Figure 1.--Here is a Soviet boy's ID card. He seems to have been issued several different cards almost annually. Click on the image to see another ID.

We have collected some information about Soviet member ship cards and IDs. There were no Young Pioneer membership cards, but there were other identity and membership books for the KOMOSOL, trade unions, military and others. A Soviet reader writes, "These documents are not IDs. First is member's card of the Komsomol--All-union Lenin Communist Youth League (VLKSM). It was organisation, preparing people to become a member of the Communist Party. Second isa trade union membership card. Soviet children did not have IDs. Young Pioneers did not have any membership cards and didn't pay monthly dues like Komsomol members or actual Communist Party members." We have found Soviet-era ID cards. What we find surprising is how many of these very detailed cards were issued to one individual over the space of so few years. We have noted four of these IDs issued for one Soviet boy.

Individuals

We have found Soviet-era ID cards. What we find surprising is how many of these very detailed cards were issued to one individual over the space of so few years. We have noted four of these IDs issued for one Soviet boy. Two are photo IDs and two are not. They were issued to a teenaged boy in 1979, 1981, 1981, and 1982. He was born in 1964, and there are entries through 1985. One of these, top of scan 2, is a Military ID. We do not understand why so many different IDs were needed for a single teenage boy. We understand the military ID, bit several IDs for a teenage boy seems rather strange. Also note how there seem to periodic entries, presumably monthly, into the ID booklets. We are not sure what these entries meant and who made them. Our Russian readers are helping us to explain these identities.

Organizations

We have information on several different Soviet organizations. A Soviet reader writes, "These documents are not IDs. First is member's card of the Komsomol--All-union Lenin Communist Youth League (VLKSM). It was organisation, preparing people to become a member of the Communist Party. Second isa trade union membership card. Soviet children did not have IDs. Young Pioneers did not have any membership cards and didn't pay monthly dues like Komsomol members or actual Communist Party members."

Young Pioneers

We have been collecting membership cards and books for youth groups and were looking for Young Pioneer cards. Russian readers, however, tell us that there the Pioneers did not have any sych cards/books. Young pioneers had no membership tickets and paid no dues. Their only "document" was red pioneer necktie. Readers may want to compare this to the Hitler Youth membership book.

All-Union Lenin Young Communist League (KOMOSOL)

We see here represented first of all the All-Union Lenin Young Communist League ((KOMOSOL/VLESM) membership books (figure 1). This is the Communist Party organization for the young people. Youths could join beginning at 14 years of age. They could remain members until the summer when they reached age 27. Membership required a recommendation of a Communist Pary member or three members of the VLESM. After age 27 if the person had not been accepted into the Communist Party (CPSU) he was no longer part of any political organization. Neither of these two organizations, the VLKSM and the CPSU, were not organizations in which all Soviet citizens participated. Membership was necessary for advancement and high office in the individuals career. For example in the Navy it was not possible to become the commander (captain) of ship if you were not a CPSU member. VLKSM membership did not by itself make possible advancement, but it was useful to help get accepted for university study and for admission into the CPSU

Trade Unions

The second document here is the membership book of the trade union. This had no relation to children anf younger teenagers still in school. The boy here has a trade union card because he was an older teen who had apparently finished school. A Russian reader tells us that this was not a plitical organization. While this is correct, it must be noted that there were no free trade unions in the Soviet Union. Trade unions were all strictly controlled by the Soviet Union. They were essentially organizations to control workers, not organizations that workers could use to persue their interests. Strikes or work stopages of course were not possible. These cards were important documents to keep for pension recrds. Members paid monthly dues which amounted to 1 percent of wages. There were a variety of benefits to trade uniform membership such as access to sanatoriums and recreation centers during vacations. Membership also entitled their children to attend summer camps and other facilities. Children obtained from the trade union gifts for the New Year holiday which the Soviets used to replace Christmas.

