Please note that the year of publication of the book (1963) determines the use of the Soviet official propaganda vocabulary.
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The oldest Soviet satirical magazine. Published in Moscow since 1922 by the Rabochaya Gazeta publishing house, and since 1932 by the Pravda publishing house.
The emergence is associated with the “Worker's Gazette” (formerly “Worker”) - the organ of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, which began publishing in Moscow in 1922 under the editorship of K. S. Eremeev. A talented team of employees created a new type of mass newspaper, designed for the working reader. Close ties with the people, a large influx of critical letters from the localities, the presence of experienced satirists among the employees, led by Demyan Bedny - all this determined the prominent place of satirical works in the newspaper. Satires by D. Bedny, N. Ivanov-Gramen, V. Knyazev, A. Neverov were published here from issue to issue. A. Arkhangelsky and V. Lebedev-Kumach have proven themselves well as satirists. On the pages of the newspaper, satirical sections and headings “Under the Glass Bell of the Worker”, “Red Paradise”, “Popov’s Affairs” and others, caricatures, critical signals from readers with satirical comments from the editors are firmly established.
On June 4, 1922, in order to expand subscriptions, the editors began publishing a weekly illustrated and satirical supplement, which was sent free to subscribers along with Sunday issues.
The supplement's releases ridiculed the pillars of international opportunism, white emigrants hoping for drought and famine in Russia, the NEPman bourgeoisie, bourgeois intellectuals sabotaging the measures of the Soviet government, churchmen intoxicating the people, as well as swindlers, speculators, moonshiners and other carriers of vices associated with the NEP. The satire of these numbers is still quite abstract. The authors lack efficiency in covering the negative phenomena of life. They have not yet found the main themes on which the edge of satire was directed by the life and struggle of the Soviet people with the moribund past. Unlike the newspaper, whose satire was based mainly on critical letters from readers, the pages of the supplement were filled with the works of professional writers who were more committed to traditional forms and methods of selecting and presenting satirical materials. The reader is a friend and adviser, the reader is a correspondent and an active author, has not yet established himself on the pages of the emerging magazine, has not said his decisive word about his face and character. The tasks of a satirical publication in the conditions of the peaceful development of the Soviet state have not yet been realized and clearly formulated. However, an intensified search for forms of communication with the working reader, new topics, new principles and methods of satirical typification yielded positive results. Three months of experience in publishing an illustrated satirical supplement allowed the editors to find the right path to creating a new type of satirical magazine.
On August 27, 1922, instead of the next issue of the supplement (No. 13), subscribers of the Rabochaya Gazeta received the first issue of the Crocodile.
The new magazine differed from its predecessor not only in its name. In the first issue in the program poem by Demyan Bedny “Red Crocodile - the bravest of the brave! - against black and white crocodiles” the publication’s task is clearly formulated:
Get to all the rottenness
And stir up rot without any mercy,
So that the NEP dregs do not bloom
And it didn't rot
This is the task of the Red Crocodile!
The NEPman bourgeoisie, all kinds of rot that it generates “at the time of the NEP flood”, the predatory “crocodile tribe” operating where “where it is most muddy” - this is the main target for satirists who, according to the poet, write “not for the “masters” , but for the “common people.”
The attention of the satirists of “Crocodile” is directed primarily to the shortcomings of the country’s economic life, which ultimately determined the outcome of the struggle of the Soviet people against devastation, hunger, and for a new, socialist Russia. By stirring up the NEP rot, the slush of everyday life, showing the doom of everything that a temporary revival of private initiative and entrepreneurship splashed onto the surface of life like a muddy wave, the crocodiles declared a truly revolutionary war on the disorganizers of the national economy. They caught, exposed and pilloried those who retained capitalist habits, and mercilessly denounced the shortcomings of the country's economic life. Guided by the advice of V.I. Lenin, who demanded from the Soviet press a businesslike and merciless war against specific carriers of evil, systematic persecution of the worthless, they blacklist lagging factories and factories and expose the specific culprits of this lag.
Intransigence to shortcomings, merciless criticism of specific culprits, breathe poetic reports of the “red crocodile rural correspondent” Demyan Bedny about his trips around the country, reports of special correspondents of the magazine A. Arkhangelsky, L. Mitnitsky and others. Feuilletons and notes signed with the collective pseudonym “Demyan” were distinguished by their wit. Poor and warm company of the red crocodile title.” They were based on materials from raids by magazine employees and working correspondents-krokor on factories, factories, construction sites and institutions.
The unworthy actions of the backward part of the workers were brought before the judgment of the masses. Snatchers and swindlers, slackers and shirkers, talkers and sycophants, drunkards, hooligans, parasites, and swindlers were stigmatized. At the same time, “Krokodil” constantly guards the interests of the workers, protects them from the arbitrariness of presumptuous administrators, from exploitation by the owners of the NEPmen, from swindlers, speculators, etc. They mercilessly ridiculed the arrogance, lordly manners, and indifference to the demands and needs of the workers that occurred from individual managers.
The magazine also showed the diverse life of the village, exposed the kulaks, and ridiculed talkers and couch potatoes. As a rule, an anti-religious theme is associated with the life of the village: hostile machinations and tricks of the clergy, religious prejudices and superstitions, ancient customs and mores that prevent the Soviet peasantry from working and building life in a new way. The magazine advocated for the connection between city and countryside, for the expansion of cultural and economic ties, education and agronomic education of peasants.
Attention was paid to issues of cultural life. In the permanent department “Crocodile Theater,” hacks from literature and art were ridiculed, ideological enemies of the Soviet people operating within the country and abroad, intellectual saboteurs, whiners, alarmists, etc. were exposed. Materials on similar topics were published in other departments, under various headings.
The undead enemies of the republic - the White emigrants and their patrons from the camp of international reaction, and their hopes for the restoration of the old order, for the degeneration of Soviet power, were angrily ridiculed.
"Crocodile" is quickly gaining immense popularity in the working environment. The circulation is growing rapidly. By the beginning of 1923, it reached 150 thousand copies, a figure unprecedented at that time for publications of this kind.
Since February 1923, the “Crocodile Library” began to be published regularly, in which the works of the magazine’s best satirists and albums of caricatures by its leading artists were printed in large quantities. In May of the same year, the release of “Live Crocodile” was organized - repertoire collections of satirical plays, feuilletons, miniatures intended for theaters, workers' and Red Army clubs, etc. They were compiled by crocodiles, who often acted as performers.
V. Mayakovsky took an active part in “Live Crocodile”. Oral releases further expanded the sphere of influence of “Crocodile” among the masses and increased its popularity. The magazine becomes a friend of workers, their advisor and defender. At general meetings and rallies, the symbolic Crocodile is elected honorary director, forester, fireman, etc. A large army of his followers - crocodiles - appears locally.
