Warlam Schalamow: Wischera. Antiroman
[Varlam Shalamov: Vishera. Anti-novel]

“On February 19, 1929, I was arrested. On this day and in this hour I see the beginning of my social life—the first true test under severe conditions.” Varlam Shalamov is not yet 22 years old and determined to have his life serve his political ideals when he is arrested and confined to single cell in Butyrka prison for a month and a half. Vishera (which he himself described as an “anti-novel”) is Shalamov’s memoir of his first arrest and the forced labor camp on the banks of the Vishera river in the Northern Urals, where he was confined for three years. These became the “apprentice years” of a writer who, like no other, depicted the Stalinist camp system in literature. In addition to Kolyma Stories, this unfinished autobiographical book particularly demonstrates Shalamov’s fundamental rejection of the novel form following the experiences of the 20th century and his search for new possibilities of writing prose.

In German.

Varlam Shalamov Edition of works

Vol. 1: Durch den Schnee. Erzählungen aus Kolyma 1 (2007)
Vol. 2: Linkes Ufer. Erzählungen aus Kolyma 2 (2008)
Vol. 3: Künstler der Schaufel. Erzählungen aus Kolyma 3 (2010)
Vol. 4: Die Auferweckung der Lärche. Erzählungen aus Kolyma 4 (2011)
Vol. 5: Das vierte Wologda. Erinnerungen (2013)
Vol. 6: Wischera. Antiroman (2016)
Vol. 7: Über die Kolyma. Erinnerungen (2018)