Soviet Union Prison Tattoos

During the soviet period the authorities often removed these tattoos by force either surgically or by using an etching method. Up until world war ii any tattoo could denote a professional criminal the only exception being tattoos on sailors.

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The practice of using tattoos to signify rank and status in the prison system grew in the early 1930s.

Soviet union prison tattoos. A tattoo of a mermaid can indicate a sentence for rape of a minor or. Its peak was in the 1950s and the popularity declines by the end of the soviet union. Its peak was in the 1950s and the popularity declines by the end of the soviet union.

If you were in a soviet era prison about oh say 50 years ago youd have tattoos. Back in the soviet era prison tattoos among criminals had a language all their own. Soviet prison tattoos hid a rich and elaborate visual language revealing everything from an inmates rank to their conviction.

Old soviet tattoos from soviet prison and gulag. A lot of them. A study of prisoners body art revealed cryptic symbols recurring motifs and unwritten laws known only to those on the inside.

Tattoo in the soviet era in principle denied the right to apply to the arts portaki tattoos and so forth are a lot of different purposes and meanings but one primary tattoo decorating the body. Dont be fooled by tattooed stalin often it was not because of the admiration. But not just any tattoos particular designs that were symbolic that showed off your cred and other interesting personal facts.

While no one could be prosecuted for a tattoo for many people in the ussr they were associated with prison style. A criminals body served as a hard earned record of his crimes status and maybe even some questionable bets. Other groups who often had tattoos where sailors.

Under the gulag system of the soviet era laws that were implemented in mid 1940 allowed short prison sentences to be given to those convicted of petty theft hooliganism or labor discipline infractions. In the soviet union there was a unique language of prison tattoos which is admired by the worlds best artists but it is difficult to perceive a prison tattoo is anything like art. Posmotrite bolshe idey na temy tyuremnye tatuirovki tatuirovki i russkie tyuremnye tatu.