At the end of 1923, the editors, together with the readers, warmly said goodbye to their ideological leader and organizer K. S. Eremeev (Uncle Kostya), appointed member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Baltic Fleet. The Krokodil staff elects him as an honorary editor and promises to sacredly preserve the traditions of crocodile satire. N.I. Smirnov becomes the editor-in-chief. "Crocodile" had a great influence on the formation of Soviet satirical periodicals in the 20s. Satirical supplements of central and local newspapers are beginning to be built according to its type. Crocodile satirists take an active part in the creation of a number of such magazines. D. Moore devotes himself entirely to work in “Bezbozhnik” (“Atheist at the Machine”). M. Cheremnykh becomes one of the organizers of the “Godless Crocodile”. For similar reasons, these, as well as other key employees, are moving away from day-to-day work at Krokodil. Non-partisan satirists of the older generation began to play an increasingly important role in the magazine, who did not always understand the innovative role of “Krokodil” in the development and approval of new principles and methods of satirical journalism, and had not yet freed themselves from the traditions of bourgeois humor.
The pages of “Crocodile” are beginning to be filled with works of professional writers and artists. Topical notes and letters from the krokors are published less and less often. Since mid-1924, the most combat department, “Pitchfork to the Side,” has disappeared. Following this, Rabkor's notes ceased to be published in other departments and headings. For some time they concentrate, however, in “Kipyatka” - the satirical and humorous newspaper “Krokodila”, specially created to serve the working reader, but are soon crowded out from there by the works of staff members.
The political severity, topicality, and scale of the satire of “Crocodile” are noticeably reduced. The magazine begins to focus on the intelligent classes of readers, office workers, and urban philistines. Topics of work and life of workers fade into the background. The subject of the magazine changed, new departments and headings appeared. “Reader’s Page” was replaced by “Reader-Artist-Writer Page” and “Everyday Page”. The columns “Party Deeds on a Pin”, “Modest Official Documents”, “From the Great to the Ridiculous”, “Our Panopticon”, “Literary Pelvis”, “Trifles”, etc. arose.
In April 1927, Krokodil, along with some other satirical and humorous magazines, was subjected to severe and fair party criticism. The Central Committee of the Party ordered the editors to radically restructure the magazine, raise the ideological and artistic level of the published materials and turn it into an organ serving the politically mature layers of workers.
Party criticism of the shortcomings of satirical and humorous magazines, a big conversation about the ways of development of satirical periodicals, about its tasks, which took place in the Central Committee of the Party, had a beneficial effect on the process of restructuring "Krokodil". He again takes orientation towards the working reader, gradually restores ties with the masses, and attracts prominent Soviet satirists to cooperate. The departments “Forks in the Side” and “Reader’s Page” are being created again. By the end of the 20s, “Crocodile” regained its glory as the best mass organ of Soviet satire. The publication's circulation is steadily growing. By 1932 it already amounted to 500 thousand copies. The editors during these years were: from April 1927 - K. Maltsev, from September 1928 - N.K. Ivanov-Gramen and Felix Kohn, from May 1930 - M. Z. Manuilsky.
In the late 20s and early 30s, Krokodil set a course for expanding communications with the largest factories and new buildings in the country.
In August 1930, Krokodil took patronage over Magnitostroy. The visiting team regularly publishes reports on the progress of construction in the magazine and publishes the satirical newspaper “Krokodil on Magnitka.” Other visiting teams of crocodiles are actively invading the lives of numerous teams at the country's largest construction sites.
"Crocodile" has enough to do,
"Krokodil" has a large program:
In the next issue we take aim
Problems at the AMO plant, -
wrote the editors in No. 1 for 1931. In 1931, the editors informed readers that they were taking control of the work of 36 shock socialist construction projects.
Field teams relied on worker correspondents. The collected and processed material was published in wall newspapers, local large-circulation newspapers, special satirical bulletins and leaflets. In 1931 - 1932 “Crocodile” was published simultaneously in several editions, differing from each other in two pages, intended for readers in different regions (main, Moscow, Leningrad, Ukrainian, Ural-Siberian, etc.).
The editors did not fully use the numerous and informative material from readers and reporters on the pages of the magazine.
Part of it was published in leaflets that were sent to local factory and wall newspapers. Up to 100-150 “Crocodile is with us” leaflets were sent out monthly. The sheets were filled with cartoons and poignant notes using factual material. They were, as it were, a continuation of the permanent departments “Special Department”, “Dear Crocodile”, “On Land and Sea”, etc. The most qualified employees of the magazine, factory press workers, and reporters worked on the release of the leaflets “Crocodile with Us”.
The magazine's emblem - a crocodile with a pitchfork - becomes famous among the widest circles of readers. "Crocodile" turns into one of the most popular Soviet publications, attracting the attention of progressive circles in foreign countries.
His satirical speeches often served as a signal for the formation of broad public opinion around certain shortcomings and negative phenomena in industrial and social life. The departments “Forks in the Side”, “Quick Fire”, “Rolling Shop”, “Hair Standing on End”, “Crocodile for a Snack”, “Hails and Towns”, “Crocodile Archive”, etc., etc. enjoyed constant success. called “Rescripts of the Crocodile”, which issued special “orders” to bunglers and bureaucrats.
The influence of Krokodil on the local press is growing. Satirical sections and columns appear in factory, district and regional newspapers, and thousands of satirical panels are published. At some of the largest factories, with the help of crocodiles, workers' satirical magazines and newspapers printed by printing are created. The special propaganda plane “Crocodile,” built at the expense of the magazine’s employees and readers, which penetrated into the most remote corners of the country, did a lot to popularize the magazine and further connect with the working people.
"Crocodile" of the early 30s largely got rid of the errors that appeared in it in the mid-20s.
A. M. Gorky provided great assistance in eliminating these shortcomings to the Soviet satirists of the 30s. He advised more often and more widely to use such an artistic technique as juxtaposition, emphasizing the contrasts between the world of capitalism and the world of socialism. This technique helped the reader, especially the young one, to see more clearly what was new in the life of the country and to better understand the significance of the changes taking place. The satirists' focus on primarily showing internal problems and focusing on individual, often small, phenomena led to a loss of perspective. Gorky insisted on the need to cover not only domestic but also international topics in the magazine, to expose the foreign world with its vile and terrible reality, using both large and small facts.
Gorky demanded that people abandon the naturalistic reproduction of life and taught to subject facts to satirical generalization.
In 1931, Gorky met with the staff of Krokodil and, in a conversation with them, expressed critical remarks about the work of the magazine. This intervention by Gorky led to significant restructuring of Krokodil.
Even greater changes are taking place in Krokodil in connection with the arrival of M. Koltsov as editor in 1934, who was closely associated with A. M. Gorky through joint work in a number of magazines, clearly saw the shortcomings of the young Soviet satire and shared Gorky's views on its character and significance in the conditions of socialist reality.
