The All-Union Pioneer Organization was formed on May 19, 1922. It was then, at the All-Russian Conference of the Komsomol, that a decision was made to create a mass children's organization in the USSR, led by the Central Committee of the Komsomol. In the future, May 19 was considered Pioneer Day. An organized and solemn celebration of this event was held annually. Initially, the pioneer organization bore the name "Spartak", and then, after the death of the country's leader, the official name was changed to the Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization. Many years have passed since then. stopped accepting pioneers, few people remember.

Initially, scouting served as an example for the pioneer movement. In 1917, there were children's scout associations in the country, covering up to 50 thousand people. Scouts carried out a lot of public work to help street children. Soon this movement was divided into several directions, the basic principles of which differed significantly. The scout detachments were led by well-known figures, such as the publisher and traveler, the editor of the magazine "Around the World" V.A. Popov, the famous self-taught sculptor and teacher I.N. Zhukov and others. Vera Bonch-Bruevich, an active party member and writer, came up with the idea of ​​creating Yuk Scouts (young communists - scouts). But in 1919, at the Congress of the RKSM, all scout detachments were disbanded.

N.K. At the end of 1921, Krupskaya read several times the report "On Boy Scouting", where she appealed to the Komsomol to create a children's association "scout in form and communist in content." Later, the idea of ​​creating a children's communist movement was put forward. I.N. Zhukov put forward a proposal to call the future organization pioneer. The symbolism was chosen as follows - a red tie, a white blouse, the motto "Be ready!" and the answer is “Always ready!”. This was similar to the traditions of the Scouting movement, but was partially changed. Also, the goal of the children's pioneer movement was the struggle for the freedom of oppressed peoples around the world. In the future, the pioneers were supposed to help adults in the fight against anti-Soviet elements, in accordance with the civic duty of every progressive person, the builder of a communist society.

By the beginning of the forties, the structure of the All-Union Pioneer Organization was fully formed in accordance with the school principle that had already justified itself. Each class was a detachment, and the school was a pioneer squad. Military-patriotic work was carried out in children's groups, circles of signalmen, orderlies, and young shooters were formed.

Before the start of the Great Patriotic War, the "Timur movement" spread, named after the hero of the children's book by A. Gaidar "Timur and his team." Timurovites actively collected scrap metal, dried medicinal herbs, provided all possible assistance to the elderly and sick people, and looked after the kids. It is difficult to overestimate everything that the pioneers did at that time, not only for individual citizens, but for the whole country.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, many children and teenagers grew up instantly. Grief and unbearable trials lay like a heavy burden on their shoulders. The pioneers were in partisan detachments, whose sudden raids on the positions of the Nazis inflicted significant losses on them. Some of them were awarded the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union", the highest award of the state, namely:

Pioneers served in the Red Army, they were given the unofficial title of "Son of the Regiment". They were scouts, signalers, underground workers. Most of them replaced their fathers and older brothers who had gone to the front, worked at machine tools and in the fields, cared for the wounded in hospitals, and performed in front of them with concerts. Not all of them managed to survive until the Great Victory Day; children, along with adults, experienced all the hardships and horrors of wartime.

In the fifties, certain processes took place in the pioneer organization, which led to a change in the active position and the loss of independence in decision-making, its work became more and more formal. In the 1960s, Leningrad teachers headed by I.P. Ivanov, on the basis of the new all-Union camp "Eaglet", which was opened on the Black Sea coast, they tried to develop creativity in children, coupled with past ideals. But the communard movement, which these activists tried to give rise to, could not go beyond the boundaries of a small area and remained in service with individual detachments and pioneer squads.

Until what year were the pioneers in the USSR?

With the beginning of perestroika, public and political life in the country sharply intensified. In the second half of the eighties of the last century, the leaders of the children's organization tried to change its goals and methods of working with schoolchildren. In connection with the fact that propaganda was carried out about the need to exclude pioneers from ideological work, children's organizations of various directions appeared.

At the tenth rally of pioneers, which was held in Artek, on October 1, 1990, the delegates decided to transform the All-Union Pioneer Organization into the Union of Pioneer Organizations - Federation of Children's Organizations, the abbreviated name SPO - FDO. But the Central Committee of the Komsomol did not approve this decision.

On September 27-28, 1991, at the XXII Extraordinary Congress of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League, the termination of the organization's activities and its dissolution was announced. Together with the Komsomol, the All-Union Pioneer Organization named after Lenin was automatically disbanded. The building of the Central Council in Moscow was partially transferred to the use of SPO - FDO. The palaces of the pioneers came under the jurisdiction of the municipalities and began to be called "Houses of children's creativity", and the pioneer camps became tourist centers and boarding houses.

Based on these historical data, it is safe to say until what year the pioneers were. It was in September that the pioneer organization ceased its work. Now it is already possible to answer exactly in what year they stopped accepting pioneers. And a little later, on December 26, 1991, the Council of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR announced the adoption of a declaration, which spoke of the cessation of the existence of the USSR.

