Soviet Union

Soviet dolls
Soviet Union

My First Encounter with Barbie as a Soviet Kid

As a Soviet kid, I was mesmerized by my first encounter with Barbie, a glamorous doll unlike our childish Soviet toys. Brought by my friend Vika from Germany, Barbie’s elegance and bendable knees captivated our gang. We worshipped her, but when Vika moved away, leaving Barbie behind felt like losing a piece of our childhood dreams.

a bearded man in medieval Russian clothes
Culture, Russia, Soviet Union

More Than Just Facial Hair

In Russia, the beard transcends style, embodying cultural and political significance. Rooted in Proto-Indo-European bhar-dha, борода symbolized sacred tradition after 988, with shaving fines. Peter the Great’s beard tax aimed to modernize, possibly due to hygiene or insect fears. By the 19th century, beards marked Russian identity for Slavophiles. In Soviet times, they evoked outdated peasantry, yet 1960s intellectuals embraced them.

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