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2026-02-05 02:33:18 UTC
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Trevor Burrows on Nostr: The primary form of texts were samizdat: texts that were effectively distributed from ...

The primary form of texts were samizdat: texts that were effectively distributed from person to person, and were reproduced as they were read and passed on. Every step of this process is just fascinating.

There were many genres of samizdat, but one of the most important (and central to Nathans' history) was the transcription of legal proceedings: of court trials and interrogations, especially.

The dissidents of this period sought to use the Soviet constitution and legal code as its defense against the violations of civil rights... to critique government actions by showing how the actions were out of alignment with the SU's own laws.

These sorts of documents were key in helping them to make this case.