O. P. Ilyukha. ¡No pasarán! Methods of introducing images and symbols of the Spanish Civil War
into the everyday lives of Soviet children // Petersburg historical journal, no. 4, 2024, pp. 92–110.

Abstract:

The article elucidates the forms and methods of utilising the theme of the Spanish Civil War in
the educational curriculum for schoolchildren, as developed by Soviet teachers and officially recommended. The article’s primary focus is on the channels and means of information penetration into children’s everyday lives, as well as the methods and techniques of its incorporation into the organisation of collective and individual leisure time. The collection of funds by adults to support the anti-fascist resistance, the exchange of symbolic items, regulated correspondence and other activities fostered a sense of involvement in the events in Spain, situating Soviet children on a par with Spanish teenagers who fought on the side of the Republicans. The content of the information flow transmitted by radio, film and photo documentaries, and numerous fiction publications was complemented by social, physical and intellectual activities. The creation of artistic images and various types of theatrical activities provided children with the opportunity to experiment with new behavioural models and to gain a deeper understanding of the situation in a distant country, enabling them to engage with it on a personal level. The direction of the creative initiative of schoolchildren was influenced by the strengthening of abilities to invent and inventiveness, which in turn reinforced the impact of propaganda and educational work. It is demonstrated that Spanish themes were extensively employed in the militarypatriotic education and political socialisation of schoolchildren. The impact of the “children’s segment” of the information campaign was a highly emotional response from children that surpassed expectations. The author concludes that the pervasive presence of the Pyrenees Civil War theme in the everyday lives of Soviet children contributed to the consolidation of signs, symbols and images of Spain in cultural memory and its intergenerational continuity.

Key words: Civil War, Spain, USSR, Soviet propaganda, children, periodicals, children’s literature,
military-patriotic education.

Author:

Ilyukha, Olga Pavlovna — Doctor of Sciences in History, Leading Researcher, Institute of
Linguistics, Literature and History of the Karelian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Petrozavodsk, Russia).
E-mail: ilyukha.olga@mail.ru
ORCID: 0000-0002-1672-5925

References:
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