VDNKh: history and secrets of the All-Union exhibition. About "wasteland with potential"
On the website of the Main Archival Administration of Moscow, a virtual walk through VDNKh of two periods has been posted.
I'll copy it here so I don't lose it.
The picture is a link to the original site.
The exhibition presents photographs from the collections of the State Budgetary Institution "Central State Administration of Moscow".
Let's walk along the old VSHV-VDNKh
Project curators:
I.E. Sizonenko, head Sector of the Department of Public and Interregional Relations of the Main Archive of Moscow
E.V. Korotkikh, director of the Scientific and Information Center of the State Budgetary Institution "Central State Administration of Moscow"
Author's team:
E.N. Sokolnikova, head Department of scientific and expositional work of the Scientific and Information Center of the State Budgetary Institution "Central State Administration of Moscow"
EAT. Gurenkova, chief specialist of the Scientific and Information Center of the State Budgetary Institution "Central State Administration of Moscow"
E.N. Chernenkova, chief specialist of the Scientific and Information Center of the State Budgetary Institution "Central State Administration of Moscow"
N.S. Laubakh, leading specialist of the Scientific and Information Center of the State Budgetary Institution "Central State Administration of Moscow"
Technical support:
O.S. Prokopenko, leading specialist of the Scientific and Information Center of the State Budgetary Institution "Central State Administration of Moscow"
A.V. Menshikov, chief specialist of the Department of organizational and analytical work and state accounting of archival documents of the Main Archive of Moscow
How simple and modest is this name -
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition!
But what a great content
but what an exciting meaning lies in the exhibition,
opening in Moscow on August 1, 1939!
The opening of the All-Russian Agricultural Exhibition (VSHV) was one of the most important events in the pre-war history of the USSR. From the first days of work, the highest achievements in the field of industry, agriculture and the cultural life of the country in the era of the first five-year plans were demonstrated here. The All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was to become a permanent exhibition of a new type, a school of mass experience.
The grandiose exhibition complex is located on the northern outskirts of the capital, on an area of 136 hectares, including ponds, experimental plots, park areas. The project of the general plan of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was drawn up by the famous architect V.K. Oltorzhevsky, later the work on the creation of the exhibition was headed by the architect S.E. Chernyshev. The architectural ensemble of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was created by architects V.A. Schuko, V. Geilfreikh, L.M. Polyakov, D.N. Chechulin, sculptors S.T. Konenkov and G.I. Motovilov; monumentalists A.A. Deineka, A.P. Bubnov, P.P. Sokolov-Skal and many other talented artists. Under the leadership of the chief architect S.E. Chernyshev, more than 2 thousand professional and folk craftsmen worked. The exhibition featured 400 sculptures, several hundred art paintings and panels. The exhibition complex has become one of the iconic places in the capital, enriching its architectural appearance.
In total, 250 structures were built on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, including pavilions of the Union republics and individual regions of the country, industry pavilions.
VSHV 1939 became not only a school of excellence, demonstrating the achievements of the national economy, but also a favorite vacation spot for Muscovites and guests of the capital. In a large old park next to the exhibition there are various attractions: a parachute tower, a Ferris wheel, a laughter room, carousels; a children's town with playgrounds was equipped. At the exhibition itself, the Green Theatre, a concert stage, a circus and two cinemas were built; cafes, a teahouse, a tea-dining room, cafes, restaurants, tobacco and confectionery tents were opened.
For the convenience of VSHV visitors (up to 100,000 people visited the exhibition every day), the routes of buses, trolleybuses and trams with the VSHV stop were thought out.
The success of the exhibition was incredible. From August 1 to October 25, 1939, over 3.5 million people visited it.
On June 26, 1941, due to the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the exhibition was closed. Most of its exhibits and the library were evacuated to Chelyabinsk. Several anti-aircraft batteries were installed on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, and the pavilions were masked with a dark cloth. During the war, not a single bomb hit the vast territory of the exhibition.
After the end of the war, the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition accepted visitors only on August 1, 1954. The exhibition area increased to 207 hectares. The architectural appearance of the exhibition has also changed significantly. For several years, under the guidance of architect A.F. Zhukov and sculptor E.V. Vuchetich, the process of reconstruction of the exposition complex was underway. The arch of the Main entrance to the exhibition was erected, crowned with a sculptural group "Tractor driver and collective farm girl", the Main pavilion was completed, new pavilions appeared (of the Baltic republics, the Karelian-Finnish SSR, etc.). According to the projects of the architect-artist K.T. Topuridze, the Friendship of Peoples fountain appeared on Kolkhozov Square, the Stone Flower fountain sparkled with fabulous colors, and the Golden Ear fountain was rebuilt.
On July 4, 1956, by decision of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the All-Union Industrial Exhibition was opened within the framework of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, designed to promote the achievements and prospects for the development of socialist industry, individual industries, to introduce the best practices of production innovators, innovators and inventors.
On May 28, 1958, the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution "On the unification of the All-Union industrial, agricultural and construction exhibitions into a single Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy of the USSR." On June 16, 1959, the exhibition, already under a new name, hospitably opened the doors of its pavilions to visitors.
Thus began the history of VDNKh.
Virtual exposition “The main exhibition of the country in the photographic lens of history. 1939 – 1958” was prepared by the specialists of the Main Archive of Moscow and the State Budgetary Institution “Central State Administration of Moscow” for the 75th anniversary of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition – VDNKh. The exposition provides an opportunity to get acquainted with materials from the funds of the Central State Archive of Moscow, reflecting one of the brightest events in the history of our country and the capital - the creation of the exposition complex of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition in the period from 1939 to 1958.
The appearance of the exhibition complex, which has no analogues in the world, the mood of the era of building a new society is reflected in the works of recognized masters of Soviet photodocumentary B.V. Ignatovich, N.S. Granovsky, S.K. Ivanova-Alliluyeva, B.S. Trepetova, D.G. Sholomovich and others, as well as poems by S.I. Kirsanova, S.G. Ostrovoy, V. Demin.
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (VSHV). Monument to I.V. Stalin on Mechanization Square. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
The main alley of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Panorama of Kolkhoz Square at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Pavilion "Leningrad and the North-East" on the area of Kolhozov VSHV. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Pavilions "Siberia" and "Far East" on the area of Kolkhozes VSHV.
1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Pavilion "Kazakh SSR" on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Rotunda at the entrance to the pavilion "Uzbek SSR". 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Pavilion "Karelo-Finnish SSR" on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1940
Photo by B. Ignatovich
Fountain "Kolos" on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
VSHV visitors watching the work of the new agricultural machinery. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
VSHV visitors visiting one of the sections of the exhibition. 1939
Photo by B. Ignatovich
Pavilion "Glavmyaso" on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Exposition stand in the Moscow, Tula and Ryazan regions pavilion. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
VSHV visitors visiting the vineyard at the pavilion "Viticulture and winemaking". 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Sound Recording Pavilion "Talking Letter" on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
VSHV visitors watching the work of the printing machine in the pavilion "Print". 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Pavilions "Tobacco" (left) and "Tea - confectioner". 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Attractions on the territory of the VSHV. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
A tent selling soft drinks on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Buyers at the trade tent "Makhorka" on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1939
Photo by B. Ignatovich
Trade pavilion on the territory of the VSHV. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Decorative design of the entrance to the Glavpivo beer bar on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1940 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Taxi rank at the entrance to the VSHV territory. 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Tram station "VSHV". 1939 Photo by B. Ignatovich
Sculptural group "Tractor driver and collective farm woman" above the main entrance of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. August 1954. Photo by N. Maksimov
The main entrance of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. July 1955 Photo by S. Preobrazhensky
Fountain "Friendship of Peoples" and the Main Pavilion of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. August 1954
High relief "Glory to the Standard-bearer of the world - the Soviet people!" in the Main Pavilion of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. September 1954. Photo by A. Cheprunov
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. View of the pavilions and fountains "Stone Flower" (in the foreground) and "Friendship of Peoples". August 1954
Pavilion "RSFSR". August 1954. Photo by V. Noskov, D. Sholomovich
At the Stone Flower fountain at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. May 1958. Photo by N. Granovsky
Pavilion "Kazakh SSR" (left) on the area of the Collective Farms of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. June 1956. Photo by N. Granovsky
Tourists at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. June 1955
Photo by V. Noskov, N. Maksimov
Pavilion "Tajik SSR". 1950 Photo by Raskin
The guide of the pavilion "Azerbaijan SSR" I. Bagirov gives explanations to visitors at the "Cotton" stand. 1954 Photo by V. Noskov, B. Ryabin
Visitors to the pavilion "Azerbaijan SSR". On the right - the guide M. Akhmedov. August 1954. Photo by V. Noskov, B. Ryabin
Pavilion "Armenian SSR". September 1954. Photo by S. Ivanov-Alliluyev
Pavilion "Northern Caucasus". July 1954. Photo by N. Granovsky
Teahouse of the pavilion of the Uzbek SSR at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. July 1954. Photo by N. Granovsky
Pavilion "Karelo-Finnish SSR". September 1954. Photo by S. Ivanov-Alliluyev
Kolkhoz Square at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. Pavilions "Moscow, Tula, Kaluga, Ryazan, Bryansk Regions" (left) and "Leningrad and North-Western Regions" (right). September 1954. Photo by N. Maksimov
Pavilion "Central Regions" (left) at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. August 1954. Photo by N. Granovsky
Pavilion "Central Chernozem Regions". June 1954. Photo by N. Granovsky
Pavilion "Volga region". June 1956. Photo by N. Granovsky
Pavilion "Siberia". June 1956. Photo by A. Sergeev
Pavilion "Far East". July 1954. Photo by N. Granovsky
Pavilion "Machine-Tool Building". June 1956. Photo by N. Granovsky
Pavilion "Floriculture". May 1958. Photo by N. Granovsky
Pond near the Poultry Pavilion. September 1954. Photo by S. Ivanov-Alliluyev
Fountain "Kolos". August 1956. Photo by A. Sergeev, B. Trepetov
Pavilion "Fishery". September 1954. Photo by B. Ryabin
Green theater at VSHV. May 1958. Photo by S. Stuzhin
Pavilion "Ice cream" on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. August 1954. Photo by V. Noskov, D. Sholomovich
A trolleybus circling the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. August 1954. Photo by V. Noskov, D. Sholomovich
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. June 1955. Photo by N. Granovsky
VSHV USSR 1939
HISTORY - CONSTRUCTION - ARCHITECTURE
The Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy, the famous Soviet VDNKh, was returned
its former name. It is possible that since then much in Moscow will change for the better.
And I had a desire to write in detail about how in Moscow
this wonderful exhibition.
This is what my story is about - an excursion to that, now a distant time ..
First, some facts.
Until 1935 on the site of the former Ostankino swamps, where VSHV will appear in 5 years
there was a gypsy camp settled there,
The decision to build the exhibition was made in 1935
Construction started in 1936
Initially, it was called VSHV - All-Union Agricultural Exhibition.
In 1940, the exhibition worked for 5 months,
during this time it was visited by 4.5 million people.
In 1941, the exhibition operated for only 1 month and five days.
In October 1941, part of the VSHV employees were evacuated to Omsk (at the place
location of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture), others went to the front - 123 of them died.
The library, photo lab and archive of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition were moved to Chelyabinsk, animals - to
state farm "Bykovo" Podolsky district. Empty pavilions were adapted for workshops
military repair plant, warehouses and barracks.
In one of the pavilions (now No. 442) there was a school for intelligence and counterintelligence.
Some of the exhibition buildings were seriously damaged as a result of
bombed and later dismantled; many pavilions left without proper
protection, were damaged and looted
In 1945, a special commission conducted a survey of architectural structures
exhibition, during which the processes of decay and fungus damage were revealed
load-bearing structures and pavilion cladding, destruction of foundations and roofs;
Some of the buildings were on the verge of collapse.
In the first post-war years, in separate, best-preserved pavilions,
began to lead excursions for schoolchildren;
In 1945, a temporary exposition was opened on the territory of the exhibition - an exhibition
fattened livestock and poultry.
However, in general, the exhibition complex was in a state of neglect.
In 1947, the Minister of Agriculture, Benediktov, proposed
resumption of the exhibition and submitted to the Council of Ministers of the USSR a draft
the relevant resolution.
1948-1954: Reconstruction and transformation of the VSHV
On October 25, 1948, the Council of Ministers of the USSR decided to resume work
VSHV since 1950.
From 1950 to 1954, the old complex of 1939 was thoroughly rebuilt.
The reconstruction was led by academician of architecture, professor, chief architect
VSHVA F. Zhukov and sculptor, creator of the "Liberator Warrior" in Berlin and the Motherland-
mother in Stalingrad (Volgograd) - Evgeny Vuchetich.
Starting from that time, the VSHV annually resumed its work after the winter
break and was open during the spring and summer, and the first months of autumn.
The area of the exhibition has increased - up to 207 hectares.
Fountains became the most important symbol of the renewed exhibition - among them
"Friendship of the Peoples of the USSR", "Stone Flower" and "Golden Ear".
1958-1986: Transformation of the exhibition - VDNKh of the USSR
On May 28, 1958, the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution on the unification
agricultural, industrial and construction (on the Frunzenskaya embankment)
exhibitions at the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy of the USSR (VDNKh of the USSR).
On December 12 of the same year, the metro station was also renamed, which
still bears the name VDNKh.
Since 1959, and especially in 1963-1967, the exhibition has undergone restructuring,
related to the fact that in 1955 the struggle against "excesses" in construction began.
In 1959, the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition and the industrial exhibition located right there were merged into the VDNKh of the USSR, and under this pretext, gradually regional,
On April 18, 1963, the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution on
restructuring of the VDNKh of the USSR. The most important point of this ruling
was the first point:
"... showing the achievements of the union republics in the development of industry, construction and
agriculture to be carried out in the industry pavilions of the Exhibition ... and the display of general
achievements of the republics ... to concentrate in the Central Pavilion of the Exhibition, abolishing
in connection with this, the pavilions of the Union republics.
In 1963, the republican pavilions were re-profiled into branch ones.
In 1965, the reconstruction project began.
In 1967, the USSR was preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Great October Revolution,
and for this anniversary it was decided to modernize the exhibition.
In 1986, the next reconstruction of VDNKh of the USSR began according to the project
MNIIP "Mosproekt 4" (architects A. V. Bokov, I. M. Vinogradsky), however, she
practically not implemented.
In 1992-2014, the Exhibition Complex was renamed and was called
"All-Russian Exhibition Center" (VVC).
In 2014, the Exhibition Complex was returned to its former Soviet name - VDNKh
Since the spring of 2014, after connecting the territory of VDNKh with the Botanical Garden and
Ostankino park, the exhibition area is more than 520 hectares,
pavilion area - 134 thousand m;.
The predecessor of the 1939 exhibition was the All-Russian Agricultural
and handicraft and industrial exhibition”, organized in 1923 in Moscow on
Sparrow Hills.
On the territory of VDNKh there are various architectural monuments, many of them
which are known all over the world. Created in Soviet times, they represent
are monuments of the Soviet era, an example of those that existed at different times
architectural styles and trends.
These monuments include:
Monument "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" by sculptor Vera Mukhina and architect
Boris Iofan (currently installed on the recreated pavilion of 1937
at the north entrance)
Fountains "Friendship of the Peoples of the USSR" and "Stone Flower",
- pavilion of the Ukrainian SSR,
- pavilion of the Uzbek SSR,
- pavilion of mechanization and electrification of agriculture of the USSR (Space).
The VNIITE building is located near the Khovan Gates of VDNKh -
All-Russian Institute of Technical Aesthetics (the birthplace of futuristic design).
On the territory of the exhibition there is a cinema "Circular Cinema Panorama".
Outside the territory of the exhibition, not far from its main entrance, there is a monument
"To the Conquerors of Space" and the Alley of Cosmonauts.
1939-1941: First VSHV
And now how it all began.
In 1934, state and party officials had the idea to organize
to the 20th anniversary of Soviet power, an anniversary exhibition that would demonstrate
would be a positive result of the collectivization carried out in agriculture.
This was officially announced at the II All-Union Congress of Collective Farmers -
drummers, held in Moscow on February 11-17, 1935.
On the last day of the Congress, People's Commissar of Agriculture of the USSR M. A. Chernov
submitted to the congress a proposal to organize in 1937 in Moscow
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. The congress participants supported
proposal unanimously, deciding to "display the achievements
of socialist agriculture at the All-Union Exhibition".