Today we propose to consider an interesting topic directly related to the history of our country. Namely, the pioneer movement in the USSR. Of course, within the framework of a small article, we are unlikely to be able to cover all aspects of this large-scale phenomenon. But we will try to give the modern young reader an idea of ​​the basic principles of the existence of a pioneer organization. What was the pioneer movement? At what age were they accepted as pioneers? What were they doing?

People aged "from forty and older" are well aware of the answers to these questions - in what class they were admitted to the pioneers, how the pioneer gatherings and lines were held, what the peers of the current schoolchildren were doing after school hours. And for the representatives of the younger generation below - a small "educational program".

The All-Union Pioneer Organization, which bore the name of V.I. Lenin, was known to everyone in the days of the USSR - it could not be otherwise. This mass children's movement was one of the communist organizations that existed in the USSR. The pioneer organization was formed by decision of the All-Russian Komsomol Conference in 1922 (May 19). Since then, this day has been celebrated as Pioneer Day.

Initially, the organization was named after Spartak. In 1924, she received the name of Lenin - after his death. The origin of the pioneers was from the Scout movement, but a number of aspects significantly distinguished these formations. The Pioneer organization had the character of universal state coverage with a clearly expressed goal - the ideological education of children as citizens devoted to the Communist Party. Organizationally, the pioneer movement was an integral part of the Komsomol structure and was controlled centrally. "Pioneers" in the countries of Western culture (in the USA and England) were called reconnaissance soldiers, pioneers who explored new lands.

A bit of history

The scout movement in Russia at the time of the 1917 revolution was quite developed and consisted of a network of children's organizations. The total number of scouts was about 50,000 people. During the Civil War, scouts assisted in the search for street children, formed children's militia units and were engaged in social assistance. The motives of the Scout ideology were based on the postulates of play, labor and mutual assistance.

The Bolsheviks decided to unite the principles of the Scout movement with the communist ideology. Komsomol members, in turn, considered scouting a bourgeois phenomenon, far from communist ideas. Already in 1919, the Congress of the RKSM passed a resolution to disband the scout detachments.

At the same time, there was a growing need to create their own communist organization for children. The idea was formulated by N. K. Krupskaya, who suggested that the Komsomol arm itself with scouting methods in creating a new children's organization. Initially, this idea was perceived with extreme caution, but with the adoption of a positive decision in 1921, the search for suitable organizational forms began. The new movement was called "pioneers", which was also borrowed from Scout practice. At what age were they accepted as pioneers in those years? Initially, it was decided to take the scout movement as the basis of the Komsomol organization being created, but subsequently decided to unite younger children in a similar format.

Other symbolism

The symbols of the new children's movement were a slightly modified version of the scout ones. Instead of a green tie, a red one appeared, and a white (not green) blouse was also approved. The Scout motto "Be ready!" and the answer is "Always ready!" The organization of children in the form of detachments, campfire gatherings, game forms of work with pupils and the institute of counselors passed into the pioneer organization "by inheritance" from scouting.

During 1922, many pioneer detachments arose in a number of villages and cities. The age when they were admitted to the pioneers, and other formal moments in those years were not yet strictly regulated. At the congress of the RKSM, it was decided to unite the scattered pioneer detachments into a children's organization of a communist orientation. The last official name - the All-Union Pioneer Organization named after V.I. Lenin - the movement received in March 1926.

On the structure of the pioneer organization

Initially, such organizations were created by cells of the RKSM in the villages, at institutions and enterprises. In 1923, their formation ceased to depend on the place of residence and moved to schools. They were called "bases" and "outposts". In fact, communist control was established over the school. Since 1929, the pioneer organization began to rebuild, focusing on school principles. Detachments corresponded to classes, squads - to schools. The age at which they were accepted as pioneers became the same in the USSR in those years.

The scale of the organization acquired such proportions that within a couple of years there were denunciations of attempts to extinguish the pioneer movement by merging it with the school system. In addition, there has been a tendency to transfer educational functions from the school to the pioneer movement. The school determined in which class they were accepted as pioneers, a system of rewards and punishments was established, etc. But the process continued nonetheless.

Being a centralized link in the communist system, the all-Union pioneer movement in the USSR united organizations of various levels - republican, regional, regional, district, city, district. The formal basis for organizing a squad at a school or children's educational institution was the presence of three pioneers. If the composition of the squad consisted of more than 20 people, it was divided into pioneer detachments.

The detachments existing at pioneer camps or orphanages were of different ages. If the detachment consisted of 15 or more people, it was divided into links, at the head of each of which a link was appointed. In fact, each detachment united students of a particular class, and the squad united students of a particular school.

About Senior Pioneers

Changes affected the structure of the organization in 1982 with the introduction of the concept of "senior pioneers". In what class were these guys accepted as pioneers? The senior pioneers were usually students in the seventh and eighth grades. They were a kind of intermediate link between the pioneers and Komsomol members and wore badges that combined elements of both. Theoretically, older pioneers were required to continue wearing the red tie, but many tried their best to switch to the new dress code.

