Vulcan and the calf rescued by Pooh

This book is the first part of the first professional study of the 200-year history of the Minsk prison castle. In December 1821, Rudolph Pischala (the name “Pischala Castle” was preserved in his honor) won the public auction for the construction of this stone building. The prison was accepted by the commission on January 30 (according to the new style: February 11) 1825, and from that day we can count the history of this unique building for Minsk. Before you is a book that introduces new documents into scientific circulation and destroys old myths. Including the fact that “Pishchalovsky Castle” is one of the most reliable prisons in the world, from which no one managed to escape. And the main theme of this volume will not leave readers indifferent, because it is escape! About fifty different escapes and escape attempts (underminings, breaches, disguises, seduction, lockpicks, escaping with a guard, storming the gate, ropes made of sheets, saws in a herring, and much more). With few exceptions, these are unique archival materials being published for the first time. But in addition, the book contains the first biography of Rudolf Piščala himself, as well as information about the bosses, supervisors and arrestees (including such stars as Vincent Dunin-Martinkevich, Yakub Kolas, Ales Garun) of the prison castle. And, as the main topic of future books: prison customs of the 19th century and much more.