Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences 11 (2014 7) 1879-1885 ~ ~ ~ УДК 659.4 Pushkin and the Doctrine of Stalinism Anatolii S. Il’in* Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University 90 Mira, Krasnoyarsk, 660049, Russia Received 16.06.2014, received in revised form 17.07.2014, accepted 31.08.2014 There is an opinion that public relations were formed in the USA in the 1930-s and appeared in Russia only in the 1990-s, along with market economy and democracy. This opinion is not completely true. Indeed, public relations as art and science were formed in the USA. However, communication between the authorities and public (government relations) is traditionally considered to be the communicative function of any state body. A public event or a campaign is often used as a message conveyed through a communication channel. In the 1930-s in the USSR Joseph Stalin was building his regime by repressions, accusing his opponents of political crimes. But his regime needed a more solid reason. That is why Stalin ideologists used the centennial anniversary of the death of Alexander Pushkin: during the commemoration campaign, the doctrine of world revolution was replaced with the doctrine of building socialism in the only country which served as the ideological foundation of the Red Empire. Keywords: public relations, communications, A.S. Pushkin, ideology doctrine. Research area: History. Monument contest; the work on the monument lasted for five Russian authorities persecuted the poet more years. while he was alive and greatly honoured him The monument opening was held on three times after his death. Vissarion Belinsky June 6, 1880. Pushkin committee organized and Apollon Grigoryev struggled for his a public meeting in the hall of Moscow City recognition as a national genius. In 1860, the Duma. The meeting was attended by the poet’s Tsar’s government allowed the public to erect a relatives, aristocrats, high officials and famous bronze monument in the poet’s memory in the citizens. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Ivan Turgenev, centre of Moscow, though refusing to finance Ivan Aksakov, renowned historian Vasily it. Later, activists started to collect voluntary Klyuchevsky and others made considerate donations all around the country. speeches at the ceremony. Iakov Polonsky, Ten years later, the highest authorities Apollon Maykov and Alexei Pleshcheyev recited approved the monument creation committee. their poems. The committee organized three creative project A famous litterateur M.N. Katkov reminded contests. In 1875 A.A. Opekushin won the that the monument to national saviour leaders © Siberian Federal University. All rights reserved * Corresponding author E-mail address: [email protected] – 1879 – Anatolii S. Il’in. Pushkin and the Doctrine of Stalinism of the country, Minin and Pozharsky, had been collections, though limiting the number of “Boris standing lonely at the time. Pushkin did not Godunov” to 5 thousand copies4. happen to save his country from enemies, but As the mournful date was coming, the he possessed the God’s gift to grace his people Krasnoyarsk party elite, intensely observing the with beauty, glory and stature. His inspirations court trial of Pyatakov-Radek-Smirnov, grew produced faith in the mission of Russian people. cold to the memorial campaign. In January 1937, Belonging to Russian party, he was a victim of the activists of Pushkin Committee requested intrigues1. the Region Committee (Kraikom) to fund The centennial of Pushkin’s birthday was 50 lectors. But instead of giving money, the celebrated on June 6, 1899. But the celebrations Kraikom members demanded a detailed budget were not nation-wide. Answering the plead on calculation5. opening a new school named after Pushkin, the Meanwhile, cultural workers had already speakers of the City Duma stated: “Considering gone to the province. In early February the Pushkin’s lack of contribution to Serpukhov, Organizational Bureau team of the Union of the request of the gymnasium principal shall be Writers visited Kansk District. They held a declined”. The decision of the Administration of literary evening for stakhanovites, shock workers the Queen Ekaterina Railroad considering the and party activists in the city theatre. After the suggestion of the workers to provide financial report, the actors performed some scenes from support to the commemoration was also typical: “The Miserly Knight” and “Evgeny Onegin”6. “Pushkin had never served in the Ministry of Khakas Oblast Committee sent 19 lecturers Transport and it is the task of writers, not railroad to rural areas, including 11 Khakas nationals. agents, to honour him in any way”2 They spoke of Pushkin in Khakas settlements in their mother tongue. They were followed by Death commemoration the actors of Oblast