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The '''Bitch Wars''' or '''Suka Wars''' ({{lang-ru|Сучьи войны}} ''Suchyi voyny ''or in singular: {{lang|ru|Сучья война}} ''Suchya voyna'') occurred within the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Gulag|labor camp system]] between 1945 and around the death of [[Joseph Stalin]] in 1953.
The '''Bitch Wars''' or '''Suka Wars''' ({{lang-ru|Сучьи войны}} ''Suchyi voyny ''or in singular: {{lang|ru|Сучья война}} ''Suchya voyna'') occurred within the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Gulag|labor camp system]] between 1945 and around the death of [[Joseph Stalin]] in 1953.


The Russian word ''suka'' "сука" (literally, "[[bitch (insult)|bitch]]") has a different negative connotation than its English equivalent. In Russian criminal [[argot]], it specifically refers to a person from the criminal world who had cooperated with [[Law enforcement agency|law enforcement]] or the [[government]], or one which had "made itself a bitch" ("ссучился" ''"ssuchilsya"''). Within the [[Russia]]n prison system, there was a historical and social structure that had existed since the [[Tsar]]ist Russian era. One of the important tenets of the system was that members would not serve or collaborate with the Tsarist and later Soviet government. This rule encompassed any kind of collaboration, not only "snitching" or "ratting."<ref>[[Varlam Shalamov]], ''Essays on Criminal World'', "Bitch War" ([http://www.tyurem.net/books/shalamov/ocherki/005.htm Shalamov's essay online] {{ru icon}}) in: Varlam Shalamov (1998) "Complete Works" (Варлам Шаламов. Собрание сочинений в четырех томах), vol. 2, printed by publishers ''[[Vagrius]]'' and ''[[Khudozhestvennaya Literatura]]'', {{ISBN|5-280-03163-1}}, {{ISBN|5-280-03162-3}}</ref><ref>A. V. Kuchinsky ''Prison Encyclopedia'', (Кучинский А.В. - Тюремная энциклопедия, [http://www.e-lib.info/book.php?id=112100186&p=7 a fragment online] {{ru icon}})</ref>
The Russian word ''suka'' "сука" (literally, "[[bitch (insult)|bitch]]") has a different negative connotation than its English equivalent. In Russian criminal [[argot]], it specifically refers to a person from the criminal world who had cooperated with [[Law enforcement agency|law enforcement]] or the [[government]], or one which had "made itself a bitch" ("ссучился" ''"ssuchilsya"''). Within the [[Russia]]n prison system, there was a historical and social structure that had existed since the [[Tsar]]ist Russian era. One of the important tenets of the system was that members would not serve or collaborate with the Tsarist and later Soviet government. This rule encompassed any kind of collaboration, not only "snitching" or "ratting."<ref>[[Varlam Shalamov]], ''Essays on Criminal World'', "Bitch War" ([http://www.tyurem.net/books/shalamov/ocherki/005.htm Shalamov's essay online] {{ru icon}}) in: Varlam Shalamov (1998) "Complete Works" (Варлам Шаламов. Собрание сочинений в четырех томах), vol. 2, printed by publishers ''[[Vagrius]]'' and ''[[Khudozhestvennaya Literatura]]'', {{ISBN|5-280-03163-1}}, {{ISBN|5-280-03162-3}}</ref><ref>A. V. Kuchinsky ''Prison Encyclopedia'', (Кучинский А.В. - Тюремная энциклопедия, [http://www.e-lib.info/book.php?id=112100186&p=7 a fragment online] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424053543/http://www.e-lib.info/book.php?id=112100186&p=7 |date=2008-04-24 }} {{ru icon}})</ref>