On the same day, a Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central
committee of the CPSU (b) (signed by Stalin and Molotov)
"On the organization of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition in Moscow", according to
to which the opening of the exhibition was to take place on August 1, 1937.
1935-1939: Design and first phase of construction
Immediately after the adoption of the decision, the People's Commissariat for Agriculture and the Moscow Council took up
search for a territory for a future exhibition.
Several options for locating the exhibition complex were considered:
- Marfino (near Dmitrovsky highway);
- Sokolniki (behind the park);
- Park of Culture and Leisure "Krasnaya Presnya";
- Luzhnetskaya embankment;
- Lenin's mountains.
Preference was given to the territory surrounding the Timiryazevskaya Campus
Agricultural Academy, which was part of the People's Commissariat
agriculture, was at that time the leading center of agricultural science and
she could represent a ready-made exhibit of the exhibition.
The choice of this site was supported by a number of leading architects:
A. V. Shchusev,
I. A. Fomin,
N. Y. Collie,
B. M. Iofe,
B. A. Kondrashov.
Considering the place chosen for the exhibition, in May 1935 the head
the architectural and planning workshop of the Moscow City Council, Professor B. A. Kondrashov prepared the program of the all-Union competition for the project of the master plan and pavilions.
The competition was supposed to be double: one closed, among specially
invited architects and design organizations, another, parallel to it and with
the same program - open, in which everyone could take part.
Prominent Moscow architects were invited to participate in a closed competition -
I. V. Zholtovsky,
I. A. Fomina,
A. V. Shchuseva,
G. B. Barkhina,
K. S. Melnikova,
I. A. Golosova,
B. M. Iofana,
D. F. Friedman,
N. Y. Collie,
And also one architectural workshop from Leningrad, Kyiv and Kharkov;
Control project - "standard" for the comparative evaluation of project proposals -
instructed to perform the author of the competition program B. A. Kondrashov.
Having familiarized themselves with the program, the contestants expressed their complaints about the choice of place
future exhibition, among the main shortcomings of which were elongated,
irregularly shaped section, which was also crossed by the routes of several
large streets, as well as high costs for the resettlement of residents (up to 10 thousand
Human). Having considered several alternative accommodation options
exhibition complex, specialists of the 4th architectural and planning workshop
Moscow City Council (head - G. B. Barkhin), who were engaged in the planning of the northern
parts of Moscow, proposed to change the program of the competition and place an exhibition for
east of the park of the Ostankino estate.
This site had a number of advantages: the Yaroslavl highway passed nearby,
territory, which included the land of the village of Alekseevsky (since the beginning of the 20th century, already
part of the city), part of the Ostankino forest park and "waste" land,
had a relatively flat terrain and was sparsely populated, which made it convenient
for construction. The proposal of the 4th workshop was approved by the resolution
SNK of the USSR "On the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition" No. 1821 of August 17
1935.
The same resolution created the Main Exhibition Committee, in the function
which included the responsibility for organizing the construction of the exhibition.
The committee included:
M. A. Chernov, I. E. Korostashevsky, A. I. Muralov, M. I. Kalmanovich,
L. S. Margolin and N. A. Bulganin.
M. A. Chernov was appointed Chairman of the Main Exhibition Committee
He held this position from 1935 to 1937.
Many of those involved in the organization of the new exhibition already had experience of working at
All-Russian agricultural and handicraft-industrial exhibition:
for example, the head of construction, I. E. Korostashevsky, occupied a similar
position at the 1923 exhibition.
At the first stage, the construction of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was led by M.E. Shefler - Chairman
Glavvystavkom in 1923, replaced by A. G. Bragin - chief director
exhibitions in 1923.
V. K. Oltarzhevsky was appointed the chief architect of the exhibition
V. K. Oltarzhevsky in 1923 was the deputy chief architect A. V. Shchusev;
At the first meeting of the exhibition committee, it was decided to hold a closed
competition for the master plan of the exhibition with the deadline for submitting the project until November 1, 1935.
The competition commission, chaired by Korostashevsky, received
work of 11 teams.
The first team was the 4th workshop of the Moscow Council (architects B. Barkhin,
M. G. Barkhin. G. K. Pyankov, A. M. Alkhazov),
The second is the design department of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (V. K. Oltarzhevsky, R. L. Podolsky,
N. V. Alekseev, A. B. Boretsky, D. G. Oltarzhevsky),
The third - the 2nd workshop (L. S. Teplitsky and Ya. L. Estrin),
The fourth project was presented by M. I. Sinyavsky (1st workshop),
Fifth - V. I. Pechenev - Vasilevsky (Leningrad),
The rest are graduate students of the USSR Academy of Architecture.
The competition committee could not decide on the winner - all submitted
solutions had certain shortcomings and the design department of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition during
headed by V. K. Oltarzhevsky was instructed to develop a new draft of the general
plan, taking into account successful proposals from other competitive projects.
According to the researcher of the history of the exhibition A. A. Zinoviev, “holding a closed
competition was largely a sham", and "the winner was determined in advance".
Oltarzhevsky reworked the project several more times under the changing title
list of exhibition pavilions. The final master plan was
approved by the decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on April 21, 1936.
The construction of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was to be completed in 1937 - on the 20th anniversary of
October revolution; The grand opening of the exhibition is scheduled for July 6
1937 - Constitution Day of the USSR.
In May 1936, based on the master plan, the Main Exhibition Committee
approved the final layout of pavilions at the exhibition and the program
show, which included seven main sections:
1. Socialist reconstruction of agriculture and the victory of the collective farm system;
2. Socialist agriculture of the republics, territories, regions;
3. State farms;
4. Mechanization and electrification of agriculture;
5. Grain and industrial crops;
6. Socialist animal husbandry;
7. Display of folk art and mass amateur performances.
In September 1935, even before the approval of the master plan, on the territory
the future exhibition carried out topographic work and began the construction of barracks
for workers and warehouses.
Landscaping began in the summer of 1936.
By September of the same year, the authors of the main pavilions were identified -
V. A. Schuko, V. G. Gelfreikh - "Main Pavilion"
V. K. Oltarzhevsky - "Mechanization" and the Administrative pavilion,
A. A. Tatsia - pavilion "Ukraine";
M. K. Shalashvili - pavilion "Transcaucasia";,
S. N. Polupanov - pavilion "Central Asia"),
E. A. Levinson - pavilion "Leningrad region and the North-East of the RSFSR",
A. F. Zhukov - pavilion of the Kursk, Voronezh and Tambov regions),
V. D. Kokorina - Pavilion "Moscow Region",
I. A. Frantsuz - pavilion "Far Eastern Territory"
and others.
All projects were preliminary reviewed by an expert commission, in which
Architects involved:
K. S. Alabyan,
V. G. Gelfreikh,
B. M. Iofan and
M. V. Kryukov.
It was planned to build 78 pavilions.
Among them were to be:
republican;
edge;
zonal;
for all types of agricultural activities;
display gardens,
greenhouses,
experimental fields,
various livestock farms,
stables,
veterinary services. and even
artificial insemination pavilion.
Each pavilion under construction had:
Pavilion Director,
chief artist,
Chief methodologist (or otherwise editor)
storekeeper and others
positions of artists - designers,
workers - builders (carpenters).
For the normal functioning of construction, and in the future for the
exhibition, a separate power plant was built for it.
To carry out such large works in the structure of the exhibition committee were
specialized production plants have been created:
- glass - mirror;
- cabinetry (carpentry work),
- decoration;
- mechanical;
- photo;
- transport, and others.
The entire construction site was fenced and guarded.
It was possible to get into this territory only with special passes.
The structures were assembled from typical wooden elements manufactured
in an industrial way; initially all carpentry work was planned
complete by November 1936.
Organization of work on the construction of pavilions and landscaping was
unsatisfactory: designers significantly lagged behind the pace
construction, and finished projects for a long time were not approved by the Chief
exhibition committee. The construction was carried out from damp wood, and many
construction crews did not have the necessary experience, and therefore already ready
pavilions had to be redone. Although there were other moral
ethical reasons to declare some projects bad, and instead push
their. But one way or another, by February 1937, the readiness of the exhibition pavilions to
averaged 60-70%, and the work on their decoration was only
started. And the construction of some structures did not even begin.
In this regard, in February 1937, the Council of People's Commissars postponed the opening of the exhibition
on August 15, 1937, and in April of the same year in the Council of People's Commissars and the Central Committee of the CPSU (b)
adopted a resolution to postpone the opening of the exhibition to August 1, 1938.
Well, it should be understood that all this happened simultaneously with the most terrible
events in the country. After all, the ominous year 1937 was pacing the country.
In the summer, employees were arrested in the People's Commissariat of Agriculture, among whom were members
exhibition committee:
A. I. Gaister, Ya. B. Zbarsky, M. I. Kalmanovich.
The autumn of 1937 was approaching.
It was clear that the postponement of the opening of the exhibition was justified.
There were rumors that the exhibition was wrecking.
It got to the point that supposedly the land in the livestock town is infected with glanders.
Specialists and scientists who worked at the exhibition began to disappear
- to be arrested.
A secret decree of the Bureau of the Rostokinsk Republic of Kazakhstan of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks appeared
"On the elimination of the consequences of sabotage in the construction of agricultural
exhibition ", which listed the numerous shortcomings of the construction of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition,
many of which were unfounded...
In October 1937, M.A. Chernov was removed from the post of People's Commissar and arrested.
in January 1938 - I. E. Korostashevsky.
Many of those arrested were soon sentenced to death and shot.
For the position of People's Commissar of Agriculture and Chairman of the Main Exhibition Committee
VSKhV was appointed R. I. Eikhe, however, he was also arrested a few months later.
After him, the People's Commissar for Grain and Livestock became the chairman of the committee.
state farms of the RSFSR T. A. Yurkin.
After the transfer of the opening, new shots are thrown at its construction and design.
Exposition plans and programs are changing. Part of the pavilions will be demolished completely,
others are undergoing a major overhaul. Even the land supposedly infested with glanders
cut off in a thick layer and transported by trucks. They bring new land.
But already in the spring of 1938, it became obvious to the country's leadership what to complete
construction and open the exhibition in such a form, as planned in the fall of 1938
year will not work. And it was decided to postpone the opening to August 20
1939 and it was said that this term was final.
Here is the text of that very Law on the Construction of the Exhibition of 1938:
Law on the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition.
Adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR at the Second Session of the 1st Convocation Supreme Soviet
The USSR notes the great importance of the
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition in the further rise
socialist agriculture in the USSR.
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, which is designed to adequately display
great achievements of socialist agriculture in the USSR, show
the best examples of all branches of agriculture, to demonstrate in all
the diversity of the power and wealth of agriculture of the republics, territories and regions
of the Soviet Union - should give a powerful impetus to socialist emulation
collective farms and collective farmers and all agricultural workers to multiply
achievements of agriculture, will contribute to pulling up the entire mass
collective farms and state farms to the level of advanced ones in order to ensure further
the steady rise of agriculture, the growth of the abundance of agricultural
products, prosperity and culture of the collective farm masses.
At the same time, the Supreme Council notes the unsatisfactory state of preparation
agricultural exhibition. Until now, the People's Commissariat of Agriculture and the People's Commissariat of State Farms of the USSR still
there are no differentiated indicators for the selection of exhibitors
in relation to the diverse features of agricultural production in
different regions of the USSR in terms of climatic, soil and other conditions, not
work on the construction of the exhibition has been completed, and separate, already built
pavilions clearly do not meet the requirements set before the All-Union
agricultural exhibition.
In order to correct these serious shortcomings in preparation for the opening
exhibition and for the purpose of its best organization, as well as in the interests of a wide
development of socialist emulation in the collective farms, state farms,
machine and tractor stations and collective-farm commodity farms for the right to participate in
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet
of the Socialist Republics decides:
1. Offer the People's Commissariat of Agriculture and the People's Commissariat of State Farms of the USSR to immediately correct
indicated errors and shortcomings in the organization of the All-Union Agricultural
Exhibitions.
2. Postpone the opening of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition to 1939,
appointing its opening on August 1, 1939.
Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR - M. Kalinin
Secretary of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR - A. Gorkin
Moscow, Kremlin August 21, 1938
By the way, I want to talk about one side of this issue. Construction situation
the exhibition laid bare for many officials in the party leadership, to which
situation in the country lead to mass repression. Exhibition guide
committee and party workers of the Central Committee, who were in charge of the exhibition, constantly spoke
in their defense that they constantly arrest scientists, agricultural workers
farms, heads of collective farms and state farms, as well as the creative contingent,
who is involved in its construction and design. And the work already done
have to be redone. And all of them need to be replaced by someone, and not by whom !!!
It is possible that the situation with the exhibition served the country well, even
stage of its construction. What they knew and were silent about, not understanding the whole
scale of what is happening, during the construction of the exhibition it became clear how
litmus paper.
And the entire management of the construction was just led by the NKVD.
They could not, with their own hands, undermine the work that the Party had entrusted to them.
In those conditions, some specialists in agricultural science and art
simply avoided being sent to work on the construction of an exhibition, under
avoided it by any pretexts, already knowing what it could turn into.
There have already been examples.
The exhibition committee received unlimited rights of a government body.
It included:
Chairman of the Exhibition Committee Union Commissar of Agriculture
Ivan Alexandrovich Benediktov
Secretary of the Agricultural Department of the Central Committee of the Party - Nikolaev
Secretary of the organizational department of the Central Committee of the party - G.M. Malenkov
Exhibition director N.V. Tsitsin - a well-known breeder at that time, a botanist
Head of the design department - member of the Board of the NKVD P.N. Vershinin,
and others
All types of work were carried out around the clock, and the construction of the exhibition itself
considered shock
At the beginning of 1939, the exhibition committee set deadlines for
each pavilion and other outbuildings in the finished form of a special
state commission. From April to June, all objects were to
be accepted. Of course, it was clear that for not delivering objects on time,
pavilion management. and this is the director, chief artist and methodologist were accused
in the disruption of the state order, were removed from their posts and arrested,
all the ensuing circumstances of that time. The court was then quick,
and, as they said then, fair. At best, they gave 10 years for this
camps.
I will try to tell you how the process of building the exhibition went.
at least in general terms.
Everything that happened at the level of architectural projects is well known, and I do not
I will be distracted by these numerous details of creative and other twists and turns. .
And the processes of the construction itself were all tied to
industrial plants.
* * *
PRODUCTION FACILITIES
Recall that these were
- architectural and construction;
- facing (granite, marble);
- glass - mirror;
- carpentry;
- decoration;
- font (production of fonts, letters);
- lighting - water supply - sewerage;
- mechanical;
- photo;
- transport, and others.
Each pavilion had written contracts with a number of production plants
on the construction and decoration of the pavilion, indicating the exact deadlines for the completion of construction)
pavilion.
Work at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition began in the second half of 1935. The pavilions were made from
typical wooden parts. The work went slowly, but by July 1937 there were already
pavilions of Belarus, Ukraine, the general pavilion of the Transcaucasian republics, Tataria,
Turkmenistan, Mechanization, Main Pavilion, Pavilion of Beets, Vegetables, etc.
When a new term was appointed - August 1, 1938, they decided to increase the term
service pavilions up to 5 years. Meanwhile, the People's Commissar of Agriculture was shot
Mikhail Chernov (Bukharin trial, March 1938).
Temporary wooden pavilions, designed for 100 days, were remade so that
so that they can stand for 5 years (later this period will be extended to
infinity). At the same time, traces of modernism in architecture were eliminated and
decoration..
The entrance to the Exhibition, built by Oltarzhevsky in the style of "soft" modernism,
seemed insufficiently monumental and was demolished. In his place, Leonid Polyakov
built a three-span triumphal arch, decorated with sculptural reliefs
George Motovilov. A similar fate befell the Mechanization pavilion of Oltarzhevsky
It was demolished, but paradoxically replaced with a constructivist boathouse
architects A.G. Taranova, V.S. Andreeva and N.A. Bykova, despite the fact that
constructivism by this time was officially rejected.
When the opening of the exhibition was postponed to 1939, the master plan for the exhibition,
created by Oltarzhevsky, although he was criticized for the lack of "brightness and
festivities", however, remained virtually unchanged.
The pavilions of Belarus, the Volga region, the Arctic and the Transcaucasian republics were demolished
and rebuilt. It was decided to place sculptures in front of the main pavilion
Lenin and Stalin, from above, on the tower of the Main Pavilion, - the sculpture "Tractor Driver
and a Collective Farm Woman", and in front of the new Mechanization pavilion - a 25-meter
reinforced concrete statue of Stalin.
