May 6, 2024 · Here are 12 Russian prison tattoos and their perceived meanings. 1. Thieves’ stars. Depending on the location on the body, the stars convey a prisoner’s status. When worn on the knees, the stars are a sign of a prisoner who commands respect. The implied meaning is “I will never get on my knees in front of anyone.”

In Russian criminal jargon or Fenya (феня), a full set of tattoos is known as frak s ordenami (a tailcoat with decorations). The tattoos show a "service record" of achievements and failures, prison sentences and the type of work a criminal does.

Apr 22, 2024 · The designs of Russian prison tattoos include elaborate religious scenes that denote if the wearer is a legitimate thief, stars that denote a criminal leader, elaborate codes in multiple languages, and images of defiance against prison authority. A trained observer can tell everything about a Russian prisoner by their tattoos.

Jun 1, 2023 · Beetle symbolize a pickpocket. The acronym ZhUK (literally “beetle”) stands for Zhelayu Udachnykh Krazh (“May your theft be a success”). Tattooed on hands, as well as other parts of the body. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dec 26, 2014 · In jails and prisons around the world, tattoos can become a significant part of an inmate’s uniform, not only marking the crime they’re in for but also serving as a way to communicate with others.

Oct 21, 2014 · Photographs of tattooed Soviet prisoners, held in police files until now, are about to be published for the first time. BBC Culture decodes the body art.

Jul 3, 2014 · But perhaps no detail is no more interesting than the tattoos the vory wear. Since the original prisoners in the gulag began Russian organized crime, it’s members have become known for the plethora of tattoos that cover their body. These tattoos tell one of the wearer’s life, his views, his desires, and his rank in the mafia hierarchy.

Oct 12, 2016 · Until the mid-19th century, offenders sentenced to hard labor were branded with the words, vor (thief) or kat (katorzhnik – hard labor convict), directly on their faces so that they could never...

By 1941, the Gulag's population had ballooned by approximately 300,000. A new criminal elite emerged: the "vory v zakone", or "thieves in law”. Tattoos became the dividing line, distinguishing these criminal authorities from the masses of political prisoners.

May 19, 2009 · The vory tattoo was (and is) a sort of business card for the bearer. They detail a person's entire life, including where he is from, which prisons he has spent time in and for what crimes, and how many people he's killed. They're also an indication of rank within the vory cell.