M. Koltsov attracts talented Soviet satirists to actively work in “Crocodile”. Among them are D. Bedny, A. Bezymensky, V. Ermilov, D. Zaslavsky, E. Zozulya, I. Ilf, V. Kataev, E. Petrov, M. Svetlov, I. Erenburg and others. In the mid-30s collaborators in the magazine are I. Abramsky, N. Aduev, M. Andrievskaya, V. Ardov, A. Arkhangelsky, N. Aseev, A. Bukhov, N. Verzhbitsky, V. Voinov, V. Granov, A. d "Aktil (A . Frenkel), N. Ivanov-Gramen, V. Inber, S. Kirsanov, N. Kruzhkov, V. Lebedev-Kumach, L. Mntnitsky, I. Molchanov, L. Nikulin, I. Prutkov (V. Zhirkovich), M Pustynin, P. Romanov, G. Ryklin, L. Sayansky, V. Solovyov, A. Stovratsky, A. Tolstoy, Yu. Fidler, V. Shishkov, etc. At this time, the names of A. Agranovsky, Brothers appeared on the pages of the magazine Tour (P. Ryzhey and L. Tubelsky), S. Vasiliev, E. Vesenin, Y. German, B. Gorbatov, V. Gusev, S. Dikovsky, V. Karbovskaya, A. Kolosov, L. Lagina, B. Laskin , L. Lencha, M. Matusovsky, S. Mikhalkov, A. Raskin, M. Rosenfeld, K. Simonov, M. Slobodsky, S. Smirnov, A. Tvardovsky, S. Shvetsov and others. The circle of artists is expanding significantly, both at the expense of old cartoonists who had previously moved away from cooperation in the magazine, and at the expense of new talented youth.
Along with the old crocodiles (L. Brodaty, Yu. Ganf, N. Denisovsky, M. Dobrokovsky, K. Eliseev, B. Efimov, V. Kozlinsky, N. Kupreyanov, D. Moor, A. Junger, etc.) B. Antonovsky, V. Galba, L. Gench, V. Goryaev, E. Evgan, I. Kalikin, A. Kanevsky, Kukryniksy, A. Maleinov, B. Prorokov, F. Reshetnikov are actively performing; I. Semenov, L. Soifertis, V. Suteev, A. Topikov, Yu. Uzbyakov and others.
In “Crocodile” of this time, the best forces of Soviet satire again gather. This allowed the editorial board of the journal (since April 1934 - L. Ginzburg, V. Ermilov, B. Levin, M. Koltsov, M. Manuilsky, L. Rovinsky, in 1938 - V. Kataev, M. Koltsov, L. Lagin, A. Nazarov, E. Petrov, L. Rovinsky, G. Ryklin) expand the topic, make it socially acute, highly artistic. Almost every issue opened with a topical feuilleton by M. Koltsov, which determined the main blow of the magazine’s satire. Forms of presenting materials and methods of mass work are being improved and diversified.
The Second World War left a peculiar imprint on the appearance of the Crocodile. From issue to issue, pamphlets, feuilletons, and cartoons are printed on its pages, exposing the fascist warmongers and their accomplices from the camp of the so-called appeasers. A remarkable achievement is his political caricature on international topics, represented by the names of L. Brodata, Kukryniksov, K. Eliseev, B. Efimov, Yu. Ganf and others.
The magazine's satirists exposed fascism and its ideologists, tearing off the masks of peacemakers from the Anglo-French and American imperialists who condoned the fascists. The heroic struggle of the Spanish people against fascism has long attracted the attention of the magazine's poets and satirists. "Crocodile" of these years played a significant role in educating the Soviet people in the spirit of irreconcilable hatred of fascism. He called for vigilance, for combat readiness, and strengthened the feelings of proletarian internationalism and Soviet patriotism among the masses.
By the end of the thirties, the personality cult of Stalin made itself felt especially noticeably. He also left his mark on satire. It gradually loses its specificity, ceases to touch upon current topics in the internal life of the country, and becomes smaller. A humorous story, a cautious allegory, a lightweight joke replaces the sharp feuilleton and critical signal from the place. Satire on specific carriers of evil is replaced by exposure of abstract and, as a rule, insignificant shortcomings.
During these years, many prominent satirists moved away from active work in Krokodil and went into the so-called “big” literature.
On the pages of the magazine, only humorists find a wide field of activity for themselves, encouraged in every possible way by the “theorists” of the so-called positive feuilletons.
Since December 1938, the signature of the responsible editor M.E. Koltsov, who was subjected to unjustified repression, disappeared from the last page of Krokodil. The magazine was headed by an unnamed “Editorial Board”. “Crocodile” is still published in large circulation (275 thousand copies), continues to be one of the most beloved mass publications, but its face is undergoing significant changes.
The satirical program of the magazine of this time was formulated by the editors in the note “A few words about the scheme,” which opened the 8th special issue of “Crocodile,” which was a response to Stalin’s report to the XVIII Party Congress. Satirists were encouraged to learn their craft from Stalin, to find themes for their denunciations in his speeches. It was recommended, first of all, to “evilly mock” the external enemy (a whole range of topics was given here) and, as if by the way, to “laugh” at some of the shortcomings that still took place in the life of the Soviet people. A bashful enumeration of these shortcomings (bureaucrats, couch potatoes who don’t want to use their brains, “narrow specialists,” people who continue to “play the old tune”) was accompanied by assurances that “the magazine, along with the whole country, will rejoice and laugh merrily, looking at the blossoming our Motherland."
Angry, sharp political satire on international topics and “joyful”, “cheerful” laughter when addressing topics of the internal life of the country - these are the main principles and guidelines that determined the appearance of “Krokodil” in the pre-war period. Satire, thus, completely switched to international topics, humor asserted its monopoly on domestic topics. This attitude was also reflected in the names of the permanent satirical departments and columns. The “Forks in Side” department and many other departments and sections are being liquidated. They are replaced by “Quotes by the way”, “Special department”, “Order board”, “Papers for signature”. The predominant place was occupied by sharp political feuilleton, pamphlet, caricature, newspaper and documentary facts of international life, given with witty comments. A large role began to be played by satirical photomontage on international topics, presented by the master of this genre B. Clinch. Small genres on the same topics fill the departments and headings “They write to us from abroad”, “Museum of Stupidity”, “Crocodile’s Diary”, “Foreign Humor”, etc.
The magazine's interest in issues of literature and art has increased noticeably in these years. Thematic issues are often published to coincide with the anniversaries of writers (Mayakovsky, Saltykov-Shchedrin, Chekhov, etc.). The columns “Books for Review” and “Looking at Faces” appeared, filled with literary portraits, parodies and epigrams of S. Vasiliev and other satirists.
Professional writers are beginning to play a predominant role again. The magazine often publishes poems glorifying the labor exploits of the Soviet people, their patriotism, and heroism. In poems of this kind, the theme of vigilance, combat readiness, growth of the country's defense capability, etc. is especially often heard. The heroic theme has been almost the leading one since September 1939, when the Soviet people extended a fraternal helping hand to the peoples of Western Ukraine and Western Belarus. The Krokodil visiting brigades stationed in the Red Army units constantly inform readers about events, are actively involved in propaganda work, participate in the front-line press, in the production of propaganda posters, etc. For example, the Krokodil brigade consisting of V.I. At this time, Lebedev-Kumach, M. Edel and others were organizing the regular publication of the magazine “Crocodile in Western Ukraine”, published in two languages. Military topics became the main topic in the magazine during the Soviet-Finnish war.
