State Anthem of the Soviet Union

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Государственный гимн СССР
English: State Anthem of the USSR
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg
State anthem of Russian SFSR
Soviet Union
Lyrics Sergey Mikhalkov, 1943 and 1977
Music Alexander Alexandrov, 1938 (?)
Adopted 1 January 1944
1 September 1977 (modified version)
Relinquished 26 December 1991
(as anthem of the Soviet Union)
23 November 1990
(as anthem of the Russian SFSR)
Music sample
State Anthem of the USSR (instrumental)

The "State Anthem of the USSR" (Russian: Государственный гимн СССР, tr. Gosudarstvenny Gimn SSSR) was introduced during World War II on 15 March 1944, replacing The Internationale as the official anthem of the Soviet Union and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The lyrics were written by Sergey Mikhalkov (1913–2009) in collaboration with Gabriel El-Registan (1899–1945) and the music was composed by Alexander Alexandrov (1883–1946). Although the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991, its national anthem's melody continues to be used in the Russian Federation's national anthem, which has lyrics different from the Soviet one.

History

Playing of the State Anthem at the 63rd Anniversary Jubilee of the Great October Socialist Revolution, 1980.

The Anthem of the Soviet Union was played for the first time on the Soviet radio at midnight on 1 January 1944.[1] The 1944 lyrics had three different refrains following three different stanzas; in each refrain, the second line was consequently modified with references to friendship, then happiness and finally to glory. Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union's war against Nazi Germany were originally invoked in the lyrics.

With the process of de-Stalinization inaugurated after Stalin's death, the lyrics which referred to Stalin were considered unacceptable and the anthem was performed without lyrics. A notable exception took place at the 1976 Canada Cup ice hockey tournament, where the singer Roger Doucet insisted on performing the anthem with lyrics, after consultations with Russian studies scholars from Université de Montréal and the Soviet team officials.[2][3][4] In 1977, to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution, revised lyrics, earlier written in 1970 by the original author Sergey Mikhalkov,[5] were adopted. The varying refrains were replaced by a uniform refrain following all stanzas; the line praising Stalin was dropped, as were the lines referring to the Great Patriotic War.

There is reason to believe that the music actually predates A. Alexandrov and the Soviet Union, and originates with Ukrainian composer Yury Piasetsky (Юрій Пясецький). Members of the Ukrainian Scout Movement "Plast" have noted that the tune is identical or near-identical to the Plast anthem "Plastovy Obit" (The Plast Oath), composed about 1912 by Piasetsky to words by Dr. Oleksander Tysovsky (Oлександр Тисовський), Plast's founder. The words and music are found in various handbooks and songbooks of Plast, as well. The first line reads: "V pozhezhakh vsesvitnykh, u lunakh kryvavykh". The original Piasetsky anthem actually glorifies the movement for Ukrainian independence, which the Plast organization supported.[original research?][6]

Use in the Russian Federation

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian Federation adopted a new wordless anthem called the "Patriotic Song", although there were suggestions for adopting lyrics. As a result, a few different versions were produced.[7] In 2000, the music of the Soviet national anthem was restored with Sergey Mikhalkov writing the new lyrics, becoming the "National Anthem of Russia".

The Soviet anthem remains for many a song of national pride and of international unity with former Union republics. It is often played at Communist rallies and apolitical Victory Day celebrations. In the summer of 2012, at an MMA competition in St. Petersburg which Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin attended, American fighter Jeff Monson entered the arena with the Soviet anthem being played as his entry song; Russian President Putin and the entire audience stood up for the anthem.[8]

State Union of Russia and Belarus

Also, the same music was used for a proposal of the anthem of the State Union of Russia and Belarus entitled Derzhavny Soyuz Narodov (Union of Sovereign Nations). Although never officially adopted, the lyrics of that piece were not tied to any specific nationality, and could be adopted for a broader union. However, there appears to be no plans to utilize that piece in any official role. The anthem also had official versions in the languages of every Soviet republic and in several other Soviet languages.

Lyrics

See also

References

  1. ↑ Гимн СССР (1943)
  2. ↑ http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/opinion/story.html?id=185e0d97-a22c-4088-9c5e-d70c2c25094c&p=1
  3. ↑ http://www.greatesthockeylegends.com/2010/04/how-roger-doucet-wrote-soviet-national.html
  4. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20090913073204/http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Cold/1975038/story.html
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Д-р O. Tисoвський, "Життя в Пласті" (handbook, "Life in Plast"), various editions; see also "Пластові пісні" ("Plast Songbook"), various editions. For a video showing the song performed, see "Пластовий Обіт".
  7. ↑ http://www.hymn.ru/#related-to-glinka-anthem Archived May 8, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ Jeff Monson vs Dennis Komkin, MMA
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ https://larussophobe.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/unbreakable-union-of-freeborn-republics/

External links

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