Grossman's EVERYTHING FLOWS: camps for women?

[Robert Chandler]

Dear all,

Grossman is, for the main part uncommonly level-headed.  But there is one
part of his chapter about women in the GULAG where his tone seems
hysterical:

“ Between the camps for male and female common criminals there always lay a
strip of bare earth, known as the ‘shooting zone’.  [...]
  In some strict-regime camps the women had not seen a man’s face or heard a
man’s voice for many years.  There were occasions when carpenters,
metalworkers and drivers were sent into these sinister places – and torn
apart, tortured to death.  Even the male criminals were terrified of these
camps – camps where it was considered a joy merely to touch the shoulder of
a dead man with one hand.  The criminals were scared to go there even under
armed guard.”

  “ ...Между  уголовным  женским  и  уголовным  мужским лагерем лежала
полоса
пустынной  земли  -  ее называли огнестрельной зоной, [...]
   Когда  в зловещие, режимные лагеря к женщинам, долгими годами не видевшим
лица  мужчин,  не слышавшим  мужского  голоса,  попадали по наряду слесаря,
плотники,  их  терзали,  умучивали,  убивали  до  смерти. Мужчины-уголовники
боялись  этих лагерей, где счастьем считалось коснуться рукой плеча мертвого
мужика, боялись идти туда и под охраной огнестрельного оружия.
   Угрюмая, темная беда коверкала каторжных людей, превращала их в нелюдей.”

WERE THERE REALLY STRICT-REGIME CAMPS WHERE MEN NEVER SET FOOT?  I HAVE NOT
SEEN THEM MENTIONED ELSEWHERE.

Best Wishes,

Robert

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