As [[World War II]] progressed, [[Joseph Stalin]] made an offer to many prisoners that in exchange for their military service they would be granted a pardon or reduction of service at the end of the war. After the end of the war many of those returned to prisons and [[labor camp]]s, and were declared ''suki'' and placed on the lower end of the prisoner hierarchy. As a result, they sought to survive through collaboration with prison officials, and in return got some of the better jobs within the prison.<ref>[[Varlam Shalamov]], ''Essays on Criminal World'', "Bitch War" ([http://www.tyurem.net/books/shalamov/ocherki/005.htm Shalamov's essay online] {{ru icon}}) in: Varlam Shalamov (1998) "Complete Works" (Варлам Шаламов. Собрание сочинений в четырех томах), vol. 2, printed by publishers ''[[Vagrius]]'' and ''[[Khudozhestvennaya Literatura]]'', {{ISBN|5-280-03163-1}}, {{ISBN|5-280-03162-3}}</ref>
As [[World War II]] progressed, [[Joseph Stalin]] made an offer to many prisoners that in exchange for their military service they would be granted a pardon or reduction of service at the end of the war. After the end of the war many of those returned to prisons and [[labor camp]]s, and were declared ''suki'' and placed on the lower end of the prisoner hierarchy. As a result, they sought to survive through collaboration with prison officials, and in return got some of the better jobs within the prison.<ref>[[Varlam Shalamov]], ''Essays on Criminal World'', "Bitch War" ([http://www.tyurem.net/books/shalamov/ocherki/005.htm Shalamov's essay online] {{ru icon}}) in: Varlam Shalamov (1998) "Complete Works" (Варлам Шаламов. Собрание сочинений в четырех томах), vol. 2, printed by publishers ''[[Vagrius]]'' and ''[[Khudozhestvennaya Literatura]]'', {{ISBN|5-280-03163-1}}, {{ISBN|5-280-03162-3}}</ref>

Revision as of 19:44, 26 December 2017

The Bitch Wars or Suka Wars (Russian: Сучьи войны Suchyi voyny or in singular: Сучья война Suchya voyna) occurred within the Soviet labor camp system between 1945 and around the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953.

The Russian word suka "сука" (literally, "bitch") has a different negative connotation than its English equivalent. In Russian criminal argot, it specifically refers to a person from the criminal world who had cooperated with law enforcement or the government, or one which had "made itself a bitch" ("ссучился" "ssuchilsya"). Within the Russian prison system, there was a historical and social structure that had existed since the Tsarist Russian era. One of the important tenets of the system was that members would not serve or collaborate with the Tsarist and later Soviet government. This rule encompassed any kind of collaboration, not only "snitching" or "ratting."[1][2]

As World War II progressed, Joseph Stalin made an offer to many prisoners that in exchange for their military service they would be granted a pardon or reduction of service at the end of the war. After the end of the war many of those returned to prisons and labor camps, and were declared suki and placed on the lower end of the prisoner hierarchy. As a result, they sought to survive through collaboration with prison officials, and in return got some of the better jobs within the prison.[3]

This, along with the suki involvement in the Soviet military, started an internal prison war between the military veterans and the leaders of the Russian criminal underground, or "Thieves in Law." Many prisoners were killed in the Bitch Wars. Prison authorities turned a blind eye, since prisoner deaths reduced the overall prison population.

See also

References

  1. ^ Varlam Shalamov, Essays on Criminal World, "Bitch War" (Shalamov's essay online Template:Ru icon) in: Varlam Shalamov (1998) "Complete Works" (Варлам Шаламов. Собрание сочинений в четырех томах), vol. 2, printed by publishers Vagrius and Khudozhestvennaya Literatura, ISBN 5-280-03163-1, ISBN 5-280-03162-3
  2. ^ A. V. Kuchinsky Prison Encyclopedia, (Кучинский А.В. - Тюремная энциклопедия, a fragment online Archived 2008-04-24 at the Wayback Machine Template:Ru icon)
  3. ^ Varlam Shalamov, Essays on Criminal World, "Bitch War" (Shalamov's essay online Template:Ru icon) in: Varlam Shalamov (1998) "Complete Works" (Варлам Шаламов. Собрание сочинений в четырех томах), vol. 2, printed by publishers Vagrius and Khudozhestvennaya Literatura, ISBN 5-280-03163-1, ISBN 5-280-03162-3
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