Photos of 1950s Moscow

[Toppler]

I found some nice photos of 1950s Moscow on the web http://forum.xcitefun.net/1950s-moscow-beautiful-pictures-t50651.html

Actually a pretty nice city.
Not quite 1984's London, is it?

[Sir Comradical]

There's plenty here.

http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2007/08/09/more-pictures-of-ussr-part-3/#comment-2087849

This is my favourite.

http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/32.jpg

[Sir Comradical]

There's plenty here.

http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2007/08/09/more-pictures-of-ussr-part-3/#comment-2087849

This is my favourite.

http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/32.jpg

[Omsk]

http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2008/06/03/the-soviet-moscow/
Ignore the website and description,enjoy the pictures and the beauty of Moscow!:)

[Rafiq]

I find that quite remarkable. Think, they lost 27 million lives in World War II and almost their whole country was destroyed.

This is how quick they got to rebuild.

The US, by the way, lost nothing except pearl harbor, yet were still facing a lot of trouble after WWII.

[mosfeld]

http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_3/31.jpg

http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_2/66.jpg

Fresh

[Rusty Shackleford]

amazing photos.

growing up, i could never imagine people in the soviet union in color. its weird i know, but its just nice to see.

all you hear is oppression and all that.

look at the color!
http://englishrussia.com/images/soviet_moscow/4.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/soviet_moscow/7.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/soviet_moscow/26.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/soviet_moscow/55.jpg

[Dire Helix]

http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/1.jpg

People are forced to carry banners celebrating the 100th anniversary since Lenin`s birth. Those who didn`t were sent straight to the gulag and tortured to death with lectures on dialectic materialism.

[pranabjyoti]

http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/1.jpg

People are forced to carry banners celebrating the 100th anniversary since Lenin`s birth. Those who didn`t were sent straight to the gulag and tortured to death with lectures on dialectic materialism.
Any source please or you are being sarcastic!

[Omsk]

Of course he is joking. :)

[Chimurenga.]

In b4 "BUT ITS STALINISM!!!!!"

:laugh:


Also, some great pictures in here.

[Bright Banana Beard]

Why am I seeing a polar bear?

[Omsk]

:lol: I just saw the bear? New comrade enlisted?:)

[Red_Struggle]

Omg, maybe the Soviet Union wasn't a hellhole?

Who would have thought?:lol:

[Aurorus Ruber]

Why am I seeing a polar bear?

I noticed that as well. I didn't think they had polar bears in Russia.

[Sir Comradical]

In b4 "BUT ITS STALINISM!!!!!"

:laugh:


Also, some great pictures in here.

Soviet family oppressed by Stalinist house.
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/3.jpg

-------------

More Pictures


http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/16.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/19.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/22.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/24.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/26.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/27.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/30.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/31.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/34.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/81.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_2/2.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_2/12.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_2/20.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_2/56.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_2/76.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_2/95.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_2/107.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_3/11.jpg

[Sir Comradical]

http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/8.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/14.jpg

[Steve_j]

Oh shit! A few pretty pictures, the Soviet Union must have been amazing!

[Delenda Carthago]

There's plenty here.

http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2007/08/09/more-pictures-of-ussr-part-3/#comment-2087849

This is my favourite.

http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/32.jpg


This is the only picture that actually shows something about the morals back then.All the others dont say nothing.And dont try to act like the people smiling have something to say about the regime.Even under the worst dictatorship,under Edi Amin or smth you will find pictures of people smilin. That doesnt mean that the regime they are under is not a monsterous one.This is populism.

[Red_Struggle]

This is the only picture that actually shows something about the morals back then

How so? It just looks like a few cops or whatever having a gander at a couple girls.

[Omsk]

And dont try to act like the people smiling have something to say about the regime.Even under the worst dictatorship,under Edi Amin or smth you will find pictures of people smilin.
Oh will you stop it,we are not trying to 'prove' anything,we are not trying to idealize the UssR of the that period,all the people in this thread want is to have a glance at a couple of nice pictures,from that period,because,thankfully the US propaganda already presented about a milion pictures from everyday life in America.And we all saw that,now lets take a look at Moscow and how was it like back than.
If you ask me,it's shining in glory. :)

[Rusty Shackleford]

Oh will you stop it,we are not trying to 'prove' anything,we are not trying to idealize the UssR of the that period,all the people in this thread want is to have a glance at a couple of nice pictures,from that period,because,thankfully the US propaganda already presented about a milion pictures from everyday life in America.And we all saw that,now lets take a look at Moscow and how was it like back than.
If you ask me,it's shining in glory. :)
what are you talking about. all we do is idealize the soviet union.


EDIT:





http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/22.jpg
http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70_2/95.jpg



holy fuck balls mathyou see how oppressed they are!? they have to do math on the ground and on metal!

[Sir Comradical]

Oh shit! A few pretty pictures, the Soviet Union must have been amazing!

The dominant paradigm in the west demands that the USSR is depicted as nothing other than photos of labour camps, food queues and soldiers with guns. When dozens of photos are presented to you showing ordinary civilian life in the USSR, you flip out and imply that we're biased. Maybe you're biased?

