Imagine yourself in the heart of Moscow on a bitter winter day, shortly after the end of the Great Patriotic War. Joseph Stalin, the formidable leader of the Soviet Union, rules over a country gripped by fear. A Cold War has begun, as frigid as the wind whipping through Moscow’s streets. As a foreign citizen from a capitalist nation, you’ve unintentionally drawn too much attention. You befriended one too many Soviet officials and asked one too many probing questions. Now, two burly men are escorting you through Moscow’s iconic squares.
Not far from the Bolshoi Theater, where you once enjoyed the grandeur of Russian ballet, you are about to enter an ominous building—eight stories tall, adorned with Soviet-style architecture softened by neoclassical touches. The bright orange facade of the Lubyanka building may deceive passersby into thinking it’s a luxury hotel. However, upon stepping inside, you feel an eerie silence, broken only by whispers and the muffled sound of heavy boots on thick carpets. Welcome to the Lubyanka, the notorious headquarters of the KGB and its predecessors, the Soviet Union’s secret police agencies.
This building is a symbol of state-sanctioned terror, where countless dissidents, spies, and political prisoners were imprisoned, interrogated, and executed over the decades. This is a place where secrets were kept, lives were destroyed, and the oppressive Soviet regime consolidated its power.
The Origins of the Lubyanka: A Building Steeped in Repression
The Lubyanka Building, named after the square it occupies, has been the headquarters of various Soviet security services for over a century. Its history is as chilling as the events that transpired within its walls. The name “Lubyanka” comes from the Russian word lub, meaning a type of plant fiber or tree bark, originating from settlers who worked with these materials in the area during the 15th century.
The building itself was constructed between 1892 and 1902 by architect Alexander Ivanov, originally commissioned by the All-Russia Insurance Company. It featured an ornate facade, with statues representing Justice and Solace—ironically, values that would be in short supply within its walls for much of the 20th century. During the Russian Revolution in 1917, Vladimir Lenin sought to consolidate power by establishing an all-powerful secret police force, known as the Cheka, under the leadership of Felix Dzerzhinsky.
Dzerzhinsky, a man later known as “Iron Felix” for his ruthless efficiency, quickly transformed the Lubyanka into the epicenter of state terror. From here, Dzerzhinsky’s Cheka orchestrated the Red Terror, a campaign of mass executions aimed at eliminating counter-revolutionaries and anyone deemed an enemy of the new Soviet state. The building became a prison for political dissidents, spies, and even ordinary citizens suspected of disloyalty.
The Red Terror and Stalin’s Great Purge
The horrors of the Red Terror were just the beginning. In the 1930s, as Stalin tightened his grip on the Soviet Union, the Lubyanka became ground zero for another wave of brutal repression: the Great Purge. This period saw the expansion of the NKVD (the Soviet secret police) and the building itself. Architect Alexey Shchusev was tasked with enlarging the Lubyanka, adding more floors and expanding its prison.
Inside, the number of prisoners swelled. By 1940, the NKVD had grown from 2,500 operatives to nearly 34,000. Suspected dissidents, intellectuals, and military officers were arrested and brought to the Lubyanka, often in the dead of night. Prisoners were subjected to psychological torture, sleep deprivation, beatings, and forced confessions before being sent off to Siberian gulags or executed in the building’s basements. It was said that the building was so tall that you could see all the way to Siberia from its cellars—a reference to the fate that awaited many prisoners.
Stalin’s purges claimed millions of lives, and many of these victims passed through the Lubyanka. As Stalin’s reign of terror unfolded, the building’s reputation as a symbol of state violence grew, casting a long shadow over Soviet society.
The Cold War and the KGB: Secrets and Spies
After World War II, the Soviet secret police rebranded as the KGB (Committee for State Security). Though Stalin’s death in 1953 marked the end of the Great Purge, the KGB continued to operate from the Lubyanka, expanding its role as the overseer of both domestic repression and international espionage. The building housed the organization’s most sensitive archives, offices, and interrogation rooms. It was also the site where dissidents and foreign spies were interrogated.
