Interesting read: In 1977 a group of Canadian teens and pre-teens from across Canada were sent to the Soviet Young Pioneer camp, Orlyonok. The book Lost in Moscow by Kirsten Koza details their unusual escapades at this elite summer camp in the USSR.
These kids were young enough to grow up and learn Lenin and Stalin were soulless mass murderers. It must have really put a zap on their young minds to learn everything they knew from government schools was wrong.
The_Original_Gronkie
You too can grow up to be summarily executed by a paranoid dictator!
Drew2248
It looks like a reeducation camp or a gulag. Have a nice life, boys.
FappDerpington
Why do dictatorships almost always have a portrait of the leader EVERYWHERE? Is it simple psychology “He’s always watching!” or is it deeper than that?
fredbogho
Its laughable how some users have a narrow view of the USSR. Of course it was a dictatorship and most of its leaders were shit. That being said, a lot of the population believed in communism and wanted to see it succeed. Life went on and people tried to live their lives. And, apart of the Revolution, War and Stalin years, it was a flawed corrupt country, but not the gulag nation americans like to imagine. I bet those youth camps were probably just like camps in western countries. And, BEHOLD, the kids probably enjoyed the hell out of it.
Edit: typo
stargazercmc
I went on a trip to the Soviet Union with a school ambassador group (People to People) the summer of 1989. We visited a bunch of these camps the three weeks we were there. We were given a, for lack of a better term, “talent show” at each camp, and we were amazed at how the kids would literally treat us like rock stars because we were American. Like reaching out to try to touch our arms, stuff like that. All of them wore orange scarves. I think I still have one packed away in a box of items I brought back from that trip.
ETA: In looking at some of the links above, I guess the scarves were supposed to be red? I guess they could be a tomato red, but they definitely looked more orange to me.
Imsosorryyourewrong
Eastern European + the wife beater
Name a more iconic duo
Perky_Bellsprout
Cool picture of Michael Ironside next to Stalin!
Looks_at_this_clown
Not sure I want to know, but what is a “young” prisoners camp?
AssturdLevinson
grew up in soviet moscow. went to pioneer camp every summer since I was 6. can confirm, enjoyed the hell out of it. in the later years when we started realizing we were getting brainwashed, the commie shit got annoying. but then ‘91 happened and that was fun.. cause it was everything minus propaganda, plus nirvana and metallica. early 90’s russia was fucking anarchy, the type of shit punks dream about. on my 13th birthday we snuck out of camp, went to the local village to buy beer and champagne, got chased by the locals, swam in a pond, smoked cigarettes in the woods, got back in time to not get noticed. went to the dance later that night, hooked up with girls and got into a fight. then shit really hit the fan and late 90’s russia was hell.
meatlamma
Loved soviet pioneer summer camps. To be honest Soviet childhood was great: any after school activities, clubs or sport activities you ever wanted: free and open to all kids. (I grew up in Minsk in the 80’s).
BaronVonHomer
My mother and uncle went to these and apparently they really enjoyed it. Outdoorsy activities like fishing, hiking, swimming and three meals a day. And you got to meet and make friends with kids from other parts of the country. So essentially just like the summer camps kids in the US attend today!
AncapNomad
I feel like all of these kids got sent to the gulags for being in this picture
acyf77
who is the person on the left picture?
TheBordenAsylum
Would someone like to summarize what “pioneers camp” is? I can only deduce that it’s something terrible.
WhaleShark787
Not gonna lie I read “prisoner camp” and to me it made just as much sense
jpowell180
(Comrade Camp Counselor) – “Children, these are the idols you will worship – Comrades Lenin and Stalin! You will live and die for them!”
(Kids) – “Because we’re a bunch of damn Commies!”
(Comrade Camp Counselor) – “Da. Now, get in line for your slice of salted bread and shotglass of Vodka – it is time for Commie Communion!”
Thlimshady
Im sure this was just a normal summer camp type deal, right? RIGHT??
mishagr
A prison for kids…. speaking from experience
Ninjascubarex
Cool photo. More here https://pro.magnumphotos.com/Catalogue/Henri-Cartier-Bresson/1954/SOVIET-UNION-Russia-1954-NN140003.html
Interesting read: In 1977 a group of Canadian teens and pre-teens from across Canada were sent to the Soviet Young Pioneer camp, Orlyonok. The book Lost in Moscow by Kirsten Koza details their unusual escapades at this elite summer camp in the USSR.
