Labor Day demonstrations were held in Russia even in tsarist times. However, after the Revolution, the workers became the “ruling” class and the parades became official. In the 1920s, Labor Day (it was also called ‘Day of the International’) became a nationwide holiday.
Peter Otsup/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru
The poster says: “Forward to fight for the party’s general line!” (And the general line was collectivization and industrialization), 1935
Ivan Shagin/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru
May 1 usually saw a massive parade of workers of different jobs and military men. The most impressive and huge one usually took part on Red Square in Moscow, 1940.
Anatoly Yegorov/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru
Musicians, firemen, athletes - the long procession of workers celebrating Labor Day, 1950s.
Dmitry Baltermats/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru
Women marching with flowers and flags during a May Day parade near the Duma building, 1950.
Valentin Khukhlayev/Valentin Khukhlayev archive/russiainphoto.ru
Factory workers resembling ‘Star Wars’ characters lining up for a parade, 1963.
Valentin Khukhlayev/Valentin Khukhlayev archive/russiainphoto.ru
Impressive procession started from the Historical Museum and passing by the Lenin’s Mausoleum head off to St. Basil’s Cathedral, 1967.
Valentin Khukhlayev/Valentin Khukhlayev archive/russiainphoto.ru
Parade of firemen, 1970s.
Valentin Khukhlayev/Valentin Khukhlayev archive/russiainphoto.ru
A demonstration with portraits of Karl Marx, as well as Vladimir Lenin and other Soviet leaders, 1971.
Yury Sadovnikov/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru
The tradition of huge annual Victory Day parades on May 9 appeared in the USSR only in the 1980s. Before that, they were arranged only for big Victory jubilees. But, the military men usually marched on Labor Day, 1973.
Yevgeny Khaldei/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru
Kids also took part in parades and it was considered an incredible honor, 1973.
Valentin Khukhlayev/Valentin Khukhlayev archive/russiainphoto.ru
To impress the masses and TV audiences, people made incredible figures with their bodies and have trained for weeks before that to reach the perfect synchrony, 1975.
Valentin Khukhlayev/Valentin Khukhlayev archive/russiainphoto.ru
The Communist Party leaders, the main army commanders and other most important officials always attend the parades, watching from the Mausoleum tribune, 1975.
Yury Sadovnikov/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru
“Communism will win”: The parades always held strong ideological content and sense, 1976.
Valentin Khukhlayev/Valentin Khukhlayev archive/russiainphoto.ru
A motorcyclists parade, 1970s.
Valentin Khukhlayev/Valentin Khukhlayev archive/russiainphoto.ru
People line up to form ‘May 1’ with their bodies, 1977.
Yury Sadovnikov/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru
A massive parade welcomed by a portrait of Leonid Brezhnev, 1982.
Alexander Steshanov/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru
Dear readers,
Our website and social media accounts are under threat of being restricted or banned, due to the current circumstances. So, to keep up with our latest content, simply do the following:
- Subscribe to our Telegram channel
- Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter
- Enable push notifications on our website
- Install a VPN service on your computer and/or phone to have access to our website, even if it is blocked in your country
If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.