Danzig Baldaev and the Art of Russian Criminal Tattoos
Danzig Baldaev, born in 1925 in Ulan-Ude, Buryatiya, Russia, led a life immersed in the dark complexities of Soviet repression and the underworld of criminal prisons. His journey into the world of Russian criminal tattoos began in a most unlikely way. As the son of a so-called "enemy of the people," Baldaev's early years were marked by displacement, orphanages, and the deep scars left by Stalin’s purges. Yet, after World War II, fate directed him into the cold, harsh environment of the Soviet penal system, where he would not only become a prison guard but a meticulous observer of an art form that would forever intertwine with the narratives of power, identity, and survival in Russian prisons. From 1948 to 1986, Baldaev worked as a warden in the infamous Kresty prison in Leningrad and other reformatory settlements across the USSR, during which he documented over 3,000 criminal tattoos—a body of work that would become one of the most significant records of Soviet prison life.
The Roots of Danzig Baldaev’s Journey
Baldaev’s life was shaped by the immense political pressures of his era. Born in the remote region of Buryatia, far from the seats of power in Moscow, he found himself orphaned and sent to an institution for children of political prisoners, a consequence of his father’s imprisonment as a "class enemy" under Stalin’s purges. The harsh realities of Soviet life, especially for those with a marked family history, would define his outlook for years. After his military service in WWII, Baldaev was given a posting as a prison warden, an assignment that introduced him to the underground world of tattoos that served as a unique form of identity among the criminal class. His role, though seemingly ordinary, allowed him the unusual position of being both an enforcer and a collector of this fascinating, intricate art.
Tattoos as Language: The Significance of Russian Criminal Tattoos
Criminal tattoos in Russia were not merely decorative; they served as a sophisticated language used by prisoners to communicate their status, their crimes, and even their survival strategies. A person’s tattoo could mark them as a leader, a murderer, a betrayer, or someone who had suffered unspeakable horrors. These tattoos were badges of honour, proof of survival, and, in many cases, a source of pride. In this closed-off world, where prisoners were often isolated from the outside, tattoos provided a method of identifying oneself within the broader social structure of the prison system. Each inked symbol carried a complex message, understood only by those who had spent time behind bars. For Baldaev, this world became his obsession, and he meticulously recorded the designs he encountered, often sketching the tattoos as a record of this unique subculture.
Common Tattoos and Their Deep Meanings
The tattoos recorded by Baldaev weren’t just skin-deep. Each design had layers of meaning, often linked to the prisoner’s past actions, position in the criminal hierarchy, or personal code of conduct. Some tattoos carried messages of rebellion, while others signified repentance or the denial of conventional morality. Below are some of the most recognisable tattoos, along with the symbolism behind them:
Stars on the Shoulders and Knees: These tattoos were perhaps the most prestigious among Russian criminals. The stars, often inked on both shoulders, symbolised a person’s high rank within the criminal world. They were worn by those who had achieved a position of authority, someone who could command respect from fellow inmates. Wearing stars meant that the individual had either committed serious crimes, often of a violent nature, or had shown extraordinary resilience and influence within the prison system. The stars marked them as leaders, untouchable and bound by their own code. Notably, criminals who wore these stars were expected to have never "snitched" (cooperated with authorities), and the tattoo signified that they had endured the worst of the Soviet penal system without breaking.
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.”
Stars on the chest mark a higher rank. Only the most respected can wear the thieves’ stars in that area of the body. The tattoos must be earned, and an inmate wearing an undeserved tattoo risks a beating or worse.
Cross on the Chest: Often associated with "lifers" or those who had been sentenced to serve lengthy prison terms, the cross tattoo was a symbol of a complete commitment to the criminal way of life. Worn across the chest or upper body, this tattoo signified an individual who had rejected any notion of redemption or return to society. The wearer of the cross tattoo was often viewed as someone who had embraced the unbreakable code of the underworld and had cut themselves off from any hope of rehabilitation.
