Diarrhea, cha cha cha!

Our children must not have diarrhea!
G. Shubina, 1940

It is still just unbelievable to us that diarrhea is one of the leading causes of child deaths in the world.
Melinda Gates

The poster says: “Our children must not have diarrhea!” The text at the bottom gives direct instructions to prevent the illness: “Until 6 months age feed the baby with breast milk only. Then add supplemental feeding under medical supervision. Do not wean the baby in summer. In summer dress the baby in suitable light clothes. In summer while outdoors the baby should be in a shady place. Wash baby’s toys, plates and dishes and your own hands thoroughly. Protect the baby and its food from flies. Visit children clinics in time”.

The merry baby on this poster is holding a rattle in his hand. The blossoming branches indicate spring time. A good example of socialist realism it is, where the baby’s face expression quite resembles the one found on posters and paintings devoted to building of new Soviet factories or gathering an ample harvest.

Buy Realism paintings on allposters:

A sound body keeps a sound mind

If you want to be like me, just train!
V. Koretskiy, 1951

“Be ready for work and defense” (BGTO) – this was the basic physical training system in the Soviet Union. As it was declared, the system’s aim was to “strengthen people’s health, to allow them to develop fully and to make them ready for work to the benefit of the Motherland”. The training system was introduced in 1931 by Leninist Young Communist League of the Soviet Union (Komsomol). All sport clubs and training facilities had to have BGTO as the basic training. It included various sport disciplines: gymnastics, sprint and long distance racing, broad and high jumps, discus and javelin throwing, swimming, cross-country skiing (with cross-country running in the snowless regions) and sharp shooting. It had several stages according to the age – first stage for boys and girls below 16-18 years old and the second stage for adults age 19+. After you achieve certain standard results at a special competition event you receive a badge – here is a photo (100kb).

The poster above shows a soviet athlete and a boy. The athlete has a Coat of arms of the Soviet Union on his sport shirt, which indicates that he takes part in international competitions. The boy has a book with BGTO standards. Also he has a red tie, which is a symbol of the Pioneer organization. Actually it is a red kerchief with a special neck-tie. Its three endings symbolized unbreakable connection between three generations: the communists, the komsomol members and the pioneers.

The style of the poster is the same pre-war socialist realism. In 1953 Stalin was alive (he died only two years after the poster was published) and his personal cultural preferences still rulled the country.

Young and Beautiful Red Cross Lady!

Join the society of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent!
Koretskij V. B., 1947

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement whose stated mission is to protect human life, health, and alleviate human suffering across the world.

In Russia the history of IRC goes back to 1854, when Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia established a nurse community in Saint Petersburg – the capital of Russian Empire.

Later the original IRC split into several independent organizations, which shared the name, common basic principles and objectives.

In Russia IRC was performing well by providing aid during armed conflicts, disasters and major accidents, including Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878), plague and diphtheria epidemics, famine of 1891, Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) and WW1.

After the October Revolution of 1917 Bolsheviks abolished almost all foreign noncommercial social organizations, suspecting them of spying against young Soviet regime. However, IRC remained although its property had been nationalized by state.

Of course, under a communist dictatorship like USSR no organization could separate itself from the principal intentions and ideology of the society, so IRC in Russia was busy building first soviet medical airplane, organizing first-aid study groups for communists, fighting epidemics.

During the WWII more than 790 000 of medical personnel was trained, 1 700 000 liters of donor blood sent to battle-fronts. This was a substantial help to Soviet war-medical services.

The poster above is a fine example of Socialist realism art, which main purpose is to present communist ideas in realistic manner. In this very case it did attract attention to a very positive and health-giving movement - the International Red Cross Society.