Creating Young Communists

By Slava Tsukerman

Nostalgia for the Soviet time and attempts to return to Soviet style of life are growing in today’s Russia. On May 17, the Communist Party of Russia organized solemn initiation of 4,000 children into “young pioneers” (young communists organization of the Soviet times). Children vowed to live by the precepts of Lenin and Stalin.

The children were brought to Moscow Red Square from different Russian towns. The buses were provided by Communist Party.

Fifteen students and their teacher came in a typical bus. They represented exactly half of their classmates. The rest remained home under various pretexts.

To the sounds of orchestra all four thousand children performed a ceremony of from Soviet times, received red kerchiefs, and visited the Lenin Mausoleum.

Some of the children were awarded a special honor. Their red kerchiefs were tied around their necks by the Chairman of Communist Party, Gennady Zuganov himself.

All the new members of the Pioneers’ Organization visited Lenin’s Mausoleum.

Here is a quote from the correspondence of the Pravda-TV.ru:

“Children were coming out of the Mausoleum with complex expressions on their faces. ‘How is Lenin?’ I asked the most cheerful boys. One of them showed remarkable observation. ‘Lenin? Lies. Dead’ he giggled.

“‘Who is Lenin?’ – I asked some of the students. They had difficulty answering.

“‘The leader?’ – Suggested a chubby boy.

“‘And Stalin?’

“‘Young man, who are you?’ An angry teacher appeared from nowhere. – ‘Why do you pester children?’

“One of the girls took the initiative and asked the teacher:

“‘Lyudmila Petrovna, who’s Stalin?’

“‘The head of the Soviet Union!’ – answered the teacher.”

Another quote from the same correspondence:

“‘Why have you entered the Pioneers’ Organization?’ – I asked a fourth-grader.

“‘Uh-uh … I wanted to …’ – said he hesitating.

“A man with a pink face helped the boy:

“‘You know there is a saying: my grandfather was a pioneer, my father was – and I will.’

“I turned back to the boy: ‘Where did you learn about the pioneers?’

“‘They told us in third grade.’

“‘Who is Lenin?’

“‘Well, you know… One who united… He united people.'”