Soviet women of the 1930s (PHOTOS)

May 06 2020

Russia Beyond

Alexander Rodchenko, Ilya Rautenstein/MAMM/MDF

At the height of Stalinism, when collectivization and industrialization were sweeping the USSR, women were expected, above all, to be useful members of society, be it as a laborer, farmhand, or athlete. You won't see many fashionistas in old photos of this time — they were condemned as purveyors of harmful capitalist values.

This is what the first lady — Stalin's wife Nadezhda Alliluyeva (left) — looked like, for example.

This is what the first lady — Stalin's wife Nadezhda Alliluyeva (left) — looked like, for example.

Unknown author/MAMM/MDF

Women carrying scarves. Sports parade on Red Square

Women carrying scarves. Sports parade on Red Square

Alexander Rodchenko/MAMM/MDF

Komsomol members

Komsomol members

Ivan Shagin/MAMM/MDF

Photo reporter Evgenia Lemberg during a shoot at the Dynamo aqua stadium

Photo reporter Evgenia Lemberg during a shoot at the Dynamo aqua stadium

Alexander Rodchenko/MAMM/MDF

Sportswomen

Sportswomen

Unknown author/MAMM/MDF

"The Komsomol calls you to the mine!" Workers at the Gorlovka mine

Georgy Zelma/RIA Novosti collection

Artel workers

Artel workers

Leonid Shokin/MAMM/MDF

Milkmaids

Milkmaids

Leonid Shokin/MAMM/MDF

Seamstresses

Seamstresses

Leonid Shokin/MAMM/MDF

Haymakers

Haymakers

Boris Ignatovich/MAMM/MDF

Skiers

Skiers

Unknown author/MAMM/MDF

Clothing and fabric store

Clothing and fabric store

Leonid Shokin/MAMM/MDF

Woman in a down scarf

Woman in a down scarf

Ilya Rautenstein/MAMM/MDF

Two young women

Two young women

Ilya Rautenstein/MAMM/MDF

Peasant women

Peasant women

Leonid Shokin/MAMM/MDF

Girl with sunflower

Girl with sunflower

Nikolay Shestakov/MAMM/MDF

In Crimea

In Crimea

Vladislav Mikosha/MAMM/MDF

Gathering hay

Gathering hay

Vladislav Mikosha/MAMM/MDF

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