Part I, Chapter 28, In Accordance with the Law of December 1st Summary and Analysis

In Part I, Chapter 28, Butyrki Prison is very systematic, Ginzburg recounts. New prisoners are never mixed with older prisoners, in order to keep news from the outside world outside. The women in Ginzburg's cell get birds to eat crumbs of food, and Popov, the prison governor, reprimands them verbally for this but does not punish them. Before long, Popov also becomes an inmate at the prison.

Three weeks after she arrives, Ginzburg is called out for questioning. She is given a summary of her indictments, which includes an unknown law passed on December 1, 1934. Ginzburg believes she now has only forty-eight hours to live. The next day is August 1, 1937, and the birds visit the prison cell as normal.

One of the evil...