“... resolve the chains of wickedness, untie the bonds of the yoke, and let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke; divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the poor people into the house; when you see the naked, put him on, and do not hide from your half-brother ”.
(Isaiah 58: 6).
(Isaiah 58: 6).
As is known, a revolution is nothing else but an extremely accelerated evolutionary process, accompanied by non-economic and extra-legal violence, during which the right is inferior to force. Moreover, these two processes can go simultaneously, complemented by one another.
Thus, the reform of the Russian alphabet and language, prepared long before the October Revolution, although it was carried out by the Bolsheviks in the course of all its policies, but, nevertheless, had a positive significance for all. The situation was the same with the introduction of a new chronology, and in a number of other cases. Of course, all these processes were of great interest to the press, including the provincial one. Therefore, it is not surprising that soon after the February bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1917, many new periodicals appeared in the Penza province. What was inextricably linked with the rise of social and political activity that engulfed all segments of the population of Russia and their desire to obtain information.
One of the Penza newspapers of the revolutionary time.
Political parties, reflecting the interests of various political clans and public groups, with the opportunity to offer Russia the best, in their opinion, ways of further development, began to publish their own newspapers and magazines everywhere. With their help, agitation and propaganda work was carried out, party doctrines and programs were explained to the population, and political opponents were criticized. At the same time, all information, mainly of topical socio-political and economic nature, was fed to the reader through the prism of interests, likes and dislikes of a political party. At the same time, almost all publications ceased to exist already in 1918: some closed the Soviet power because of their counter-revolutionary orientation, but most simply “died” because of a banal lack of funds and even plain paper, which, in general, was also to the victorious Bolsheviks.
And this is the newspaper of the Petrograd Socialist Revolutionaries ...
A typical example of political periodicals of this epoch was the newspaper Penza Speech, the organ of the Cadets and the popular socialists; Its first issue was 11 May 1917. Already the titles of its creators speak for themselves: Prince V. Trubetskoy, Professor Ye.A. Zvyagintsev - that is, the nobles and the same Russian intelligentsia, "who ached for the people with their soul." The newspaper was a widescreen, and it was published daily on four, and sometimes on six or two pages.
It noted that "... there are no experienced workers, they are not enough in all areas of life," and therefore "... you cannot demand from the new edition that completeness, integrity, content, which the reader is entitled to demand from the old edition." However, this publication “... with impartiality illuminating the issues of the present, respecting the opinions of others and carrying out the ideas of free citizenship ... is necessary for educating ... the consciousness of citizens and their ability to sacrifice personal, clan and party interests for the sake of the Fatherland ... »[1.C.1]. Publishers of the newspaper considered it their duty to propagate a more sober state order and peaceful, state-building. Confident that “attacks, ridicule and, maybe, unfair complaints” would be poured on them, the publishers did not intend to pursue, “... remembering that we have freedom of speech and freedom of the press, which are the same for all”. Then it was stated that the “Penza speech” is a non-party body, and the positions that the newspaper intends to defend are listed:
1. Full trust of the government.
2. Bringing the war to a successful end, to a universal and lasting peace, ensuring the vital interests of the country.
3. Preparing the society for elections to the Constituent Assembly and local governments.
4. Complete and impartial coverage of local life [2.C.2].
Photos from illustrated editions of those years are alive история country.
Already from the first number in the newspaper, the “Russian Press” column was published, where a review of the domestic press on a pressing political issue was given. At the same time, in the beginning, a quotation was made from one or another publication, after which there was her commentary, which expressed the position of this publication. The Bolsheviks, in the face of their newspapers "Pravda" and "Social Democrat", indicated that they, apparently, decided to break away from the whole "Russian State", since they support fraternization of soldiers at the front.
