Soviet Young Pioneers: Uniforms--Chronology


Figure 1.--This was the pre-World War II Soviet Young Pioneer uniform. A Soviet reader tells us it dates to about 1938-41. This was apparently an illustration for Arkadiy Gaydar's book "The Fate of a Drummer", written about 1938. I don't know the artist. Notice the boy is shown as wearing a red necktie rather than aneckerchief. I'm not sure

The Russian Revolution occurred in 1917. In the caos of World War I and the Civil War. We are not sure precisely when the first pioneer uniform was created and when children began wearing them. We doubt is this occured during the caos of World War I and the Civil War. HBC at this time has not details on chronolgical changes in the Pioneer uniform. We are not sure to what extent boys wore elaborate uniforms in the Soviet Union. We believe that red scarves were wxtensively worn, but are not sure about complete uniforms. Russia was a very poor country in the 1920s and 30s. One painting from the 1930s suggests that the boys had a khaki uniform. Of course paintings are not as substantial information as photographs, but this is the only information we have on the 1930s at this time. We are not sure when this uniform was first adopted and presisely when thePioneers changes to the white shirt and blue pants uniform. World War II (1941-45) devestated the country. Thus many Russians would not have had the money to purcase elaborate uniforms. It is likely, however, that there were official uniforms that selected boys and girls wore for ceremonial occasiions. Children at elite schools in Moscow and other major cities were porobably more likely to have Pioneer uniforms. As conditions improved in the 1950s and 60s, more boys were likely to wear basic uniforms. Our information, howevr, is still very limited. Most of our images of Soviet Young Pioneers date from the 1960s, but we have begun to aquire some eralier information.

1910s

The Russian Revolution occurred in 1917. In the chaos of World War I and the Civil War there was no resources to create an implement a youth movement.

The 1920s

The Russian Revolution occurred in 1917 and the Bolshevicks did not seize control of it untl October. A civil war followed as well as related engagements with neighboring countrieies (Poland and the Baltics) that had been part of Tsarist Russia. The Bolsevick were not in full control of the county until 1922. We are not yet sure when the Soviets began organizing the Young Pioneer youth organization. HBC at this time has not details on chronolgical changes in the Pioneer uniform. We are not sure to what extent boys wore elaborate uniforms in the Soviet Union. We believe that red scarves were wxtensively worn, but are not sure about complete uniforms. Russia was a very poor country in the 1920s and 30s. There was no definitive Pioneer uniform until 1950. Here the major factor was poverty. Many families could not afford to buy a special outfit for Pioneer activity. Boys wore a great variety of outfits. Boys wore knee-length short pants. Kneepants with buttons at the leg hem were still common. Some of the shorts were also very baggy. Boys wore both long stockings and kneesocks. Knee socks were distributed to some Pioneers. Ankle socks were very rare. Many children went without socks and stockings. Boots were common.

The 1930s

One painting from the 1930s suggests that the boys had a khaki uniform (figure 1). Of course paintings are not as substantial information as photographs, but this is the only information we have on the 1930s at this time. We are not sure when this uniform was first adopted and presisely when thePioneers changes to the white shirt and blue pants uniform. It apparently was not a national uniform, but was perhaps adopted at the boy's school.

The 1940s

World War II (1941-45) devestated the country. Thus many Russians would not have had the money to purcase elaborate uniforms. It is likely, however, that there were official uniforms that selected boys and girls wore for ceremonial occasions. Children at elite schools in Moscow and other major cities were probably more likely to have Pioneer uniforms.

The 1950s

As conditions improved in the 1950s, more boys were likely to wear basic uniforms. Our information, howevr, is still very limited. We have no images yet on Pioneers during the 1950s. Boys wore short pants. Gradually, especially after World War II a pioneer uniform consisting of white shirts, white wide rather long shorts, and white ankle socks became common. The rest remained as earlier.

The 1960s

Most of our images of Soviet Young Pioneers date from the 1960s, but we still have relatively few images. The short pants become shorter. The pioneer uniform become a white shirt, dark blue shorts and white ankle socks. Some boys also wore white knee socks. The familiar Pioneer uniform appeared in 1968-1969. The complete Pioneer uniform for the boys included: - red pioneer keckerchief, - white shirt with the emblem on the sleeve in the form of pentagonal star with a bonfire flame; - dark blue short pantss from the cloth of the similar to dzhinsovoy which were buttoned to the buttons along the sides. The girls wore dark blue skirt from the same material as the boys and white blouses with short slleves cut the elbow. The boys had an orange-yellow belt with a brass buckle that had the image of the Pioneer logo (star against the background of bonfire). There was also [? - red sid ] cap . This was the formal Pioneer uniform for all members throughout the Soviet Union. Pioneer shirts and blouses for everyday wear could be blue. Pioneers also wore their red neckerchiefs ( galstuki) to school. A Russian reader tells us, "Children did not wear their Pioneer uniforms to school. They had a school uniform which should not be confused with the Pioneer uniform. School uniforms involved different garments. The red neckerchief identified the children as Pioneer members, but the rest of the Pioneer uniform was not worn. I read on HBU that the school uniform and the Pioneer uniform was the same. Again I repeat that this was not the case. The Pioneer uniform was as described here. Some Pioneer uniforms at the prestigious summer camps ("artek", "eaglet" and "ocean") were destinct, often using different colors. These were, however, rare exceptions.


Figure 2.-- This was the summer uniform at the All-Union Pioneer Camp "Artek". The photograph was taken about 1980. The children are taking photos of their friends before leaving the camp. "Cornflower-blue" was the official color description of the uniform short.

The 1970s

HBC has acquired considrable infomation on Pioneer uniforms during the 1970s. The boys and girls uniform was quite similar. The boys had overseas caps. Both boys and girls wore white shirts. The boys wore blue pants, long pants during much of the year, but short pants during the summer--especially at summer camps. "Cornflower-blue" was the official color description of the uniform pants, both longs and shorts. White kneesocks were worn by with short pants and by girls, bit not by all children. Boys wore a variety of footwear, including sandals and sneakers. Knee socks became very popular in the 1970s. Boys very much frequently wore kneesocks of different colors. The shorts become even shorter. The uniform becomes a white shirt, dark blue shirts, with a brown belt, and knee socks. White kneesocks were often worn for formal occassions.

The 1980s

The popularity of knee socks declines in the 1980s, but they remain in the pioneer uniform. The pioneer uniform beginning in 1985 no longer included kneesocks.

The 1990s

The Young Pioneer movement was disolved with the disappeance of the Soiviet bUnio t the end of 1991. Without Government support there appears to hve been little interest in cointinuing the Pioneer movement. The Pioneer Organisation thus declined after the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991. A Russian reader tells us, however, that the Pioneers did not disappear totally He reports that Pioneer units did disappear at most schools, but continued at some. This was the case where there were teachers interested in continuing to work with the children through the Pioneers. This is being done on a much smaller scale because of government financial support was discontinued. We do not know what the impact on the uniform was.

Source

Autthor unknown. Artek (Crimea, USSR, about 1980).







HBU





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Created: March 1, 2003
Last updated: 8:07 PM 4/18/2005