“Soviet society revealed signs of acute stress. One was hyper-alcoholism” (Freeze, 444). When we picture someone from Russia, I think many of us see a beer-bellied man with a 5:00 shadow, rosy cheeks, hazy eyes, and a half empty bottle of vodka next to him. At least that’s what I see. So I was curious […]
Category: Red Star
The Soviet Students Clap Back, Letter-Style
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Well well, if it isn’t the youth making another noteworthy appearance on my blog. Pardon my language but we’re more than halfway through the 20th Century (and the spring semester) of studying Soviet history, and these youngins have a lot to say from their knowledge and experiences influenced by things outside the Stalinist USSR! I…
The Original Hipsters
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During the 1950s in Soviet Russia, a counter-culture movement called the “stilyagi” emerged. This movement was pro-Western in culture; they wore outfits similar to the zoot suits of the West with bright colors and tight pants. They were intrigued by Western culture, and went to great lengths to be immersed in it—even as far as… Continue reading The Original Hipsters →
Andrei Zhdanov’s Cultural Purification
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Andrei Zhdanov Andrei Zhdanov joined the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (Bolshevik) in 1915. He quickly rose up through the party ranks in Leningrad and was Chairman of the RSFSR Supreme Soviet from 20 July 1938–20 June 1947. The following Video discusses Zhdanov’s party career. War Time Cultural relaxation The external pressure of WWII brought about an … Continue reading Andrei Zhdanov’s Cultural Purification
She Defends the Motherland
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During Russia’s Great Patriotic War, films about the war effort dominated Russia’s film industry. With the majority of film production safely moved to Kazakhstan, the studios began to release war films to rally the Soviet people, and many of these focused on the partisan war effort. The role of women in the partisan war effort was […]
Soviet National Anthem
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Russia is perhaps one of the only countries in the world whose anthem reveals so much about that country’s past. “God Save the Tsar” obviously was no longer appropriate after the February Revolution of 1917; “The Internationale,” the French piece which replaced the … Continue reading →
When You Wish Upon A Pike
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Since there is a ’30s module about Russian childhood under Stalin and a ’30s module about the arts, I thought it would be appropriate to combine the two in my post. By The Pike’s Wishes is a 1936 play by Yelizaveta Tarakhovskaya. Tarakhovskaya was… Continue Reading →
Mother Russia Finally Says “Nyet” To Abortions…Kind of
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Abortion… Eight letters that make up one word that is fraught with controversy no matter where one is in the world. Russia is no exception to the controversy. In 1920, the then Soviet Union under Bolshevik rule, became the first country to legalize abortion. The law “on the Legalization of Abortions” asserted that to protect the… Continue reading Mother Russia Finally Says “Nyet” To Abortions…Kind of →
Stalin’s Slight of Hand in the 30’s
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At Face Value This picture visually represents the mindset with which Joseph Stalin used to shape Russia in the 1930’s. The 1930’s were a busy time with mass construction in Moscow and the introduction of the second 5 year plan. Stalin signed off on an audacious plan to completely renovate Moscow into a modern city, which exemplified socialist values. This sentiment is echoed in the following … Continue reading Stalin’s Slight of Hand in the 30’s
The Marvelous Metro
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Walking into any of the Moscow metro stations today, as shown in these pictures, you’re stepping into a place that could be described as an underground art gallery. From intricate arches to massive murals, these metro stations are worlds different than the DC metro that a majority of us are more accustomed to. However, these … Continue reading The Marvelous Metro