From the first days of the Great Patriotic War, the entire content of “Crocodile” was subordinated to one task - the fight against the Nazi invaders. The magazine exposes the plans of the fascist army, calls for a merciless fight against enemies, and expresses firm confidence in the final victory over the fascist invaders. The satire of "Crocodile" mobilized the workers and soldiers of the Soviet Army for exploits in the rear and at the front. Along with political posters, TASS's "Windows", the satire of "Crocodile" became a great propaganda force in these years.
Many of the satirists of “Crocodile” fought in the ranks of the Soviet Army during the Great Patriotic War. From the active army, from the front line of fire, they send sharp, angry works to their magazine.
In these years, the satirists of the older generation, who remained in the rear and took upon themselves the troubles of uninterrupted publication of the magazine (D. Zaslavsky, V. Lebedev-Kumach, D. Bedny, N. Ivanov-Gramen, N. Kruzhkov, L. Nikulin, S. Marshak, L. Mitnitsky, M. Pustynin, V. Tobolyakov and others, artists L. Brodaty, Yu. Ganf, K. Eliseev, B. Efimov, A. Kanevsky, M. Cheremnykh and others. ). The difficulties of wartime significantly affected the printing design of “Crocodile”, its volume, circulation, and frequency. The magazine was often printed on regular newsprint, sometimes with single-color illustrations. Its volume was reduced to 8 pages, circulation - to 135-100 thousand copies. The editors (since April 1943, the names of the editor and members of the editorial board again appear on the cover of the magazine: executive editor - G. Ryklin, members of the editorial board - D. Zaslavsky, V. Kataev, Kukryniksy) make a lot of efforts to prepare issues for publication in a timely manner and release it into the world. A significant, although quite understandable and justifiable, shortcoming of the editorial office at this time was the weak connection with the military and rabselkorov activists. The magazine was made by a narrow team of employees, relying on a few cadres of satirists working in the rear. But this support was not always strong, since many of the professional satirists devoted themselves entirely to work on propaganda posters, TASS “Windows”, patronage assistance to military units, hospitals, etc. Similar reasons did not allow the editors to establish permanent connections with the old crocodiles, who were on the fronts of the Patriotic War and worked in the front-line and army press. The leading department of the magazine “With a Marked Strike” was built primarily on materials from front-line and army newspapers. Documentary material formed the basis of such sections and headings as “Short queue”, “There is something to talk about”, etc. The heading “With real bad things” was filled with excerpts from letters and testimonies of captured German soldiers and officers. Under the heading “From our own correspondent”, satirical works of the magazine’s own correspondents from the active army (V. Kataev, M. Edel, etc.) were published. The parody newspaper “Vralische Brekhobachter” was wittyly constructed and enjoyed great popularity among readers, regularly published on the pages of the magazine. The life of the country's rear was reflected in the sections “Dear Crocodile” (letters from readers), “Talents and admirers”, “Once upon a time...” and others. An interesting section was “From the cycle of portraits of non-heroes of our time”, under which he presented poetic feuilletons IN. I. Lebedev-Kumach.
During the war years, N. Aduev, S. Alymov, Yu. Arbat, Argo, V. Ardamatsky, V. Ardov, N. Aseev, A. Bezymensky, E. Vermont, S. Vasiliev, O. Vishnya, L. collaborated with the magazine. Galkin, V. Granov, E. Dolmatovsky, V. Dykhovichny, A. Zharov, M. Zoshchenko, Vl. Ivanov, A. Isbakh, V. Karbovskaya, B. Kezhun, S. Kirsanov, B. Kovynev, A. Kolosov, O. Kolychev, E. Kopylov, B. Kotlyarov, E. Krotkiy, N. Labkovsky, L. Lagin, B. Laskin, L. Lench, V. Mass, S. Mikhalkov, I. Molchanov, S. Narignani, A. Nedogonov, A. Prokofiev, A. Raskin, A. Rezapkin, I. Ryabov, L. Slavin, M. Slonimsky, S. Smirnov, Ts. Solodar, A. Tvardovsky, B. Timofeev, A. Tolstoy, I. Utkin, Y. Fidler, A. Flit, Y. Chaplygin, M. Chervinsky, S. Shvetsov, A. Erivansky, A. Erlich, A. Yashin and others.
The Great Patriotic War ended. The transition to peacetime topics required the editors of Krokodil to radically restructure all of their work. But it didn't happen. The magazine retained its former “front-line” appearance, was made by the same narrow circle of employees, did nothing to attract experienced writers and satirists to its pages, and did not worry about expanding connections with the masses. The editors (its previous composition remained) did not take serious measures to raise the ideological and artistic level of published works.
In a resolution of the Party Central Committee published in September 1948, the magazine was justly criticized. The editors were noted to be disconnected from life, lack of the necessary demands on the ideological and artistic level of the works, and the unattractive appearance was pointed out. “Krokodil,” the decision said, “is being conducted completely unsatisfactorily and is not a fighting organ of Soviet satire and humor.” The reasons for this state of affairs in the magazine were seen in the lack of collegiality, unplanned work, the fact that it was done by the hands of a narrow circle of full-time workers, that prominent Soviet writers and poets, workers of the central and local press were not involved in participation, etc.
The Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks approved the new editorial board of "Crocodile" consisting of D. G. Belyaev (executive editor), S. A. Shvetsov, S. A. Vasiliev, A. N. Vasilyev, D. I. Zaslavsky, V. P Kataeva, Kukryniksov (M. V. Kupriyanov, P. N. Krylov, N. A. Sokolov), S. D. Narignani, V. I. Prorokova, G. E. Ryklina, I. A. Ryabova.
The Central Committee set specific tasks for Krokodil. “The magazine,” the resolution said, “must use the weapon of satire to expose the plunderers of public property, grabbers, bureaucrats, manifestations of arrogance, servility, and vulgarity; respond in a timely manner to topical international events, criticize the bourgeois culture of the West, and show its ideological insignificance and degeneration.”
The Central Committee obliged the editorial board to make wider use of various genres of satire and humor, to acquaint readers with the best materials published in local humor magazines and magazines of people's democracies, satirical works of progressive foreign writers, to publish documentary photographs from foreign newspapers and magazines, providing them with politically acute comments. The editorial board was asked to attract a wide range of writers, poets, artists, workers of the central and local press, to practice discussing the thematic plans of the magazine and the content of published issues with the author’s activists, and to regularly hold reading conferences at enterprises, collective farms, educational institutions, and military units. To attract new staff of satirists to work in the magazine, the editorial board of “Krokodil”, together with the Union of Soviet Writers of the USSR, decided to hold a meeting of satirists and feuilletonists in Moscow in November 1948. The editors of Krokodil were also instructed to hold a competition in December 1948 for the best humorous story, feuilleton and caricature. The editors undertook to reduce the period of time it took for the magazine to go through production, improve the artistic and printing design, increase the volume, and create conditions that would ensure regular publication of the magazine on the 10th, 20th, and 30th of each month.