The panorama of the provincial events presented to the readers of "Penza speech" in the materials under the headings "Chronicle"; "Life of the region." The reprint of the response to the appearance of this newspaper, written by V.V. Kuraev, published by the Bolshevik newspaper "Izvestia". Criticizing and exposing the reactionary, from his point of view, orientation of the new newspaper, the author led the reader to the conclusion that it was defending the interests of landowners and capitalists with the support of the intellectuals who had sold. To this, the editorial board of Penza Speech responded that its respect for the printed word and freedom of the press did not allow it to "respond in the same tone."
That even happened, it turns out! Well, who do we have an amateur around finding the machinations of the British? As you can see, and here it was not without them!
And from the front page of the first issue, until the beginning of June, the newspaper conducted a powerful advertising campaign of the Loan of Freedom announced by the Provisional Government in favor of the Russian army: "Only the strain of all our forces can give us the desired victory." In July, the “Penza Speech” published an appeal to the population with a call to join the volunteer detachments.
In the reviews, placed under the heading “Theater and spectacles”, the class and political nature of the publication is clearly visible, which clearly indicates that the difference between themselves and the “people” publishers clearly felt: “The correct captain Gordeev was SM. Muratov, and the dramatic places were held with the proper strength and lift, but I think Gordeyev should be more graceful, although he was born a “peasant”, but the naval corps and, all the more, the academy had to educate a gentleman in him ”.
In the sections "Telegrams" and "Various Izvestia", short messages about Russian and international the news... First of all, these were reports from the fronts. The "Little Feuilleton" published satirical miniatures and poems devoted mainly to the situation in the country and blaming the left parties, the Soviets and their policies for everything. In July 1917, the newspaper carried the election campaign of the People's Freedom Party in connection with the upcoming elections to the Penza City Duma.
From mid-July to 20 of October, “Penza Speech” did not come out due to the strike of printing workers and the opposition of “local left-wing forces”, and in the released issue it was reported that “the agrarian movement ... degenerated into real Pugachevism with murders, robberies, arsons and stabbing between members of the “movement” [3.C.1]. In the fall and winter of 17, the headings “Civil War” and “Deeds of the Bolsheviks” appeared in the newspaper. Many articles have been published that stigmatized both themselves and the whole policy of Soviet power: “Bolshevik autocracy”, “At the Smolny prison”, “What did the socialist parties do for Russia after the coup”. Perhaps, for the first time, the term “yellow press” appeared in the local provincial press, and the newspaper explained that the so-called “foreign countries” (as in the text - the authors ’example) are newspapers that are not ashamed of any methods to attract the public. In one of the September issues in the newspaper, social stratification among peasants was analyzed in detail. It was concluded that 25% of the peasants are proletarians, “37-38% are only food and only the rural bourgeoisie working for the market”.
From July 8 to November 16, 1917 of the year, the Penza group of the RSDLP Mensheviks (united) daily published its newspaper, The Struggle. The “struggle” was of a small format, was published on four pages and was more like a newspaper than a newspaper, rather than a newspaper. Its content was mainly a statement of Menshevik doctrines and programs for solving various problems; and events taking place in the country and in the province were given from the point of view of this party.
Initially, the Bolsheviks also collaborated in the newspaper. However, very soon, almost all Bolshevik authors were sent to the front, and already on 18 in July, “Struggle” welcomed the Provisional Government, which had shot the demonstration of workers and soldiers in Petrograd.
In such articles as “Who benefits from the socialization of the land?” And “Land reform” [4.C.2-3], published in the August 1917 numbers of the year, the problems of land management in Russia were discussed in detail, but the facts were again just stated, and the calls were not to whom specifically did not apply. It is interesting to note that the newspaper openly explained all the difficulties of the war by Russia's poverty compared with France, and this poverty resulted, in her opinion, from the general poverty of the country's agriculture.
In principle, this publication did not contain anything, and as for its mood, it is best conveyed by the poems written by the poet S. Ganypin in it: “In the Hour of Troubles”:
In times of trouble
When boils in my homeland
Treason, darkness and lies ...
Sounds my verse, human hearts
Wake up, worry.
When my homeland is full
Crosses, native graves ...
