Lithograph of activities of the Young Communists Club, Komsomol

By 1936 the Young Communists Club, Komsomol, was providing organized activities for young people, as this poster shows.

According to an Encyclopedia Britannica on the subject of Komsomol:

“Komsomol  was started in  1918 in order to band together various youth organizations that had previously been involved in the Russian Revolution. When the military phase ended, a new purpose was set in 1922—to engage the members in  sports, education, publishing activities, and various service and industrial projects. The Komsomol was an organization for young people aged 14 to 28 and its other purpose was to spread Communist teachings and preparing future members of the Communist Party.”

As interest declined over the years the Komsomol lost popularity and was officially ended by Gorbachev.

Closely associated with this organization were thePioneers (All-Union Lenin Pioneer Organization, established in 1922), for ages 9 to 14, and the Little Octobrists, for the very young. The Komsomol ceased activities under Gorbachev, but if you watch YOU-Tube shorts on the subject of Komsomol, you can see that the KOMSOMOL still has a place today and, like Communism,  the concept is regaining some popularity.

SEE IT ON YOU-TUBE:

KOMSOMOL 90th Anniversary

Комсомол 90 лет. Komsomol 90 years October 24, 2008

Sisters Tolmachevy in concert in Red Square  November 23, 2007

A Komsomol lapel pin showing Lenin’s face.

BELOW: Eufrosinia’s Kersnovskaya’ journal page showing a  memory of her life during the years 1939-1952. There was a great contrast between life for the families of party members and that of people outside of the city.  Looking closely you can see that all the children are sharing one bed in their small house.

Kersnovskaya’s version of life in 1936

LINKS:

For more modern Russian history from a Russian perspective, go to:

Sean’s Russia Blog

Russia Today

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