Solzhenitsyn is gone. This time forever. by Barbora Misakova

Did you ever think how would your life look like if you lived in a country where all your ideas and thoughts are forbidden? Where all your dreams are just unwanted? Where all you ever wanted to say, wanted to point at, wanted to clarify was easily impossible? It is hardly to imagine the life in such a place, but even worse is the idea that such a country was really existing and it was still not definitely destroyed. Russia. The place where your ideas had to be the same as the ideas of the dictator. Solzhenitsyn expressed it clearly, Soviet citizens could chose one of three roles, they can be either tyrant, traitor or prisoner. No more, no less. As far as you think differently than was expected, you could be sure you have a problem, just like the most of the Russian poets and novelist. Their thoughts were just too restless, their criticism of Russia was too harsh that it couldn't be tolerated. Just mention the most known names such as Pushkin, Lermontov or the name which is known these days the most – Solzhenitsyn. All these pure Russian poetic hearts love the country they live in, but as it is seen in their works, they love it too much just to quietly watch inhuman regimes and all mischiefs treating with Russian people so badly. Even though Pushkin and Lermontov are already gone, few days ago Russia still could count with its big Solzhenitsyn. Unfortunately, it is also just a history now.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, an ordinary man which was born to a young widow, but while reading his biography, it goes on my mind that human mind could be very strong. And when it is really needed a man is able to do and go through anything. When you are strong enough you will survive. If your thoughts are strong, they will live forever, and you will live in them. This is what could be said about Solzhenitsyn too. He was strong. His thoughts were strong. They persist, and he persists in them. It could be said, he became dissident sooner than he was an author, but the truth is that both of his “hobbies” were going hand in hand. He was brave enough not only to talk and write about inhuman Stalinist regime, but he was probably the first who spoke aloud about it and criticize it! The 70s were pretty hard, but I am not sure if it was harder for Solzhenitsyn or Soviet elite. When the first volume of his “The Gulag Archipelago” was published, Soviet Union was shocked. In his long life Aleksandr served as a front-line artillery captain in World War II, after that he was arrested and sentenced to eight years in labor camps. After that, he went to exile in Kazakhstan where he stayed for three years. But it was not the end. He had to face KGB harassment, publication of his works was blocked and in 1974 he was exiled from the Soviet Union. After 20 years of living faraway from his beloved Russia, he returned there unbroken. Unfortunately, no one can turn back time and give all those lost years back. After 14 short years of living in Russia, Solzhenitsyn left it again. This time it is forever.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080804/ap_on_re_eu/russia_solzhenitsyn;_ylt=AvK2sf0jRgxoRYFu665h3aKs0NUE

by Barbora Misakova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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posted by Lucia Adamova