9 Letters Never Arrived

These women came to ALZHIR from every corner of the Soviet Union—from the grand streets of Moscow and Leningrad to the remote mountains of the Caucasus, the fields of Ukraine, and the steppes of Central Asia. Their only crime was being the wife, mother, or daughter of a public official, government figure, or prominent artist or writer. And for this alone, regardless of age or nationality, they were deprived of their freedom for three, five, eight, or even ten years. Many of them were educated, qualified professionals and university graduates, and some even held multiple degrees.