Lost in Moscow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FDQ2FR2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_O2A2Bb4XR5GTM
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Pioneer_camp
SilvioBurlesPwny
Why does the one kid have the mc hammer shorts?
MiyegomboBayartsogt
These kids were young enough to grow up and learn Lenin and Stalin were soulless mass murderers. It must have really put a zap on their young minds to learn everything they knew from government schools was wrong.
The_Original_Gronkie
You too can grow up to be summarily executed by a paranoid dictator!
Drew2248
It looks like a reeducation camp or a gulag. Have a nice life, boys.
FappDerpington
Why do dictatorships almost always have a portrait of the leader EVERYWHERE? Is it simple psychology “He’s always watching!” or is it deeper than that?
fredbogho
Its laughable how some users have a narrow view of the USSR. Of course it was a dictatorship and most of its leaders were shit. That being said, a lot of the population believed in communism and wanted to see it succeed. Life went on and people tried to live their lives. And, apart of the Revolution, War and Stalin years, it was a flawed corrupt country, but not the gulag nation americans like to imagine. I bet those youth camps were probably just like camps in western countries. And, BEHOLD, the kids probably enjoyed the hell out of it.
Edit: typo
stargazercmc
I went on a trip to the Soviet Union with a school ambassador group (People to People) the summer of 1989. We visited a bunch of these camps the three weeks we were there. We were given a, for lack of a better term, “talent show” at each camp, and we were amazed at how the kids would literally treat us like rock stars because we were American. Like reaching out to try to touch our arms, stuff like that. All of them wore orange scarves. I think I still have one packed away in a box of items I brought back from that trip.
ETA: In looking at some of the links above, I guess the scarves were supposed to be red? I guess they could be a tomato red, but they definitely looked more orange to me.
Imsosorryyourewrong
Eastern European + the wife beater
Name a more iconic duo
Perky_Bellsprout
Cool picture of Michael Ironside next to Stalin!
Looks_at_this_clown
Not sure I want to know, but what is a “young” prisoners camp?
AssturdLevinson
grew up in soviet moscow. went to pioneer camp every summer since I was 6. can confirm, enjoyed the hell out of it. in the later years when we started realizing we were getting brainwashed, the commie shit got annoying. but then ‘91 happened and that was fun.. cause it was everything minus propaganda, plus nirvana and metallica. early 90’s russia was fucking anarchy, the type of shit punks dream about. on my 13th birthday we snuck out of camp, went to the local village to buy beer and champagne, got chased by the locals, swam in a pond, smoked cigarettes in the woods, got back in time to not get noticed. went to the dance later that night, hooked up with girls and got into a fight. then shit really hit the fan and late 90’s russia was hell.
meatlamma
Loved soviet pioneer summer camps. To be honest Soviet childhood was great: any after school activities, clubs or sport activities you ever wanted: free and open to all kids. (I grew up in Minsk in the 80’s).
BaronVonHomer
My mother and uncle went to these and apparently they really enjoyed it. Outdoorsy activities like fishing, hiking, swimming and three meals a day. And you got to meet and make friends with kids from other parts of the country. So essentially just like the summer camps kids in the US attend today!
AncapNomad
I feel like all of these kids got sent to the gulags for being in this picture
acyf77
who is the person on the left picture?
TheBordenAsylum
Would someone like to summarize what “pioneers camp” is? I can only deduce that it’s something terrible.
WhaleShark787
Not gonna lie I read “prisoner camp” and to me it made just as much sense
jpowell180
(Comrade Camp Counselor) – “Children, these are the idols you will worship – Comrades Lenin and Stalin! You will live and die for them!”
(Kids) – “Because we’re a bunch of damn Commies!”
(Comrade Camp Counselor) – “Da. Now, get in line for your slice of salted bread and shotglass of Vodka – it is time for Commie Communion!”
JozuTaku
the summer camp we need but dont deserve