Old New Year's cards. Postcards

Postcards of the USSR, congratulating the country on the New Year, are a special layer of the visual culture of our country. Retro postcards drawn in the USSR are not only a collectible, an art object. For many, this is a memory of childhood that has been kept with us for many years. It is a special pleasure to look at Soviet New Year cards, they are so beautiful, cute, creating a holiday mood and children's happiness.

In 1935, after the October Revolution, he again began to celebrate the New Year. And small printing houses began to print greeting cards, reviving the traditions of pre-revolutionary Russia. However, if earlier on postcards there were often images of Christmas and religious symbols, then in the new country all this fell under the ban, and postcards of the USSR fell under it. Happy New Year was not congratulated, it was allowed to congratulate comrades only on the first year of the October Revolution, which did not really inspire people, and such cards were not in demand. It was only possible to lull the attention of the censors with children's stories, and even propaganda postcards with the inscriptions: "Down with the bourgeois Christmas tree." However, very few of these cards were printed, so cards issued before 1939 are of great value to collectors.

Since about 1940, the Izogiz publishing house has started to print editions of New Year's cards depicting the Kremlin and chimes, snow-covered trees, and garlands.

Wartime new year cards

Wartime, naturally, leaves its mark on the postcards of the USSR. S was congratulated with the help of encouraging messages, like "New Year's greetings from the front", Santa Claus was portrayed with a machine gun and a broom sweeping out the Nazis, and the Snow Maiden was bandaging the wounds of the soldiers. But their main mission was to support the spirit of the people and show that victory is near, and the military are waiting at home.

In 1941, the Iskusstvo publishing house issued a series of special postcards that were intended to be sent to the front. To speed up printing, they were painted in two colors - black and red, there were many scenes with portraits of war heroes.

In collectors' collections and in home archives, you can often find imported 1945 postcards. The Soviet military who reached Berlin sent and brought with them beautiful overseas Christmas cards.

Post-war 50-60s

After the war, there was no money in the country, the people could not buy New Year's gifts and pamper their children. People rejoiced at the simplest things, so an inexpensive but touching postcard was in great demand. In addition, a postcard could be sent by mail to loved ones in any corner of the vast country. The plots use symbols of victory over fascism, as well as portraits of Stalin as the father of the people. There are many images of grandfathers with grandchildren, children with mothers - all because in most families, fathers did not return from the front. The main theme is world peace and victory.

In 1953, mass production was established in the USSR. Happy New Year to congratulate friends and loved ones with a postcard was considered mandatory. A lot of cards were sold, they even made crafts - boxes and balls. Bright, thick cardboard was perfect for this, and other materials for creativity and crafts were hard to come by. Goznak printed postcards with drawings by prominent Russian artists. This period saw the heyday of the genre of miniature. The storylines are expanding - the artists have something to draw, even despite the censorship. In addition to traditional chimes, they draw airplanes and trains, tall houses, depict fairytale characters, winter landscapes, matinees in kindergartens, children with bags of candy, parents carrying a Christmas tree home.

In 1956, the film "Carnival Night" with L. Gurchenko was released on Soviet screens. Plots from the film, the image of the actress become a symbol of the new year, they are often printed on postcards.

The sixties open with Gagarin's flight into space and, of course, this story could not but appear on New Year's cards. They depict astronauts in a spacesuit with gifts in their hands, space rockets and moon rovers with Christmas trees.

During this period, the theme of greeting cards generally expands, they become brighter and more interesting. They depict not only fairy-tale characters and children, but also the life of Soviet people, for example, a rich and plentiful New Year's table with champagne, tangerines, red caviar and the indispensable Olivier salad.

V.I. Zarubina

Talking about the Soviet New Year's postcard, one cannot fail to mention the name of the outstanding artist and animator Vladimir Ivanovich Zarubin. Almost all those cute, touching hand-drawn postcards created in the USSR in the 60-70s. created by his hand.

