Mask of Sorrow, Magadan

The memorial monument called “Mask of Sorrow” is one of the main monuments of the city of Magadan. The monument on the slope of the steep hill was installed in memory of victims of political repression. Magadan region, popularly called simply “Kolyma”, is a symbol of the camp system of the USSR and Soviet political repression.

The official opening of the memorial monument took place in June 1996. The funds for the establishment of the sculpture were donated by the President of Russia B. Yeltsin, the Magadan city administration, and also some administrations of various cities of Russia, private enterprises and individuals allocated some sums. The initiator and author of this project was Ernst Neizvestny, a famous sculptor of Russia, whose parents were among the victims of mass political repression of the 1930s.

The main sculpture of the memorial monument "Mask of Sorrow" is a human face. If you take a good look, you can see how tears flow from the left eye in the form of small masks. As for the right eye, it is depicted as a window with a lattice. On the back of the mask is a bronze sculpture of a weeping woman under a crucifix. This monument is complemented by a wind bell, which makes amazing sounds when the wind blows.

Inside the memorial is a narrow corridor and two small rooms. In one, you can see an imitation of slaughtering (pickaxe, stones, and other tools), and in the second, a copy of a typical prison cell. In this room all is for real - barred windows, bunks and a worn pea jacket.

On the slope leading to the memorial monument “Mask of Sorrow”, on both sides of the path there are gray stones, on which symbols of different religions are carved. And a little further are the slabs, where the names of the Soviet concentration camps are indicated. Not far from here there is an observation deck, which offers an amazing view of the city of Magadan and its surroundings.

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