Sounds my verse
Keep silence criminal
No more strength.
When boils in my homeland
Treason, darkness and lies ...
Sounds my verse, human hearts
Wake up, worry.
When my homeland is full
Crosses, native graves ...
Sounds my verse
Keep silence criminal
No more strength.
It's funny that this newspaper has a direct relationship with our current opposition publications, both in its content and in the manner of presentation of the material, but ... it did not have any effect on the masses!
The last seven issues of Wrestling were published irregularly in September-November 1917 of the year on brown wrapping paper. They are saturated with extremely acute rejection of the policy of the Bolsheviks and the October Revolution, which was perceived by the “Struggle” as a “criminal uprising raised by the Bolsheviks”.
The daily Socialist-Revolutionary Menshevik provincial newspaper, Our Way (United Socialists Organ), which came out from December 17 on 1917 on May 17 on May 1918, was a continuation of the Struggle and also said: "We are not with Bolsheviks, and even less with the Cadets ... »[5.C.1]. There was also an article about the protest of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Peasant Deputies against the dispersal of the Constituent Assembly and the activities of the Bolsheviks, which the newspaper’s publishers rated very negatively. Accordingly, most of all other materials of Our Way contained information selected or written in such a way as to convey to the reader this negative attitude of its editorial board to the events that took place in Petrograd.
At the same time, even in the midst of crime, “Our Way” blamed first of all the new Bolshevik government, which declared amnesty in the country, which was directly stated in the article “Bolshevik power and amnesty”.
Under the heading "Little Feuilleton" satirical stories and poems were published, which were mainly devoted to criticism of the Bolsheviks, both in the center and in the field. For example, a satirical poem entitled “Report to His Majesty Vladimir Lenin” was placed in one of the numbers, containing a completely obvious allusion to the Bolshevik Kuraev and his “expropriation activity” in Penza.
I immediately issued a decree in Penza,
That all your power recognized,
And the bodies of the local SRs, cadet
And we took the other bourgeois.
And now here everything goes like clockwork:
Dispersed Duma bayonets,
And we did valiant raid
Alcohol and Banks with Ships [6.C.2].
That all your power recognized,
And the bodies of the local SRs, cadet
And we took the other bourgeois.
And now here everything goes like clockwork:
Dispersed Duma bayonets,
And we did valiant raid
Alcohol and Banks with Ships [6.C.2].
"Boldly comrades in the leg, with the spirit strengthened in the struggle, into the realm of freedom, pave the way for yourself ..."
Feedback in the newspaper was present in the form of letters from readers, but their total volume was very small, moreover, they often had no social significance. Other letters from the village at the same time were obviously symbolic in nature. So, from the village of Tarkhovo of the Penza province it was reported that local peasants want "at least some kind of inferior king, at least some kind of power ...". In the same note it was reported that extortion of money from rich peasants is called by their poor "Bolshevism". At the same time, the peasants dream to disperse all employees of the volost territorial council, CLOSE THE SCHOOL (authors' note - SA and V.O.) and “destroy the nearby forest that bothers them” [7.C.3]. In other materials, sometimes there were such topics, the content of which has not changed at all until the present day. In particular, this refers to the article “Urban Socialism. Sewage. Tram. Water "in which you can read the following:" Abroad, in many cities, sidewalks are cleaned with brushes every day, and in some cities with soap, and at home we do not wash the floors every day and adults and children also breathe dust. "- a very significant informational passage, for all subsequent years has turned into a kind of informational cliché. In the most recent issues of Our Way, articles appeared with headlines such as Persecutions, Closing Newspapers, which reported on the closure of non-Bolshevik newspapers in a number of Russian cities.
As for the purely Bolshevik publications, so much was written about them at Soviet times at all levels that in this case it makes sense to mention only some of its interesting points. So, it was in the Bolshevik newspaper “The Voice of Truth” and it was at this time that the call “Everything for the front, everything for victory!” Was first heard, which became so popular during the Great Patriotic War.