Four months before the deadline for the opening of the Exhibition, N.S. Khrushchev
who had just been made First Secretary of the Central Committee of Ukraine, examined the Ukrainian
pavilion and was dissatisfied with them. “Ukraine is the granary of the Soviet Union,” said
he, - and the pavilion is worse than the pavilion of Moscow. It is worth noting that before that, in 1937
year, when Khrushchev was the first secretary of the Moscow Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, he ordered to break and
rebuild the Moscow pavilion, because, in his opinion, it was worse
others, and in particular the pavilion of Ukraine.
Among the pavilions built by this time, part was reconstructed,
improved, supplemented with new architectural details. Architecture
exhibition pavilions of the republics of the USSR displayed the characteristic features
national style of each of these republics. Forgotten and inconspicuous wasteland
in the north-east of Moscow has become a unique exhibition city, where
136 hectares were presented 52 different pavilions and more
200 different buildings. In addition to the achievements of agriculture, the exhibition can
it was a walk through green parks, orchards, admiring the cascade of ponds.
Only after the construction of the pavilion as a whole could various
artistic and design work, that is, the creation of the very essence
Exhibitions. Artists muralists and designers, even having sketches of future
works, cannot start their work if they do not have that surface ready -
space to be decorated, painted. Anyone who knows what
exhibition, understands that the design of the pavilion is interconnected with its architecture.
In the same way, an artist - a designer who makes photomontages, various panels, does not
can start designing if there is no stand itself. To every artist
you need to see what kind of lighting will be in the pavilion and how this lighting will be
correspond to the design and monumental paintings. Accordingly, while
the pavilion itself will not be erected, start creating a panorama or diorama
it was impossible for him.
For a number of pavilions, in contracts with plants, the delivery date was precisely indicated
construction of the pavilion - 15 April.
But the situation was such that in April-May, many objects were not yet completed
construction, and in some finishing works. And they were still to be
draw up.
In 1938 there were big changes in the methodological plans
agricultural exhibition. When "deployed" in the pavilion, any
topics, special attention was paid to the so-called "leaders" of agriculture
economy. In painting, photomontages, panoramas, everywhere foreground
the leader is shown - the Stakhanovite of agriculture.
But in 1938 and early 1939 there were arrests of leading workers accused of
sabotage or for other reasons - and their portraits, or photographs, are already
made and placed on stands. So what are artists to do? - panel,
paintings, panoramas, photo montages, with the participation of the arrested leader, it was necessary
redo...
As long as new leaders are determined to replace those who have disappeared, yes, new ones are being produced
pictures with their participation, but until the films and pictures reach the artists
months.
There were also cases when the main artist of the pavilion received fresh films
from a photojournalist who flew in from the place, and tomorrow he has to hand in his
pavilion of the government commission!
Under these circumstances, some pavilion directors, who, feeling
that everything breaks down for them from the slowness of the progress of construction and finishing
works, found the only way out - to give bribes to the management
production plants, so that they fulfill the orders of their pavilions in
first line...
FONTS.
When designing any exhibition pavilion, one cannot do without explanatory
inscriptions, text titles, historical and other information. And for everything
This requires a large number of letters of various shapes, of which
headings and explanatory inscriptions, numerous quotations, slogans are typed.
He was engaged in the manufacture of these letters of different sizes and from different materials.
a special production plant at the exhibition committee.
All these numerous various fonts were made of wood, plywood,
marble, colored glass and other materials. Letters and numbers from
centimeters to a meter or more were produced in huge quantities. Letters and
figures made of wood, plywood, later in the pavilions themselves
painted under silver, gold, marble by artists - designers.
For an average-sized pavilion, a minimum of one hundred and fifty-two hundred
thousand characters. And they had to be processed in the pavilion on their own: to putty,
primed, plated with gold or silver, or marbled, and
then strengthen on walls, stands, panels, diagrams.
Very often, the fonts had to be strengthened at a height of seven to eight meters, with
scaffolding. The signs were fastened with Hercules glue, which gripped the plaster in such a way
walls, that in case of errors, when an unnecessary letter needed to be deleted, it broke
along with plaster.
Therefore, working with the font required attention and precision. In every pavilion
several font styles were used: academic, architectural, roman,
semicircular and others - all this had to be taken into account.
A few months before the opening of the exhibition, the type factory was overwhelmed
orders, worked in three shifts, and the need was huge. Order a font on the side
it was absolutely impossible - nowhere. The theft of type between the pavilions began.
There were cases when in the pavilions, three days before the surrender of the government
Commission, whole boxes of fonts were stolen in hundreds of thousands of missing characters.
I had to hand over the pavilion with unfinished quotes or without them at all.
They frankly told the government commission about the reason - they reacted
sympathetically, since there was still a month and a half before the opening of the exhibition.
In Moscow, as an anecdote, it was said that all free women disappeared from
cities and went to the exhibition. stick letters, for which they were paid good
money. Indeed, it was.
One and a half to two months before the opening of the exhibition, the pavilions paid a ruble per
a sticker on the wall, or a stand of one letter or number. The work was piecemeal.
For a working day (twelve hours), women earned two hundred and fifty -
three hundred rubles
Meanwhile, an engineer who was in charge of an enterprise with several thousand
workers received the maximum, according to the personal decision of the Council of People's Commissars (Council of People's Commissars), a fee of one thousand two hundred rubles a month.
MIRACULOUS, SAVING PHOTO-MONTAGES!
Before the revolution of the seventeenth year, among painters, graphic artists,
illustrators and poster artists did not have the profession of artists at all
photomontage designers. They were created by the next era, when
photography has acquired a wide and multifunctional character.
Through skillfully constructed photomontage on any topic, you can bring to the viewer,
instead of a real-life spectacle - anything, betraying its actuality.
Today, everyone is familiar with the word - "Photoshop". But then, when there was no
computer graphics, and computers in general, all this was done with the help of
photomontage and retouching. To imagine what this
process at that time, I will refer to the memoirs of the main artist of the pavilion
"Artificial insemination" by Mikhail Ivanovich Cherkasheninov:
“On the mountain outskirts there is a “nth” livestock farm with two
hundreds of thin cows (there is not enough food! ..) and five or six plank
cowsheds. The state farm is included in the display plan at the exhibition.
(Each region and district wanted to be represented at the exhibition of the author.)
What to show? And what do photomontage artists exist for,
camera and more
A photojournalist flies by plane to the place, who is given the task to make
pictures of the general view of the state farm, with cowsheds and buildings, from various points
view, at different distances, and pictures of a herd of cows, also from different positions
and in different positions: a herd walking towards the viewer, a herd at rest in the background
mountain landscape, cows in stalls, at a watering hole...
Photographic films arrive at the corresponding pavilion of the exhibition and from that moment
wonderful "creativity" begins to create the desired state farm, instead of
existing poor...
Artist responsible for photomontage, looking through films, scribbles with charcoal
on cardboard or paper corresponding to the size of the future stand, a sketch
composition, which should have a panorama of the state farm with many buildings and,
in the foreground, with a herd of cattle. Let's assume that the size of the booth, depending on
from the internal architecture of the pavilion, three by six meters. The artist knows that
the width of imported photo paper has a limit of one meter, which means its future
photomontage will consist of three meter strips, six meters long
each. Having in front of him a sketch of the photomontage composition and a tape measure, he, choosing
the films he needs, draws up the specification and dimensions of the “stretch marks” he needs
from the film on individual objects of the panorama: the general background of the landscape, buildings for
housing, cowsheds, people and herds of cows occupying the entire foreground of the panorama,
With each film brought from the state farm (and there are several dozen of them)
the artist includes in the specification at least three sizes of "stretch marks" in
perspective from each frame of film. The artist is not limited quantitatively in
re-shots and, for the most part, orders them with a surplus - with insurance.
Several
huge one-story barracks with large windows. These are photo labs
exhibitions, a very important combine.
The specification of "stretch marks", along with films, comes here. Appointed very
a short deadline, and a large, complex and cumbersome work begins on
film stretching, developing, fixing, drying. Work in photo labs
and throughout the exhibition, go around the clock.
All re-shots and "stretching" are made on imported magnificent, thick
paper that is paid for in foreign currency. The final works, for the most part,
are made on tone matte paper, and intermediate ones are made on white, glossy paper.
The execution of "stretching" from films, in the form of many rolls of photographic paper, comes
to the responsible installation artist, who, focusing on his sketch
compositions, marks in red those parts on the "stretch marks" that will be included in
future composition, and passes them to his assistants for cutting. Let's go to work
scissors, ordinary and small curves (manicure). Of the stretch marks that happen
for one photomontage over a hundred, details are carefully cut out, outlined
red line. Then thin cardboard or thick paper is taken, with an area of \u200b\u200bthree by
six meters (stand size) and a sticker of cut-out parts begins on it,
reminiscent of a children's game of cubes, when from certain edges of the cube
some general figure or landscape is drawn up. The task of the artist is
show the state farm powerful, attractive, and a herd of cows, at least
ten times enlarged, well-fed, thoroughbred. All cutout details are tight
are adjusted to each other, and this whole puzzle must comply with
perspective of the panorama, picturesque location of individual parts and their
scale. When an area of eighteen square meters (3 x 6) is sealed
details of the reshots, the panel is viewed again - whether on a scale and
run all the details? - herd and individual cows, buildings, people, landscape,
and this “sheet” glued together from pieces is handed over again to the laboratory, where it
two shots are taken (darker and lighter), each of the three meter strips of six
meters in length each. These bands, according to the strength of illumination, are connected together by
gluing from the back of photo paper, and careful retouching begins to remove
not only technical errors, but, most importantly, all traces of the faces pasted
details. In a word, long-term retouching of such a large area should bring all
panorama to the same denominator and look impeccable even up close, no matter
who could not have thought that this picture of the state farm is not solid, but
made up of many pieces. Both copies are retouched (light and
dark), the best of them is selected and again handed over to the laboratory for the last
a picture that is usually printed on tone matte paper. pencil marks
from retouching are eliminated, the stripes of the image are pasted by specialists on
a prepared stand made of 12 mm aviation plywood and a retoucher,
already on the stand, again making the last easy and inevitable corrections. »
The last three to four months before the opening of the exhibition, working conditions, mainly
the way the leading artists were nightmarish. People for weeks and months
were not at home, but slept on folding beds in pavilions, fed there, on
exhibition.
With the approaching deadlines for the pavilions, they did not sleep for three or four days,
helped out cold showers several times a night. Sit down somewhere in a secluded
it was dangerous to rest in a corner of the pavilion - they immediately fell asleep.
Periodically on unknown days, or rather nights, usually between one
and three, Stalin came to the exhibition, surrounded by those accompanying him
associates and guards. He went into the pavilions, looked ...
These visits aggravated the already strained nerves of the people even more.
Here is a recollection of one such visit by the leader.
“At that time, many pavilions of the Exhibition were built of wood, and between their walls
for insulation, sawdust with peat was poured. This design was very
fire hazardous. Often there were fires at the construction site. The exhibition created
a special detachment of paramilitary fire protection. One late night in
the duty of Sergeant Nikolai Bezruchenko (he was known among his colleagues for his
fearlessness, professionalism and integrity) to the pavilion "Georgian
SSR ”a motorcade of cars is approaching. In the light of the lantern, Bezruchenko saw slowly
a man who got out of the car, very familiar from newspapers and portraits, and
dazed at first. But he quickly came to his senses, and when the unexpected arrivals
the guests went to the pavilion, he, like a firefighter on duty, followed them,
following the instructions in order.
Listening attentively to the story of the pavilion on duty about the exposition, Iosif
Vissarionovich began to fill his pipe with tobacco out of habit. He didn't make it
take the first puff, when I heard the voice of Sergeant Bezruchenko, who
stepping forward, he confidently said: “Comrade Stalin, you can’t smoke here!”
Stalin looked at him attentively, silently put out the receiver and put it in
jacket pocket.
What happened the next day in the fire station of the exhibition, you can only
introduce. Moreover, the Kremlin requested a testimonial for a sergeant.
How several agonizing days passed in obscurity does not have to tell
meaning. The main thing is that everything ended well. Arriving colonel of the NKVD read out
gratitude to the sergeant from Comrade Stalin for vigilance and strict
performance of official duties and announced the awarding of his prize. »
For some pavilions, the deadlines for the delivery of the government commission fell
for April, but the next reasons for the "delays" were so obvious to the Exhibition
committee, who understood that it did not depend on the management of the pavilions, that
people were not touched. But in May, for not delivering several pavilions on time, there were already
some directors, chief artists, methodologists, also
completely innocent, apparently in the form of prophylaxis ... so that others do not
it was habitual.
* * *
I want to give a few examples from my memories of that. how real
exhibition was created.
« At the beginning of 1939 near the area of collective farms, next to the pavilion
livestock breeding, the Sheep Pavilion was almost ready, with the name:
State farm "Askania-Nova". He was already approaching the completion of the design inside.
and suddenly all work stopped. And two months later, at the site of this pavilion
flower beds have already been laid out. What happened?
The fact is that "Askaknya-Nova" was still a pre-revolutionary private nursery on
south of the Kherson province, and its owners live safely abroad.
Someone, obviously, suggested to anyone who needed it: “no matter how scandal with the former
owners, it’s better to remove it completely ... ”, - they instantly removed it, and in its place,
like in a fairy tale, already innocent flowers grew ... "
“A tall tower made of iron and steel was built on the square of collective farms, in the style
"constructivism" - as an emblem of the mechanization of agriculture. They built it
a whole year. Then it was demolished, and in its place they built a granite, cube-shaped
the pedestal on which the figure of Stalin was installed in three human
growth, carved from granite by the sculptor Merkulov. »
The administrative building of the Exhibition Committee was located to the right of
central entrance to the exhibition.
The lobby and reception area are spacious and beautifully furnished. Here is the secretariat
with young beautiful women who speak foreign languages.
From the vestibule to the right you enter the meeting room of the Exhibition Committee.
The agricultural exhibition in rank was significantly higher than any
commissariat (ministry), and consequently, the situation there should have been
be appropriate. The hall was designed for three hundred and fifty-four hundred people.
The floors and walls are decorated with carpets. The chairs are nice and soft. In the depths - the stage,
for the presidium, and on it, a portrait of Stalin.
I want to tell you how one of the meetings of the Exhibition
committee before the completion of its construction.
It took place in mid-June 1939. It discussed the situation with
the readiness of the pavilions to hand over the state selection committee.
It so happened that at this meeting the fate of many leaders was decided.
different pavilions. Among them is the chief artist of the Pavilion
"Artificial insemination" by Mikhail Cherkasheninov.
Judge for yourself.
This meeting was attended by all directors and their deputies, chief
artists and methodologists of all seventy-eight pavilions and
industrial plants.
The hall was full.
On the day of the meeting, special NKVD messengers on motorcycles delivered to everyone
special agendas for this meeting and handed them against receipt.
There were only 2 months left, and a lot of things were not yet ready, and not one of
pavilions was not handed over to the state commission.
A few days before this meeting, there were rumors around the exhibition that there would be
some urgent action.
Everyone ran and stuff. On the day of the meeting, everyone worked, as always, until late,
and at half-past ten the secretary indignantly phoned the detainees.
It was difficult to find a place in the hall to sit down.
At the Presidium Secretaries of the Agricultural and Organizational Departments of the Central Committee
parties: Nikolaeva and Malenkov, President of the Agricultural Academy and two directors
Agricultural Institutes, Director of the All-Union Agricultural
Exhibitions (VSHV) Tsytsin, director of the Design Department P. P. Vershinin,
exhibition commandant and some other senior officials.
The meeting was opened and chaired by the Chairman of the Exhibition Committee
Union Commissar of Agriculture Benediktov I. A.
I.A. Benediktov - Pavilion Cotton pavilion deadline expired for another two weeks
ago. The pavilion today is completely
ready. They have not made many stands and stuff. At the Committee
there is a proposal for this pavilion .... (looked around the hall)
Director, chief artist and methodologist of the pavilion
immediately dismissed and prosecuted!
I.A. Benediktov - You had enough time to eliminate the causes.
Now none of your arguments are accepted. We can not
turn today's meeting into rally talk.
The question is over.
The Presidium tacitly agrees to this proposal.
I.A. Benediktov - Next pavilion - Artificial insemination.
The director of the pavilion..., the main artist and methodologist here?
Mikhail Ivanovich rises - I and the methodologist are here, Where is the director of the pavilion
I don't know, since he left the pavilion at three o'clock in the afternoon.
At this time, Vershinin says to Benediktov - Comrade Benediktov, you know,
that Professor N. - the director of the pavilion is very busy, he has
important meeting in the evening.