Spider (On the Chest, Shoulders, Head or Hands): The spider tattoo, one of the most iconic and enduring symbols of Russian criminal tattoos, signified someone who had achieved a high rank in the criminal underworld. It was typically inked on the chest, often positioned above the heart, to signify that the wearer controlled the "web" of the criminal world. The spider symbolised leadership, cunning, and dominance, and those who wore it were often seen as the most influential criminals, capable of making and enforcing rules in the prisons. However, not everyone who wore the spider was a leader—some who wore it were merely attempting to gain status or authority within the system, even if they had not yet attained it.
Barbed Wire Around the Forehead: The barbed wire tattoo was a distinct and unmistakable sign that the wearer had spent an extraordinary amount of time in prison—specifically, someone who had been sentenced to life imprisonment or had spent many years in solitary confinement. The forehead was the most visible place for this tattoo, signalling that the individual would never leave the prison system. The tattoo was symbolic of permanent imprisonment and signified a life spent behind bars. It was also seen as a mark of endurance, a representation of the ability to survive through the most extreme forms of punishment.
Rings on Fingers: A ring tattoo, often placed on the ring finger or sometimes on the hands, indicated that the wearer held an important position in the criminal community. These tattoos were worn by those who had risen through the ranks and had achieved significant power and influence within the prison system.
For those in the criminal underworld, a ring tattoo signified allegiance to a specific criminal organisation, or, in some cases, an acknowledgment of a personal code of conduct, which could be above the law of the Soviet state.
Other tattoo meanings can be understood from the following:
Snake entwined with a woman - Indicates someone receives penetration during anal sex, especially if tattooed on the back. Often a forced tattoo.
Cat – Traditional sign of a thief, often with a hat (from "Puss in Boots"). The abbreviation "KOT" (kot; cat) stands for "a native prison inhabitant" (коренной обитатель тюрьмы, korennoy obitatel tiurmy)
Portrait of Lenin and/or Stalin – Often tattooed on the chest, partly from a belief that a firing squad would never follow orders to shoot such an image. May have originated as a sign of pride among prisoners after the Bolshevik Revolution, as former prisoners were now in control of the country.
Suns – Rays can be used to indicate number and length of sentences served.
Skull – Indicates a murderer. Following the abolition of the death sentence for murder in 1947, the number of murders rose significantly, with an extra 10-year sentence being no deterrent to prisoners already sentenced to life
Ships – With full sails it can indicate someone that has fled from custody, a gulnoy or gulat, or that a wearer is a nomadic thief who travels to steal
Eagle – Traditionally indicated a senior-authority figure; if the eagle is carrying someone it can indicate a rapist.
Hooded Executioner – A prisoner who has murdered a relative.
Bells – These can indicate a long sentence with no chance of early release, a long sentence served without parole for being uncooperative to the authorities, or, if on the right shoulder, it can indicate a thief who stole from church
Images of the Madonna with Child mean "Prison is my home" and act as a talisman or signify a criminal lifestyle from a young age
Eyes – When on the stomach indicate the owner is gay, or on the chest can indicate they are "watching over you". On the buttocks can indicate someone who receives anal sex.
Baldaev’s Role and Legacy
Baldaev’s role in preserving the art of Russian criminal tattoos cannot be overstated. During his time as a warden at Kresty prison and other facilities, he became a chronicler of a culture that existed outside the bounds of Soviet society’s official narrative. His hundreds of drawings—many of which were made from memory after brief encounters with prisoners—are some of the only surviving records of the criminal tattoo culture from the Soviet era. Through his sketches, Baldaev documented not only the symbols and their meanings but also the individuals who carried them.
By the time of his death in 2005, Baldaev had amassed an extraordinary collection of tattoos that serve as a visual history of Soviet incarceration. His collection not only captures the symbols and meanings of criminal tattoos but also provides a window into the way prisoners navigated the complex social hierarchy of the Soviet prison system. Baldaev’s legacy lives on in his books, exhibitions, and the continuing fascination with the criminal tattoos he documented.
In the end, the art of Russian criminal tattoos is more than just ink on skin. It is a code, a language, and a method of survival that helped individuals navigate a brutal system. Through his painstaking work, Baldaev preserved a part of Soviet history that would have otherwise been lost, ensuring that the silent language of tattoos continues to speak to us today.