Hello friends! Welcome back to our conversation, and feel free to join in whenever you so desire. Today, like my fellow blog- mates, I have found an intriguing and unusual character whose experience we can dissect, learn from, and open our minds to. Luckily, I didn't have to travel far to encounter such a person, as he is part of my family.
Lev Korsakov, my grandfather, was born on September 1st 1939, a very significant date. It was this very day that the Nazi invasion of Russia had begun. He spent his early years living in a war- torn Soviet Union, in the northern city of Russia known as Magadan. Here is a translated transcript of several insightful questions I posed, and Lev's personal accounts and responses.
How did the war affect you, your family, your neighbors, and the surrounding community?
World War 2 was devastating to every person. Countless lives were being taken, the government seemed to be more against its own people than the Nazis, and every family member, friend, neighbor, or stranger had someone who had died in effort of the war campaign.
What was the sociological environment of the years following the wars like?
People began to turn against each other. With the ever- growing iron rule of Stalin and his cruel ways, many began to fear even discussing controversial topics.. One wrong move and you could be sent to a labor camp deep in the heart of the country. Obviously, it was a confusing and turbulent point in history.
What was daily life like? What did your days consist of?
Daily life was hard, but people got used to it and didn't notice; or at least they pretended not to. Children went to school 6 days a week (Yes, Saturdays were school days!), while the men were drafted into the army as soon as they turned 18. Women stayed at home and raised children. My days around that time period consisted of going to school, making extra money selling imported (and illegal) shoes, and causing general mischief with friends, who were more like family due to the confined living conditions of the communal apartment blocks.
How did people escape their daily troubles? What did they do during leisure time?
Just like any other young adults, we swam, hiked, went on adventures. Scholarly interests were also common. Students read and wrote Soviet approved books, journals, and publications. However, the general public wasn't blind or stupid; everyone knew that certain books and publications were being censored and removed, and that a majority of works were ignorantly propagandist.
What constraints or limits were put on the people of the USSR regarding creativity?
Generally, most or all imports were banned unless they met the strict requirements of the Soviet Union. This included art, music, radio, clothing, and pretty much any form of creativity imaginable. I remember it was a great risk to smuggle in German pop and American jazz music vinyls, but we did it anyways because that was our secret way of rebelling and being exposed to new and unique thoughts and ideas.
Were comic books, or anything of the sort, prevalent in your city?
Comic books? [Due to lack of a good translation, it took me a prevalent amount of time to describe a comic book to my grandfather, who hasn't been introduced to the American style of graphic novels]. Comic books were around, but my friends and I paid little attention. Our focus was more geared towards new styles of music, new fashion coming out of France and Italy, and anything that could seperate us from the crowds of kids just like us in practically every way.
How were Americans viewed, in terms of WW2, and after, during the years of the Cold War?
Americans were discussed as immoral and not particularly bright. Everyone seemed to think little of the foreigners, but this was no surprise as our government showed us endless amounts of television footage and articles on why the Soviet Union was the greatest country in the entire world. We believed it, too, until we got a little older, but by then the damage was done and our outlook on America was tainted.
How were these works regarded, in both an artistic and political perspective?
Outside infromation was always exciting. Kids would wire their radios to pick up signals from Poland, Germany, and other surrounding nations to see what was different and interesting. We learned of new songs and musical styles like pop, rock, and jazz. News was less of propaganda and more of current events, and these sources were the only thing that allowed us to gain any knowledge of the outside world.
Lev Korsakov, my grandfather, was born on September 1st 1939, a very significant date. It was this very day that the Nazi invasion of Russia had begun. He spent his early years living in a war- torn Soviet Union, in the northern city of Russia known as Magadan. Here is a translated transcript of several insightful questions I posed, and Lev's personal accounts and responses.
How did the war affect you, your family, your neighbors, and the surrounding community?
World War 2 was devastating to every person. Countless lives were being taken, the government seemed to be more against its own people than the Nazis, and every family member, friend, neighbor, or stranger had someone who had died in effort of the war campaign.
What was the sociological environment of the years following the wars like?
People began to turn against each other. With the ever- growing iron rule of Stalin and his cruel ways, many began to fear even discussing controversial topics.. One wrong move and you could be sent to a labor camp deep in the heart of the country. Obviously, it was a confusing and turbulent point in history.
What was daily life like? What did your days consist of?
Daily life was hard, but people got used to it and didn't notice; or at least they pretended not to. Children went to school 6 days a week (Yes, Saturdays were school days!), while the men were drafted into the army as soon as they turned 18. Women stayed at home and raised children. My days around that time period consisted of going to school, making extra money selling imported (and illegal) shoes, and causing general mischief with friends, who were more like family due to the confined living conditions of the communal apartment blocks.
Just like any other young adults, we swam, hiked, went on adventures. Scholarly interests were also common. Students read and wrote Soviet approved books, journals, and publications. However, the general public wasn't blind or stupid; everyone knew that certain books and publications were being censored and removed, and that a majority of works were ignorantly propagandist.
What constraints or limits were put on the people of the USSR regarding creativity?
Generally, most or all imports were banned unless they met the strict requirements of the Soviet Union. This included art, music, radio, clothing, and pretty much any form of creativity imaginable. I remember it was a great risk to smuggle in German pop and American jazz music vinyls, but we did it anyways because that was our secret way of rebelling and being exposed to new and unique thoughts and ideas.
Were comic books, or anything of the sort, prevalent in your city?
Comic books? [Due to lack of a good translation, it took me a prevalent amount of time to describe a comic book to my grandfather, who hasn't been introduced to the American style of graphic novels]. Comic books were around, but my friends and I paid little attention. Our focus was more geared towards new styles of music, new fashion coming out of France and Italy, and anything that could seperate us from the crowds of kids just like us in practically every way.
How were Americans viewed, in terms of WW2, and after, during the years of the Cold War?
Americans were discussed as immoral and not particularly bright. Everyone seemed to think little of the foreigners, but this was no surprise as our government showed us endless amounts of television footage and articles on why the Soviet Union was the greatest country in the entire world. We believed it, too, until we got a little older, but by then the damage was done and our outlook on America was tainted.
How were these works regarded, in both an artistic and political perspective?
Outside infromation was always exciting. Kids would wire their radios to pick up signals from Poland, Germany, and other surrounding nations to see what was different and interesting. We learned of new songs and musical styles like pop, rock, and jazz. News was less of propaganda and more of current events, and these sources were the only thing that allowed us to gain any knowledge of the outside world.
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