Figure 1.--Note how the Soviet boy here had to get all kinds of periodic entries in his ID. I'm not sure what these enrtries involved or who made them.

Military Recreation Organization (DOSAAF)

We also see the identity card for the All Union Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Air Force, and Navy (DOSAAF). This also was not a children's organization, but the individual here wa a young man. Soviet youths could join the the military beginning at age 17, but conscription was for slightly older touths. . The USSR had this association to provide recreation an other services to members of the military. There was an extensive network aero clubs, sea clubs, rifle clubs, jump training, training the drivers of the automobiles and other technical specialties. Many of the recreational acrivities had military connotations: parachute clubs, sailing clubs, rile clubs, ect. Membership in these clubs was entirely voluntary. These organizations were not political. Many of these clubs still exist in modern Russia, but are supported I beieve at least in part by private subscrition.

Russian Text

представленные в этом разделе членские билеты не имеют никакого отношения к пионерской организации. Юные пионеры не имели никаких членских билетов и не платили никакие взносы. На ваших фотографиях представлены в первую очередь комсомольский билет. Это организация (ВЛКСМ) объединяла молодых людей до 27 летнего возраста. Вступить в нее можно было с 14 лет. Для вступления в ВЛКСМ нужна была рекомендация одного члена КПСС или 3 членов ВЛКСМ. Это коммунистическая организация для молодежи. По истечении 27 летнего возраста членство в ВЛКСМ заканчивалось автоматически и человек считался не состоящим ни в какой политической организации, если он до этого времени не вступил в КПСС. И ВЛКСМ и КПСС были организациями не обязательными для всех людей, но порой нельзя было добиться высокой должности в своей деятельности если ты не был членом КПСС. Например в военно-морских силах нельзя было стать командиром (капитаном) корабля если ты не был членом КПСС. На членов ВЛКСМ такой порядок не распространялся и фактически эта организация кроме политической направленности ничего в себе не несла. Второй документ на фото - это билет члена профессионального союза. К детям и подросткам он не имел никакого отношения. Человек вступал в профессиональный союз на своей работе, то есть уже взрослым человеком. К политической организации профессиональный союз отнести нельзя. Членом профсоюза человек считался до самой пенсии. Он платил ежемесячные взносы в виде 1% от своей заработной платы и имел различные льготы при отдыхе в санаториях и домах отдыха во время отпуска, получал туда льготные путевки (направления). Профсоюз оплачивал своим членам отдых их детей в летних лагерях и еще несколько подобных ситуаций в жизни. Дети получали от профсоюза подарки на новогодний праздник и в некоторых учреждениях на установленные коммунистические праздники. В общем профессиональный союз был организацией социального направления. В Вашей стране тоже существуют профессиональные союзы. На втором фото показан членский билет ДОСААФ - Добровольное общество содействия армии, авиации и флоту. В СССР существовала эта организация объединявшая в себе целую сеть аэроклубов, морских клубов, стрелковых клубов, парашютной подготовки, подготовки водителей автомобилей и друг их технических специальностей. К детям это тоже не имело никакого отношения. Вступить в любой клуб ДОСААФ можно было не раньше 17 лет и только добровольно. Юноша которому нравилось прыгать с парашютом - шел в свой клуб, другой шел в морской клуб и плавал на яхтах и катерах, любитель пострелять шел в свой тир и так далее. Повторяю - всё это было основано на добровольной основе и никто человека не принуждал записываться в такой клуб. Туда можно было свободно прийти и так же свободно уйти и больше не ходить на занятия. В современной России эта организация сохранилась под названием РОСТО и продолжает свою деятельность. Политической направленности организация не несет. Последний документ на фото (серая обложка) всего лишь разновидность профсоюзного членского билета и к детям тоже не имеет никакого отношения. Если Вам, Dennis, кто-то сказал, что все эти документы имеют отношение к пионерам, то Вас просто ввели в заблуждение. У пионеров не было никаких документов. Единственным их "документом" был красный пионерский галстук.