They came for Comrade Prince D.S. Mirsky, 'aristocrat of critics', some time in the night of 2 to 3 June 1937. He lived in a high, bare room which had a fine view over Moscow. It was five floors up, with no lift, so he had plenty of time to hear them climbing towards him. Many Soviet citizens slept little that year, listening for the boots on the stairs.

LRB 8 March 2001 | PDF Download