[The Man]

Oh the horror! It's hell on earth! People are starving to death!

- Capitalists

[Delenda Carthago]

How so? It just looks like a few cops or whatever having a gander at a couple girls.
It shows that some traditions that communist girls use to have at least in my country (not shaving their legs,not wearing sexy clothes etc)did not applied even in the 1950s.

[gorillafuck]

These are cool pictures but this doesn't have much to do with history seeing as how these are all irrelevant to the political and economic side of the Soviet Union.


http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/30.jpg

This guy was wearing flannel and thick black framed glasses before it was cool.

[Rusty Shackleford]

thats what you would call a stilyagi

[Red Commissar]

Just to comment on something from the set in the OP

http://img.xcitefun.net/users/2010/07/194612,xcitefun-1950s-moscow-23.jpg

I believe this is where the "Palace of the Soviets" was supposed to be built before it was scrapped. The foundations were filled up and turned into a large open-air pool.

[Dire Helix]

It shows that some traditions that communist girls use to have at least in my country (not shaving their legs,not wearing sexy clothes etc)did not applied even in the 1950s.

It shows males expressing interest in females. That is all. But of course if we look too much into it we can spot some bourgeois decadency in there along with the lack of morals(which is funny, because anti-communist propaganda has always portrayed people in the Socialist Block as overly prude and moralistic).

[Toppler]

It is not just about the smiles, it shows that the USSR was not some sort of a huge grey lifeless slum as it is eagerly portrayed in the Western media.

http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2010/11/30/reminiscences-of-the-ussr/
http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2010/05/17/the-ussr-of-the-1960s-1970s/
http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2009/10/21/a-glance-at-the-soviet-lifestyle-captured-by-marc-riboud/

For those who scream the classic cliche "ITS ALL JUST STAGED PROPAGANDA PICTURES", here are some mundane pics done by National Geographics and a Frenchman.

Still disappointed because there is no horribleness?

Also, the "endless lines" stereotype comes from beloved by cappies Gorbachev era.

[milk]

Just to comment on something from the set in the OP

http://img.xcitefun.net/users/2010/07/194612,xcitefun-1950s-moscow-23.jpg

I believe this is where the "Palace of the Soviets" was supposed to be built before it was scrapped. The foundations were filled up and turned into a large open-air pool.

Yes, and now it is the place where the rebuilt Cathedral of Christ the Saviour now stands.

http://www.crystaltest.com/nina/images/img_moscow3.jpg

Here is a clip of a 1930s Soviet film, the comedy New Moscow. You can see the Palace of Soviets at the end.

mQHVS_IWKRQ

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Nice pictures. As I had into my 3rd decade, I am beginning to appreciate good photography more.

Whilst it is refreshing to see colour pictures of the USSR, not focused on labour camps or boring apartment blocks, it doesn't really bear any relevance to the political and economic history of the USSR.

Nice pictures though. Chers.:)

[milk]

For street scenes of 1960s Moscow, then there are two films from that period.

Firstly, I Stroll Through Moscow.

mvQtg2Z5e8c

And, July Rain.

-_B6UpvZCIE

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Actually, as an aside, does anyone have any pictures of places other than Moscow?

Capital cities are often nice looking places in places that are developed or getting there, nice to see other places too.

[Toppler]

I already posted this:

http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2010/11/30/reminiscences-of-the-ussr/
http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2010/05/17/the-ussr-of-the-1960s-1970s/
http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2009/10/21/a-glance-at-the-soviet-lifestyle-captured-by-marc-riboud/

These are both Moscow and other places.

Of course, I expected the... "only the capital city is nice!" cliche.

[Omsk]

The capitalist's are known for their hypocrisy.You should not be surprised.
Anyway,i want to thank you for these excellent pictures and a fine thread Toppler,good job!:)

[DaringMehring]

My family is from Russia/USSR, and so its always surprising to me, when either people think it was some kind of hellish wasteland (many people in the USA think this) or a workers' paradise (a small minority of deluded communists). The fact is, it was a developing country, made much better by the socialized property relations (relatives of mine swam in that pool pictured), but still materially poor (basic mass produced consumer items were lacking, like for instance diapers were usually re-used rags and it wasn't great for smell).

The repression was harsh in Stalin times, but it let up afterward, so it is unfair to say that was a permanent feature of USSR life.

[Tifosi]

http://englishrussia.com/images/more_pictures_ussr_70/27.jpg

Like come on, when have you ever seen builders like that? Going around with flowers.

Real builders

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00980/builders-bum-460_980064c.jpg

[Omsk]

Why do you people try so hard? :)
Maybe the 'real builders' are not carying flowers and smiling all the time,but for instance,in some socialistic and communistic countries,the working class was well treated,and it was powerafull.Or at least that was the concept.
Take a look at the youth-work-activities in Yugoslavia,it was wage-less,and yet the working men and women achieved success,they finished the work much faster than capitalistic workers (wage slaves) and were all enthusiastic and work-happy.But the image of a happy worker is probably very 'alien' to you.

