1937: Pushkin days in the motherland of V. I. Lenin

By the mid 30's of the twentieth century the celebration of the birth of Alexander Pushkin became a rather deep tradition in the homeland of Lenin and throughout the Soviet Union. As a rule, on 6 June in the community centres of some enterprises, institutions, school auditoriums literary soirees dedicated to the work of the great poet were held. They made no claim to originality. Their concept was approximately the same: the reports on the biography of Alexander were followed by illustrated reading of his poems. However, at the very height of the Great terror period, the Soviet leader I. V. Stalin wished the solemn and wide celebration devoted to the 100th anniversary of the Russian genius' death. The country was preparing for almost eight months for the celebration of this remarkable day - February 10, 1937. Almost all party and government apparatus was mobilized. The participants of this ambitious campaign were a significant part of the USSR population. The article highlights the special celebration of anniversary of the poet in factories, institutions, agricultural enterprises, red army units, universities, schools, technical schools of the Ulyanovsk region in the Kuibyshev Krai...