Emblem of the Young Pioneer
organization of the Soviet Union
The
Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet
Union, also
Lenin All-Union
Pioneer Organization (
Russian: Всесою́зная пионе́рская
организа́ция и́мени В. И. Ле́нина ;
tr.:
Vsesoyuznaya pionerskaya
organizatsiya imeni V. I. Lenina), was
a mass youth organization of the
USSR
for children
of age 10–15 in the Soviet Union between 1922 and
1991.
History
After the
October Revolution of
1917, some
Scout took the
Bolsheviks' side, which would later lead
to the establishment of ideologically altered Scoutlike
organizations, such as
ЮК (
Юные Коммунисты, or
young communists; pronounced as
yook) and others.
50 years, Stamp, 1972
During the
Russian Civil War from
1917 to 1921, most of the
Scoutmasters
and many Scouts fought in the ranks of the
White Army and
interventionists against the
Red Army.
Those
Scout who did not wish to accept the new
Soviet system
either left Russia for good (like Oleg
Pantyukhov and others) or went underground.
However, clandestine
Scouting did not last
long.
Komsomol persistently fought with the
remnants of the Scout movement. Between 1918 and 1920, the second,
third, and fourth All-Russian Congresses of the Russian Union of
the Communist Youth (
Российский коммунистический союз
молодёжи, or
Rossiyski kommunisticheskiy soyuz
molodyozhi) decided to eradicate the Scout movement and create
an organization of the communist type, that would take Soviet youth
under its umbrella.
On behalf of the soviet government
Nadezhda Krupskaya (
Vladimir Lenin's wife) was one of the main
contributors to the cause of the
Pioneer movement. In 1922, she wrote an
essay called
Russian Union of the Communist Youth and
boy-Scoutism.However, it was the remaining scoutmasters
themselves, like Innokentiy Zhukov and some others around Nikolaj
Fatyanov's "Brothers of the fire", who introduced the name
"pioneer" and convinced the
Komsomol to
keep the scout's motto "Be prepared! – Always prepared!"
Just some days before the Komsomol conference the Moscow
scoutmasters adopted a "Declaration of the scoutmasters of Moscow
concerning the question of the formation of a children's movement
in the RSFSR" on May 13, 1922. Thereby they suggested to use the
system scouting as a foundation of the new communist
organisation, and to name it "Young pioneers".
The main contribution of the scoutmasters was the introduction of
the new expression
system scouting into the discourse on
communist children's and youth organisations. By doing so they
avoided the dissolution of the
scout organisation as it
would happen sooner or later to any organisation opposed to the
Komsomol.
On May 19, 1922 the second All-Russian Komsomol Conference adopted
the scoutmasters' suggestions and decided to "work on the question
of a children's movement by using the re-organized system of
scouting." During the following years many of the remaining former
scoutmasters founded pioneer groups and educated future pioneer
leaders.
May 19, 1922 was later on considered the birthday of the All-Union
Pioneer Organization (
Всесоюзная пионерская организация,
or
Vsesoyuznaya pionerskaya organizatsiya). By October
1922 pioneer units were united to form an organization Spartak
Young Pioneers ( ), which was named after
V. I. Lenin by a decision of the Central Committee of
Komsomol of January 21, 1924. Since March 1926 it bore the name
Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization.
By the middle of 1923 it had 75,000 members. Among other
activities, Young Pioneer units, helped by
Komsomol, played a great role in the eradication of
illiteracy (
Likbez policy) since 1923.
Membership was at 161,000 in the beginning of 1924, 2 million in
1926, 13.9 million in 1940, and 25 million in 1974. Many
Young Pioneer Palaces were built, which
served as community centers for the children, with rooms dedicated
to various clubs, such as crafts or sports. Thousands of
Young Pioneer camps were set up where
children went during summer vacation and winter holidays. All of
them were free of charge, sponsored by the government and
Trade Unions.
Structure
Its main grouping of members until 1942 was the "Young Pioneer
detachment," which then typically consisted of children belonging
to the same secondary school. From 1942 to October 1990 (when the
organization was broken up) the "detachment" was made up of
children belonging to the same class within a school, while a
school was referred to as a "Young Pioneer group."
There was also an age-scale structure: children of 10–11 years were
called Young Pioneers of the first stage; 11–12 years were Young
Pioneers of the second stage; 13–15 years were Young Pioneers of
the third stage. Young Pioneers of 15 years could join
Komsomol, with a recommendation from their Young
Pioneer group.
The main governing body was the Central Soviet of the Young Pioneer
organization of the Soviet Union, which worked under leadership of
the main governing body of
Komsomol.Its
official newspaper was
Pionerskaya
Pravda.
Main goals and requirements of membership
The main goals and duties of Young Pioneers and requirements of
membership were specified by the Regulations of the Young Pioneer
organization of the Soviet Union; by the Solemn Promise (given by
each Young Pioneer joining the organization); by the Rules of the
Young Pioneers; and by the Young Pioneer Motto,
всегда
готов! (
vsegda gotov!, "Always Ready!"). There were
two major revisions of them: in 1967 and 1986.
Although membership was theoretically optional, almost all the
children in the Soviet Union belonged to the organization; it was a
natural part of growing up.
Symbols, attributes, rituals and traditions
Member pin.
The inscription reads "Always Ready!"
The main symbols of Young Pioneers were the red banner, flag, Young
Pioneer's red tie, the badge. Attributes: the
bugle, the
drum, the
uniform (with badges of rank). Some of rituals were: salute, Young
Pioneer parade, banner bearing, raising of the flag. Most common
traditions were the Young Pioneers rally (usually round a bonfire)
and festivals.
Songs
Young Pioneer songs were usually sung at various Young Pioneer
meetings, in
Young Pioneer camps,
and at schools. One of the earliest and the most popular song was
the
Young Pioneer March. It was written in 1922 by
Aleksandr Zharov (music by
Sergei Dyoshkin) and was sometimes called
The Anthem of Young Pioneers. There were a great many
other songs, here are some very popular ones:
Awards
The Young Pioneers who excelled in academic study, work, sports or
social activity were elected to the self-governing institutions,
were sent as delegates to the Young Pioneers gatherings (including
All-Union ones). The most notable were recognized in the
organization's Book of Honor. During
World
War II, many Young Pioneers fought against Nazis in
partisan detachments, which existed near
their homes on the territories occupied by
Nazi Germany. Nearly 30,000 of them were
awarded various orders and medals; 4 Young Pioneers became
Heroes of the Soviet Union.
One of the
famous young pioneer All-Union camps was "Artek
" located in
Crimea, Ukraine. The camp was located on the top of the
mountain "A-yu-dahg" which means "Bear's Mountain". Only the best
students were selected to go there based on their grades and
leadership. Young communists from other countries were welcome as
well.
See also
References
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