Українські радянські діти і святкова культура тоталітаризму у 1929–1939-х рр.

Abstract

The influence of the Soviet culture of mass holidays of the totalitarian era on the formation of the Soviet identity of children in Soviet Ukraine in the 1930s is analyzed. The content of the transformation of traditional and creation of new forms of celebration is revealed. The process of involving children in the culture of the new Bolshevik holidays and its connection with the main tasks of the authorities in the field of education of conscious and loyal citizens is demonstrated. Examples of the celebration of May Day, Aviation Day, the anniversary of the October Revolution, and other dates associated with the establishment of Bolshevik government highlighted the basic elements of the celebration rituals, the different planes of the symbolic space of Soviet holidays, and the place of children. The peculiarities of the process of politicization and militarization of children’s holidays and the evolution of the gradual transformation of individual holidays into entertainment events, which were designed to demonstrate the Soviet government’s concern for childhood, are analyzed.