Vorkuta Gulag yakatangwa nezviremera zveSoviet muna 1932, panzvimbo iri mumupata weRwizi Pechora, iri mukati meKomi ASSR yeRussian SFSR (yanhasi Komi Republic, Russia), inenge kubva kuMoscow uye pamusoro peArctic Circle. Guta reVorkuta rakavambwa kuti ritsigire musasa wacho, uyo wakavakwa kuti ushandise zviwanikwa zvePechora Coal Basin, gungwa rechipiri pakukura remarasha muSoviet Union. Paiva nemisasa miviri yevasungwa 132 muVorkuta Gulag system panguva yaishandiswa zvikuru muSoviet prison system. Kubvira muna 1939, vasungwa vokuPoland vaiva muVorkuta pashure pokunge Poland yapambwa
kusvikira pakupinda kweGermany muSoviet Union muna 1941. Vorkuta yakashandiswawo kuchengeta vasungwa vehondo veGermany vakabatwa kuEastern Front muHondo Yenyika II pamwe chete nematsotsi, vagari veSoviet nevaya vanobva kunyika dzakabatana neSoviet vaionekwa sevapanduki uye vavengi vehurumende munguva yeSoviet.