Who led the organization

The direct leadership of the All-Union Pioneer Organization was entrusted to the VLKSM - Komsomol members. Those, in turn, were controlled by the organs of the CPSU. Any council of a pioneer organization worked under the leadership of the Komsomol committee. The reports of the councils of the organization of pioneers were heard at conferences and congresses of the Komsomol. The leadership of the pioneer organization at all levels was approved in exactly the same way by the plenums of the Komsomol committees.

Methodological and organizational-mass work with pioneer cadres was organized on the basis of numerous houses and palaces of pioneers, as well as other out-of-school institutions. Personnel for work in these institutions in the person of senior leaders were "supplied" from the committees of the Komsomol, which were engaged in their selection, education and advanced training. In a centralized manner, the leadership of circles, sections, clubs and candidates for the positions of detachment leaders were selected.

If we talk about the so-called pioneer self-government, then the highest body of the collective unit (detachment, link, team) was the pioneer gathering. At the gathering of the detachment, schoolchildren were accepted as pioneers, worthy of them were recommended to the ranks of the Komsomol. They evaluated the activities of the detachment and planned the upcoming work as a whole (as well as the contribution of each pioneer to the common cause) at the council of the squad. The composition of the detachment was elected by the detachment assembly, the link was chosen by the assembly of the link. Each of the councils, in turn, chose its own chairman.

In pioneer organizations at a higher level (All-Union, republican, regional, regional, etc.), a pioneer rally, held once every few years, served as a form of self-government. The most active and active elite of the Pioneer organization gathered in city headquarters, created under the councils of the Pioneer organization at the district or city level.

In what class were they accepted as pioneers?

The answer to this question will be given to you by any representative of the older generation. The age when they were accepted as pioneers was from 9 to 14 years. A nine to ten year old child was most often a third grader. Here is the answer to the question: "In what class were you previously accepted as pioneers?"

Formally, this action was carried out on a voluntary basis. It was carried out individually in the form of an open vote held at a gathering of a squad or a pioneer detachment. The atmosphere of the event, when they were accepted as pioneers, was always presented in the USSR with great pomp.

A schoolchild who joined the organization read out a solemn promise to senior comrades (Komsomol members, communists or other pioneers) on the line. He was given and tied a red tie. Most often, the procedure for admission to the pioneers was carried out in a solemn atmosphere and was timed to coincide with communist holidays.

Often it was held in some memorable historical and revolutionary place. For example, there was a widespread practice of admission to the pioneers near the monument to Lenin on April 22. First of all, the reception of excellent students and good students was conducted.

A bit of ideology

Those who joined the ranks of this children's organization were obliged to know the laws of the pioneers by heart. These postulates taught children to align themselves with the communists, prepare for joining the ranks of the Komsomol, study well and actively work for the good of the Motherland, prepare to defend it from enemies, fight for peace and build communism throughout the globe. The pioneer was instructed to cherish the honor of the organization, to be a reliable comrade, to respect the elders and take care of the little ones, to act in accordance with the concepts of duty and honor.

The opportunity to participate in the election of pioneer self-government bodies was proclaimed as a pioneer's right, to discuss the work of the organization at gatherings and in the press, criticizing shortcomings and making proposals at any level, and asking for recommendations for the procedure for joining the Komsomol.

About pioneer camps

Pioneers spent most of their school holidays in pioneer camps. Their number in the USSR was huge - about 40,000 summer and year-round pioneer camps. Every year, about 10 million children were sent there on vacation. The most famous of them is the All-Union pioneer camp of international status "Artek". The second most prestigious place was occupied by the All-Russian level camp "Eaglet", located in the Krasnodar Territory.

The pioneer organization, of course, had its own motto and anthem, ideologically "tied" to the declared goal - the education of young fighters for the ideas of the communist party. As the anthem of the organization, the "March of the Young Pioneers", written back in 1922, was performed. Other attributes of pioneer symbols were the red triangular tie known to any Soviet person and the pioneer badge of the approved form. Other elements of the paraphernalia of the organization are the banner of the squad, detachment flags, drums and horns. None of the solemn pioneer rituals could do without them.

Any squad had its own pioneer room, in which all these attributes were to be stored. The council of the squad also met there. Most often, in such a room a counter of a ritual nature and a Leninist corner were decorated. In each class, the pioneers were ordered to issue and hang handwritten detachment and squad wall newspapers.

What did the pioneer uniform look like?

On weekdays, they wore the usual school uniform along with pioneer symbols in the form of a badge and a red tie. For solemn occasions, a dress uniform was provided, consisting of red caps in combination with the same ties and badges, uniform white shirts with gilded buttons and emblems on the sleeves (for both boys and girls), blue trousers for boys or the same girls skirt colors In the banner group, the dress uniform was complemented by a red ribbon worn over the shoulder, as well as white gloves.