After the ruling, the magazine improved noticeably. It began to be printed on 16 pages, with colorful illustrations, on good paper. Its content has also improved dramatically. “Pitchfork Sideways” reappears, the “Dear Crocodile” department expands, and the “Crocodile Helped” section appears. The critical signal from readers is given to the departments and headings “Informing addresses”, “It’s really bad”, “Strange as it may seem, but...”, “Crocodile’s photo showcase”, “From printed”, etc.
Expanding connections with the masses allowed the editors to make their critical statements concrete and effective.
A positive role in improving the work of the magazine was played by a meeting of writers - satirists and feuilletonists, held at the direction of the Central Committee of the Party by the editorial board of "Krokodil" and the Writers' Union. After this meeting, old satirists who had previously left the magazine again come to Krokodil. New forces were attracted by the competition for the best humorous story, feuilleton and caricature.
V. Alenin, S. Ananin, V. Bakhnov, Y. Blagov, A. Vikhrev, S. Vishnevsky, V. Dragunsky, B. Egorov, S. Zvantsev, I. Kostyukov, Y. Kostyukovsky, V. Kotov, V. Kukanov, B. Leontyev, A. Malin, S. Marshak, A. Nikolaev, S. Oleinik, Y. Polishchuk, V. Polyakov, B. Privalov, G. Radov, I. Ryabov, R. Sartsevich , N. Cherepanova, S. Shatrov, 3. Yuriev, Yu. Yakovlev and others. Along with the old crocodile artists, cartoonists A. Bazhenov, G. Valk, M. Vaisbord, V. Vasiliev, E. Vedernikov, actively appear in the magazine, E. Gurov, V. Konovalov, S. Kuzmin, B. Leo, N. Lisogorsky and others.
The resolution of the Central Committee opened up great prospects for Soviet satirists. Satire was not only recognized as having the right to exist, but it was also given great responsibilities. However, any daring criticism of the vices that accompanied Stalin’s personality cult was immediately met with hostility; any attempt at a satirical typification of the negative phenomena of life was seen as an attempt to denigrate and discredit Soviet reality. In the conditions of the cult of personality, Soviet satire was actually doomed to vegetate; it was removed from active influence on life, deprived of its main qualities - courage, integrity and sharpness in raising the most important issues of the country's social development, topicality and militant intransigence towards specific carriers of evil, and was deprived of the right to artistic generalizations, typification.
On September 21, 1951, a new resolution was adopted - “On the shortcomings of the Krokodil magazine and measures to improve it.” This resolution again noted that “Crocodile” is an uninteresting magazine and is run at an insufficiently high ideological and artistic level.
“On the pages of the magazine “Crocodile,” it said, “many far-fetched, meaningless stories and poems, weak drawings and caricatures that do not have serious social significance are published, mistakes are made in covering the internal life of the country and international events. “Krokodil often presents isolated negative facts as general shortcomings in the work of state, trade union and other organizations, which creates a misconception among readers about the work of these organizations.”
The Central Committee drew the attention of the editorial board to the fact that it publishes mainly drawings and caricatures of a narrow circle of artists, whose works are primitive and monotonous in theme, and formulaic in execution. “The magazine,” states the resolution, “poorly fulfills the task of combating the remnants of capitalism in the minds of Soviet people.” The Central Committee of the Party obliged the editorial board to eliminate the shortcomings and achieve an increase in the ideological and artistic level of the magazine as soon as possible.
A sharp change in Soviet satire in general, and in “Crocodile” in particular, occurs after the historical decisions of the 20th Congress of the CPSU. The decisive condemnation of Stalin's personality cult and all its negative consequences cleared the way for the comprehensive development of criticism and self-criticism.
Already in the first years after the 20th Congress, “Crocodile” became sharper, more militant, and more closely connected with the reader. The leading role in expanding and strengthening connections with readers is again given to the “Fork in the Side” and “Dear Crocodile” departments. New columns are emerging and old ones are flourishing, built exclusively on critical materials from readers (“Let me disturb you,” “It’s really bad,” etc.) - A permanent column “Motley Chronicle” appears, reflecting Crocodile’s impressions of his frequent trips around the country to sort out readers’ complaints . A large and serious conversation is being conducted in “open letters” to workers of the union and republican scale who are guilty of certain shortcomings. Forgotten sections appear - “Crocodile Raid”, “Crocodile Mixture”, “Excerpts from the Unwritten”, “From the Printed”, etc. The magazine’s ties with satirists of the fraternal republics, people’s democracies, and progressive satirists of foreign countries are expanding. A lot of interesting things have appeared on the pages of the magazine in recent years. The editorial board (M. G. Semenov became editor since the end of 1958) revives the best traditions of “Krokodil” of the 20-30s. The share of readers' participation in the preparation of issues increases immeasurably. Critical signals and notes are published in dozens in the departments and headings “Dear Crocodile!”, “The Reader’s Word”, “You Can’t Invent It on Purpose”, “Responses and Remarks”, “Please inform”, “From the Unprinted”, “On a Direct Wire”, “ They tell us”, “Indecent consumer goods”, “Crocodile helped, but...”, “Crocodile’s Telegraph”, etc. Thousands of readers took part in competitions, “Crocodile” “The funniest incident”, for a short story, for the best topic for caricatures. Traditional forms of communication with the masses are being revived. The magazine's traveling teams penetrate all regions of the country. They regularly inform readers about their struggle with revealed shortcomings. “Crocodile” posts are organized at high-impact construction sites, plants, factories, state and collective farms, the magazine takes patronage over them, special sections “Crocodile Raid”, “Crocodile Post”, “At My Sponsors”, etc. appear.
Krokodil is fighting to save public funds. A special thematic issue “About the Penny” was published, and permanent columns “My Piggy Bank”, “Exhibition of Wastefulness”, etc. were established.
Much attention is paid to issues of everyday life and morality of Soviet people (section “To be or not to be?”). Some other sections are also subject to the same problems. Cultural life is regularly reflected (departments “Talents and Fans”, “Turning Through the Pages”, “Among the Muses and Graces”, section “Literary Parodies”, etc.). Under the heading “My interviews” and “My vernissage” the reader gets acquainted with the work of certain remarkable figures of literature and art of our time. Satirists from the countries of the socialist camp and progressive satirists from capitalist countries often appear in “Crocodile”.
International topics are rich and multifaceted. The warmongers are exposed, the atomic psychosis is sharply ridiculed in a crocodile manner, the true face of bourgeois ideology, politics, and diplomacy is revealed. Satirists use a variety of genres, from pamphlets to jokes. The cartoons receive great international attention. Satirical miniatures published under the headings “Our Teletype”, “Fine Shot”, “On a Playful Wave”, “Crocodile Review”, etc. are universally loved. The bourgeois reactionary press is politically sharply parodied in special satirical issues of “Mail Email”, “ Around light and darkness”, etc.
