Stalin poster of the week 36 (SPotW36)

Bainazar Al’menov, But there is one branch of science which Bolsheviks in all branches of science are in duty bound to know… , 1951

Bainazar Al’menov (Альменов, Б.), But there is one branch of science which Bolsheviks in all branches of science are in duty bound to know…

The ‘banner of Marx–Engels–Lenin-Stalin’ theme was a minor but fairly consistent theme (except during the war years) throughout the 25 years of Stalin’s leadership
… and even beyond.


Several of these posters were published outside the two major centres of the Russian nation, Moscow and Leningrad, and this 1951 poster was published by Tatgosizdat, the publishing house of the Republic of Tatarstan, in Kazan, Tatarstan.

The text quotes Stalin on the necessity to train all cadres, regardless of specialty, in the scientific laws of Marxism–Leninism. It comes from the Report on the Work of the Central Committee to the 18th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, delivered on March 10, 1939.

But there is one branch of science which Bolsheviks in all branches of science are in duty bound to know, and that is the Marxist–Leninist science of society, of the laws of social development, of the laws of development of the proletarian revolution, of the laws of development of socialist construction, and of the victory of communism.’ I. Stalin.

Marxism-Leninism as a science was seen as defining immutable and unchallengeable laws and was foundational for all other scientific endeavour.


This 1951 poster by illustrator of folktales and fairytales Bainazar Al’menov (1909 -1976), shows the four pillars of communism  – Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin – as part of a billowing banner that fills the top half of the picture plane.

Stalin and Lenin have vaguely Asiatic facial features in this poster from Tatarstan – Stalin viewed himself as Asian and Lenin was part Kalmyk.

Stalin and Lenin both appear particularly ‘Asiatic’ in their banner profiles. Stalin was often given facial features reminiscent of the general racial characteristics of the place in which the poster was published. In the Asian parts of the Soviet Union he tended to have Asiatic features, while in the European parts he looked more European.


In fact, Stalin actually described himself to Georgi Dimitrov, leader of the Communist International, as a ‘Russified Georgian–Asian’ (obrusevshii gruzin-aziat).*  Lenin was part Kalmyk on his father’s side.

These precious books by the four great Communist thinkers are bound in sacred tones of red and gold and surrounded by laurel leaves and a pulsating Soviet star

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The banner is rich red in colour and adorned with gold tassels. Beneath it, also in rich red with gold trim, are four slender books, one by each of the men pictured above, which outline the immutable laws of Marxism–Leninism. Stalin’s work thus resides unambiguously beside those of the three legendary great thinkers.


Bainazar Al’menov worked as the Artistic Director of the regional publishing house, Tatknigizdat, served in the Second World War, and was awarded the Meritorious Art Worker of the Tatar ASSR.
*See Jan Plamper, The Stalin cult, p. 46.