The anarchists had their own newspapers ...
In the spring and summer of 1918, three socialist publications in foreign languages were published in the Penza province. Thus, the Bolsheviks sought to influence the foreign prisoners of war in the city and thus pull them over to their side. The first was called “Die Weltbefreing” (“Liberation of the World”) - and was published in German, the editor of which was Heinrich Obshtetter. He participated in the days of the White-Czech rebellion in Penza’s defense, worked as head of the department for foreign prisoners of the provincial board of prisoners and refugees, and actively participated in all major provincial political events. The newspaper Vilagszabatsag (World Freedom) was published by a Hungarian group of prisoners of war. Finally, Ceskoslovenska Ruda Armaja (the Czech-Slovak Red Army) was an organ of the Czechoslovak Red Army Communists, and was published in Czech, Slovak and Russian. She played a role in the political education of Czechoslovak prisoners of war and in bringing to the side of Soviet power a certain part of the soldiers of the Czechoslovak Corps. It was edited by a member of the revolutionary movement since 1905, professional journalist Arthur Getl. The main task of the newspaper was to inform prisoners of war about events in Russia, about the class struggle in their homeland, explaining to them the ideas of Marxism-Leninism and shaping a sense of proletarian internationalism.
It should be noted that an important problem at that time was the shortage of “intelligent workers”, about hiring of which as registrars for bread accounting in the village even special announcements were printed in newspapers. It was suggested that high school students of high classes should be registered, and the salary should have been as much as five rubles a day with travel payments at the expense of the land committee. That is, “intelligent” labor cadres were required even at that time, and no revolutionary impulse could replace them!
Also in the spring of 1918 of the year, in the conditions of the acute struggle of various social and political forces of various ideologies, the Penza Provincial Committee of the RCP (B) began to publish a new daily "Hammer". It showed and analyzed current Russian events from the point of view of Bolshevik doctrines. Practically everything that was printed in the newspaper — from short informational messages to poems — was aimed at educating its readers in the spirit of Marxist-Leninist ideology, i.e. performed purely political tasks. At the same time, the articles on the front page gave an overview of current events in Russia and abroad. Much attention was paid here to the theme that was marching towards the end of the First World War and which was soon expected by the publishers of the newspaper of the world revolution. The predatory policy of the imperialist states (about which, again, many of our authors and bloggers write with indignation today!) Was naturally sharply criticized, and, of course, it was told about the intensification of the class struggle in Western countries. Of course, all the working people were called for unity and for toughening the struggle in the name of the world revolution: "not a single concession to the bourgeoisie, no mercy in the last struggle against its performances!"
In many articles published in Molot, other socialist parties of Russia were harshly criticized, who did not agree with the policies of the Bolsheviks. Here are the very characteristic headlines of articles on this topic: "Former Socialists", "There is no black sheep in the family", "Impossible, gentlemen, sir!", "Comfortable teaching" (about anarchists), "They took off the mask", "Not friends, and predators. " That is, the journalists of the winning party were not too shy in expressing “to the former”, although today in denunciations of those who disagree we give a head start to the then “accusers”. Our language has become clearly richer!
He was engaged in the “Hammer” and directly political education of readers, publishing articles containing the main provisions of Marxism-Leninism. So, in the issue of 5 in May 1918, three such articles appeared, dedicated to the anniversary of Karl Marx "Karl Marx", "What did Marx give to the workers?", "Karl Marx - Russian political criminal". And in the "Hammer" printed a lot of poems - and satirical, and revolutionary - pathetic, which were found in almost every issue. The names of these works speak for themselves: “Bagmen”, “The Tale of Freedom”, “March of the Communists”, “Singers of the Proletarian Peaks”. Many authors (mostly local) in verses glorified the working people: “To the Guymen”, “At the Factory”, “In the Foundry Workshop”, “Proletarian Writer”. Interestingly, this tradition — to print the poems of the “working people” —was also preserved by the modern communist press of Penza and, just as then, despite sincerity and topicality, “this is far from Pushkin.”