“Crocodile” rightfully occupies an honorable place as the leading magazine in the large multinational family of satirical publications in our country. He has strong friendships with his foreign comrades in arms, shares his experience with them, and regularly introduces readers to examples of world satire and humor. The regular column “What’s new in the satirical workshop” informs about the latest in satirical literature and graphics. Books of satire and humor from the “Crocodile Library”, albums dedicated to the work of the largest Soviet cartoonists, series of satirical posters on various topics, etc. are published in mass editions.
In 2000, due to insufficient funding, Krokodil ceased publication.
From September 2001, a group of crocodiles published the magazine “New Crocodile” until August 2004. Publication of the magazine resumed in Moscow in 2006. However, designed not for the broad masses, but for a narrow circle of readers, it was unable to gain its former fame and finally closed in 2008.
Fictional characters often appeared on the pages of the magazine, who were given the features of real-life persons. These characters include:
Crocodile- a regular character in feuilletons, cartoons and screensavers, as well as the hand-drawn series “Cartoon Crocodile”. He was depicted as a red crocodile with a pitchfork and a pipe (the pipe disappeared and then reappeared over the years). Member of Komsomolets since 1922 (that is, from birth; No. 28, 1968). “Raised” two sons - Totosha and Kokosha. “Owned” a three-room apartment in Moscow (No. 36, 1987) and a Zhiguli car (No. 18, 1981; model unknown). In 1990 he “founded” his own party - the RKP (entertainment crocodile party). “Died” in 1992 from acute financial insufficiency; after a civil funeral service, the body was buried in water (No. 6, 1992).
Totosha and Kokosha- children of the Crocodile (names borrowed from the works of K. Chukovsky “Crocodile” and “Moidodyr”), “leading” columns “At Totosha and Kokosha” (1982-1989). They were depicted as red twin crocodiles. According to Crocodile (No. 36, 1990), by the beginning of the 1990s. grew up, after which Totosha took up management, and Kokosha went to the USA to make entertainment magazines for men. Considering that the column was resumed in 1991, we can assume that Krokodil had grandchildren.
Big Crocodile- Crocodile's wife. According to the latter (No. 36, 1990), she went crazy back in the 1930s, which is reflected in the famous song.
Nile Crocodile- Crocodile's older brother, native African. With his older brother, Crocodile “made” a trip to the liberated countries of Africa, as a result of which No. 25 for 1960 appeared.
Lev Skameikin- fictional correspondent for the crocodile newspaper “Around Light and Darkness” in 1976-1980 and 1985. The name of the journalist is a portmanteau of the names of journalists Lev Rubashkin and Yan Skameikin from the novel “The Golden Calf” by Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov.
Evgeny Dotoshny- detective, character in feuilletons and comics published under the heading “Documentary Detective” (1982-1984)
Ya. Khmelny- a fictional correspondent for the fictional newspaper “Drinking Buddy”, a chronic alcoholic (“a fighter against sobriety”). Under the name of Ya. Khmelny, feuilletons on anti-alcohol topics were published. The name of the newspaper "Sobotilnik" may be an allusion to "Sobesednik" - the name of the supplement to the newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda".
Katyusha- emblem of the XII World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow. She was depicted as a girl in a Russian sundress and a kokoshnik in the shape of a festival daisy. With Katyusha, Crocodile “took” a walk around festival Moscow, as a result of which No. 21 for 1985 appeared.
Old Man Sinitsky- son of Zosya Sinitskaya and great-grandson of old man Sinitsky from the novel by Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov “The Golden Calf”, a hereditary writer of puzzles. He was the “host” of the column “Move the cerebral gyrus” (1986-1988).
Princess Turandot And Prince Calaf- characters from Carlo Gozzi’s comedy “Princess Turandot”. They were the “hosts” of the “Turandot” column (1989-1992), which replaced the “Move the cerebral gyrus” column.
Valentin L. Podsvechnikov- private entrepreneur, founder of the cooperative “Vitamin C” (vitamin of laughter). As a result of the agreement concluded between Krokodil and Podsvechnikov, No. 10 for 1989 appeared.
Harlequin And Columbine- characters in A. Blok’s drama “Balaganchik”, and in “Crocodile” Harlequin played the role of an informal humorist, and Columbine - a formalized satire. Together with Harlequin and Columbine (as well as Blok, who came to visit them), Crocodile “created” No. 10 for 1990.
In 2000, due to insufficient funding, Krokodil ceased publication. From September 2001, a group of crocodiles published the magazine “New Crocodile” until August 2004. Publication of the magazine resumed in Moscow in 2006. However, designed not for the broad masses, but for a narrow circle of readers, it was unable to gain its former fame and finally closed in 2008...
27
Jun
2012
"Crocodile" (magazine file)
Format: DjVu, Scanned pages
Year of manufacture: 1952-1989
Genre: Satire and humor
Publisher: "Pravda"
Russian language
Number of pages: 16 each
Description: Krokodil magazine is the main humor magazine of the USSR.
Publication of the newspaper "Pravda". Humorous and satirical works, feuilletons and many funny caricatures.
The first issue of the magazine was published on August 27, 1922. At first it was a weekly, and since 1932 “Krokodil”
I started going out 3 times a month. In 1972, the magazine was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. In the middle
In the 1980s, the circulation of “Crocodile” was 5 million 600 thousand copies, unthinkable in today’s times.
In 1970-80, the magazine published feuilletons by V. Kanaev, R. Kireev, A. Moralevich, S. Bodrov, Yu. Borin,
A. Khodanova, A. Vikhreva; humorous stories by S. Komissarenko, B. Privalov, L. Naumov, B. Laskin, M. Kazovsky,
E. Shatko and many other authors. Wonderful caricatures were drawn by G. Ogorodnikov, G. Andrianov, Yu. Cherepanov,
S. Spassky, E. Vedernikov, V. Dobrovolsky, E. Gurov, I. Sychev, V. Mochalov. Various competitions were held among readers. Since 1992, the magazine began to be published once a month, its circulation sharply decreased and fell to 50 thousand copies. by the end of the 1990s.
Add. information: To view the log, it is recommended to use
WinDjView program, which can open DjVu files.
1952 Nos. 25-35.
1954 Nos. 03, 06, 08, 10, 17, 21, 23, 24, 27.
1967 No. 01, 02, 03, 36.
1971 Nos. 03, 13, 14, 18, 22, 23, 26, 29, 30, 32, 34, 36.
1988 Nos. 16-20.
1989 Nos. 15, 18, 20, 21, 22, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. (Nos. 35, 36 improved quality)
10
but I
2014
Crocodile (Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky)
Author: Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky
Year of manufacture: 2014
Genre: Classics, Humorous prose
Performer: Ilya Khvost
Duration: 01:58:55
Description: A fair story about how one gentleman, of a certain age and a certain appearance, was swallowed alive by a passage crocodile, completely without a trace, and what came of it. “Now I’ll invent a whole social system, and you won’t believe how easy it is! All you have to do is retire somewhere far away in a corner, or even get into a crocodile, close your eyes, and you’ll immediately invent a whole...