The main theme of the cards were fairy tale characters - funny and kind animals, Santa Claus and Snow Maiden, rosy-faced happy children. Almost all postcards have the following story: Santa Claus gives gifts to a boy on skis; the hare reaches with scissors to cut the New Year's gift from the tree; Santa Claus and a boy are playing hockey; animals decorate the tree. Today the collectibles are these old Happy New Year cards. The USSR produced them in large circulations, so there are many of them in the collections of the philocarty (this

But it was not only Zarubin who was an outstanding Soviet artist who created postcards. In addition to him, many names have remained in the history of fine arts and miniatures.

For example, Ivan Yakovlevich Dergilev, called the classic of the modern postcard and the founder of the production. He created hundreds of images, printed in millions of copies. Among the New Year's ones, one can single out a 1987 postcard depicting a balalaika and Christmas tree decorations. This card was released in a record 55 million copies.

Evgeny Nikolaevich Gundobin, Soviet artist, classic of postcard miniature. His style is reminiscent of Soviet films of the 50s, kind, touching and a little naive. On his New Year's cards, there are no adults, only children - on skis, decorating a Christmas tree, receiving gifts, as well as children, against the backdrop of a flourishing Soviet industry, flying into space on a rocket. In addition to images of children, Gundobin painted colorful panoramas of New Year's Eve in Moscow, iconic architectural features - the Kremlin, the building of MGIMO, a statue of a Worker and Collective Farm Woman with New Year's wishes.

Another artist who worked in a style close to Zarubin was Vladimir Ivanovich Chetverikov. His postcards were popular in the USSR and entered literally every home. He portrayed cartoon animals and funny stories. For example, Santa Claus, surrounded by animals, plays the balalaika for a cobra; two Santa Clauses shaking hands when they meet.

Postcards 70-80s

In the 70s, there was a cult of sports in the country, so many cards depict people celebrating a holiday on a ski track or on a skating rink, sports cards with the New Year. The USSR in the 80th hosted the Olympics, which gave a new impetus to the development of postcard plots. Olympians, fire, rings - all these symbols are woven into New Year's motives.

In the 80s, the genre of photo postcards for the New Year also became popular. The USSR will soon cease to exist, and the arrival of a new life is felt in the works of artists. Photo replaces the hand-drawn postcard. Usually they depict Christmas tree branches, balls and garlands, glasses of champagne. Images of traditional crafts appear on postcards - Gzhel, Palekh, Khokhloma, as well as new printing technologies - foil stamping, volumetric drawings.

At the end of the Soviet period of our history, people learn about the Chinese calendar, and images of the animal symbol of the year appear on postcards. So, for example, postcards with the New Year from the USSR in the Year of the Dog were greeted with the image of this animal - photographic and hand-drawn.

I bring to your attention a selection of postcards "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" 50-60s.
My favorite is the postcard of the artist L. Aristov, where belated passers-by hurry home. I always look at it with such pleasure!

Be careful, there are already 54 scans under the cut!

("Soviet artist", artists Y. Prytkov, T. Sazonova)

("Izogiz", 196o, artist Y. Prytkov, T. Sazonova)

("Leningrad Artist", 1957, artists N. Stroganova, M. Alekseev)

("Soviet Artist", 1958, artist V.Andrievich)

("Izogiz", 1959, artist N. Antokolskaya)

V. Arbekov, G. Renkov)

("Izogiz", 1961, artists V. Arbekov, G. Renkov)

(Publication of the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1966, artist L. Aristov)

MISHKA - GRANDFATHER FROST.
Bears behaved modestly, decently,
Were polite, studied well,
That is why im forest Santa Claus
I gladly brought a Christmas tree as a gift
A. Bazhenov, poetry M. Rutter)

RECEPTION OF NEW YEAR'S TELEGRAMS.
At the edge, under a pine tree,
The forest telegraph knocks,
Bunnies are sending telegrams:
"Happy New Year, dad, mom!"
("Izogiz", 1957, artist A. Bazhenov, poetry M. Rutter)