It is interesting that the newspaper also noted the shortcomings that had occurred in the Bolshevik Party, that is, the beginning Soviet journalists did not hesitate to “remove the rubbish from the hut”. So, for example, the Bolshevik A. Markin in his article “The Disease of our Party” wrote directly that the Communists did not attend party meetings, that “the Council was consumed by all”. As a result of this, in his opinion, life in the party begins to freeze, and "Soviet workers are detached from the masses." Solutions, as always, were offered in an imperative spirit: “to introduce party service for all Soviet workers,” and in conclusion, proclaiming the “slogan of the moment” - “Back to the party!”. Those. under the conditions of effectively organized work in the soviets, the activity of the Bolshevik party proper was, in general, clearly not needed, and it is not surprising that the slogan “For the Soviets, but without the Communists” was subsequently born!
This newspaper was also published in Penza. How many different prints were there then, weren’t there?
The content of the newspaper "The Penza poor" in many respects coincided with the content of the "Hammer". However, in it even more attention was paid to foreign events, as if the poor from this could become richer! At the same time, the international news heading was called “The Beginning of the World Revolution”, and judging by the materials published in it, it turned out that the world revolution had already begun.
Reports from the fronts of the civil war were published in the section “Struggle against the counterrevolution”. The events that took place in the regions of Russia, occupied by white troops, and the decisions taken by the command of the White Guard units and the governments that supported them, were described in short messages under the rubric “In the camp of the White Guards”.
On the state of affairs in the Penza province reported notes under the heading "On the province." Here, much attention was paid to the changes that occurred in the countryside, as well as the work of the provincial committees of the poor. And it is interesting to note that it turns out - and in one of the notes on this topic it was stated directly that when organizing the committees of the poor in the Moksha district, it was noted that "the poorer and the smaller the village, the more successful the organization of the communist cells and the committees of the poor goes." And, on the contrary, “in villages with six seven thousand people, with shops, trade institutions ... the creation and activities of the committees are extremely difficult”, i.e. The "trampling" character of the revolution itself in the village, and the activity of the combos in the province, for an attentive and thoughtful reader, could not help but be noticed!
The notes and correspondence published under the heading "Spiders and flies" also dealt with the class struggle in the village. Here the letters of peasant activists from villages and villages of the Penza province were constantly printed, the authors of which called on the poor to get out of the influence of the "kulaks" and fight exploitation ie The “voice of the people” in the Bolshevik newspapers was now used in the most active way, which was not noticed even some 10 years ago. However, the peasants wrote not only about kulak and priestly "outrages", but also about drunkenness in separate Soviets and other negative facts of the life of the peasants of that time.
There were also published articles of an enlightenment nature, which told about the different stages of the history of the national liberation movement. For example, in the issue number 112-114 an article “Pugachevshchina” was published, where not only it was told about the causes and course of the peasant war under the leadership of E.I. Pugacheva, but also its historical significance was explained in a popular way. Numerous caricatures were published on the images of the class enemy, published in virtually every issue of the Penza poor. Most often they reflected the vicissitudes of international politics and episodes of intervention, civil war, the struggle against the kulaks, etc. Selected caricatures were supplied with poetic comments.
In December, 1918, the “Hammer” and “The Penza poor” merged, and the first issue of the “Penza commune” was released on December 16. The new newspaper became full-length and was published daily on four pages. Its editors were S. Davydov and A. Marin. The editorial of the first issue, written by Marin and entitled “The Penza Commune”, spoke about the goals pursued by the publication - “to give the masses (ordinary workers and peasants) an interesting popular newspaper that even a semi-literate reader could easily read and assimilate. It should touch on the most burning problems of the life of the workers and peasants, post short notes on current events and comment, explain them to the reader, be a friend, loyal interlocutor and leader of the working people. ” At the end of the article there was an appeal to readers asking for assistance in distributing the newspaper and cooperating with it.