Pioneer magazines and newspapers were published in the Soviet Union, in addition, many other children's literature. Representatives of the older generation perfectly remember such publications as "Pionerskaya Pravda" (the main newspaper of the organization), the magazines "Koster", "Pioneer", etc. Pioneer programs were broadcast daily on radio and television, even documentary magazines were played in the cinema before the start of the film .

About the life of children in those years when they were accepted as pioneers

Many wonderful children's films created in the Soviet period were dedicated to children of pioneer age and showed the life of schoolchildren in pioneer camps and detachments. Undoubtedly, these films, despite the ideological "impregnation", contributed to a truly high-quality education of children and adolescents in the USSR. In addition, filmed by true masters of their craft, they were genuine works of cinematic art and it was no coincidence that they were loved by millions of viewers - both children and adults.

The Palaces of Pioneers that existed in every city were repurposed after the dissolution in 1991 of the pioneer organization in DDT (house of children's creativity). The children who visited them in those years were busy collecting scrap metal and waste paper, participated in the military sports game "Zarnitsa", as well as in competitions organized at the all-Union level for football and hockey yard teams. There was even a simplified version of the volleyball game - pionerball (a team game with a soccer ball).

Volunteer youth fire brigades were organized. The pioneers were employed in all sorts of forest and water patrols, or as young assistant traffic inspectors on the roads. In addition, many children were involved in sports sections and circles of various kinds.

Unfortunately, for today's youth, "Komsomol" is a meaningless word. Meanwhile, on October 29, 2018, this organization, which united in its ranks millions of boys and girls from all over the country, turns 100 years old. Those who joined this socio-political organization in the last year of its existence are already over 40, and those who took an active part in its work are already well over 50. The most active period of life, the period of formation as a person, is associated in our generation with the Komsomol , an organization designed to rally around itself the advanced part of the youth. The Komsomol is not just an age, although the age limit still existed: from 14 to 28 years old, the Komsomol is a school of life. The Sandovskaya regional Komsomol organization was founded in 1939. In the 80-90s of the last century, the Sandovskaya regional Komsomol organization united more than 1000 young men and women in its ranks. Every year, about a hundred new members joined the Komsomol, who assumed certain obligations. The Komsomol was no longer accepted en masse, the most worthy were accepted into its ranks. The district committee of the Komsomol supervised the district organization, which included up to 60 primary organizations. The work of Komsomol organizations was not limited to holding Komsomol meetings at which issues of civil and political activity, discipline, and leisure were discussed. Competitions were organized, Komsomol-youth subbotniks were held for harvesting needles, spreading flax. The district committee was the initiator of many youth initiatives. So at one time a cross was established among schoolchildren for the prize named after Sergei Yelyakov, a warrior - an internationalist. 19 former soldiers-internationalists, Komsomol members worked in various areas of production, setting an example of conscientious work and high personal responsibility. Meetings of three generations were organized. At the initiative of the district committee, solemn farewells to the Army began to be held in the region for the first time. A military sports camp was created. Tourist rallies of students, the military sports game "Zarnitsa" were held annually. To help the department of internal affairs in restoring public order and preventing delinquency among minors and youth, an operational Komsomol detachment of vigilantes was created annually. A special place in the work of the Komsomol was occupied by the creation of Komsomol youth detachments, brigades, units and crews in organizations, collective farms and state farms of the region. There were such teams in the MPMK, PMK-29, the collective farm. Sverdlov, the state farm "Rainbow", the state farm "Northern". Komsomol youth detachments of livestock breeders were formed from among the graduates of the Sandovskaya secondary school on the Druzhba collective farm, the Pobeditel collective farm. And what was the cost of the first money and clothing lottery, the first video salon, the first youth cafe, the first non-alcoholic wedding? Did the Komsomol members have any benefit from their membership in the Komsomol? Definitely not. On the contrary, there was a strict demand from the Komsomol members. Of course, there were also measures of moral and material encouragement. For success in work, active social activity, Komsomol members were awarded Certificates of Honor, commemorative badges, as well as vouchers to international youth camps, their names were entered in the Book of Honor of the regional Komsomol organization. The regional Komsomol organization was rightly proud of the names of Maria Gushchina, a milkmaid of the Pamyat Zhdanov collective farm, Sergey Gonastarev, a machine operator of the Pobeditel collective farm, Alexander Kudryavtsev, a machine operator of the Kolkhoz named after. Krupskaya, Alexander Vorobyov - machine operator of the Leninsky Put collective farm, Alexander Smirnov, PMK-29 machine operator, Andrey Smirnov, foreman of the MPMK construction team, Sergey Ershov, machine operator of the Leninsky Put collective farm, Andrey Krotkin, machine operator of the Za Mir collective farm, Viktor Shilov - machine operator collective farm "Leninsky Way" and many others who made a significant contribution to the development of the Sandovsky district. At the head of the primary Komsomol organizations were the secretaries of the real youth leaders Viktor Sirotkin, Tatyana Gradova, Andrey Storozhevykh, Natalya Gudkova, Nikolai Chistyakov, Petr Artamonov, Tatyana Lebedeva, Mikhail Golubkov, Victoria Taturina, Olga Gonastareva, Gennady Orekhov, Svetlana Lebedeva, Lyudmila Lebedeva and others . The tasks and goals of the Komsomol of the 80-90s did not differ much from the Komsomol of previous generations, but of course the style of work has changed. In the last years of its activity, the Komsomol was literally in a fever from the ongoing changes in society, the Komsomol was increasingly striving for independence and independence from party and Soviet bodies. To independence, consistency in all matters, participation in the struggle for the real participation of young men and women in the management of public affairs, this is what the Komsomol of the 90s aspired to. The generation brought up by the Komsomol gave rise to a huge number of people who were not afraid to make decisions, take risks, solving problems, independently took their position on exciting issues. We were lucky, we had freedom of choice, the right to risk and failure, responsibility, and we just learned to use it. O.A. Artyushin, Sandovo settlement.