I.A. Benediktov - This pavilion should also be commissioned for more than two weeks
back. The committee has a proposal - Chief artist and methodologist
immediately removed from work and prosecuted.
The artist M.I. gets up again. - Ivan Alexandrovich, I categorically demand to give
me a word. To judge whether the artist succeeded or not
coped with the task entrusted to him, facts are needed, and the Committee
They are not here....
This monologue produced a slight shock in the hall and presidium.
The heads of the members of the presidium stretched out.
Nikolaeva - Comrade Benediktov, I believe that to the comrade chief artist
we must give the floor ... let's listen to what he tells us.
Benediktov - Comrade Chief Artist I give you three minutes.
M.I. - The management of the exhibition is well aware of the changes that have taken place in
winter 1938 - 1939 with a display of advanced people of rural
economy. A few hours ago I got still warm films
filmed on the ground, with new front-runners to be shown in the pavilion.
Now all relevant panels, paintings,
photo montages and more.
A minimal understanding of this will tell you what a grandiose
we are redoing the work .... How could I pass two weeks ago
pavilion?
Second - I have firm contracts with industrial plants about
terms of construction and finishing of the pavilion.... All stands must
were ready and handed over to me on April 15 ... but they are not ready
even today. Some other pavilions and treaty signatories
later and dates that were later than ours, they already have everything ready,
finished. What, for miracles... tell me please?
I beat all the thresholds of the combines, asking them to speed up
finishing, and they smile ....
I have no doubt that some special golden pen is helping them.
Tell me now, how could I hand over the pavilion two weeks ago,
when I don’t have anything to draw on and what to draw on today.
There was deathly silence in the hall. Everyone in the hall was afraid to even utter a word,
realizing that now not only the fate of M.I., but also of many others, is being decided.
From the presidium of P.P. Vershinin - Comrade chief artist, why didn't you come
to me?
M.I. - Pavel Petrovich, you probably forgot. I visited you more than once .., and
you got rid of me saying that everyone is like that. I gave you two
memos, copies of which, with your secretary's signature, I have
in the pocket. You didn't react to them.
Vershinin was confused.
I.A. Benediktov - Comrade chief artist, your time is up.
Nikolaeva - Comrade Benediktov, what does it all mean? We hear real
facts, I demand to give the chief artist of this pavilion more
time, let him continue, we decide his fate and destiny
our exhibition .... too.
M.I. - Thank you .. In addition to the two reasons I have named, there are a number of at least
important, but which do not allow you to work normally, do
your business. For example - there was a remark that the director of our
the pavilion is absent from the meeting due to the fact that he has an important
another session. He left at three in the afternoon, now it's eleven
evenings. What meeting can last seven hours? Is it
the surrender of the pavilion to the government is a less important meeting. I claim
that this is some important meeting, just an excuse not to
to be here today and he left before the subpoenas were handed
to this meeting, but the messenger caught up with him and handed him the summons.
The Committee proposes to remove me and the methodologist from work and put me on trial
and passes over in silence the director of the pavilion, Professor N .. He is to blame
already because I hardly see him in the pavilion .... in general.
Maybe he is a very important and busy person. It's not for me to judge
but this does not make it any easier for me, as the chief artist of the pavilion. I'm after
in fact, not the main artist, but in fact the director of the pavilion, I
must take care of everything, even sign the demands for passes
to enter the exhibition area.
I.A. Benediktov - How so! Do you sign requests for passes?
Comrade commandant, how is this so? .... This is a violation!
Malenkov, who had been sitting silent all the time, laughed in his palm.
The commandant, shrugging his shoulders - And we believed that Mmkhail Ivanovich was the director
pavilion, we do not know of another.
I.A. Benediktov - It's really outrageous!!.
There is some animation in the hall, a feeling of approval,
as if supporting what was said.
Nikolaev - Comrade Benediktov! Obviously fellow chief artist is right.
After all, he exposes you with facts .....
I.A. Benediktov - Comrade chief artist, how much time do you need,
to finish work in the pavilion?
M. I. - Ivan Alexandrovich. We need at least two weeks.
I.A. Benediktov - Oh, no no! We don't have two weeks. We can give you
only five days.
MI - Well, what should I do? I can't promise you and I don't want you
deceive. Five days won't save me, I won't have time to do it all,
and no one will have time to do such work in five days. We are so
we work 18 hours. Take it to court right now.
Nikolaev - Comrade Benediktov! What is this trade? Gotta give it to a friend
the main artist what he asks. He is right.
Benediktov - We give you ten days. And let's finish...
M.I. - Well, I will continue, and you must help us, otherwise we
do not have time. And now, I ask you to let me go to the pavilion.
There work goes on all night and I periodically need to
give instructions.
As if having received a tacit consent, he, somehow modestly, but beautifully,
went to the exit.
The whole hall saw him off with a kind of tremulous gratitude.
What did he do, heroic? He saved himself and others, just as innocent.
He did that at this meeting there was no longer a single proposal to “remove from
work and prosecute, "since decisively everything he said is more
or to a lesser extent applied to other objects. The pavilion workers
responsible for the delays.
All proposals for dismissal and prosecution in respect of the previous five
pavilions, including the Cotton pavilion, were also removed, and the Committee
exhibition agreed on a new, indeed the last date of delivery.
The next day in the pavilion to M.I. all day long under different pretexts
heads of pavilions and services came with words of thanks. Among them
the director of the neighboring pavilion came to him - a member of the party, an order bearer. sat,
wept, thanked for the salvation.
After this meeting, no one was touched. A commission of three arrived at the exhibition
workers of the Central Committee to verify the facts told by Mikhail Ivanovich,
Everything has been confirmed."
* * *
And here is the story of this chief artist Mikhail Cherkasheninov about the surrender
pavilion "Artificial insemination" of the State Commission.
“The picture will not be complete, if not to say a little about the director of the pavilion -
Professor N. He is a friend and friend of P.P. Vershinin. In the past, in the early years
revolution was a Sevastopol sailor. Very capable, strong, strong-willed.
For many years, like P.P. Vershinin, worked in the Cheka-OGPU-NKVD system, then
went to study and reached the "red professor" in the system of agriculture,
where he headed an important research institute. Was lazy and loved well
live. There were constant "adventures, .." He always needed money.
Artist M.I. he made unseemly suggestions along the line of receiving
veiled ways of state "easy money". flourished at the exhibition
a system of continuous bribes, "greases" and forgeries. The artist M. I. firmly to him
refused. He decided to remove the artist, and the methodist of the pavilion, a party but sweet
lady - agronomist, would be just a victim ... It was in those terrible times
the usual method for preserving oneself. Vershinin promised to support him and
protect from punishment. That is why Professor N., having received a summons to a meeting
Committee, calmly left the city (and not for a fictitious meeting, of course),
being convinced that Vershinin - the actual owner of the exhibition - will help him out.
But his plan was thwarted...
The next day, those who came to the pavilion to the artist M.I. met there and
this director - a professor, pale, but diligently busy with the housework
pavilion. It turns out that he was informed about the result of the meeting at night and he is already in
seven in the morning was at the exhibition.
Director - Professor N. understood how the story with
meeting, and with passion began to deal with the affairs of the pavilion for twelve
fourteen hours a day. Chief artist M.I. handed over to him all the household
and administrative functions, while he was fully engaged in design.
I have already specified that the work was around the clock. Crews of artists changed,
working twelve hours. Some left and were replaced by others, and the main
the artist was without change. Slept in the pavilion in the so-called "dead" segment
time, from three to seven in the morning, and the last four days before the surrender did not sleep
at all. It turned out to be a happy surprise - the deadline was delayed for another three
day, Vershinin had already done this for a friend of the professor. The pavilion was mostly
ready, it came out great, but there were a lot of imperfections. The big scourge was the lack
in fonts and many slogans remained unfinished. Delivery of pavilions
government commissions were always held at night - from eleven,
twelve o'clock.
Mikhail Ivanovich recalled:
By ten in the evening on the day the pavilion was handed over, all work was completed and
full order. I went to change into the clothes that my wife had brought and
take a cold shower to stay awake. At eleven o'clock thirty minutes
a motorcyclist arrived and warned that in 15 minutes the government
commission..
Near the entrance to the pavilion, on both sides of the wide porch, we stood: the director
pavilion Professor N. and the main artist - I (M.I. Cherkasheninov).
A line of ZISs drove up to the square near the pavilion. Above, on the pediment flared up
huge emblem of the pavilion, and two powerful
jets of spotlights illuminating the pavilion. It was almost dark inside the pavilion...
A group of twenty-five to thirty people walked along the alley, headed by I.A.
Benediktov
In the group, of course, Tsytsin, P.P. Vershinin, secretaries of the Central Committee, "Glavlit" (supreme
control of slogans, quotes and other writings), beautiful stenographers and many
others I, A. Benediktov, - young (about forty), handsome, well-groomed
"aristocrat", came up to me, greeted me and asked:
Well, comrade chief artist, are you all ready? Are you inviting us?
An order is given to turn on all the switches and the pavilion is flooded with light.
The whole group, greeting, enters the introductory, spacious hall, lingers
in the middle, examining the complex design with light, mechanical
switching, effects, panoramas, wall paintings, friezes and more.
We agree on where the inspection will begin. Artistic order explanations
I did, and on professional issues - the professor.
We are in the middle of a large group, next to Benediktov and two stenographers,
leading the acceptance protocol. Many questions are being asked. Reception is meticulous.
“Approaching any imperfection, I immediately warn “attack - attack” and
I give an explanation. So, about unfinished quotes and inscriptions, I say directly
Benediktov that a misfortune happened: three days ago they stole from the pavilion
thirty thousand missing font characters ... General laughter! Already
it is felt that the pavilion liked.
The delivery of the pavilion lasted an hour and 15 minutes. Again everyone stops at the introductory
hall, to sum up the results of the inspection .. Benediktov and others (even Vershinin)
were benevolent. Benediktov, addressing everyone, asked:
Well, comrades? I think the pavilion is great! What rating will we give?
Many voices: - Excellent!
Benediktov: - Well, well! I do not mind. Like the people, so do I.
Then, turning to me: - Comrade artist, you deserve this mark.
I was convinced that you worked selflessly, and we did not help you well ..;
Don't remember the past. Thank you!..
After a warm farewell, the cavalcade moved on to the next pavilion. »
In the morning the artist and his wife came home - Get some sleep.
At five o'clock in the afternoon he was again at the exhibition in his pavilion.
He was met by the Professor-Director. And an hour later a messenger on a motorcycle brought
a copy of the pavilion acceptance protocol. And as an addition and recognition of it
sent to the pavilions not completed by the deadline, in the form of assistance - a consultant ...
It was an official, political acceptance of the pavilion.
A few days later, the pavilion was handed over to the artistic council.
The artistic council of the exhibition consisted of sixty members.
Academician Yevgeny Evgenyevich Lansere was the chairman.
The artistic council of the exhibition included artists, artists and writers.
There were no complaints about the decoration of the pavilion.
A month and a half before the opening, three, three and a half
thousands of representatives of Moscow students - boys and girls - future
guides of the Agricultural Exhibition. They smashed them into pavilions, and
also for excursions outside the pavilions. Started their daily
training for future lecture work. For each display object, there were previously
the corresponding texts were prepared (it was the work of the methodologists) they had to be
memorize and do not use only this text for explanations. Then
instructors examined everyone at stands, panels, photomontages and other
display objects.
They were ordered new, strict black suits, black boots, white
shirts, ties, and for girls - also black, English-cut suits,
blouses, stockings, shoes. said that when selecting guides for an exhibition in
University "ah there was a big competition: many wanted to get this excellent job with
a good salary, food at the exhibition and plus get a new one for free
clothes for work.
* * *
In July 1939, less than a month before the opening of the Exhibition, the sculpture of Vera
Mukhina "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" was transported from Paris, where she used
a great success at Expo-37, and mounted on the driveway to the Main
VSHV entrance. Due to lack of time, much to the chagrin of Mukhina, the height
pedestal for the statue was only ten meters (as opposed to 34 meters in
Paris).
* * *
The last object on the construction of the exhibition in 1939 was his
symbol - a statue of a "tractor driver and collective farm woman" that crowned the 50-meter tower
next to the Main Pavilion. It should be understood that the wooden tower was
it is impossible to lift a concrete sculpture weighing 70 tons. To do
the impossible is possible, the builders had to urgently strengthen the tower
metal frame, made up of metal trusses on reinforced concrete
foundation. The sculpture itself consisted of separate elements: legs, torso,
hands, heads and sheaves. The massive sculpture began to be raised 10 days before
opening of the exhibition.
But it turned out that the crane, which has a maximum lifting capacity of 6 tons, is simply
unable to lift a sheaf that weighed all 9. Something urgently needed
come up with. And then the exhibition engineer S.A. Alekseev decided to replace the sheaf,
having made it from wood in actually two days! And the exhibition director Nikolai
Tsitsin, under his personal responsibility, instructed to raise blocks of sculpture
smaller cranes...
The director's risk was great. But he was acquitted: August 1, the opening day
Exhibitions, the symbol of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition “Tractor driver and collective farm woman” was already shining in the sun with its
bronze noble luster ...
It should be recognized that by August 1, 1939, in a record short time (in total
in 7 months) twice as much construction work was done than in
1936–1937
GRAND OPENING OF THE EXHIBITION
The opening day of the exhibition is well known.
A lot of filmed newsreels and newspaper and magazine publications have been preserved.
Yes, and in the movie "The Pig and the Shepherd" you can see what the exhibition looked like
in those prewar years.
On Opening Day, August 1, 1939, the weather was warm and sunny.
Along the entire route, from the center of Moscow to the exhibition, banners with
slogans, portraits of Stalin, red flags, banners:
"To the agricultural exhibition" ...
Along the entire route there are chains of policemen in white tunics and gloves, with batons.
The first day of opening is official: only by special invitation of the government.
The exhibition was attended by the entire diplomatic corps and its foreign entourage,
the elite of the Soviet government and thousands of directors of state farms, chairmen of collective farms,
leaders and Stakhanovites of agriculture, who arrived in whole delegations.
At eleven o'clock in the morning, after the performance of the anthem of the Soviet Union, over a high
the tower of the "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" hoisted the flag of the USSR.
On the walls of this tower, written in gold volumetric font, flaunted
"Constitution of the USSR"
The exhibition was opened by the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
V. N. Molotov:
Comrades!
« The opening of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition is a national
triumph. It reflects the great victory of the collective farm system,
finally cleared the Soviet land of kulaks and other exploiters,
which cleared the way for the victorious rise of the socialist rural
economy and throughout our country.
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, the initiative of whose organization belonged to
the 2nd All-Union Congress of Collective Farm Shock Workers in 1935 is, first of all,
an exhibition of collective farms, an exhibition of collective farm victories, in which we see the all-conquering
the strength of the alliance of workers and peasants under the banner of communism (applause), under
banner of the great party of Lenin-Stalin.
This is its fundamental difference from the agricultural exhibition of 1923, when
In our country, individual small peasant farming dominated, and
the collective farms and state farms were still very weak and occupied an inconspicuous place.
The real Agricultural Exhibition sums up the decade, at the beginning
whom the peasant masses finally turned away from the petty individual
farms to large collective farms. Remember, comrades, "the year of the great
turning point" - 1929, when this turn of the peasantry took place on the path
collectivization. Then, ten years ago, the ground for the restructuring of agriculture
economy on the basis of collective farms was already largely prepared. Soviet
power has been strengthened. Our industry has begun the mass production of tractors and machines
for agriculture. The fight against the kulaks, especially during grain procurements
1928-1929, unfolded along the entire front and turned into a general
offensive against the capitalist elements. The village already had a large
experience of agricultural cooperation. Successes of the first collective farms and state farms
gained fame. By this time the Party and the Government had spent a great
work to explain to the peasants that a real rise in agriculture
economy and providing cities with bread and other agricultural
products is possible only with the transition of the peasants to the path of collective farms, to
way of collectivization of individual farms. Then there was a historic turn
peasantry of our country to the path of collective farms. In his famous article "The Year
great turning point,” Comrade Stalin wrote at the end of 1929:
“The middle peasant went to the collective farms. This is the basis of that radical change in the development
agriculture, which is the most important achievement of Soviet power
over the past year ... The last hope of the capitalists is crumbling and turning into dust
of all countries dreaming of the restoration of capitalism in the USSR - "the sacred principle
private property." Peasants, considered by them as material,
respecting the soil for capitalism, the masses are leaving the vaunted banner of “private
property” and go over to the rails of collectivism, to the rails of socialism.
