The Space Race between the US and the USSR was a critical moment of the 1950s and 1960s. The Soviets took lead in the competition with the successful launch of Sputnik 1. Part 1: Sputnik Sputnik 1 was launched from Kazakhstan on October 4, 1957. It was the first ever earth- orbiting artificial satellite. This … Continue reading Russian to Space →
Katyn Forest Massacre 1939. The Partition. Following the invasion of Poland and the start of World War II, Poland was partitioned between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union claimed it was freeing Ukrainian and Belorussian workers who were supposedly being oppressed by Polish rulers in order to legitimize its invasion of and … Continue reading Killing the Massacre →
For years champagne was been a symbol of celebration and prosperity. Soviet champagne was a symbol of decadence and comfort immediately after a tumultuous period of famine and immediately prior to a horrific fear and uncertainty. Might it be possible that indulgence provoked the events that followed? Famine. We begin with collectivization and industrialization. The … Continue reading Fizz the Season →
Стрелочник башкир. The “Bashkir Switchman”. He works for hours on the railroad, participating in a seemingly mundane task, that marks a pivotal point for the history of Russian technological advancements and geographical changes. This image was photographed in the summer of 1910 by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin Gorskii as he traveled along the Samara- Zlatoust Railroad … Continue reading Follow the tracks: The effects of industrialization and railroads on social and economic change. →