On the one hand, even in the last years of the existence of the Soviet Komsomol, it was still the first "school of life" for many prominent politicians and businessmen of modern Russia. On the other hand, this can be explained by the fact that in the 1970s and 1980s there was simply nothing else where a young man could realize his talents and start building a career: the one-party system did not imply any competition in the ideological field. Komsomol members of the last years of the existence of the USSR recall that era and the crisis of their organization.

Exactly 20 years ago, on September 27, 1991, the 22nd Extraordinary Congress of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League began, which had on the agenda a single question "On the fate of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League." At the end of its work, the congress declared the historical role of this organization exhausted, and it itself - dissolved. At the end of the congress (and I'm not kidding), the delegates sang standing up: "I will not part with the Komsomol, I will be forever young" and proceeded to "deriban" the property of this non-poor organization.

Well, God bless them - unfortunately we were not allowed to this "deriban", so let's remember each of our Komsomol (who had it, of course).

The stages in the development of the social life of any Soviet schoolchild were reminiscent of the stages in the development of insects. But if in invertebrate arthropods they proceeded in the order: egg -> larva -> pupa -> imago, then in vertebrate Soviet schoolchildren they took place in the following sequence: first-graders became octobers, octobers became pioneers, and upon reaching 14 years of age, pioneers automatically turned into Komsomol members , and this was not discussed.

The rules for admission to the Komsomol were as follows: it was necessary to collect the recommendations of either 1 communist or 2 Komsomol members with experience; fill out a form for admission to the Komsomol; Submit two 3x4 photos; get a description and learn the answers to the following questions:

Who is the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU?

Who is the first secretary of the Komsomol Central Committee?

What is your favorite Komsomol hero?

How many orders does the Komsomol have?

And what is "democratic centralism"?

(ideally, of course, it would be desirable to read the Charter of the Komsomol - but this is not for everyone).

Admission to the Komsomol of our class took place in two stages - in spring and autumn. In the spring, the “best” (excellent students and good students) were accepted into the Komsomol, in the fall the “worst” - (triple students and slobs, as well as those who were born in the summer). I was accepted, of course, in the fall. And then life hadn’t “broken off” me yet and I loved to show off - when everyone brought recommendations from high school Komsomol members, I brought a recommendation from a friend of the communist Hero of the Soviet Union.

After a public discussion of candidates at a school Komsomol meeting, a solemn reception took place in the district / city committee of the Komsomol with the presentation of tickets and badges (sometimes the solemn reception was replaced by a simple presentation of a Komsomol ticket in the "Pioneer Room").

After this action, the Soviet student received the full right:

b) pay monthly Komsomol contributions in the amount of 2 kopecks;

c) to be bored at Komsomol meetings;

d) go to college after school.

You will say - after all, there were those who refused to join the Komsomol: they believed in God there, or the Rolling Stones listened. There were, of course, some. But then usually in their lives there was the Soviet Army, and there they didn’t care what you believe in or what you listen to. They also spat on the rules for admission to the Komsomol established "in civilian life" and the soldier's ignorance of the answers to the above questions. There, one fine day, in the morning formation, they announced: “Private Pupkin, get out of order! Congratulations on joining the glorious ranks of the All-Union Leninist Communist Youth Union! Get in line!" The warrior shouted: "I serve the Soviet Union!" and got up in the multi-million dollar system of Soviet Komsomol members.

And I, here, in the army refused to stand in a single Komsomol formation. It disgusted me to be a member of this thoroughly rotten, formalized organization into which everyone was driven in droves in pursuit of interest and reporting. I was sick of these false slogans and of the Komsomol functionaries, who themselves did not believe in what they were saying from high tribunes. From their window dressing, careerism and hypocrisy...

No, I refused to participate in all this and became a candidate member of the CPSU in the army.