One such figure was CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers, whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over Soviet airspace in 1960. Powers was held at the Lubyanka for 61 days, subjected to psychological pressure, sleep deprivation, and intense interrogations. Though he revealed little of value to his captors, his capture became a symbol of Cold War espionage.
The KGB also housed a secretive unit known as the “chamber,” or Lab X, which specialized in poisons and chemical warfare. It was in this section that Soviet operatives likely developed the infamous umbrella gun used to assassinate Bulgarian defector Georgi Markov in London in 1978.
Life Inside the Lubyanka Prison
For the prisoners held within the Lubyanka, life was a blend of fear, isolation, and brutality. Former detainees described the building as eerily silent, with thick carpets muffling every footstep. Guards communicated only by clicking their tongues, and prisoners were prevented from seeing one another. The cells, often windowless, gave no indication of whether they were above or below ground, adding to the psychological torment.
Interrogation rooms, in stark contrast to the prison cells, were lavishly furnished with thick rugs, leather chairs, and padded walls. Foreign prisoners were typically treated with more care, as their cases were often politically sensitive. However, Soviet dissidents were subjected to relentless abuse, including beatings by the KGB’s notorious “goon squad,” a unit responsible for summary executions carried out in the Lubyanka’s basement.
The fear of the Lubyanka was not confined to those who entered its doors. The building’s reputation as a site of repression was known throughout the Soviet Union, and its shadow loomed large over everyday life. It was a symbol of state power, capable of reaching into the lives of any citizen, at any time.
The Fall of the Soviet Union and the Lubyanka Today
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 brought an end to the KGB as it was known, but the Lubyanka Building remains a powerful symbol of the past. Shortly after the failed communist coup of 1991, crowds gathered in Lubyanka Square to topple the statue of Felix Dzerzhinsky, a despised icon of Soviet repression. The statue was removed, and in its place, activists erected the Solovetsky Stone, a memorial to the victims of Soviet political repression.
Today, the Lubyanka is home to the FSB, the successor to the KGB. While parts of the building have been converted into a museum, public access is limited. The exact function of the building remains somewhat of a mystery, though it is believed to still house offices and archives. For many, the building is a haunting reminder of the terror that once gripped the Soviet Union.
Remembering the Victims
In recent years, efforts to commemorate the victims of Soviet repression have been met with resistance from the Russian government. Organizations like Memorial, which was dedicated to documenting the crimes of the Soviet state, have faced increasing pressure. In December 2021, the Moscow City Court ordered Memorial’s closure, citing violations of Russia’s foreign agent law—a move widely seen as part of a broader effort to silence those who focus on the darker aspects of Russian history.
Despite these challenges, ceremonies like the “Return of the Names” continue, as activists gather near the Lubyanka to read the names of those who perished within its walls. The building stands as a silent witness to a past filled with suffering, a testament to the enduring impact of state violence and repression.
FAQ Section
Q1: What is the Lubyanka Building?
The Lubyanka Building in Moscow is the former headquarters of the Soviet Union’s secret police, including the Cheka, NKVD, and KGB. It was the site of countless interrogations, imprisonments, and executions during Soviet times.
Q2: Who were some of the notable figures imprisoned at the Lubyanka?
Famous prisoners include Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the author of The Gulag Archipelago, and Francis Gary Powers, the American pilot shot down in a U-2 spy plane in 1960.
Q3: What happened to the Lubyanka after the Soviet Union collapsed?
Today, the Lubyanka Building is occupied by the FSB, the successor to the KGB. While parts of the building have been turned into a museum, access is restricted, and its precise current function remains unclear.
Q4: What is the Solovetsky Stone?
The Solovetsky Stone is a memorial placed near the Lubyanka Building to honor the victims of Soviet repression. It was sourced from Solovetsky Island, home to one of the first Soviet gulags.
Q5: How has the Russian government responded to efforts to commemorate Soviet victims?
Organizations like Memorial, which work to document Soviet-era atrocities, have faced increasing pressure and legal obstacles. In 2021, Memorial was ordered to shut down by the Moscow City Court.
