The Seven Who Were Hanged

Plot

The seven prisoners

Assassin group

• Tanya Kovalchuk. Leader of the terrorist group and motherly figure, who worries more for her friends' fate than her own.
• Werner. A morose and internally bitter man, he learns to feel sympathy and love at the novellas end.
• Musya. Youngest member of the group, who finds solace in the idea of martyrdom.
• Sergei Golovin. Ex officer, who copes with his approaching execution by concentrating on his health and an exercise routine called the Müller system.
• Vasily Kashirin. Most terrified of death amongst the conspirators.

  Other prisoners

• Ivan Yanson. An Estonian farm hand at a Russian estate. He kills his master and tries to rape the master's wife. He appears confused and mentally weak.
• Tsiganok Golubets. A Russian bandit and thief from Orel. He is to be executed for murder and is proud of his brutal acts, acting mostly jovially towards his execution.

  English translations

• Seven Who Were Hanged translated by Herman Bernstein
• The Seven That Were Hanged translated by Thomas Seltzer
• Seven Hanged translated by Anthony Briggs
• The story was dramatised by Derek Marlowe and performed by the 60 Theatre Group at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1961. A later London production, titled The Scarecrow, won a Foyle award.

  Film adaptions

• Rasskaz o semi poveshennykh, dir. Pyotr Chardynin Russian silent film.
• Balada o siedmich obesených dir. Martin Hollý Slovakian black and white film.