Installation view at The artists Residence Herzliya 2016
Installation view at The artists Residence Herzliya 2016
Ivan Kukushkin
one of the camp’s guards who works at the museum Museum of the History of Political Repression Perm-36 as a carpenter. currently works at the museum as a carpenter. He told his personal involvement in the camp throughout its different incarnations. His interview exposed a different (unreliable?) perspective, aligned with the current suppression policy; he denounced the alleged execution and existence of numerous political prisoners at the camp, as he described its activity as subtle and minor. His interview was key to understanding the different versions of history, and how facts can be altered and deformed in accordance with one’s interest. His interview also shed light on the close connection between the village where the camp is located – Kuchino, its livelihood, electric supply and the camp; the village and its residents need the camp to ‘survive’ in one form or the other and have always benefited from its existence
Aleksander Kalikh
former Director and founder of Memorial Society in Perm. Nowadays, Memorial Society is defined as a ‘foreign agent’ in Russia. Since many human right organizations in Israel are looking at a similar future, the interview focuses on Memorial’s activity today and examines the organization’s possible actions, under these restrictive circumstances.
Dr Dina Zisserman-Brodsky
a member lecturer of the Department for Politics and Government at the Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva and vice chairman of Our Heritage - the Charter of Democracy. Zisserman is a former activist in Russia, a member of the collective Trust Group, which aimed to instil democratic values in Russia. Currently, she is a political activist in Israel. Most Russian immigrants, some of whom were involved in a dissident activity in former USSR are very much identified with right-wing political tendencies and activities in Israel. I chose Zisserman because she represents a unique voice. She is a left-wing activist who is part of Our Heritage- the Charter of Democracy association, founded by Russian speaking immigrants. Furthermore, she obtains a general perspective regarding the connection between the two states and their political cultures, both in the past and in the present. Through this interview I aimed to develop my own thesis further, referring to the Soviet past as a potential future in Israel; to understand how Russian immigrants influence the Israeli political climate; what are the similarities between both of these political cultures; is there a current threat to the Israeli democracy and can the Soviet history repeat itself in Israel.
Ilya Budraitskis
historian and activist. His interview focused on his perspective on history: how is history written and how it can affect the present day; how he sees his own role as a historian in the current Russian regime; and finally, what, in his view, is the role of historical museums.
Irina Fligel
Director of Memorial Society in St. Petersburg. Throughout her interview I tried to understand how the current political climate affects Memorial’s activity. Fligel referred to history as ‘repeating itself’ while demonstrating how the current regime has implemented the lessons of the past in their behalf.
Boris Mirkin
Mirkin was a political prisoner during Brezhnev’s regime, who was sent to a labour camp after writing a poem criticizing the government
Tatyana Kursina
Former Director of museum Perm 36. In her interview, she tells the story of the museum’s foundation; who established this institution and why; what was the agenda behind its function and how did the museum’s activity change in recent years. Throughout her interview, she tells the unique story behind the museum’s current controversy and how it became a tool in the hands of the government in an attempt to re-tell/deform or even erases the Soviet fascist past for the benefit of Putin’s regime.
Elizaveta Delibash
Delibash was a little girl when both of her parents were sent to labour camps during the Stalinist regime, where they were killed. She tells her biography and the grave affect this part of history, had on the rest of her life.