Part I, Chapter 22, Tukhachevsky and Others Summary and Analysis

In Part I, Chapter 22, one morning, Ginzburg and the other women are awakened by news of something happening with the Red Army. A new member to the prison is Zinaida Abramova, the wife of the prime minister of Tartary. Both of them had come from working class backgrounds, and while her husband never forgot his background, Zinaida shunned hers and was in turn looked upon with contempt by others. Zinaida becomes the first woman to be physically beaten during interrogation.

Zinaida reveals that Tukhachevsky, and other regional commanders, had been arrested.

Paranoia continues to spread. The concept of a conspiracy spreads higher up the chains of command. Military commanders and regional commanders are now also being arrested for involvement in supposed political crimes, as well as the family members of prominent...