From the "Penza poor" in a new edition of the headings: "The Beginning of the World Revolution", "Over the White Light", "In the camp of the White Guards", and from the "Hammer" - "News from the Village", "Working Life", "By Counties" . Reports from the fronts of the civilian were published under the heading "On the Red Front". As in previous editions, the Penza Commune published many stories, satires and cartoons. The section of humor was called in the newspaper “Knots and Hitch”.
The traditional section in the newspaper was the column “Party Life”, where there were also calls for the recovery of the party. Under the “Red Calendar” rubric it was reported about events that happened on this day in the past years - a tradition that successfully moved to many newspapers of today!
The newspaper maintained intensive feedback with the reader. This is clearly seen in the materials under the headings "Complaints of the reader" and "Mailbox". Here were printed and letters from readers, and the answers that were given to them by the editors.
Since January 29, Penza Commune began to appear on wrapping paper, and its last issue saw the light of February 10 of the year.
Since there were quite a few foreign citizens in the Penza military garrison, from 14 July 1918, the newspaper Za Svoboda (the military body of the Penza Red Army) began to appear in the city twice a week. The article “From the Editors” stated that it would be printed in Russian, Czech-Slovak, German, Hungarian, Latvian, Serbian, Polish and other languages in order to rally the Penza international garrison around the newspaper.
Odessa newspaper "Struggle" 1919 of the year.
It is interesting that in it we meet a different look at the problems that existed in the Bolshevik Party. In the article “It's Time to Understand” (signed by the pseudonym “Proletary”) its author wrote that “the dark mass of the people are reading the newspapers ...”, therefore, “by revealing party feuds on the newspaper’s pages, we thereby embarrass, split the proletariat, thereby weakening his revolutionary spirit and strength. " This is how the “dark people” party differences should not be known!
The article by V. Kuraev “Proletarian in the village” again highlighted the need for more active propaganda of propaganda in the village. That “in every provincial city it is necessary to publish small newspapers of the“ Bednoty ”type and distribute them for free in tens of thousands”, and also to use the usual character of the people - songwriters, calendars, and popular prints with verses. The main slogan of the publication was the call: “Long live the ruthless iron dictatorship of the urban and rural poor!” [8.C.1.] The newspaper described in detail the suppression of armed demonstrations against the Soviet government, and it was emphasized that all its enemies would be destroyed in the most ruthless manner . That is, the stake in the information impact on the public was largely made on fear (which the tsarist government lacked! - note by the authors SA and VO) and this practice, as we all well know, completely paid off!
The county newspaper “The Voice of the Poor” became a very curious example of the Soviet revolutionary press. This newspaper began to appear in 1919, and from the very first issue appealed to readers with a proposal to establish close feedback, and subsequently constantly reminded him of this. “You give little information, correspond little to a newspaper! Comrades, send more! ...Without hesitation! All that is fair will be placed. ”
The newspaper as a whole was even more revolutionary than the newspapers published in the provincial center. In any case, it contained much more brief appeals and appeals that were both informational and clearly slogan in nature: “Families of deserters are deprived of rations and the right to use land; “Read the newspaper to the illiterate. It is your duty, comrade! ”Etc. The newspaper paid much attention to the fight against religion. In particular, the author A. Blumenthal in his article “School and Faith” explained that faith in God was born in a moment of national despair and that now she was dying because she was a tool of people's enslavement, which is now destroyed. “Long live a free man and his new free faith!” He finished his article with a rather peculiar appeal [9.C.3]. The layout of the materials themselves in the newspaper was extremely motley. Often, information from abroad coexisted with instructions on how to sow!
To be continued ...
Sources:
1. Penza speech. 1917. No.1.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid. No.50.
4. “Fight” №29.
5. "Our way". 1917. No.1.
6. "Our Way" .1917. No.2.
7. Ibid.
8. "Poor" 1918. No.6.
9. "Voice of the poor" 1919. No.65.