The last hope for the restoration of capitalism is crumbling.”
This turning of the peasantry onto the path of collectivization enabled our Party and
The government should set the task of moving from a policy of restricting the kulaks to
new policy - to the policy of eliminating the kulaks as a class, on the basis of
complete collectivization. Overcoming the frantic resistance of the kulaks and others
counter-revolutionary elements in the countryside, overcoming the resistance of the rump
bourgeoisie in our country - all these Trotskyists, rightists and others like them -
The Bolshevik Party rallied the working people of the countryside under its banner, under
the banner of the Soviet government, which built collective farms, despite all the resistance
hostile elements, and in spite of the dangerous dislocations of every kind of "Left"
peregibschikov - and won a glorious victory. (Stormy applause.) Turn
peasantry on the path of collective farms in 1929–1930. and final victory
collective farm system in our country, as well as the subsequent successes of the collective farms, are inextricably
associated with the name of the great leader of our party and the peoples of the Soviet Union -
with the name of the great Stalin.
Only ten years have passed since our peasantry in its mass began to build
collective farms. Now we have 240,000 collective farms, in which almost all
the country's arable peasantry. Before our eyes in all branches of agriculture
there is a steady, ever-expanding rise of socialist rural
economy. Freed from the fetters of capitalism, armed with advanced technology,
organized as large-scale social production, our agriculture
grows and grows stronger every year. Our village is finally freed from
landlords and kulaks, from all sorts of exploiters. In our village there is no more and
the peasant poor, who until recently still made up a third of the peasant mass,
and before the revolution made up more than half of the peasantry. We are forever
freed themselves from this satellite of the old, bourgeois-landowner state.
The collective farmers now work only for themselves, for their
well-being and happiness. Open to all peasant collective farmers in our country
way to a prosperous and cultural life. No other country, never
capitalism, the working peasants cannot even dream of it.
The All-Union Agricultural Exhibition provides numerous proofs
this by showing many thousands of living examples of the growth and strengthening of our collective farms and
state farms, showing numerous examples of prosperous and cultural life
collective farmers. This exhibition gives a demonstration of the mighty flourishing of forces of all
republics, territories and regions of our great country. She shines bright light
the growth and rise of all branches of our agriculture, the rise
agricultural crops and various types of animal husbandry, the success of machine-
tractor stations and collective farms, the successes of state and collective farms, the successes
scientific institutions and individual outstanding workers of agricultural
science, successes and achievements of individual leaders and noble people of our
collective farm village.
The All-Union Agricultural Exhibition is not organized according to the usual patterns.
It does not just present these or those good examples of work, these or those
samples of agricultural products. The right to participate in the Agricultural
The exhibition is determined by the exact science-based conditions for the selection of candidates.
To qualify to participate in the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition,
collective farms, state farms, machine and tractor stations, collective and state farms,
research institutions, breeding and experimental stations should
have certain performance indicators for the last two years, namely, for
1937–1938 For each crop, according to the respective
zones, a certain height of productivity is established, for each species
animal husbandry established certain indicators of cultivation
young stock and productivity, upon reaching which over the past two years only
and you can get the right to participate in the Agricultural Exhibition. Installed
certain indicators of the well-organized work of the MTS, as well as established
indicators of work for the last 1938 for agricultural leaders.
Only when these indicators are achieved, collective farms, state farms and other organizations,
as well as individual advanced people of agriculture, got the opportunity
become participants in the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition and then entered
in the honorary book of the Exhibition. Setting these indicators according to the samples of advanced
farms and good examples of the work of individual noble people of the collective farm and
state farm, we proceeded from the fact that before each
the agricultural sector and to each group of workers
socialist agriculture, and thus before the whole mass of collective farms and state farms
their specific tasks for the near future. We were guided by the fact
that these should be such indicators, the achievement of which, on average, the entire
a mass of collective farms and state farms would mean the fulfillment and even overfulfillment of the task
third five-year plan for agriculture. This gives, at the same time,
the ability to determine which republic or region is ahead or, on the contrary,
lags behind in one or another type of agriculture, in which of them it is grown
more advanced people of agriculture. In the program of indicators for
Agricultural Exhibition is thus given a program of a new upsurge
agriculture in accordance with the plan of the third Stalinist five-year plan.
The sooner we ensure that the entire mass of collective farms and state farms meet the targets
established for participants of the Agricultural Exhibition, the sooner we
We will ensure the fulfillment of the entire plan of the Third Five-Year Plan for agriculture. IN
this is the significance of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition as an organizer
socialist competition for the fulfillment of the third five-year plan.
The selection of participants in the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition showed that we have
there are already quite a few such collective farms, state farms, MTS, collective farms, as well as advanced workers
collective and state farms, which are at the level of the requirements of the third
five-year plans, and in many cases go well ahead of these requirements.
At the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition got the right to participate 15 059
collective farms, 11,004 collective farms, 268 MTS, 795 state farms. In addition, on
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition received the right to participate 155 821
a person from the foremost and noble people of agriculture. Upon reaching
good indicative work for 1939, in the future 1940 in
Thousands and thousands more will be able to take part in the Agricultural Exhibition
collective farms and state farms, new tens of thousands of agricultural leaders.
Let us wish that socialist competition unfolds as widely as possible.
between republics, territories, regions and districts, between collective farms, MTS and
state farms for winning the right to participate in the Agricultural Exhibition
only in this, but also in 1940!
For all branches of agricultural crops, for all branches of animal husbandry
at this Exhibition there are in kind the most remarkable examples and achievements,
often exceeding world records. The strength of the collective farm system is demonstrated by this
An exhibition with exceptional persuasiveness, and thousands of its samples,
represented here by all the republics, territories and regions, give an idea
about the innumerable riches of the agriculture of the Soviet Union, about its
exceptional diversity, steady growth and great creative powers.
Our Exhibition not only gives the result of victories, but is also a powerful call to
further advancement of agriculture, to new glorious victories of socialism.
By demonstrating the victories of the collective farm system, we demonstrate the great strength of the organization
of our new Soviet collective-farm peasantry, the most numerous class
workers in our country. The working class of our country is organized into a mighty
Soviet strength, thanks to the growth and steady rise of the big socialist
industry. The collective farms, which have transformed our peasantry from scattered and
dispersed small proprietors into the builders of a social socialist
economy, turned the Soviet collective-farm peasantry into a great force,
demonstrating today the enormous successes of its economic organization,
cultural growth and socialist consciousness. Thus,
demonstration of collective-farm victories means enormous successes in the economic and
political organization of our entire people. Peoples soldered by unbreakable friendship
of the Soviet Union represent something unprecedented in the past, impossible under capitalism
great organized force. This is the guarantee of the further successes of communism in
our country. This is the great international significance of the demonstration of collective-farm
victories
Allow all those who, by their exemplary work, have secured the right to participate in
All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, warmly welcome on behalf of the Party
and the Government. Allow me to convey Bolshevik greetings to the initiators of the case
construction of collective farms and to all those who are now waging a relentless struggle for new
and new successes of collective farms and state farms. Allow me to congratulate the organizers and
builders, architects and artists, responsible managers and ordinary
employees of the Exhibition who successfully completed their task.
Long live the victorious collective-farm peasantry of the Soviet Union!
Long live the indestructible alliance of the workers and peasants who are building socialism!
Long live the organizer of our victories - the great party of Lenin-Stalin!
Long live the great leader of the country of collective farms and socialism, Comrade Stalin!
On behalf of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party and the government
of the Soviet Union, I declare the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition open. »
The speech ended, and then the choir burst out. A new song was performed "Glory,
Abundant Motherland”, written by special government order
to the opening of the Exhibition by the composer I.O. Dunayevsky to the words of I.I. Dobrovolsky.
On the personal instructions of Molotov, at the opening of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, a combined choir and orchestra
the composer himself conducted the music.
The choir sang solemnly with enthusiasm:
Oh, you, abundant homeland,
You are beloved, almighty!
In your cities and villages,
In the fields of your merry
The innumerable Soviet silushka is getting stronger!
We are rich and harvesters,
And fruitful fields
Tractors and fruits
And wonderful gardens...
Our girls are not cuter,
Our fellows are not bolder,
Our sabers are sharper than all
Our horses are the fastest.
Some loudspeakers transmitted speech in foreign languages.
Applause. Shouts of "hooray"!
The guests were served champagne.
The opening of the exhibition took place on the Square of the Union Republics, in front of the main
pavilion. After Molotov's speech, the crowd of many thousands divided into groups,
and accompanied by guides, went to the pavilions. foreign guests
accompanied by people's commissars with translators.
Over 10,000 people attended the opening ceremony.
And here, talking about the opening of the exhibition, I want to quote
recollection of the artist - designer M.F. Ladura, who worked hard
in the field of design of theatrical performances:
“We were talking about the opening holiday ... This is where the thought of a “fruitful” sky flashed.
It is necessary that the sky over Moscow on the opening day of the All-Union Agricultural
the exhibition was also “agricultural”. Fanfare March! (Fortunately the weather
good.) 1000 balloons of conceivable and unthinkable shades solemnly
rise into the sky. Each ball has a vertical banner with a golden spike. Heaven in
golden spikes. And among them are vegetable balls, fruit balls ... The sky is covered with cherries,
apples, watermelons. Everything that grows on the ground was reproduced by the masters of the plant
"Rubber" in grandiose sizes, and all this took to the air in a day
grand opening. Perhaps this was the most effective trick. Yes it was
a trick, but he heralded in his decorative language a momentous event.
The task was solved."
I do not know if he managed to carry out such a beautiful plan.
There is no information about this...
According to the information sheet prepared for the opening, the exhibition
“spread over an area of 136 hectares. This area has over 230
buildings and pavilions ... Participate in the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition
15,059 collective farms, 11,004 collective farms, 268 MTS, 795 state farms. In addition, on
the exhibition presents 155,821 leading workers and noble people of agriculture
The stands of the pavilions show the work of 656 collective farms, 194 collective farms
commodity farms, 62 MTS, 195 state farms, 95 scientific institutions, 3,300 advanced workers and
agricultural organizers and so on. All exhibitors are registered
in the Book of Honor, a copy of which is available in every pavilion. Eighty
thousand ornamental bushes, forty thousand trees, 4 million flowers adorn
exhibition area. The exhibition built 400,000 square meters
paved roads and garden-park type roads. 7,500,000 pieces laid
bricks. A sea of light floods the exhibition area in the evenings, over 15,000 kilowatts
the exhibition consumes. This is about the same amount of energy as such
a city like Kuibyshev, with all its plants and factories.
The exposition of the exhibition was built according to the sectoral and territorial principle
- for the Union and Autonomous Republics and individual natural zones.
Crops and plantations, occupying about 20 hectares, represented the rural
economy of the entire Soviet Union. About 600 varieties of various crops were sown
on one grain plot. About 10,000 plants were planted in the exhibition garden.
plants. Among them are 600 varieties of fruit and berry crops...
On the site of technical and southern heat-loving crops there were crops:
cotton, rice, beets, flax, hemp, tobacco, kenaf, rubber plants, hops.
In total, 260 crops of more than 3 thousand varieties were exhibited in open areas.
2,000 guides and 1,000 group guides worked at the VSHV. Two hundred guides
served foreign guests who, for the Soviet exhibition, had
increased interest.
Despite the fact that the Exhibition was conceived as a one-time event,
the country's leadership decided to continue its work.
In the first year of operation, the exhibition ran for 86 days and closed on 25 October.
During this time, more than 5 million people have become its visitors -
an average of 60 thousand per day.
And here is one of the reviews left by the guests of the exhibition in the book of honor
visitors:
Martin Andersen-Nekse writer (Denmark) :
“I have been to many exhibitions. But the picture presented to me here gave
a deeper insight into humanity as a whole than anything seen before
still world exhibitions. The true culture of the country is nowhere to be seen there, and
here, in Moscow, it is shown “in time and space”. Before us
an exhibition reminiscent of the city from the “Thousand and One Nights” with its buildings.
And this comparison is true.”
And here are a few excerpts from the press. Journalists were exactly the same,
like many visitors are surprised by what they saw:
“Visitors come to a tree where an apple and a pear grow at the same time.
At a distance, unprecedented fruits are ripening, pouring juices: a mixture of peach and almonds,
apricot with plum, bird cherry with cherry, quince with pear, gooseberry with currant.
And the olive tree is grafted onto the lilac. And it's already bearing fruit! Here it is, the Michurin legacy!”
“Surely none of you have seen in Moscow pouring fragrant juice
vines. There are already seventy varieties of them at the exhibition! Yes, there are grapes!
The melons grafted on the pumpkin ripen on the exhibition melon. And they weigh five
kilograms ... Every bush, every tree in this magical garden is drowning among
thousands of the same bushes and trees. They sent these messengers to scent
their fruits, with the colors of their flowers to tell about the great joy of work,
creative labor of the farmer.
« It is impossible not to stop at a grove of bamboos, some of which
reach twenty meters in height, and eucalyptus trees ten meters high
everyone,” another journalist enthused. - Turn white among dense foliage
tangerine flowers with thick, waxy petals.
Bright lights run out along the branches - red flowers of pomegranate trees.
Like spectators in a theatre, lush teahouses lined up in rows on a hill.
bushes. Tomatoes in front of the sightseers are so big that they can’t even be hatted
cover, and a cucumber that you can’t eat in one sitting. Never before
I have seen a giant rye under which a person can freely
shelter from bad weather. More than thirty kilograms weighs a watermelon under
called "Iron King". On an unprecedented plant - tree-like
perennial tomato from Peru - the first fruits appeared. They taste
reminiscent of both a plum and a tomato. The plant is now
reaches almost two meters in height. The other day it was planted under
open sky. This outlandish tomato was delivered to the Soviet Union
our great writer Alexei Maksimovich Gorky".
The next day, early in the morning, at the main entrance of the agricultural
exhibitions, something unimaginable was happening: there were long queues, thousands of
to several ticket offices. The orders of militiamen observed the order.
The ticket cost three rubles. At ten in the morning, the box office opened and people flocked to see
for a miracle. During the day, rumors spread around Moscow that at the exhibition “what, what only
No!" and at low prices. Well, the people fell down.
By the end of the day, the food stalls were empty. They brought it back overnight.
The next morning was even more crowded, by lunchtime everything was already sold out.
On the third day, the entrance ticket cost already five rubles and the prices in the stalls doubled.
Muscovites and guests got to the exhibition using public transport and
by taxi from the city center. Something like a fixed-route taxi from the square
Sverdlov before the exhibition cost 4 rubles.
For history lovers and for the curious in general -
five rubles at that time looked like this.
(Image of 5 rubles of that time with the image of a pilot)
(Image of 1 ruble 1938 of that time with the image of a miner)
And such a ruble received change. That is if you are traveling alone. well, if
together, you will have to add such a three-ruble note to five rubles ....
(Image of 3 rubles of that time with the image of infantry soldiers)
But besides a taxi, it was possible to come here on such a Zis-16 bus.
(In the photo, he is near the entrance to the exhibition just in 1939.)
Or on a double-decker special trolleybus.
There were such people in Moscow then. The double-decker trolleybus YaTB-4A was made in
Yaroslavl according to the model purchased in England. There were few of them. And they could
ply only on certain routes, where the suspension of contact wires
was raised 1 meter above normal.
(In the photo - VSHV 1939 Double-decker trolleybus YATB-4A in the area
monument "Worker and Collective Farm Girl" Mukhina.)
Well, lovers of classic public transport -
tram, without any problems could use its services.
(In the photo - VSHV - 1939-1940. The final tram station in the area
entry to VSHV)
For exhibitors who presented the best achievements,
special awards were established.
For organizations
- 1 thousand Diplomas of the 1st degree
- 4 thousand Diplomas of the 2nd degree.
Diploma winners of the first degree received - 10 thousand rubles and a car, and
Diploma-winners of the second degree received - 5 thousand rubles and a motorcycle.
Medals were established for agricultural leaders:
- 1 thousand large gold medals,
- 2 thousand small gold medals,
- 3 thousand large silver medals
- 15 thousand small silver medals.
(Images of award medals of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition of 1939)
Information about each awardee was also entered in the Book of Honor.
In terms of the number of exhibitors, the VSHV immediately became the largest
agricultural exhibition in the world.
Well, as always in the USSR, such a grand opening was followed by
rewarding those who participated in its creation.