First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Komsomol (1986-1990). Special Advisor to the President of the USSR M. Gorbachev. Historian, candidate of historical sciences...

Komsomol did not collapse. His time has passed. Notice - as soon as our country began to become what it should be, it fell apart and ceased to exist. This is where you need to reflect and ask yourself: what happened? We need to understand - what happened to our country in the twentieth century? What began in 1905 and ended, I hope, in 91? What was it? From a historical point of view, it is simply impossible to understand the heap of myths that shrouded the entire twentieth century. We live in a completely false coordinate system. We live in a completely mythologized historical space. It turns out that we had the first Russian revolution in 1905. Then, it turns out, there was the February bourgeois-democratic revolution. Then, six months later, the socialist revolution takes place. And how can you call the revolution that took place in the 91st year? Capitalist, right? From my point of view as a candidate of historical sciences, this is complete nonsense.

In Russia, at the beginning of the twentieth century, a bourgeois-democratic revolution began. But it was very different from those that took place before - from English, French, North American. All of them were in a completely different historical period. Our revolution is belated, like everything with us. It began at a time when the processes of globalization began to manifest themselves. Our revolution differs from all others in that, oddly enough, it turned out to be a revolution not so much for our country as a revolution for the rest of the world. All other revolutions also had an impact on the outside world, but this was an indirect effect. Our revolution has had a colossal impact on the whole world. The whole world has changed. John Reed was wrong to call the book Ten Days That Shook the World. They changed the world...

- Viktor Ivanovich, after leaving your post, you have lost not only your job, but also your privileges.

What are the privileges? What are you talking about? Sometimes today my wife points her finger around and asks: “What privileges did you have?”

I was the head of an organization that had two billion dollars in a bank account alone. I received five hundred rubles, I had a Volga car and they also gave me coupons for a special store. Yes, there was also a polyclinic, from which I was immediately expelled. Now I feel normal in the district clinic. But I never even went to the Tsekovsky polyclinic, because I was young and healthy.

- Excuse me, but where did the two billion dollars you mentioned go?

Do not know. I left them safely where they were...

In the comments, I remembered that I worked in the city committee of the Komsomol. They asked me to tell you how it was.

Alas, there will be no dirty details in the style of the film "Emergency of the District Scale". There were no drunkenness in saunas in our city committee, ********, theft and other things that were attributed then, in the era of perestroika, to party and Komsomol functionaries. It was the usual work to organize the life and leisure of a small area - the Sloboda district of the Kirov region.

We had four offices - the office of the First Secretary, the Second and the accounting department with the organizational department. And I worked as the Acting Third Secretary - a position for working with student youth. In the same office with the Second. There were two tables in the office, a Yatran typewriter, I think, a dozen chairs, a wardrobe and a bookcase. A! There was also a rotator - this is such crap for printing leaflets.

There was a car - either a “five”, or a “Moskvich” - I don’t remember. But definitely not the Volga. This miracle broke down once a week, so they often traveled by regular buses on business trips around the area. The salary was 250 rubles. Soviet. True, in 1990-1991 there was nothing special to buy. I personally subscribed to newspapers home - dozens. From "Soviet Russia" to "Literature" and "Football-Hockey". For lunch it took about a ruble in the dining room. The dining room, by the way, was shared by the city party committee, the Komsomol, the district executive committee, the city executive committee and other councils.

Entrance to the dining room was free for everyone. No passes, no policemen at the entrance. And there were no pineapples in the champagne either. And there was no black caviar either. In my opinion, in factory and factory canteens, the food was tastier. There were farms there as well. Something like a collective farm at the factory. There were no special privileges, additional rations, dachas with swimming pools either. The only “privilege” that I took advantage of was to take a vacation at my own expense twice, go skiing in the region in February and on foot in the Crimea. own expenses). Everything. After working there for a year, I probably became an anti-Soviet for ten years.

Because, at the age of seventeen, a boy needs a feat - overcoming himself. Previously, Komsomol members had a struggle against devastation, Budennovka, OSOAVIAKHIM, war, restoration, virgin lands, BAM ... We had a city KVN competition and reporting and election conferences. By the way, since then I can’t stand kvn-schikov. Antics with strained humor and a huge superiority complex. How was the festival organized?

Very simple.

You write the position on two pages - the theme of KVN, the jury, prizes. You print on a rotator, smeared with black ink. You summon the secretaries of the Komsomol school committees. You give them a position and instructions so that there will be a team by such and such a number. Then you go to the House of Culture - in our country it was the Palace of Culture. Gorky - you agree on the provision of a stage and a hall for such and such a date. No money, everything is free. You buy prizes in a sporting goods store, prepare letterheads. You persuade important people to sit on the jury. Again for free. You have been calling secretaries for a month - how are they doing with the preparation of the team?

That's all. And where is the feat?

