State Anthem of the Soviet Union

Государственный гимн СССР
English: State Anthem of the USSR

State anthem of Russian SFSR
Soviet Union

Lyrics Gabriel El-Registan, 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.
Vocal (1944 lyrics)
By the Red Army Ensemble
Instrumental (1955)
Vocal (1977 lyrics)
By the choir and orchestra of Bolshoi Theater
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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 during 1953-1977 the anthem was performed without lyrics.[2] 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.[3][4][5] In 1977, to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution, revised lyrics, earlier written in 1970 by the original author Sergey Mikhalkov,[6] 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.

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 "National Anthem of Russia" was introduced, which used the music of the Soviet national anthem and the lyrics written by Sergey Mikhalkov.

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.

Decommunization

In post-Soviet states which adopted decommunization laws banning the Communist symbolism, performing the Soviet anthem is illegal. For example, since 2005 in Ukraine the offenders face up to 5 years of prison.[9] Similar laws adopted in the Baltic states.

Lyrics

See also

References

  1. ↑ Гимн СССР (1943)
  2. ↑ "Russia Marks Soviet Poet Mikhalkov’s 100th Anniversary"
  3. ↑ http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/opinion/story.html?id=185e0d97-a22c-4088-9c5e-d70c2c25094c&p=1
  4. ↑ http://www.greatesthockeylegends.com/2010/04/how-roger-doucet-wrote-soviet-national.html
  5. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20090913073204/http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Cold/1975038/story.html
  6. ↑ Голованова, М. П.; В. С. Шергин (2003). Государственные символы России. Москва: Росмэн-Пресс. p. 150. ISBN 5-353-01286-0.
  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. ↑ За гимн СССР – 5 лет тюрьмы: декоммунизация в цифрах и фактах
  10. ↑ Сайт Флаг России - Музыка - Государственный гимн СССР (1944-1977) на английском языке (in Russian). September 23, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  11. ↑ https://larussophobe.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/unbreakable-union-of-freeborn-republics/

External links

Wikisource has lyrics in other languages at:
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