The following architects were awarded:
Order "Lenin" - S. E. Chernyshev
(chief architect of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition)
Order of the "Red Banner of Labor":
K. S. Alabyan (pavilion "Armenian USSR")
S. A. Dadashev (pavilion "Azerbaijani USSR")
V. S. Andreev (pavilion "Mechanization of agriculture")
A. A. Tatsiy (pavilion "Ukrainian USSR")
M. A. Useinov (pavilion "Azerbaijani USSR")
Order "Badge of Honor"
N. P. Bylinkin
V. G. Gelfreikh
E. A. Levinson (Pavilion "Leningrad Region"
S. N. Polupanov (pavilion "Uzbek USSR")
S. A. Safaryan (Armenian USSR Pavilion)
D. N. Chechulin (Pavilion "Moscow Region")
The opening and scale of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition complex were so grandiose that many
artists, composers and filmmakers sought to perpetuate the exhibition in their
works.
The first time she literally "driven" into the cinema in the film "Foundling" 1939
year, where in the chase scene the characters of the film drive through the main squares
and alleys of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition.
In the finale of the film "Bright Path" in 1940, director G. V. Aleksandrov and
composer I. O. Dunayevsky lead the main characters to the VSHV. The heroine takes off
by car from the Kremlin and, flying over the vast Soviet country, flying around
"Worker and Collective Farm Woman", passing through the entrance of the exhibition in 1939 and the arch of the pavilion
"Mechanization" and having traveled around the gigantic sculpture "Stalin", miraculously
enters the Cotton Pavilion. And the end of the film also took place at the sculpture of Vera
Mukhina. That is how the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition of 1939 under the "March of Enthusiasts", which became the anthem of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition
and VDNKh of the USSR, remained forever in the cinema.
In 1941, the film "The Pig and the Shepherd" by Ivan Pyryev was filmed, in which
the main characters meet and fall in love at the VSHV.
And the "Song of Moscow" by Tikhon Khrennikov, which they sing in the pavilion
"Gardening" has become one of the songs that is inextricably linked with the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition.
The fate of the chief artist of the pavilion Artificial insemination is interesting,
whose memoirs I quoted. Some time after the opening of the exhibition, having obviously had a good night's sleep, he came to the director of the exhibition, N.V. Tsitsin with a letter of resignation. The director persuaded him, saying that everything worked out well, he was thanked, and now he can work calmly. appearing in the pavilion once a week for control. But the artist insisted on arguing that he is a painter and he needs to do his main job - to paint landscapes. Today it is difficult for us to say whether he was right or not.
Each person is the blacksmith of his own happiness, and unhappiness at the same time.
But the fact that he was a direct male-line descendant of the first ayaman
troops of Dnskoy, also Mikhail Cherkasheninov, certainly deserves attention.
Many interesting events will happen in his life in the future, but this is already
another story that has nothing to do with the All-Union Exhibition. But it should
explain that it was his memories that were the reason to turn to this topic
- construction of VSHV.
In other words, the appearance of this work was due to him.
*
* *
POST STAMPS DEDICATED TO VSHV
In 1939, on August 1, on the opening day of the exhibition in the USSR,
A series of postage stamps dedicated to the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition.
This series of 10 stamps was dedicated to agriculture itself,
as such.
(Image of 10 postage stamps of 1939 dedicated to the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition)
In October 1940, the second series of stamps was issued.
which was an image of the main pavilions,
made from color photographs by Vladislav Mikosh.
Vladislav Vladislavovich Mikosha
(1909-2004)
- documentary filmmaker
front-line cameraman of the Great Patriotic War,
filmmaker. People's Artist of the USSR (1990),
Laureate of the Stalin (1943, 1949, 1951) and
USSR State Prize (1976).
Captain of the third rank.
(Photo by Vladislav Vladislavovich Mikosha)
(Image of 1940 postage stamps dedicated to the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition)
In the text of the article there are still a lot of photographs illustrating the text.
About the number of various souvenirs depicting the exhibition, its pavilions,
fountains and other things to say it makes no sense. There were a lot of them. These were
postcards, various vases, images on dishes (plates and
cups), cigarette cases, panels made of wood, metal, and much more. Today
many of these can be attributed to collectible rarities.
Design and construction in Moscow of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, which opened in 1939. At first it was assumed that the exhibition would be temporary (like its predecessor in 1923), but then it was considered expedient to turn it into a permanent school for the exchange of scientific and practical experience in the field of agriculture.
The total area of the first stage of the exhibition was 136 hectares and was located between the Ostankino Park and the Yaroslavl Highway (now Prospekt Mira). The program content of the exhibition, which had developed by 1937, was convincingly reflected in the master plan with clearly defined regular highways and vast areas for the one-time reception of large masses of visitors and large public events. At the same time, the allocation of separate functional areas with picturesque walking paths provided the opportunity for a thorough study of individual expositions by excursions, groups and single visitors.
From the introductory square at the entrance, visitors got to the rectangular Kolkhoz Square, at the beginning of which the Main Pavilion was located (V. Shchuko, V. Gelfreich, etc.). Its clear geometric volume with porticos on all sides made of simple rectangular pillars brought a note of strict solemnity into the architecture of the exhibition. A tower was built diagonally to the main entrance to the pavilion, crowned with a sculpture of a collective farmer and a collective farmer who raised a golden sheaf of wheat high (sculptors R. Budilov and A. Strekavin). The main pavilion and the tower well accentuated the beginning of the entire architectural composition - Kolkhoz Square, along the perimeter of which there are pavilions of the Union republics and some territories and regions of the RSFSR.
The architecture of these pavilions is varied. The authors were given the task of interpreting the image of each building as a symbol, a sign of national identity. For an exhibition, this is quite logical, as well as the widespread use of monumental decorative and applied art. The authors of many pavilions, together with painters, sculptors and folk craftsmen, by implementing such a program, have achieved - within the framework of the current direction of architecture - interesting solutions. Thus, in the pavilion of the Uzbek SSR (S. Polupanov), the construction of an iwan with a decorative multicolored openwork arbor was directly associated with the folk architecture of Uzbekistan. The pavilions of the Georgian SSR (A. Kurdiani and G. Lezhava), the Armenian SSR (K. Alabyan and S. Safaryan), the Azerbaijan SSR (S. Dadashev and A. Useinov) and a number of other pavilions were designed in the same figurative vein. It is important to note that the originality of the image-symbol was most often achieved not only by purely decorative processing, but, above all, by purely architectural means. It is enough to compare the construction of the pavilion of Georgia - with its inner courtyard, bunches of finely traced columns of the portal, with the three-aisled basilica form of the pavilion of Armenia, to agree that the very architecture of these pavilions acts as a sign and image of Georgia and Armenia.
Behind Kolkhoz Square, a wide landscaped highway, also lined with pavilions, led to the octagonal Mechanization Square, which faced the facades of industry pavilions (“Grain”, “Livestock”, etc.) and which closed with the pavilion “Mechanization of Agriculture” (V. Andreev and I. . Taranov).
Parabolic lattice arches made of metal carried a light aluminum coating, forming a vaulted passageway. On the sides of the pavilion space, as if on pedestals, various agricultural machines - exhibits of the exhibition - were placed on two levels. The interior spaces of these "pedestals" were used as exhibition halls. Behind the pavilion there was a recreation area with restaurants, cafes, playgrounds, walking paths and water spaces of picturesque ponds. On the sides of the compositional axis of the exhibition there were pavilions, experimental fields and exhibits of individual branches of agriculture. The exhibition "New in the construction of a collective farm village" was also located here.
The new exhibition has firmly entered the life of Moscow, into the structure of its master plan. In addition to well-known masters, a whole galaxy of young talented architects came to the fore in its design and construction - Yu. Emelyanov, V. Andreev, I. Taranov, M. Olenev, G. Zakharov, P. Revyakin, S. Polupanov, I. Melchakov and many other. Sculptors G. Motovilov, A. Baburin, R. Budilov, A. Sabsay, A. Strekavin, painters A. Gerasimov, S. Gerasimov, L. Bruni, A. Deineka and many others took part in the work.
Later, after 1955, the Exhibition, which was significantly expanded in the post-war period, was criticized for its decorativeness, embellishment, etc. There was a lot of fairness in the criticism, but at the same time the specifics of the exhibition as such were ignored, where architecture solved not only the functional tasks of receiving visitors and displaying exhibits, but she herself acted as an exhibit. The mistake of those years was the mechanical transfer of the experience of the Exhibition to mass architecture.
On the site of the Ostankino swamps, where in 1934 the NKVD dispersed the gypsy camp that had settled there, five years later one of the main cultural places of the capital appeared, which throughout its history has attracted tourists from all over the world. VDNH (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy), and later VVTs (All-Russian Exhibition Center) - a grandiose exhibition of achievements of the national economy, which during its existence was visited by every eighth inhabitant of the planet ...
The history of the "Main Exhibition of the Country" began with the appeal of the II All-Union Congress of Collective Farmers-Shock Workers to the central bodies of the Communist Party and the government with a request to organize an All-Union Agricultural Exhibition in Moscow. The request was granted, and the Main Exhibition Committee was created.
In order to be eligible to participate in the All-Union Exhibition, collective farms, state farms, machine and tractor stations, scientific institutions had to have certain indicators for 1937 and 1938, and leaders and organizers of agriculture for 1938. Thanks to this condition, no agricultural exhibition in the world had such a large number of exhibitors.
The popularity of the forthcoming Exhibition among agricultural workers was unusually great. Millions of collective and state farm workers, thousands of agronomists, livestock specialists, and machine operators fought for the right to participate in it. The exhibition committee received about 250 thousand applications for the desire to be its exhibitor.
The Main Exhibition Committee established awards: a thousand diplomas of the first degree and four thousand of the second degree. Farms awarded with a diploma of the first degree received 10 thousand rubles and a car, and those awarded with a diploma of the second degree received 5 thousand rubles and a motorcycle.
For agricultural leaders, one thousand large and two thousand small gold medals, three thousand large and fifteen thousand small silver medals were established.
In addition, a Book of Honor was established, where each exhibitor was entered with an indication of his achievements.
The All-Union Agricultural Exhibition also became a kind of contribution to the architecture of the capital. A whole exhibition city with an area of 136 hectares, which grew up on its northern outskirts, included ponds, parks, experimental plots, and 250 various buildings.
Crops and plantations, which occupied about 20 hectares, represented the agriculture of the entire Soviet Union. About 600 varieties of various crops were sown on one grain plot. An amazing picture was the exhibition garden: about 10 thousand plants were planted in it. Among them are 600 varieties of fruit and berry crops, the richest collection of Michurin varieties.
On the site of industrial and southern heat-loving crops, the visitor saw the crops of cotton, rice, beets, flax, hemp, tobacco, kenaf, rubber plants, and hops. In total, 260 crops of more than 3 thousand varieties were exhibited in open areas.
The architectural ensemble of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was created by architects V.Shchuko, V.Geilfreikh, L.Polyakov, D.Chechulin, sculptors S.Konenkov, GMotovilov; muralists A.Deineka, A.Bubnov, P.Sokolov-Skal and many other talented artists. More than two thousand professionals and craftsmen worked under the leadership of the chief architect S. Chernyshev.
The exhibition city in Moscow adorned the entire Soviet people with great love.
The country was preparing for the opening of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition as a great national holiday. It took place on August 1, 1939. The first visitors entered through an arch designed by the architect L. Polyakov in the tradition of ancient Roman triumphal arches.
The solemn ceremony, which was attended by more than 10 thousand people, was attended by the leaders of the party and the Soviet state. At the entrance to the Exhibition, there was a 24-meter sculptural group "Worker and Collective Farm Girl" by the outstanding sculpture of V. Mukhina.
The emblem of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was a grandiose sculptural group depicting a tractor driver and a collective farmer, raising a golden sheaf of wheat high above their heads. It was installed on the 50-meter tower of the Main Pavilion, which was a monumental white building with a beautiful colonnade. The facade of the building was decorated with the emblems of the Union republics and the emblem of the Soviet Union.
From the Main Pavilion the visitor got to one of the most beautiful squares - Kolkhoz Square.
The pavilions of the union republics, territories and regions are located here and on the adjacent alleys. Bypassing these palaces-pavilions, the visitor, as it were, made a journey through the vast expanses of our Motherland: from the icy expanses of the harsh Arctic to the evergreen subtropics, from Kamchatka to the Baltic.
Each pavilion stood out for its originality, with the use of national motifs in the construction.
On the vast area of the Kolkhozes, the building of the Moscow Pavilion (Pavilion "Grain", currently Pavilion No. 59), built of stone, concrete, glass, decorated with stainless steel, designed by architect A. Chechulin, attracted special attention. The facade was framed with high reliefs, figures of vegetable growers, milkmaids, gardeners, tractor drivers.
Fat animals, golden sheaves of wheat, large tubers of potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetables were also depicted here. The slogan "Let's create potato-vegetable and livestock bases around Moscow and other large cities" is engraved all over the facade. At the very top, the Order of Lenin is an award from the Moscow Region for the successes achieved in agriculture.
The pavilion "Ukraine" is located nearby. It was built according to the project of architects A. Tatsiy and K. Ivanchenko, lined with Ukrainian majolica tiles, the facade is decorated with golden ears, the entrance arch is framed by a decorative ceramic wreath, a stained-glass window above the entrance - "Pereyaslavskaya Rada".
One of the sections of the exhibition in 1939 was the section "New in the countryside". It is spread over a plot of 12 hectares. New Soviet village was demonstrated here. According to standard projects recommended for mass construction, the following were built: a village council, a collective farm board, a machine and tractor station, livestock farms, a collective farm club, a school, a maternity hospital, and a nursery.
Of particular interest was the manger, because the village had no idea about them. All these buildings and now, somewhat updated, serve as offices for the departments of the All-Russian Exhibition Center.
The pavilion "Hunting and fur farming" aroused interest, where the Pushkin fur farm was demonstrated, one of the first to start breeding sable in captivity. In the open area in front of the pavilion, river beavers, nutrias, and muskrats were shown, living here in conditions close to natural.
There was a working model of a collective farm hydroelectric power station on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. It stood on the Kamenka River, which flows through the territory of the Exhibition. It was cleared of reeds and an earthen dam about 5 meters high was built. The current from the station was supplied to a neighboring building, where agricultural machines were installed, driven by electric motors.
VSHV-39 has become not only a school of excellence, impressively demonstrating the achievements of agriculture, but also a favorite vacation spot for Muscovites and guests of the capital. In a large old park adjacent to the Exhibition, a recreation area was laid out. Various attractions were opened: a parachute tower, a Ferris wheel, a laughter room, carousels, etc. A children's town with playgrounds was created for children.
The Green Theatre, a concert stage, a circus, and two cinemas were built at the Exhibition itself.
The success of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was enormous. From August 1 to October 25, over 3.5 million people visited it.
2,000 guides and 1,000 group guides worked at the VSHV. Two hundred guides served foreign guests, whose interest in the Soviet exhibition was unusual. Despite the fact that the Exhibition was conceived as a one-time event, the party and the government decided to continue its work. In 1940, the exhibition ran for 5 months and was visited by 4.5 million people.
In 1941, it operated for only 1 month and five days... During the Great Patriotic War, the exposition and the library of the Exhibition were evacuated to Chelyabinsk.
Again, the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition received visitors only on August 1, 1954. Its goal was to widely promote the achievements of agriculture, the fastest introduction of advanced experience into collective farm and state farm production.
To take part in the post-war Exhibition, it was necessary to achieve higher results than before. So, to participate in VSHV-39, the collective farm of the non-chernozem strip had to collect 12-14 centners of wheat per hectare, and in 1954 - at least 19!
The architectural appearance of the Exhibition has changed radically. Huge construction work has been carried out, its area has significantly increased - up to 207 hectares. The pavilions of the Baltic republics were erected.
The pavilion "Uzbekistan" was built - one of the most beautiful pavilions, now it is - "Culture". The entrance to the pavilion is decorated with an openwork rotunda, inside there is a fountain that emphasizes the lightness and elegance of its columns. An ornament depicting bushes and cotton bolls decorating the rotunda. The work of the best masters of Uzbekistan.
The Arch of the Main Entrance to the Exhibition was built. Powerful tetrahedral columns easily carry a massive arch, dividing it into central and side spans. There are bas-reliefs on the columns, the main theme of which is the labor of people. The arch is crowned by the sculptural group "Tractor Driver and Collective Farm Woman", with a highly raised sheaf of wheat.
The Main Pavilion, a powerful colonnade, six-meter sculptural groups raised high, numerous bas-reliefs, a 35-meter spire topped with a golden star were completed. A monument to V. Lenin was erected in front of the pavilion.