And constant reports to the regional committee - monthly, quarterly, annual. The main part of the report is how many new members of the Komsomol were accepted. In April, the reporting and election conference. So many events were held: then they liked to call collective creative affairs - KTD. How many are accepted as members. From above, they lowered the plan for the reception - 90% should be covered and that's it. Well, and indispensable Gorbachev's incantations - democratic centralism, glasnost, a brake on perestroika. Boredom.

By the way, I don’t remember any high-profile exits from the party and the Komsomol. Komsomol tickets were not burned. There were no punks and metalworkers en masse. And who was - those, at times, were Komsomol organizers. It seems that there was also a Komsomol rock club. I even thought about opening a Komsomol video salon, where after watching the film there would be a mandatory discussion. Did not have time.

In the summer, the organization of a district camp of activists, sending a delegation to the regional camp of the Komsomol activists "Stremitelny" and the camp of the regional pioneer activists "Star". There were no super-goals of all these KTDs, active camps, reports and elections.

Everything rolled by inertia into the abyss. But we didn't notice it. It seemed that everything was about to end. The VLKSM and the USSR are about to emerge from the crisis rejuvenated.

Now, of course, it’s good to assert from the height of years - they say, it was necessary to do this or that. At least jump naked on the Revolution Square in Slobodskoy - everything was decided not in the regional centers, but in the Kremlin and on Staraya Square. It was there that the Supergoal and Supertasks disappeared. And without them the USSR is impossible. Ask, maybe you missed something?

By the time I finished school, the Komsomol almost collapsed... At the annual meeting of the school, we gave the work of the Komsomol organization an unsatisfactory assessment, that was bold! But, we consoled ourselves with integrity and courage, not knowing that we were kicking a corpse. The Komsomol ceased to exist a year later. To everyone who remembers the pioneers and the Komsomol, I recommend revisiting this film - "Emergency of the district scale."

Also, this film is about what a person really is, namely a man. Dedicated to all men leading a double life, making deals with conscience for the sake of a career. The most interesting thing is when men do unseemly things, but, at the same time, hide behind lofty words: I do this for the sake of the family. Komsomol members, volunteers...

And at one time, my father did not let me on this nomenklatura career ladder: "pioneer-Komsomol"! He hated party privilege, and believed that the only true party privilege was to stand up and lead a platoon on the attack. Dad was upset that the council of the school squad gathered for the New Year's holiday separately from the rest of the school students. He screamed and got angry. Thanks to him, and the kingdom of heaven! He understood everything correctly.

From the comments.

IMHO in the Komsomol (not militarized, but in the usual one) there is a positive side - the young men are left without elders and themselves, they independently take on some business (for example, they hold meetings of the cell), they themselves take responsibility. Such a difference between people that one person is a Komsomol organizer, and the other person is just a Komsomol member, structures society. Structures. And thus contributes to its understanding.

The Komsomol helps to stay without elders, and to do something yourself, without elders.

I was born in 1984 and I think that my childhood and youth were very much spoiled by the absence of a general, widespread organization like the Komsomol.

Recently I watched the film "Emergency of the District Scale" (a perestroika film about how bad the Komsomol is and how much hypocrisy and lies are in it). Liked the movie. The Soviet Union is bad. Komsomol is bad. But it's better to have a false Komsomol than none! He, with all his deceit, gives the experience of independence, gives the experience of life without dependence on the elders!

Well, not in deceit - the positive side of the Komsomol, but in the fact that it would make it possible to hold events without the participation of elders. On our own, on our own. And in my generation, no one thought about the fact that someone was entrusted with being “responsible” for what is happening in the class (as the Komsomol organizer is responsible). It is not the teacher who takes responsibility (as in our generation), and neither dad nor mom - but one of the young.

And the Komsomol pointed to moral values ​​(which are written in the charter) - truthfulness, mutual assistance, etc. In our generation, no one said: “you must be truthful, because you are members of such and such an organization, and members of this organization must correspond to a high moral level. We were told about morality - but it was vague, fuzzy. There was no argument - "BECAUSE YOU ARE MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION". This argument could be more convincing. And spec. We were not given tickets, we did not pay dues. Having a ticket in your pocket and some paraphernalia could REMIND you of moral duty. And without paraphernalia it is easy to forget.

And in general, in the Charter of the Komsomol there are ideas that are closer to pacifism than to militarism:

Everyone's concern for the preservation and multiplication of the public domain;

High consciousness of public duty, intolerance to violations of public interests;

Collectivism and comradely mutual assistance: each for all, all for one;

Humane relations and mutual respect between people: man to man is a friend, comrade and brother;

Honesty and truthfulness, moral purity, simplicity and modesty in public and private life;

Mutual respect in the family, concern for the upbringing of children;

Irreconcilability to injustice, parasitism, dishonesty, careerism, money-grubbing;

Friendship and brotherhood of all peoples of the USSR, intolerance towards national and racial hostility;

Intransigence towards the enemies of communism, the cause of peace and the freedom of peoples;

Fraternal solidarity with the working people of all countries, with all peoples.

