Soviet Propaganda: Visualizing Lenin's Revolution

1. SOVIET PROPAGANDA A presentation by Dan Papperman

2. THE BOLSHEVIK ERA (1917-21) • Posters helped spread Lenin’s vision of total cultural and political transformation to the illiterate masses • 3,600 poster designs were created in roughly three years • Images ranged from traditional to cartoons • Major cartoonists: • Alexander Apsit, Dimitri Moor and Viktor Deni • Era ended with defeat of the Whites

3. Moor, DimitriStarvation is strangling Russia, 1922 For the Red Army There are No Obstacles, 1918 The Ten Commandments of the Proletarian, 1919 Workers to Arms! You are needed by the Red Army, 1920 Kochergin, Nikolai M.Capitalism and Company, 1920

4. The New Economic Policy (1921-1927) • NEP allowed some private enterprise to return • Small farms and businesses flourished • State kept control of heavy industry, transport and foreign trade • Mayakovsky and Rodchenko developed an ‘agitational’ style of advertising • shrill slogans, aggressive compositions, strong diagonals and color • State poster production headed by Yakov Ruklevsky • Stenberg brothers, Georgii and Vladimir • Nikolai Prusakov • Losif Gerasimovich • Mikhail Dlugach

5. Stenberg, Vladimir & Georgy October: Ten Days that Shook the World, 1928 “From the Russian NEP will be socialist Russia” -Lenin Stenberg, Vladimir and GyorgyA Difficult Role, 1927

6. The First and Second Five Year Plans (1928-1937) First Five Year Plan • Stalin called for vast production increases and massive construction throughout the country • creation of collectives where the peasants worked for the State • Mobilization • ‘realistic’ portrayals of Soviet life and Communist values. • all forms of expression were mobilized to serve the state • Gustav Klutsis • praised collective farmers, Young Communists and women workers, • demanded contributions for the air fleet or road construction • stressed the goal of the Plan and a classless socialist society Second Five Year Plan • Made up for shortcomings in transport • Stalin’s party purges • Propaganda portrayed Stalin as greater than life

7. Mytnikov-Kovylin, A14 Anniversary of the Great October! Under Lenin's banner towards new victories of socialism! , 1931 Soviet Airships accelerate the socialist advance, 1930 “Under Lenin’s banner, under Stalin’s leadership, forward to the victory of communism!” “Great Stalin – Banner of the friendship of the people of the USSR!”

8. "The Great Patriotic War" (1941-1945) • The themes of Soviet propaganda shifted dramatically as the Nazi threat grew. • Less against Capitalism, more against Nazis • Stylistic shift toward realism • Major Artists: • Kukryniksky • Irakly Toidze • Viktor Koretsky • Viktor Ivanov

9. “The enemy is insidious - be on the alert!” Destroy fascists on land and on sea!, 1941 Builder! Your work shift is for peace! Build the homes of Moscow quickly, soundly, and handsomely., 1950 Moor, DimitriHow have you Helped the Front?, 1941

10. The Cold War (1946 - 1984) • Return to Social Realism • Stalin again focus of most posters • Denunciation of religion • Resumed attacks on Capitalism • High Stalinist Period (1946 - 1953) revealed images of utopian harmony • Protest became a common theme in later years

11. The whole world follows the path of Lenin's thoughts, words and actions!, 1987 Happy Soviet Science Day, Comrades!, 1967 We're tied by friendship, motherland!, 1984 Don't wait for orders from above!, 1989