Figure 1.--Here we see a group of 2nd graders all dressed up in military uniforms. The boys are soldiers and seamen. One boy has a tanker helmet. The girls are all nurses, despite the fact that quireca nunver of teenagers abnd wome served iun combat. One boy didn't get a uniform. The photograph was taken in 1977. We were not sure at first what the occasion was, perhaps Victory or Great Patriotic War Rememberance Day. Click on the image to see about that day. But as we have the date (February 23), we how know it is Defeders of the Fatherland Day. The children were class 2b in School 2. The city was Kurakhovo (Курахово) in the Donbass area of eastern Ukraine. Interestingly the back inscription is in Russian not in Ukranian. This is not a holiday now celebrated in Ukraine, only Russia. A Russian reader tells us, "Most likely this ohotograph was sent as a kind of greeting card. The parents of a schoolboy congratulated someone on the day of the creation of the Soviet Army. In the Soviet Union, February 23 was considered a holiday not only for military personnel, but also for all men, defenders of the motherland." Note the two different descriptions: Fatherland / Motherland -- both are used in Russia with varying connotations. The picture here from Kurakhovo is poignet as the city is 10 miles west of the frontlines of the War in the Donbass -- the Russian financed insurgency to destabilize independent Ukraine.

We see many school images of younger Russian children dressing up in costumes. We see it most commonly with Kindergartners, but younger primary students are also seen in costumes. Although less common, we see some older students also wearing costumes. There sometimes seem to be a theme. Military uniforms were very common, especially for the primary children. This might mean holidays recognizing veterans. We also see folk costumes which of course touch on ethnicity. The girls often wore nurses outfits rather than military outfits. There are very definite gender roles presented at an early age and confirmed in Russian historiography. The role of Soviet women in the Great Patriotic War / Ostkrieg is a poorly covered topic. Russian teenager girls and women were involved and more than just nursing roles during the War--including combat. There is also none of the Western PC attitude of going for a non-violent ethos in Russia. The Kindergartners tended to have more diverse costume picks with animals and other characters. We are not sure just what is involved. It does not seem to be just fun or free play activities. Russian schools are more structured in general. Dressing up seems to be most common for holiday celebrations or for various kinds of classroom special events which we can not figure out from just the available photographs. Much of this seems to be classroom activities, but some of it looks to be conducted outside the classroom. The 2nd graders here are participating in the celebration of Defenders of the Fatherland Day--formerly Red Army Day (figure 1). Notice how the Russian reader here prefers to use 'Motherland'.

Ages

We have found numerous Soviet/Russian photographs of school groups wearing a wide range of costumes. We see many images of younger Russian children dressing up in costumes. We see it most commonly with Kindergartners, but younger primary students are also seen in costumes. Although less common, we see some older students also wearing costumes. There are countless images of Kindergartners dressing up and many of primary students. Kindergartners wore a wide range of costumes. We see the primary children wearing military uniforms. We see fewer images of older students and in some cases we cannot figure out just what the group, theme, or occasion was. We think that the older students were more likely to wear folk costumes, but this is a subject we are still working on.

Themes

There is often a theme to the school groups we see dressing up. Military uniforms were very common, especially for the primary-age children. This might mean holidays recognizing veterans. It is interesting that during the Soviet era great deference was paid to the military and military service. Note that this was an era in which Marxism was the state Communist ideology. Yet there was none of this Marxist ideology that we see in American universities attacking the military and police and dishonoring military and police service. The different approach of Marxist professors in America and Communist counties is notable and worth discussing. A good example of a military theme is the 2nd graders here wearing military and nursing uniforms (figure 1). We suspect that this image would horrify many American school teachers who don't even like the Pledge of Allegiance having been influenced by Marxist professors. We also see folk costumes which of course touch on ethnicity, but they are not as common as the military themes.

Gender

The girls often wore nurses outfits rather than military outfits. There are very definite gender roles presented at an early age and confirmed by Russian historiography. The role of Soviet women in the Great Patriotic War / Ostkrieg is a poorly covered topic in both the Soviet era and modern Russia. Russian teenager girls and women were involved and more than just nursing roles during the War--including combat. There is also none of the Western Politically Correct / woke attitude of going for a non-violent ethos in Soviet or modern Russian schools.

Costumes

We note a wide range of costumes being worn by Soviet/Russian school children dressing up. The Kindergartners tended to have more diverse costume picks with animals and other characters. We are not sure just what is involved. It does not seem to be just fun or free play activities. Russian schools are more structured in general. Once the children begin primary school there is a more narrow choice of costumes with a definite emphasis on military uniforms. With the older children we often see folk costumes.

Holidays

Dressing up seems to be most common for holiday celebrations or for various kinds of classroom special events which we can not figure out from just the available photographs. Much of this seems to be classroom activities, but some of it looks to be conducted outside the classroom. The 2nd graders here are participating in the celebration of Defenders of the Fatherland Day--formerly Red Army Day (figure 1). Notice how the Russian reader here prefers to use 'Motherland'.

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Created: 8:56 AM 6/27/2020
Last updated: 1:24 PM 11/11/2021