05 اوت, 2008 - Published 11:29 GMT

Solzhenitsyn tributes

Alexander Solzhenitsyn not only wrote about some of 20th century Russia's hardest times, he experienced them. As his compatriots pay tribute, they are recognizing his role as a chronicler of his nation's history.

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, has described Mr Solzhenitsyn as "one of the first people who spoke up about the inhumanity of Stalin's regime and about the people who lived through this but were not broken".

The Russian Orthodox Church has praised the former prison camp inmate as an example of human dignity.

The Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, has called Alexander Solzhenitsyn's death "a heavy loss for the whole of Russia". It is perhaps a sign of the rocky historical road which Russia has travelled that one of its highest profile dissidents should now receive such a tribute from a former officer of the KGB.

James Rodgers, BBC News, Moscow

compatriots pay tribute
هم میهنانش از او تجلیل می کنند

a chronicler
وقایع نگار، تاریخ نویس

spoke up about
علنا از ..... انتقاد کردن

inhumanity
رفتار غیر انسانی، بی رحمی

were not broken
شکست را نپذیرفت، دراینجا: از مخالفت با رژیم دست برنداشت

inmate
زندانی، کسی که در بیمارستان بستری است، هم بند، هم سلول

dignity
شرافت، منزلت

rocky historical road
جاده پرسنگلاخ تاریخ، تاریخی که پر از دوره های دشوار است

travelled
در اینجا: تجربه کرد، عبور کرد

highest profile dissidents
مشهورترین و سرشناس ترین مخالفان سیاسی