЙ ЛАГЕРЬ
  3. «Справка спецотдела Степного лагеря МВД о составе заключенных, содержащихся в лагере» (составитель начальник спецотдела полковник Савченко) ГА РФ Ф. 9414 Оп. 1, Д. 228. Л. 171—173. по публ. Кокурин А. И. Восстание в Степлаге. Отечественные архивы 1994. № 4 . с. 33-82. (с дополнением)