Soviet Nationalities

Figure 1.-- Here we see a Tartar boy wearing weaing ethnic clothing in school rather than a school uniform, we think in the 1960s. We are unsure how common this was or to what extnt it was a cultural statement.

The Soviet Union as it inherited most of the Tsarist Empire was a huge multi-national empire. It lostvmany Wester territoties during the Civil War, byt gained most of them back during the first years of World War II when the Soviets were a NAZI ally (1939-45). Most of these peoples were annexand and incorporated into the Soviet Union. Poland was an exception. Stalin consented to the resrablishment odf an independent Poland, although the country was moved east. The only eample of thos we know of in all of history. During Tsarist times, Poland had been the most restive of all the Tsarist territories--intesting in ht the Poles were also a Slavic people. As part of Lenin's nationalities solution, Soviet citizens were defined by nationality. This was a matter determined at birth largely based on parental identity. It involved a mix of language, regional boundaries, and cultural traditions. Race was not an overt factor, but several of the nationalities had desctinctive features associated with race. This whole pricess was dveloped berdfore DNA had been discovered. Russians from the beginning were the largest single national group. They were not an absolute majority of the population during Tsarist times, but became a slight majority during the Soviet era. Slsvic people were substabtil mjority meaning adding in Beylorussins and Ukranins) Soviet citizens were isssud internal passports which affected their ability to move within the country. Their national identity was stamped in the passport, which bdecame an important marker of identity. Through most of the Soviet era there were 15 republics. They were known as Soviet Socialist Republics (SSRs). There were also over a hundred autonomous regions, many of which were established to accomodate smaller national groups. There was even a Jewish autoinomous region--the only on to estblish a religious group. Soviet schools, especially primary schools were taught in 'native' languages, although there were separate schools for the many Russians living outside of the huge Russian SSR. Advancd studies, esopcilly university studies wre mostly conducted in Russian. Throughout the Soviet Union, newspapers, periodicals, and books were published in the many other languages and not just Russian. Much of this was literature. Technical journals were almost all publushed in Russian. All of this tended to reserve many job opportunities to Russian speakers. This tend to exclude many non-Russian nationalitoes, but not Jews. Leadership roles in the The Communist Party, the NKVD/KGB,a nd the military ensured that political power remained according to one source, 'hierarchical, and dictatorial'. And leadership roles in these key areas were heavily weighted toward Russians. An exception here was Lenin and Stalin's choice of leades for the security servives. Here we are not sure just why. It could be that Jews because of their history were some of the most ideologically committed. It all could be that Stalin wanted Jews to blame for the carnage. The nationalities differed remararkbly in their level of national identity and political awarness. Their imprtance was also factor. Guven the improtance of the Ukranian peasantry, Stalin lunched the Ukranian genocide. This also affected behavior during World Was II. Several nationalities were labeled traitor nations.

Created: 11:11 AM 2/3/2022
Last updated: 11:11 AM 2/3/2022