02
Feb
2011
Crocodile (magazine binder)
"Crocodile" (magazine file 1935 - 1997)
Year of manufacture: 1935 -1997
Genre: Satire and humor.
Publisher: "Pravda"
Russian language
Number of pages: 16
Description: The magazine "Crocodile" is the main humor magazine of the USSR. Publication of the newspaper "Pravda". Humorous and satirical works, feuilletons and many funny caricatures. The first issue of the magazine was published on August 27, 1922. At first it was a weekly, and since 1932 “Crocodile” began to be published 3 times a month. In 1972, the magazine was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. In the mid-1980s, the circulation of "Krok...
04
Jun
2011
"Crocodile" (Magazine Binder)
Format: DjVu, Scanned pages
Year of manufacture: 1924-1991
Genre: Satire and humor.
Publisher: "Pravda"
Russian language
Number of pages: 16 each
07
Apr
2011
Crocodile (Journal Binder)
Format: DjVu, Scanned pages
Year of manufacture: 1951-1982
Genre: Satire and humor.
Publisher: "Pravda"
Russian language
Number of pages: 16 each
09
Mar
2011
"Crocodile" (magazine file)
"Crocodile" (magazine file 1972 - 1991)
Format: DjVu, Scanned pages
Year of manufacture: 1972-1991
Genre: Satire and humor
Publisher: "Pravda"
Russian language
Number of pages: 16 each
09
Dec
2011
Crocodile (magazine binder)
Format: DjVu, Scanned pages
Year of manufacture: 1952-1991
Genre: Satire and humor.
Publisher: "Pravda"
Russian language
Number of pages: 16 each
Description: The magazine "Crocodile" is the main humor magazine of the USSR. Publication of the newspaper "Pravda". Humorous and satirical works, feuilletons and many funny caricatures. The first issue of the magazine was published on August 27, 1922. At first it was a weekly, and since 1932 “Crocodile” began to be published 3 times a month. In 1972, the magazine was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. In the mid-1980s, the circulation of Krokodil was unthinkable today...
01
May
2011
Crocodile (Journal Binder)
"Crocodile" (magazine file 1932 - 1991)
Format: DjVu, Scanned pages
Year of manufacture: 1932-1991
Genre: Satire and humor.
Publisher: "Pravda"
Russian language
Number of pages: 16 each
Description: The magazine "Crocodile" is the main humor magazine of the USSR. Publication of the newspaper "Pravda". Humorous and satirical works, feuilletons and many funny caricatures. The first issue of the magazine was published on August 27, 1922. At first it was a weekly, and since 1932 “Crocodile” began to be published 3 times a month. In 1972, the magazine was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. In the mid-1980s, the circulation of "Kr...
31
May
2015
Crocodile on the Sand (Elizabeth Peters)
Format: audiobook, MP3, 128kbps
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Year of manufacture: 2007
Genre: Ironic detective story
Publisher: DIY Audiobook
Artist: WhiteRabbit
Duration: 10:55:16
Description: Life next to an old father who thinks only about scientific research is quiet, calm and boring. But, having escaped from under her father’s roof, and even with a tidy sum in her bank account, the scientist’s only heiress, of course, begins to live for her own pleasure. Considering herself a complete old maid (thirty years old is a respectable age), Amelia Peabody, the heroine of the book, dreams only of travel and...
26
Mar
2011
Crocodile from Charlotte Country (Ioanna Khmelevskaya)
Format: audiobook, MP3, 128 kbps, 44 kHz
Author: Ioanna Khmelevskaya
Year of manufacture: 2007
Genre: Ironic detective
Publisher: Can't buy it anywhere
Performer: Irina Erisanova
Duration: 09:28:34
Description: The heroine of the ironic detective story "The Crocodile from Charlotte Country", the indomitable Joanna, is with her lover, an investigator nicknamed the Devil, looking for a vile villain, at whose hands her beloved friend dies. And, as one would expect, he exposes the unknown killer.
09
Jun
2014
Crocodile Gena and other tales (Uspensky Eduard)
Format: audio play, MP3, 96kbps
Author: Uspensky Eduard
Year of manufacture: 2014
Genre: Children's literature
Publisher: Can't buy it anywhere
Performer: Nenarokomova Tatyana
Duration: 07:10:06
Description: The book includes three fairy tales, the characters of which were loved by the children. This is Cheburashka and the crocodile Gena, Uncle Fyodor and his friends - the cat Matroskin and the dog Sharik, little hardworking people with guarantee. Contents - Crocodile Gena and his friends An animal unknown to science, Cheburashka, lived in a telephone booth. Crocodile Gena worked at the zoo as a crocodile, and who else could he work with? But they really wanted for...
11
Feb
2011
"Crocodile" (magazine file 1951 - 1982) [Satire and humor., DjVu]
"Crocodile" (magazine file 1951 - 1982)
Format: DjVu, Scanned pages
Year of manufacture: 1951-1982
Genre: Satire and humor.
Publisher: "Pravda"
Russian language
Number of pages: 16 each
Description: The magazine "Crocodile" is the main humor magazine of the USSR. Publication of the newspaper "Pravda". Humorous and satirical works, feuilletons and many funny caricatures. The first issue of the magazine was published on August 27, 1922. At first it was a weekly, and since 1932 “Crocodile” began to be published 3 times a month. In 1972, the magazine was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. In the mid-1980s, the circulation of "Kro...
24
Aug
2011
"Crocodile" (magazine file 1959 - 1991) [Satire and humor., DjVu]
Format: DjVu, Scanned pages
Author: Team.
Year of manufacture: 1959-1991
Genre: Satire and humor.
Publisher: "Pravda"
Russian language
Number of pages: 16 each
Description: The magazine "Crocodile" is the main humor magazine of the USSR. Publication of the newspaper "Pravda". Humorous and satirical works, feuilletons and many funny caricatures. The first issue of the magazine was published on August 27, 1922. At first it was a weekly, and since 1932 “Crocodile” began to be published 3 times a month. In 1972, the magazine was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. In the mid-1980s, the circulation of Krokodil was incredible...
04
but I
2009
F. Dostoevsky - Uncle's dream, Crocodile, Bad joke
Format: audiobook, MP3, 128kbps
Year of manufacture: 2004
Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Performer: Vladimir Samoilov
Genre: classic
Publisher: Ardis
Duration: 10:35:00
Description: "Uncle's Dream" is a story about an old red tape man, a kind of "remnant of the aristocracy." Gloves, ties, vests and perfumes are not able to turn a “dead man on springs” into a young man... “Crocodile” (1865) - original title - “About a husband eaten by a crocodile” - the witty, grotesque situation of the story will remind the listener of the famous work of Gogol " Nose". “A Bad Joke” (1862) - the story is a harsh satire on bureaucracy...