National Theatre, putting The most well-known anniversary was the the fairy tales by Pushkin on stage. The greatest centennial of the poet’s death in 1937. Pushkin success was “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Committee was formed to manage the campaign, Fish”7. with branches in provincial regions. The Teachers took active participation in the chairman of the Municipal Executive Committee campaign. The teaching staff and the students (Ispolkom) N.N. Balakhonov was in charge of of Krasnoyarsk School No.7 created a so-called the Krasnoyarsk Region Pushkin Committee. Its Pushkin Corner, which consisted of newspaper members planned to establish a scholarship in cuts, illustrations and their own drawings. The the name of Pushkin in Minusinsk Pedagogical students decorated their exhibition with bouquets Technical School, to redecorate Pushkin Drama of autumn leafs. The school was enthusiastically Theatre, to create busts and bas-reliefs of the preparing for a concert and a masquerade. genius poet and to establish Pushkin Street in Students from the rural areas of Minusinsk the Worker’s Settlement known as the Third district made an album with portraits of Pushkin International3. and illustrations to his works. Apart from that, The authorities ordered a state publishing they rehearsed some scenes from “The Miserly house to publish some works by the commemorated Knight” and “Boris Godunov”. poet: 15 thousand copies of “The Captain’s A 6th grader of school №35 named Daughter”, the same number of his fairy tales’ Sevastianov even told a journalist that he could – 1880 – Anatolii S. Il’in. Pushkin and the Doctrine of Stalinism remember his lessons better if he had read some scientists and stakhanovites stood behind their Pushkin before8. back. Many young workers admired Pushkin’s G. Grigoriev gave an almost two-hours’ works. Stakhanovites of Spartak factory, report on the life of the poet. He richly cited his Taisia Kobleva and Maria Il’nitskaia, read genius verses but finished the speech with a loud some newspaper articles about Pushkin slogan “Stalin is our sun”. Everybody sprang to aloud to the workers during lunch breaks. their feet and gave an ovation in the honour of the However, the listeners were more attracted to “Kremlin highlander”. his fiction books. The comrades read aloud At the end of the meeting a young “The Shot”, “The Blizzard” and finished “The poet Konstantin Lisovsky recited his poem Stationmaster”9. “To Pushkin”, which was warmly welcomed by The Red Army did not remain uninvolved the listeners. After the intermission the visitors as well. The library of N rifle unit kept around watched the performance of “Boris Godunov”12. 50 books by Pushkin, read to tatters. Amateur On the same day in Moscow a meeting on performance supervisor lieutenant Klebanov Pushkin square gathered almost 200 thousand prepared the table of events. According to it, the people. In the evening the fancy dressed crowd Red Army soldier Khnyrev gave a lecture on filled the hall of the Bolshoi Theatre. There were works by Pushkin and soldier Kozlov, having grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the poet read “Evgeny Onegin” twice, recited some of its and the Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs. With verses from the stage10. great admiration they gazed at the velvet ribbons On the eve of the anniversary, February 9th, with golden letters of Pushkin’s verses, decorated the Central Executive Committee of the USSR with artificial flowers. adopted a special resolution. The government The royal box was occupied by: Stalin, decided to name the State Museum of Fine Arts, Molotov, Kaganovich, Ordzhonikidze, Andreev, Leningrad Academic Theatre, many streets, Mikoyan, Chubar, Petrovsky, Ezhov, Dimitrov, squares and cities after Pushkin11. Khrushchev, Kosarev, Antipov, Bulganin, On February 10th people of Krasnoyarsk Filatov and Shkiryatov. The seats of the started to commemorate the anniversary of the Presidium were taken by members of All-Union poet’s death earlier than people in Moscow. The Pushkin Committee: Bubnov, Akulov, Kiselev, ceremonial meeting took place in the hall of Serafimovich, Demyan Bedny, Tikhonov, Orlov, Pushkin Theatre. It was opened by the Chairman Luppol, Bezymensky, Gladkov, Lakhuti, Tabidze of the Pushkin Committee N.N. Balakhonov. The and others. Somehow Voroshilov, Zhdanov and board of the Presidium consisted of 43 people. Mezhlauk were on both panels. There were local communist leaders among The Chairman of the Committee gave a short them: the First Secretary of Region Committee speech and the ceremonial session was opened to Pavel Akulinushkin, the Second Secretary the accompaniment of the music of International. Semion Goliudov, the chairman of the Region Then scientists, playwrights, writers and poets Executive