[Tifosi]

Why do you people try so hard? :)
Maybe the 'real builders' are not carying flowers and smiling all the time,but for instance,in some socialistic and communistic countries,the working class was well treated,and it was powerafull.Or at least that was the concept.
Take a look at the youth-work-activities in Yugoslavia,it was wage-less,and yet the working men and women achieved success,they finished the work much faster than capitalistic workers (wage slaves) and were all enthusiastic and work-happy.But the image of a happy worker is probably very 'alien' to you.

It's called taking the piss.

[the last donut of the night]

as much as the pictures help throw away that bourgeois "1984-esque" aesthetic that's given to former socialist countries, by themselves they don't really show anything. i could show you pictures from working class american neighborhoods and to most people they'd look pretty nice too

[Pretty Flaco]

I've always thought that the red and white castle-ish looking structure in red square looked like red velvet cake.

http://images24.fotki.com/v797/photos/2/260451/2641399/RussianStateHistoricalMuseum15-vi.jpg?1126630871

Google tells me it's the "state historical building"

[milk]

It is. Been in there, back in 2004.

[Dire Helix]

Actually, as an aside, does anyone have any pictures of places other than Moscow?

Capital cities are often nice looking places in places that are developed or getting there, nice to see other places too.

Here`s a movie clip to the song "My city Baku" by a popular Soviet Azerbaijani singer Muslim Magomayev; it contains some pretty nice footage of Soviet Baku:

-r67lNV09K8

[scourge007]

Those pictures sure do disprove what we were taught when we were children.

[Rafiq]

So much for grey, dreary and freezing terrible life in the Soviet Union. Russia is now back where it started, the third world.

[RadioRaheem84]

Wait, Wait, Wait! Hold the phone!

I am confused. I was under the impression that evil Stalinist-Khrushchev Russia was supposed to be this Nazi-like hell hole full of starving children and police at every corner clubbing you if you listened to the Beatles!

Something isn't right about these pics. Where is the despair, the misery, the utter human depravity?

Seriously, while these pics aren't a conclusive picture of Soviet Russia, they do help to shed the erroneous image that has been implanted into our heads from so much Cold War propaganda.

We should contrast these pics with pics of what Russia looks like now! From what I hear from Russian friends, Russia is back to the third world and looks more and more like what the Cold War propaganda suggested in the first place.

Heck, we can compare photos of Bastard-Keynesian America circa 1960, especially Detroit or heavily union bastions with what they look like now! Same difference.

The point though is that neo-liberalism has actually pushed the world closer to the brink of poverty than any other period. We have regressed economically.

[Delenda Carthago]

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/picture/TheWheelman/InSovietRussia-1.png

[Comrade Marxist Bro]

Something isn't right about these pics. Where is the despair, the misery, the utter human depravity?

They're here: http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2011/02/08/travel-to-everyday-soviet-life/

http://englishrussia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/600x600fs-SOKOLAEV21840609053.jpg

http://englishrussia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/600x600fs-SOKOLAEV03830126062.jpg

http://englishrussia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/600x600fs-SOKOLAEV06791027023.jpg

http://englishrussia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/600x600fs-SOKOLAEV04830522041.jpg

http://englishrussia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/600x600fs-SOKOLAEV03830522013.jpg

http://englishrussia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/600x600fs-SOKOLAEV03840609063.jpg

http://englishrussia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/600x600fs-SOKOLAEV16830916103.jpg

http://englishrussia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/600x600fs-SOKOLAEV10830828152.jpg

[Maksym]

Here are some photos I took in September 2008, which can be compared to the 1950's photos:

http://img.xcitefun.net/users/2010/07/194601,xcitefun-1950s-moscow-14.jpghttp://img.xcitefun.net/users/2010/07/194600,xcitefun-1950s-moscow-15.jpghttp://img.xcitefun.net/users/2010/07/194611,xcitefun-1950s-moscow-24.jpg



2008

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/?saved=1

[Dire Helix]

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/picture/TheWheelman/InSovietRussia-1.png

Would`ve made more sense to use a picture that`s actually of Soviet Russia then.

[Kiev Communard]

I've always thought that the red and white castle-ish looking structure in red square looked like red velvet cake.

http://images24.fotki.com/v797/photos/2/260451/2641399/RussianStateHistoricalMuseum15-vi.jpg?1126630871

Google tells me it's the "state historical building"

More precisely, State Historical Museum - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Historical_Museum

[kafkaesque]

They're here:


Those photos are amazing. Fuck, me loves COMMUJIZM now!! :wub:

PS- recieved this while posting:

"1.To be able to post links or images your post count must be 25 or greater. You currently have 2 posts.

Please remove links from your message, then you will be able to submit your post."

This website keeps getting better and better

[Delenda Carthago]

Would`ve made more sense to use a picture that`s actually of Soviet Russia then.
Indeed.But that's the most sparky I found so...:lol:

[Comrade Marxist Bro]

Those photos are amazing. Fuck, me loves COMMUJIZM now!! :wub:

Papa Stalin's progressive commujizm?