The Friendship of Peoples fountain was built on Kolkhozov Square. Collective farmers in national costumes lead a festive round dance. The fountain ejects every second more than a ton of water to the height of an eight-story building. Sculptors Z. Bazhenova, L. Bazhenov, A. Teneta, Z. Ryleeva, I. Chaikov made sculptures from bronze with the thinnest gold coating, sheaves - from sheet copper with gilding.
The Friendship of Peoples fountain, designed by architects K. Topuridze and G. Konstantinovsky, has outlived its ideological meaning, but its beauty and originality continue to delight the guests of the exhibition.
At the opposite end of Kolkhozov Square, there is the Stone Flower fountain, built based on the tales of Bazhov. In a vast pool, framed by red polished granite, a fantastic stone flower made of multi-colored alloys rises.
Bronze fish and birds splash in the pool. On the sides - decorative slides of fruits and vegetables. And to this day, these fountains are the best decoration of the exhibition.
In each pavilion, the achievements of the branches of the national economy in the republic, regions, districts were demonstrated.
The green attire of the exhibition was exceptionally rich. Almost the entire flora of the Soviet Union was represented on its territory. The exhibition town was decorated with 40,000 ornamental trees and 450,000 bushes. Approximately 5.5 million annual and perennial flowers. The rose garden was the pride of the exhibition gardeners - about 50 thousand varietal roses grew in it.
From morning to evening, visitors were drawn to the livestock pavilions in an endless stream. Only in 1954 this section showed 800 head of cattle of 32 breeds, 800 sheep of 53 breeds, 500 pigs of 30 breeds, 3000 heads of poultry. Animals were demonstrated on a hatcher circle. It was a spectacular sight. From early morning in the livestock town there was a revival: the animals were scraped, cleaned, washed. Then the representatives of the farms in colorful national costumes showed their pets to the authoritative jury and spectators.
At the pavilion "Horse breeding" one could see two sculptures of horses. One depicted the famous hippodrome fighter, the stallion of the Square of the Oryol trotting breed, the other stallion - the Symbol of the Budennovskaya breed. In the pavilion, visitors could admire these beauties and several dozen horses of the Oryol, Russian trotting, Soviet draft and other breeds.
New agricultural machinery was demonstrated at open areas.
On the basis of the Exhibition, training was conducted on new methods of work, excursions to advanced farms were practiced. Excursion activities were improved, groups of tourists were formed from workers of the same profession.
Since June 1956 on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition began its work All-Union Industrial Exhibition, whose main task was to demonstrate the success of the industry.
One of the significant and promising exhibits was the first electronic computer. The creation of this technique in the Soviet Union began in 1948.
The exposition of the exhibition is located in 21 pavilions, which were grouped mainly on Mechanization Square. The first Soviet passenger jet airliner, designed and built under the guidance of the outstanding aircraft designer A. Tupolev, was installed here.
One of the main pavilions of the industrial exhibition was the Mechanical Engineering pavilion. It was surrounded by many open spaces. On which samples of new technology were demonstrated.
Creation in 1959 VDNKh of the USSR
VDNH was established in accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated May 28, 1958 "On the unification of the All-Union industrial, agricultural and construction exhibitions (on Frunzenskaya Embankment) into a single Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy of the USSR."
On June 16, 1959, VDNKh of the USSR hospitably opened the doors of its pavilions to visitors. In 1963, the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution "On the restructuring of the VDNKh of the USSR."
Exhibition activities began to be built according to the production-industry principle. Thematic exhibitions and reviews have become of paramount importance in the work of all pavilions. On their basis, an exchange of experience and training of workers in industry, construction, and agriculture were widely held.
Such an organization made it possible to significantly accelerate the introduction of new equipment and modern labor methods into production. About 300 exhibitions and reviews were opened annually at VDNKh of the USSR, which showed more than 100 thousand exhibits.
VDNKh of the USSR reflected as a mirror the main milestones in the life of the country, such as the first flight into space by Y. Gagarin, the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline, etc.
There were also mysterious, and sometimes even mystical moments in the history of the construction of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. One of these mystical stories tells that Vyacheslav Konstantinovich Oltarzhevsky (the chief architect of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition) decided to make the exhibition not just the cultural center of the Soviet Union, but the center of the entire Universe.
If you look at the master plan of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, you can see that the mechanization area, being the center of the exhibition, resembles the sun, around which nine planets are located. On this square, according to his idea, the figure of Lenin was supposed to rise.
From the Mechanization Square, as from the biblical Tree of Life, four sources scatter, which at the point of intersection, as in a coordinate system, form the beginning of all beginnings. This system is formed with mathematical precision - like the Egyptian pyramids - and is enclosed in a regular octagon - a Christian symbol of renewal and newfound heavenly bliss. These signs were combined with a huge cross and all kinds of symbols of Buddhist and Hindu myths.
V.K. Oltarzhevsky, R.L. Podolsky, N.V. Alekseev, A.B. Boretsky, D.G. Oltarzhevsky. VSHV planning project. Perspective.
But after a short amount of time, the chief architect of the All-Russian Agricultural Exhibition was sent beyond the Arctic Circle, and the plan of the exhibition was changed. There, a specialist in high-rise buildings, who for ten years adopted the experience of building skyscrapers in the United States of America, was put to good use - he began to design camp barracks. Oltarzhevsky learned about the opening of the exhibition he once created only from a film magazine.
Vyacheslav Konstantinovich Oltarzhevsky
For several years after its opening, the exhibition multiplied and never ceased to amaze numerous visitors. So it was until 1941, before the start of the war. During the difficult war years, anti-aircraft installations stood here, and all kinds of pavilions were closed and deprived of visitors. Interestingly, during the entire war, not a single enemy bomb fell on the territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (with an area of 135 hectares).
At the same time, in 1942, the chief architect of the exhibition was given back his freedom, after which he became the leader's personal consultant on high-rise construction.
The second opening of the exhibition took place on August 1, 1954. At the entrance, people were greeted by a newly rebuilt arch of stunning dimensions and they were surprised by the absence of the figure of Stalin, in the place of which the fountain of Friendship of Peoples was opened. Sixteen gilded statues were originally supposed to symbolize the union of all republics. But soon, when only fifteen republics remained, the symbolism once again diverged from reality.
Soon the exhibition became completely industrial, and in 1959 it received a new name - VDNKh (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy) of the USSR.
After the first manned flight into space, in 1961, the exhibition, among other things, was decorated with a copy of Gagarin's rocket. By the way, it was installed on the Mechanization Square, in the same mystical center where, according to Oltarzhevsky's plans, the figure of the then leader was supposed to rise.
By the way, after his release in 1943, Vyacheslav Konstantinovich himself never visited his creation. He died in 1966 at the age of 86.
Since 1992 - All-Russian Exhibition Center
On June 23, 1992, by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation and the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, VDNKh was renamed into the State Joint-Stock Company All-Russian Exhibition Center (GAO VVTs).
In the 90s, the All-Russian Exhibition Center was considered an exhibition, rather, formally. In fact, the pavilions were rented out for warehouses and points of sale for household and computer equipment, as well as various consumer goods. At the same time, an amusement park worked, in the "Central" pavilion for children and youth, various physical experiments were shown - the All-Russian Exhibition Center was still a place where they came to relax, but devastation and trade spoiled the whole impression.
In 2002, an application was submitted to hold the prestigious international exhibition "EXPO - 2010" in Moscow. Unfortunately, the application was not accepted, but despite this, for many residents of Moscow VDNH is the place of the first date or other romantic adventures.
People walk around these magnificent places, shop, look at the achievements of science and technology brought from all over the world, dream, and simply recharge with good mood and positive energy.
Compilation of material - FOX
O. NIKOLOGORSKAYA
THE MAIN EXHIBITION OF THE COUNTRY. HISTORY AND MODERNITY
This is what Friendship of Peoples Square (former Kolkhoz Square) looked like before the "commercial invasion" of the early 1990s.
Pavilion "Mechanization". 1939
The arch at the main (now northern) entrance to the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. 1939
The central pavilion of the All-Russian Exhibition Center today.
Kolkhoz Square on the opening day of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. August 1, 1939.
The main entrance to the All-Russian Exhibition Center (opened in 1954).
Fountain "Friendship of Peoples".
The entrance to the "Agriculture" pavilion is decorated with a massive arch with decorative ornaments.
Fountain "Stone flower".
Fountain "Kolos".
Flower gardens near the "Agriculture" pavilion (in the background, on the left, the dome of the "Cosmos" pavilion).
Decorative ornament of the columns at the entrance to the "Electrical Engineering" pavilion.
The Vostok spacecraft, an exact copy of the rocket that lifted the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into Earth's orbit, was installed near the Cosmos pavilion.
"Public transport" at the All-Russian Exhibition Center.
The sculpture by V. I. Mukhina "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" was installed at the main entrance to the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition by the opening day - August 1, 1939. In 1954, this entrance became the northern one, and the main one was located to the south of it.
M. V. NESTEROV Portrait of the sculptor V. I. Mukhina. 1940
It is impossible to talk about this exhibition in isolation from our history. She, as in a mirror, reflected all the stages of development of the former USSR and the new modern Russia. The All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (VSHV), built in 1939, demonstrated the successes of the world's first socialist state in the development of agriculture. Its post-war exposition, which opened only in 1954, was formed following the then principles of economic management, mainly on a territorial basis: each pavilion presented the achievements of one of the union, autonomous republics or regions. In 1959, the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was renamed the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy - VDNKh. In connection with the new economic tasks, the principle of building an exposition becomes a sectoral one.
When the USSR sank into oblivion, the exhibition, named in 1992 as the All-Russian Exhibition Center, was hit by all the hardships of the economic crisis. The All-Russian Exhibition Center was unable to hold the position of the country's main exhibition and gradually gave way to a large share of the territory for retail space. But, in spite of everything, active exhibition activity continues here: permanent expositions work, numerous thematic exhibitions and fairs replace one another - industrial, scientific and technical, art, innovation, press (the magazine "Science and Life" takes part in this exhibition for 10 years in a row), new Russian goods, folk art, flowers, the exhibition of scientific and technical creativity of youth has been revived and is regularly updated.
What fate awaits the All-Russian Exhibition Center in the near future? Will there be investments to revive the former glory of the country's main exhibition, or will it completely turn into a trade zone or a park of culture and recreation?
EXHIBITION "CITY" WITH A 63-YEAR HISTORY
The All-Union Exhibition Center is a whole city with its streets, squares, squares, fountains, "public" transport, cinemas, shops and restaurants. Its main attraction is the exhibition pavilions of various architectural styles created at different times. They reflect the history of the development of our country, or rather, the history itself appears here in wood, stone, glass and metal. As in the old days, the All-Russian Exhibition Center is surrounded by greenery: orchards, ornamental shrubs, bright flower beds, spacious green lawns. All this diversity embodies the age-old experience of gardening and the art of laying out regular parks, where architectural buildings, green spaces, ponds and fountains coexist in perfect harmony.
At one time, the organizers of the exhibition complex were reproached for eclecticism, excessive embellishment and bad taste. Perhaps this is so, from the point of view of a connoisseur of classical architecture. But we must not forget that the exhibition was designed by world-famous architects: V. A. Shchuko, V. G. Gelfreikh, L. M. Polyakov, sculptors S. T. Konenkov and V. I. Mukhina, muralists A. A. Deineka, A.P. Bubnov, P.P. Sokolov-Skalya. Thousands of craftsmen from all Union and autonomous republics, territories and regions participated in the creation of the exhibition. Thanks to their talent, each building of the exhibition acquired original national features inherent only in it. The oldest pavilions are over 60 years old. Not all of them have come down to us in their original form: some were rebuilt, others were destroyed. It is all the more valuable that, on the whole, the architectural and artistic appearance of the exhibition, which was formed in the era of socialism, has been preserved and conveyed to us the spirit of that time.
VSHV 1939The All-Union Agricultural Exhibition - VSHV - opened in Moscow on August 1, 1939. Every advanced collective farm, state farm, MTS or livestock farm strove to present their products there. The honorary right to visit the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was achieved in socialist competition. The leaders of production participating in the exhibition were awarded diplomas, gold, silver and bronze medals, watches, radios, cash prizes, and the best farms - motorcycles and cars. Only for 85 days of work in 1939 the exhibition was visited by 3.5 million people. The atmosphere of a general holiday that reigned there is conveyed by the famous film directed by Ivan Pyryev "The Pig and the Shepherd" (1941), which was loved and well remembered by people of the older and middle generation.
The well-known Danish writer Martin Andersen-Nekse, having visited the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition shortly after its opening, wrote that the picture presented to him gave a deeper idea of humanity as a whole than all the world exhibitions he had seen so far: the true culture of the country was nowhere visible there, and here, in Moscow, it is shown "in time and space".
The grandiose exhibition complex is spread over an area of 136 hectares. In a short time, more than 250 large and small buildings were built, parks, flower beds, squares and fountains were laid out, streets were laid, and orchards were planted.
According to the general plan of the architect V. K. Oltarzhevsky, the pavilions were erected along an axis stretching from the northwest to the southeast. At the main entrance, and it was then the northern entrance of the exhibition, visitors were greeted by a 24-meter sculpture made of stainless steel, sparkling in the sun by V. I. Mukhina "Worker and Collective Farm Woman", which in 1937 crowned the building of the Soviet pavilion at the World Exhibition in Paris .
The All-Union Agricultural Exhibition opened Kolkhoz Square (later - Peoples' Friendship Square), around which the pavilions of the union republics, territories and regions grew. Behind them stretched Mechanization Square with the Mechanization pavilion (later - Industry Square with the Cosmos pavilion), the authors of the project were architects V. S. Andreev, I. G. Taranov. The pavilion was a gigantic parabolic vault covering a wide alley. Tractors, self-propelled harvesters and other agricultural machinery stood on hills along it.
As conceived by the organizers, visitors, bypassing the territory of the exhibition, as if making a trip across our vast country - from the Baltic to Kamchatka and from the Arctic Ocean to the Pamirs. The pavilion of each republic reflected the national flavor and folk traditions. The expositions were decorated with the works of the best artists of Mstera, Khokhloma, Palekh, carpets, tapestries and silk panels of craftswomen from Central Asia. Specially for the exhibition, craftsmen from all republics made beautiful samples of fabrics, dishes, mosaics, and embossing.
PICTURES FROM THE EXHIBITION. HISTORY AND ARCHITECTUREThe new permanent exposition of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, which opened for the first time after the war in 1954, demonstrated the achievements of the Union republics, territories and regions in agriculture and industry.
The territory of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition has expanded to 207 hectares. The number of buildings reached 387. Many pavilions were reconstructed, some were built anew, but the basic layout laid down by the general plan of 1939 has been preserved. In the new master plan, developed under the guidance of architects A.F. Zhukov and R.R. Kliks, only some elements of the ensemble were changed. In this almost original form, we see the exhibition complex today.
In the appearance of the exhibition buildings built by 1954, the architects sought to reflect, first of all, the theme of the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. An example of this is the new main entrance of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, built to the south of the old one. The author of the project, architect I. I. Melchakov, used one of the symbols of victory - the triumphal arch. He created a high massive multi-span arch with two administrative buildings symmetrically continuing it. Together they stretched 300 meters in length. The main entrance is crowned by the sculpture "Tractor Driver and Collective Farm Girl" (author - sculptor S. M. Orlov, who created a monument to Yuri Dolgoruky in Moscow).
Large-scale, clear lines, aspiration upward - these are the main features of the buildings erected at that time at the exhibition. Such, for example, is the Central Pavilion (architects V. A. Shchuko and V. G. Gelfreikh). With ledges resembling the steps of a giant staircase, it rises to a height of almost 100 meters. The white building is framed by three tiers of columns, bronze and gilded sculptures and bas-reliefs. In 1954, the architects Yu. V. Schuko and E. V. Stolyarov added a high spire with a star to it.
A wide panorama of the exhibition opens up behind the Central Pavilion. In the foreground is the Friendship of Peoples Square (former Collective Farms Square), huge in size. Its center is occupied by a fountain of the same name made of gilded bronze and red granite (authors - architects K. T. Topuridze and G. D. Konstantinovsky). In the middle of the octahedral granite bowl is a bronze sheaf of wheat surrounded by water jets. Around - a round dance of girls in national costumes. Their dance symbolizes folk festivities on the harvest festival. The gilded figures were carved by sculptors I. M. Chaikov, Z. V. Bazhenov, A. I. Teneta, N. V. Ryleeva.
