The Soviet Union, formed in December 1922, lived behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War (1940-1991), but its symbols - the five-pointed star, the hammer and sickle, the Olympic bear - are still used today well-known foreign brands, becoming part of the world culture. The topic of the article is Soviet things that characterize the outgoing era and will surely cause nostalgia among the older generation.
A little about furniture
On the main photo you can see the usual interior of the apartment: an iron bed, a black and white TV, a carpet on the wall and a rug on the floor. Books were kept on shelves or whatnots, tea was drunk from samovars.
In the early 60s, it became frankly crowded in apartments. People received housing in Khrushchev-built houses. The old furniture was too large for the new standards. Then in the USSR they decided to come up with modern models of the Khrushchev interior and even created a special technological institute - VKTIM.
BAs a result, collapsible modules appeared, which were brought into the apartment in parts, and then assembled in such a way as to create the most comfortable conditions for the residents. Things from the Soviet era are furniture walls that have become part of the culture of the 70s and are captured in the best films of that period: "Irony of Fate" and others.
Household appliances
In almost every house in the kitchen there were Soviet refrigerators of the brand "Biryusa", "Dnepr", "Minsk" or the legendary "ZIL". Many of the readers were not yet in the world, but they already existed. The most amazing thing is that Soviet technology is still working. And perfectly copes with its task somewhere in the country, in a rural house or garage.
Most families also had a tube radiogram "Rigonda", which was produced in Latvia in 1963-1977. The name is taken from the novel by V. Latsis "The Lost Motherland". The non-existent island of Rigonda is mentioned in the work - a clear allusion to the Latvian capital.
Soviet things, the photos of which are presented in the article, cannot be imagined without a car of that time.
"Zaporozhets" - a legend of the 60s
In the common people, the ZAZ 965 was called "humped". Developing a model of an inexpensive compact car began in the 50s. The FIAT 500 was taken as the basis. A visually identifiable trunk was made at the back, which became the reasonthe appearance of a playful nickname. The body itself had a more interesting design, the hinged rear doors contributed to a comfortable fit for passengers. There were 4 people in the car.
Despite the overheating of the engine at high temperatures, the noise inside the cabin and other shortcomings, "Zaporozhets", first released from the assembly line in 1960, was liked by the consumer with its originality and charisma. Jokes were made up about him, but at the same time he was produced by the Zaporozhye Automobile Building Plant for 9 years. During this time, more than 322 thousand cars were sold. Without it, it is difficult to imagine the iconic Soviet things of a bygone era.
Saturator
And what was the personification of Soviet times on the streets of the city? Vending machines, among which saturators were the most widespread. The first soda dispenser was installed in 1932. The place of his appearance was the dining room of Smolny.
Later, the machines found distribution on the streets of the capital and other cities. Regular soda cost only a penny, and for water with syrup you had to pay three. The saturators were equipped with glass glasses that were rinsed with a stream of water.
In a broken form, unique Soviet things could be seen back in the early 90s. Later, due to low profitability, the devices were simply sold for scrap.
Things of the Soviet people
It is hard to imagine that the Soviet people did not know plastic bags, but used a special mesh. She couldeasy to put in your pocket in case you need to buy something on the way home from work. The grid has an interesting name - "string bag". It took root after the famous monologue of A. Raikin in 1935, when he waved it from the stage with the words: "Maybe I'll bring something home in it today!"
The faceted glass belongs to the old Soviet things that have become a symbol of the era. What is the aphorism "Let's think for three!" Its appearance is directly related to the faceted symbol. Up to the rim, exactly 200 g fit into the dishes, so half a liter of vodka was ideally poured into three glasses, but it did not fit into two.
In Soviet times, milk was real, like butter, kefir, sour cream. It was sold in glass bottles and triangular bags. In hazardous production, where it was supposed to give out milk at the end of the shift, it was distributed precisely in packages. It was convenient, because it is enough to cut off a corner, and you can drink without thinking about the dishes. The bags were easy to install, so people put up with the fact that they often leaked in the corners.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, global brands of the cosmetic industry, including French perfumery, became available to Russians. And once, for all occasions, every family had a "Triple Cologne". It contains 64% alcohol, so mothers used it as an antiseptic, lubricating wounds and scratches to restless children, and hairdressers inMandatory use after shaving. Men often used it not only as a perfume, but also used it inside.
Summing up
Soviet things that have become iconic for their era, much more than we can offer in one article. Their main distinguishing feature is that in modern times people have practically stopped using them. However, many things are of great antique value. For example, vinyl records. They were produced by the all-Union firm Melodiya, founded in 1964. She had 8 factories and 10 studios at her disposal, including two recording studios. But not all the company's products are in demand, but only rare editions.
