Stalin poster of the week 13 (SPotW13)

Mizin, ‘”The Leninist Komsomol was and still is the young reserve of our revolution.” Stalin.’, 1934

Mizin (мизин), ‘”The Leninist Komsomol was and still is the young reserve of our revolution.” Stalin.’ (Ленинский комсомол был и остается молодым резервом нашей революции. Сталин), 1934

Mizin’s 1934 poster celebrates the Komsomol, the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League (or VLKSM) for youth aged 14 to 28 years. Originally formed in 1918 as the Russian Young Communist League, or RKSM, the Komsomol was one of a series of youth organisations that provided activities and education for children, and groomed them to become valuable Party members.


Children under nine years old could join the Little Octobrists, then progress onto the Pioneers (Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organisation) for children aged 10 to 14. Pioneers wore red scarves and undertook activities similar to the scouts. After Pioneers came the Komsomol.

The Komsomol welcomed a cross-section of young people of both genders and all nationalities of the USSR

Mizin’s poster shows Stalin down among the youth, one of the ‘everyday’ people, although his white tunic and cap mark him out for special attention. The youth represent a cross-section of Soviet young people – armed forces personnel, aviators and agricultural workers.

The new breed of agricultural worker tied a red scarf with a knot behind the head, rather than under the chin like the peasants of old

Agricultural workers were often represented as women in red scarves, the knot tied behind their head. The red scarf designated a collective farm worker, someone who had willingly embraced Stalin’s policy of collectivisation and laboured for the state. The knot behind the head, rather than under the chin as with traditional peasant women, showed the new breed of peasant woman – strong, dedicated and determined.


Behind Stalin’s right shoulder, a female aviator follows him. Many women embraced the opportunity to forge a career in aviation and some of the first female heroes of the Soviet Union were aviators.

A young aviator, pride of the USSR

An attempt to capture the ethnic diversity of the USSR is made, with Stalin surrounded by youth of various nationalities, all striding together in the same direction.


Stalin and the youth are protected by the ubiquitous red banners, Lenin’s glowing profile offering protection and blessing over the youth who strive in his name. These youth are particularly notable, some of them wearing state awards.

Lenin’s glowing silhouette on a red banner inspires, protects and sanctifies those below him

Behind the youth and banners, a crowd throngs in, stretching back for miles to a horizon punctuated by electricity towers, evidence of the huge strides made in electrification of the country. Electrification of Russia was a project particularly associated with Lenin. Stalin took Lenin’s work further by undertaking electrification of the entire Soviet Union.


The text of the poster is taken from Stalin’s speech on the tenth anniversary of the Komsomol, October 28, 1928:


‘The Leninist Komsomol was and still is the young reserve of our revolution’.


Although the Komsomol is primarily associated with Lenin, it is Stalin, the man of the present, who takes the role of interpreter of Lenin’s doctrine.