On the opposite side of the square there is a fountain "Stone Flower" (architect K. T. Topuridze, sculptor P. I. Dobrynin). Its composition is inspired by the poetic Ural tales of P. P. Bazhov. In the pool, lined with red granite, next to the bronze fish and birds, a flower of Ural gems "blooms" with green, blue and gold "petals" shimmering in the jets of water.
On one of the ponds rises the third famous fountain of the exhibition - "Spike". It was built from thin-walled concrete covered with gilded smalt. The complex pattern of flexible jets beating upwards and to the sides creates the impression of a living ear swaying in the wind.
Friendship of Peoples Square is opened by two pavilions facing each other: the Central Black Earth Regions (now - "Nuclear Energy") and the "Northern Caucasus" ("People's Education"). Behind them are the pavilions of the Union republics. In their appearance, the architects sought to express the features of the national style as brightly as possible. This explains the excessive congestion of buildings with decorative details. But there are true architectural masterpieces among the pavilions of the exhibition.
One of them is the pavilion of the Karelian ASSR (later - "The Book", "Soviet Press", now - again "Karelia"). The Republic again presents the products of its enterprises here. The pavilion was created by the architect F.I. Rekhmukov, who used original decor elements from natural materials of this northern region. The columns are made of polished blocks of dark red Karelian granite known for its beauty, and the massive triangular pediment is entirely made of wood. The figures carved on it depict the traditional occupations of the inhabitants of Karelia. At one time, the pavilion was decorated with a three-meter wooden sculpture by S. T. Konenkov "The Rune Singer". Now it is stored in the Museum of Fine Arts of Karelia in Petrozavodsk.
Built in 1939, the pavilion of the Uzbek SSR (now - "Culture") can also be attributed to the pearls of the exhibition. Its author is the architect S. N. Polupanov. The pavilion was decorated by the best craftsmen of Uzbekistan. Their hands made light-filled majolica panels framed by the entrance, carved wooden doors, bright stained-glass windows. Bushes and bolls of cotton - the main agricultural crop of the republic - are woven into the ornament of cornices, capitals of columns, and the roof of the gazebo. The side wings of the pavilion used to be decorated with large picturesque panels by the artist P.I. Kotov. Unfortunately, they have not survived. The plaster figures of a musician and a tambourine player, created by the sculptor O. M. Manuilova, who stood in front of the entrance, were also lost. The pavilion was renovated in the 1950s. A light and elegant openwork gazebo appeared on the spacious terrace.
The pavilion "Electrical Engineering" (formerly "Belarusian SSR"), designed by architects G. A. Zakharov and Z. S. Chernysheva, is framed by monumental columns with carved garlands resembling embroidered towels of traditional Belarusian colors - yellow and green. A tower with a statue of a woman with a wreath rises above the central part. The author of the sculpture is the People's Artist of Belarus A. O. Bembel, one of the creators of the memorial complex "Mound of Glory" near Minsk.
Behind the fountain "Stone Flower" one can see the facade of the pavilion "Agriculture" (formerly the pavilion of the Ukrainian SSR) with an openwork majolica crown woven from decorative flowers, herbs and ears of corn. The entrance arch is framed by a magnificent ceramic wreath, at the top - a tight sheaf of wheat. The architect A. A. Tatsiy, who designed the building, widely used elements of Ukrainian folk art in its decor.
On June 16, 1959, the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition became known as the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy of the USSR - VDNKh. She represented the successes of the rapidly developing Soviet industry. By 1964, the concept and the general principle of building the exposition according to the sectoral principle were finally formed: the pavilions "Atomic Energy", "Computer Engineering", "Radioelectronics", "Metallurgy", "Chemical Industry", "Gas Industry" and others appeared at the exhibition.
The Cosmos Pavilion (rebuilt Mechanization Pavilion) remained one of the largest. Its glass dome is visible from everywhere. In the mid-1960s, a Vostok launch vehicle was installed in front of the pavilion - a copy of the one that launched the first of earthlings, Yuri Gagarin, into space. This exhibit has become one of the main attractions of the exhibition.
The main task of VDNKh was to promote best practices. Representatives of various specialties improved their skills and learned new methods of work here. The pavilions hosted scientific and technical conferences, reviews, exhibitions, seminars, courses, schools of excellence. Every year 200-300 thousand people participated in them. International events were also organized, especially at book fairs. In those years, VDNKh received more than 8 million visitors a year.
TIME FOR NEW FORMSIn the late 1960s, a new pavilion grew up near the northern entrance, which became known as the "Montreal" pavilion. It was designed by architects M. V. Posokhin, A. A. Mdoyants, B. I. Thor, engineer A. N. Kondratiev, chief artist R. R. Clique for the World Exhibition "Expo-67", held in Montreal. The exhibition demonstrated the achievements of the economy, science, technology, culture and art.
Impressive in size, dressed in glass, the Soviet pavilion surprised everyone - both visitors and specialists. Its huge, almost one hectare, concave and protruding roof rests on just two V-shaped steel supports - at that time a unique architectural and technical solution. The building seems light, directed forward. This feeling is created by a slight slope of the front glass wall and a large visor resembling a springboard over the entrance.
When the exhibition in Montreal ended, the pavilion was dismantled, brought to Moscow and installed next to VDNKh (now it is the territory of the exhibition complex).
In 1986, here, in the northern part of the exhibition, the pavilion "Consumer Goods and Services to the Population" was built. It was built by a team of architects and engineers under the leadership of I. M. Vinogradsky. The two triangular buildings are connected by a wide inner street illuminated by daylight through a transparent glass ceiling. This through passage, as it were, continues the alley that leads to the northern (formerly the main) entrance of the exhibition. Next to it, at the beginning of the alley, stands an elegant white arch, built in 1939, with carved floral ornaments that tightly cover its walls and the domed space. The second arch similar to it is the entrance to the consumer goods pavilion. This decision made it possible to link together modern architecture and the old exhibition building.
TOMORROW VVCIn 1992, VDNKh was renamed again. The new name - All-Russian Exhibition Center - took root with difficulty, but today it is unlikely that anyone will call the exhibition complex in the old way. What is the All-Russian Exhibition Center of the beginning of 2003? It occupies an area of more than 238 hectares, it houses 70 pavilions (46 of them are monuments of history and culture), unique fountains, squares and other examples of landscape architecture. On the other hand, the All-Russian Exhibition Center is also a huge market where you can buy any product - from a needle to a car. Crowds of buyers, a heap of tents, bistros and eateries, cluttered and dilapidated pavilions, and in them - trade counters instead of expositions... At the same time, the exhibition complex continues to live its main life: more than 300 exhibitions and fairs, including international ones, are held here every year . At the same time in 20 pavilions (the rest have to be leased to trade organizations) 130 thousand square meters can be used. m of exhibition space.
The All-Russian Exhibition Center will continue to organize exhibition and fair activities that promote the development of the economic, scientific, technical and social infrastructure of Russia, interregional and international cooperation, the formation of a market for innovative products and intellectual property, and the introduction of high technologies and developments into production. Now, for example, preparations are underway for holding in July this year the IX International Exhibition of Youth Scientific and Technical Projects "EXPO Science-2003". It will be a grandiose youth forum, which will be attended by more than 2,000 participants from 80 countries.
The revival of the All-Russian Exhibition Center as an exhibition of achievements in science, technology, culture and agriculture could be facilitated by a grandiose political investment project of holding the World Exhibition "EXPO-2010" in Moscow, on its territory. But Moscow did not win the competition; according to the international selection committee, the Chinese city of Shanghai turned out to be a more worthy contender. Nevertheless, plans related to the preservation of the exhibition complex, the development of its infrastructure, the construction of new areas, transport services, etc., are already being implemented.
A flyover is being built near the All-Russian Exhibition Center for a new type of urban public transport - a monorail. It will start at the Timiryazevskaya metro station, then go through the Botanical Garden to Ostankino, go around the All-Russian Exhibition Center from the side of the main entrance and end at the tram depot, which will be converted into monorail transport. The overpass will be raised above the ground to a height of 6-15 meters (depending on the development and terrain). Trains made up of 2-6 wagons will be able to reach speeds of up to 60 km/h and carry up to 4,000 passengers per hour. The construction of a monorail will cost an average of 5 times less than the subway. Construction, financed from the Moscow budget, is already in full swing. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2003.
It is planned to realize other ideas of architects and designers. Among them - the construction of 150 thousand square meters. m of new exhibition space. As this grandiose investment project is being implemented (work is scheduled to start in 2004), the exhibition complex will receive a profit, which, according to calculations, will finally allow to stop renting out pavilions and open areas to trading organizations. In the future, the All-Russian Exhibition Center will have moving sidewalks - travelators, new forms of lighting masts, lanterns, billboards, newsstands and information kiosks. The architectural and park ensemble will cover both the Botanical Garden and the territory of the Ostankino Park, where there is a monument of history and architecture of the 18th century - the palace of Count Sheremetev and the adjacent oak grove and a cascade of ponds.
The All-Union Exhibition Center is visited annually by 11 million people. In the very near future, it should expand significantly, get prettier, acquire modern infrastructure in order to become on a par with the world's best complexes for holding major international exhibitions.
IN THE NEW AGE - IN NEW CLOTHES
One of the most famous sculptural monuments of the 20th century, the work of V.I. Mukhina "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" became for the Soviet people a symbol of the unity and youth of the country, and for the rest of the world - the personification of the image of socialist Russia. The famous sculpture is already over 60, but it looks like it will get younger in the near future: repairs, restoration and a change of pedestal are waiting for it.
The International Exhibition "Art, Technology and Modern Life" opened in Paris in May 1937. It was the year of the twentieth anniversary of the October Revolution - a serious occasion to demonstrate to the whole world the best achievements of the Land of Soviets. The designers were given a difficult task: to create a pavilion in a short time that would capture the imagination of visitors to the Paris exhibition.
The architect B. M. Iofan, who was entrusted with the project of the Soviet pavilion, wrote: “The pavilion was drawn as a building that reflects with its dynamics the powerful growth of the achievements of the world’s first socialist state, the enthusiasm and cheerfulness of the great era of building socialism, when work is a matter of honor, valor and heroism. This idea had to be expressed so clearly that any person, at the first glance at our pavilion, felt that this was the pavilion of the Soviet Union. " According to his plan, the top of the building directed forward and upward with ledges was to be crowned with a sculptural composition - a girl and a young man with a sickle and a hammer in their hands, personifying the unity of the working class and the collective farm peasantry.
In order to choose a worthy performer of such a responsible work, a competition was organized in which the largest sculptors of that time took part - I. D. Shadr, M. G. Manizer, V. A. Andreev, V. I. Mukhina. The sketch of the sculpture "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" by Vera Ignatievna Mukhina was recognized as the best.
Mukhina managed to achieve a synthesis of the architectural and sculptural parts of the ensemble. Her composition continued the general silhouette of the building, and the figures with the hammer and sickle raised high in their joined hands turned, in the author's words, "a solemn tread into an all-destroying impulse."
The project was approved on November 11, 1936. At first it seemed that all that remained was to enlarge the sketch to the desired size. In fact, the creators of the monument had to overcome many technical problems. Now, after the lapse of time, it seems almost unbelievable that such a huge and complex sculptural composition could be created in less than one year.
The 24-meter monument had to be raised to a 34-meter height. Stone or bronze, as heavy materials, were not suitable for this. Then the specialists of the Research Institute of Metalworking proposed the use of strategic chromium-nickel (stainless) steel - a light, durable and pliable material, ideally suited for the implementation of the author's plan. VI Mukhina went on a risky experiment and "sculpted" a sculpture of stainless steel. Invaluable technical assistance was provided to her by the chief engineer of the institute P. N. Lvov. The factory produced steel sheets only half a millimeter thick, and work began.
The tight deadlines forced the idea of creating a full-size plaster model to be abandoned. We settled on a sculpture measuring 165 cm. (Made in bronze, now it is in the Tretyakov Gallery.) P. N. Lvov, especially for "Worker and Collective Farm Woman", developed an original method for enlarging fragments of the composition to the desired size. Only the heads, as the most important elements, were first sculpted from clay on a scale of 1:1.
The model was handed over to the factory, and there Vera Ignatievna and her two assistants - sculptors Z. G. Ivanova and N. G. Zelenskaya, together with engineers and workers, essentially “beat out” fragments of figures from metal. When they were all ready, they began to assemble the individual parts of the statue into a single whole. The work was so intense that Mukhina sometimes did not leave the workshop for days.
“February and March of this year were not kind,” Vera Ignatievna later recalled, “there were almost no sunny days: either frost, or rain, or blizzard. The frame and forests were iced over, but the two giants were systematically covered with steel. the other lifted parts of the statue. The legs stood in place, the torsos were put on, floated through the air and fused with the bodies of the hands, then the heads, and finally, the crossed hammer and sickle crowned the statue. "
Despite the lightness of the material, the sculpture weighed 75 tons. Before being sent to Paris, the steel giant was dismantled into 65 parts and loaded into 28 railway cars. V. I. Mukhina and Z. G. Ivanova, with a group of engineers and workers, followed them to mount and install the statue. It was assembled, fastened and welded for 11 days.
Finally, the finished sculpture took its place at the top of the Soviet pavilion. Crowned with a mighty statue, he riveted the eyes of all visitors to the exhibition. Sculpture by V. I. Mukhina left an indelible impression. Against the background of floating clouds, the movement of the figures seemed real, almost physically palpable. She was spoken of as a miracle, compared with Nika of Samothrace.
Romain Rolland, who visited the Paris exhibition, wrote in his guest book: “At the International Exhibition on the banks of the Seine, two young Soviet giants in an indomitable impulse raise the hammer and sickle, and we hear the heroic anthem pouring from the chest, which calls the peoples to freedom, to unity and will lead them to victory."
The participation of the USSR in the World Exhibition in Paris was more than successful. It contributed to strengthening the authority of our country in the international arena. The image of the sculpture "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" was replicated on posters, postcards, badges, which scattered all over the planet. The name of Vera Ignatievna Mukhina became known to the whole world.
But now the exhibition is over... The French liked the sculpture so much that they didn't want to part with it. And only after the insistent request of the Soviet government "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" was dismantled and sent to the USSR. During dismantling and transportation, the sculpture was badly damaged, so it had to be recreated almost from scratch.
In 1939, the statue was erected in front of the entrance to the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition in Moscow. And here she immediately won universal recognition and immense popularity. The famous creation of Mukhina became the emblem of the Mosfilm film studio, her image appeared on the first frames of any film of this studio. In December 1984, the sculpture was made the emblem of the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy to replace the former one - "Tractor Driver and Collective Farm Girl".
To the great regret of the author, in Moscow the sculpture was installed on a pedestal too low for it, which violated the proportions of the monument, designed for viewing at a high altitude. “Sculpture crawls on the ground,” V.I. Mukhina said bitterly and dreamed that her brainchild would be transported to the Sparrow (Lenin) Hills. There, at the height of the observation deck, the monument would have looked much more advantageous. But, despite the high appreciation of the work of V. I. Mukhina (in 1938 she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, and in 1941 - the Stalin Prize), all attempts to achieve a more suitable pedestal for the "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" did not lead to anything . The statue remained standing at a 10-meter height not far from the northern entrance to VDNKh, closed in a cramped space of a small area.
Over the past decades, the monument has been cleaned and repaired only a few times, the last one almost 20 years ago. The steel was covered with dirt and almost lost its former luster. The metal frame also needs reconstruction: due to the moisture accumulating inside, the connecting frames have rusted. Pieces of granite are falling off the facing of the pedestal. Even the "fluttering in the wind" scarf - Mukhina's brilliant find - was somehow deformed and drooped ...
The Moscow government found a way to save the "Worker and Collective Farm Girl". The sculpture will be restored and installed at a height of 35 meters, most likely on the roof of a new business center. Perhaps, for the updated statue, they will erect their own pedestal, repeating the architectural forms of the pavilion created in 1937 for the World Exhibition in Paris. It is assumed that an observation deck will be built at the feet of the giants. The costs are borne by the company, which has been allocated an adjacent plot of land for the construction of a multi-storey car park and a shopping complex. During the reconstruction, the frame of the sculpture will be made of titanium, the figures will be coated with a special anti-corrosion compound.
The restoration and raising of the monument will be carried out by the production and creative workshops of BIOR under the supervision of specialists from the Main Directorate for the Protection of Monuments of the City of Moscow. Work is expected to begin this year. And in 2005, after the completion of the construction of the shopping complex, the sculpture by V. I. Mukhina "Worker and Collective Farm Girl" will regain its former grandeur and beauty.