When a person is told about everything about this, this can help the development of critical thinking. And today's youth just don't talk about it! And they are not responsible that "You must be of high moral standard." There is another anti-Soviet film - "Tomorrow there was a war." But the Komsomol members from this film were to some extent inspired by the Komsomol ideology. And this is justified in the film. They were able to think - Iskra, for example, could change her views under the influence of some kind of arguments. And the Komsomol noodles on the ears did not prevent this. Rather, on the contrary, the Komsomol ideology contributed to this.

After the victory of the October Revolution, red children's organizations, groups and associations arose in various cities. On May 19, 1922, the 2nd All-Russian Conference of the Komsomol decided to create pioneer detachments everywhere.

In the first years of Soviet power, the pioneers helped homeless children and fought against illiteracy, collected books and set up libraries, engaged in technical circles, cared for animals, went on geological trips, on expeditions to study nature, and collected medicinal plants. Pioneers worked on collective farms, in the fields, guarded crops and collective farm property, wrote letters to newspapers or to the relevant authorities about violations that they noticed around.

"AiF" recalls how in Soviet times they accepted Octoberites, pioneers and who could become a Komsomol member.

From what class did they take in October?

Schoolchildren of grades 1-3 became Octobers, united on a voluntary basis in groups with the pioneer team of the school. The groups were led by leaders from among the pioneers or Komsomol members of the school. In these groups, children were preparing to join the All-Union Pioneer Organization named after V. I. Lenin.

When joining the ranks of the Octobrists, children were given a badge - a five-pointed star with a children's portrait of Lenin. The symbol was a red October flag.

In honor of the victory of the October Revolution, since 1923, schoolchildren were called "Octobers". The Octobers were united into stars (an analogue of the pioneer link) - on October 5, and also the "sickle" and "hammer" - the leader of the stars and his assistant. In an asterisk, an October child could take one of the positions - a commander, a florist, a nurse, a librarian or an athlete.

In the last decades of Soviet power, the Oktyabrata accepted all elementary school students in a row, usually already in the first grade.

Who was accepted as a pioneer?

Schoolchildren aged 9 to 14 were accepted into the pioneer organization. Formally, admission was carried out on a voluntary basis. The selection of candidates was carried out by open voting at the gathering of the pioneer detachment (usually corresponding to the class) or at the highest - at the school level - pioneer body: at the Council of the Squad.

A student joining a pioneer organization on the pioneer line made a Solemn Promise of a Pioneer of the Soviet Union (the text of the promise could be seen on the back cover of school notebooks in the 1980s). A communist, Komsomol member, or senior pioneer presented the newcomer with a red pioneer tie and a pioneer badge. The pioneer tie was a symbol of belonging to a pioneer organization, a particle of its banner. The three ends of the tie symbolized the unbreakable bond of three generations: communists, Komsomol members and pioneers; the pioneer was obliged to take care of his tie and take care of it.

The greeting of the pioneers was a salute - a hand raised just above the head showed that the pioneer puts public interests above personal ones. "Be ready!" - the leader called on the pioneers and heard in response: “Always ready!”

As a rule, pioneers were accepted in a solemn atmosphere during communist holidays in memorable historical and revolutionary places, for example, on April 22 near the monument to V.I. Lenin.

The following punishments were applied to members of the organization who violated the laws of the pioneers of the Soviet Union: discussion at the assembly of the link, detachment, council of the squad; comment; exception warning; as a last resort - exclusion from the pioneer organization. They could be expelled from the pioneers for unsatisfactory behavior and hooliganism.

Collecting scrap metal and waste paper and other types of socially useful work, helping elementary school students, participating in military sports "Zarnitsy", classes in circles and, of course, excellent studies - that's what pioneer everyday life was filled with.

How did you become members of the Komsomol?

They became Komsomol members from the age of 14. Reception was carried out individually. To apply, you needed a recommendation from a communist or two Komsomol members with at least 10 months of experience. After that, the application could be accepted for consideration in the school Komsomol organization, or they could not be accepted if they did not consider the submitter a worthy figure.

Those whose application was accepted were scheduled an interview with the Komsomol committee (council of Komsomol organizers) and a representative of the district committee. To pass the interview, it was necessary to learn the charter of the Komsomol, the names of the key leaders of the Komsomol and the party, important dates, and most importantly, answer the question: “Why do you want to become a Komsomol member?”.

Any of the members of the committee could ask a tricky question at the trial stage. If the candidate successfully passed the interview, he was handed a Komsomol card, which documented the payment of contributions. Pupils and students paid 2 kopecks. per month, working - one percent of the salary.

They could be expelled from the Komsomol for sloppiness, attending church, for non-payment of membership dues, for family troubles. Exclusion from the organization threatened the lack of a good prospect and a career in the future. The former Komsomol member did not have the right to join the party, go abroad, in some cases he was threatened with dismissal from his job.