27
Jan
2017
Lady Joanna 2. Crocodile from the land of Charlotte (Khmelevskaya Joanna)
Format: audiobook, MP3, 96kbps
Author: Khmelevskaya Ioanna
Year of manufacture: 2016
Genre: Ironic detective
Publisher: Can't buy it anywhere
Performer: Erisanova Irina
Duration: 09:11:54
Description: The ironic detective story “The Crocodile from Charlotte Country” has everything that makes readers love Ioanna Khmelevskaya so much! Agents of international espionage, a mysterious gang of bandits and, of course, the indomitable Mrs. Joanna herself! And on the pages of this book we will meet an old acquaintance, a prosecutor nicknamed the Devil, whom we met in the novel “Everyone is Suspect”! So, John and his lover are looking for...
There were no crises in the USSR, so every citizen was confident in the future and no staff reductions ever occurred at Soviet enterprises.
“Which of the two should I cut?”
(relevant in light of current cuts).
Official Soviet statistics today clearly prove that everyone who criticizes the Soviet economy is blatantly lying, but in fact, the successes of the Soviet economy are beyond any criticism.
“Sorry, Comrade Director, but I accidentally turned the schedule upside down while cleaning.”
In the USSR, people treated each other sensitively and sincerely. Unlike today, when the motto of life became the phrase “Man is a wolf to man,” in the USSR every Soviet person was different – “Friend, comrade and brother.”
Signing of a mutual non-aggression treaty.
Although the USSR had some shortcomings in terms of producing fashionable and modern products, everything made in the USSR reliably served its owners for many decades.
- Where do the firewood come from?
- From the district store, apparently...
Soviet statistics are the most accurate and reliable statistics!
"Throwing Rings"
In the USSR, all people who followed fashion were dressed in fashionable, modern clothes.
“And a follow-up question: where did you get that sweater?”
Every year in the USSR hundreds of thousands of square meters of comfortable living space were rented out to those on the waiting list.
“There’s no point in thinking about a soft landing here.”
In Soviet new buildings, Soviet new settlers did not experience discomfort from the lack of consumer services for the population and shops selling the basic necessities of life.
“Here’s a kitchen machine for you!”
In the USSR, everyone could eat delicious food for a reasonable price in a network of catering canteens.
“For starters we have okroshka, but, unfortunately, without kvass.”
In Soviet catering establishments, Soviet visitors were surrounded by an atmosphere of friendliness, comfort and coziness from the Soviet service personnel.
“How quickly the month flew by!”
In Soviet catering enterprises, the Soviet consumer was always offered products of the highest quality, in contrast to modern soy “meat” products.
"I'll make a cutlet out of you"
High yields on Soviet fields were harvested with the most modern agricultural machinery.
“When it stops, call me. We will send an emergency one"
The USSR provided the strictest protection of nature, which was not and could not be in capitalist countries.
“The best bait – all the fish will gather here!..”
Unlike capitalist trade, in Soviet stores there has never been such a disgusting phenomenon as the weighing of customers.
"Championship among sellers"
The products of Soviet light industry were in constant demand among Soviet consumers.
“Textile factory needs: BUYERS”
Soviet workers were the most spiritual workers in the world and worked tirelessly at their machines for the benefit of Soviet power.
“I’ll go to the shop for a minute, I’ll hang up the report card.”
There were no cases of absenteeism at Soviet enterprises, since Soviet employees were aware of their high duty to the Soviet government and devoted themselves to work with incredible effort.
“Today they are WANTED in our trust”
And again we emphasize: Soviet statistics are the most reliable statistics.
“We’ve had our fill of exaggerated reports again!”
There were no cases of theft of socialist property at Soviet enterprises, and the products themselves met the highest criteria of quality and design.
- Are you taking out the toys? Come on, show me!
- Aren’t you scared, grandfather?
Soviet citizens always rested their souls by shopping in Soviet stores. Not a single capitalist trading enterprise could compare in the politeness of its employees with Soviet stores.
“Our store is participating in the month of courtesy!”
The USSR was not even afraid of atomic bombs. It could only be destroyed with such terrible things that the insidious emissaries of the capitalist foreign countries sent to the gullible Soviet youth. Needless to say, how such premises undermined Soviet power.
“Abbey Road” by the Beatles, a Rolling Stones album and a pack of chewing gum are worse than an atomic bomb!
Well, in conclusion, a bonus: This is how online games were imagined back in 1970.
In fact, not too far from the truth. And here “Crocodile” is as reliable as always.
origin of name magazine "Crocodile", as well as the author of its logo (a red crocodile with a pitchfork) are unknown for certain. The magazine was founded in 1922, quickly gained enormous popularity, and by 1933 it became the main (and only) all-Union satirical magazine. “Crocodile” has always been a mouthpiece for propaganda, so the themes of its illustrations changed along with the political climate in the USSR and with foreign dynamics. Some topics (in particular, anti-religious propaganda) remained one of the main themes of the publication throughout the years of its existence.
In the 20s caricatures were aimed mainly at the numerous vices of the Nepmen, religious figures and kulaks, ridiculed the White emigrants and the bourgeois intelligentsia, who retained the old regime habits and habits. During the dangerous Stalin years, the publication refrained from any sharp comments on political topics; instead, the magazine illustrated the decay of foreign capitalism, the antisocial activities of international opportunists, exposed saboteurs-intellectuals, those responsible for the lag in socialist production and sellers of opium for the people. Moonshiners, shirkers, parasites and sycophants have always been the favorite target of the Crocodile.
During the Great Patriotic War, “Crocodile” could not stand aside - it acquired not only an anti-fascist orientation, but also exposed American, British and French accomplices of fascism. Much attention is paid to the heroic struggle of the Spaniards against fascism. The illustrations, like the texts during this period, were aimed at strengthening patriotic feelings and confidence in the imminent victory of the Soviet troops.
After the end of the war, “Crocodile” inevitably had to change both its concept and design. The publication again begins to pay a lot of attention to satirical illustrations and comments on foreign capitalist realities, bourgeois ideology, and at the same time publishes a lot of materials relating to the life and morality of Soviet people. In the 60-80s, the magazine reflected all significant phenomena on an international scale - from nuclear hysteria to the hippie movement.
In 2000, Krokodil was closed due to insufficient funding. The magazine was then published from 2001 to 2004, and from 2005 to 2008. However, the new format of the publication was unable to attract a sufficient number of readers, and 2008 became the last year in the history of Krokodil.
"Crocodile" cartoons from a magazine
Do you like paintings by great Russian artists and prefer cultural recreation? In this case, you will definitely be interested in the multimedia exhibition “I-Aivazovsky” in Moscow, all the details about which can be found on the website http://i-aivazovsky.com/. The main role of the exhibition-performance is Sergei Garmash.