("Izogiz", 1957, artist S. Byalkovskaya)

S. Byalkovskaya)

("Izogiz", 1957, artist S. Byalkovskaya)

(Map factory "Riga", 1957, artist E.Pikk)

(Publication of the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1965, artist E. Pozdnev)

("Izogiz", 1955, artist V. Govorkov)

("Izogiz", 1960, artist N. Golts)

("Izogiz", 1956, artist V. Gorodetsky)

("Leningrad Artist", 1957, artist M. Grigoriev)

("Rosglavkniga. Philately", 1962, artist E. Gundobin)

(Publication of the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1954, artist E. Gundobin)

(Publication of the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1964, artist D. Denisov)

("Soviet Artist", 1963, artist I. Znamensky)

I. Znamensky

(Publication of the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1961, artist I. Znamensky)

(Publication of the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1959, artist I. Znamensky)

("Izogiz", 1956, artist I. Znamensky)

("Soviet Artist", 1961, artist K. Zotov)

New Year! New Year!
Start a round dance!
It's me, Snowman,
Not a beginner at the rink,
I invite everyone to the ice
For a merry round dance!
("Izogiz", 1963, artist K. Zotov, poetry Y. Postnikova)

V. Ivanov)

("Izogiz", 1957, artist I.Kominarets)

("Izogiz", 1956, artist K. Lebedev)

("Soviet Artist", 1960, artist K. Lebedev)

("Artist of the RSFSR", 1967, artist V. Lebedev)

("The state of the art of the imaginative art and the music of the URSR", 1957, artist V. Melnichenko)

("Soviet Artist", 1962, artist K. Rotov)

S. Rusakov)

("Izogiz", 1962, artist S. Rusakov)

("Izogiz", 1953, artist L. Rybchenkova)

("Izogiz", 1954, artist L. Rybchenkova)

("Izogiz", 1958, artist A. Sazonov)

("Izogiz", 1956, artists Y. Severin, V. Chernukha)

Old postcards for the New Year, so cheerful and kind, with a retro touch, have become very fashionable in our time.

Nowadays you will surprise few people with a shiny animation, but old New Year's cards immediately evoke nostalgia and touch us to the core.

Do you want to evoke in a loved one, born in the Soviet Union, memories of a happy childhood?

Send him a Soviet postcard on the New Year's holiday, writing down your most cherished wishes.

Scanned and retouched versions of such postcards can be sent over the Internet via any messenger or e-mail in unlimited quantities.

Here you can download free Soviet New Year's cards.

And you can sign them by adding on your own

Happy viewing!

A bit of history ...

There is some controversy over the appearance of the first Soviet greeting cards.

Some sources claim that they were first published for the New, 1942. According to another version, in December 1944 from the countries of Europe liberated from fascism, soldiers began to send their relatives hitherto unprecedented colorful foreign New Year cards, and the party leadership decided that it was necessary to organize the production of their own, "ideologically consistent" products.

Be that as it may, but the mass production of New Year's cards began only in the 50s.

The first Soviet New Year's cards depicted happy mothers with children and the Kremlin towers, later they were joined by Father Frost and Snegurochka.

And after a while, the industry produced a wide range of postcards that were pleasing to the eye in the windows of newsstands filled with traditionally discreet printed matter.

And although the print quality and the brightness of the colors of Soviet postcards were inferior to imported ones, these shortcomings were atoned for by the originality of the subjects and the high professionalism of the artists.

The true heyday of the Soviet New Year postcard came in the 60s. The number of plots has increased: such motives as space exploration, the struggle for peace appear.

Winter landscapes were crowned with wishes: "May the New Year bring good luck in sports!"

Postcards of past years reflected the trends of the times, achievements, changing direction from year to year.

One thing remained unchanged: the warm and soulful atmosphere created by these wonderful postcards.

Soviet-era New Year cards to this day continue to warm the hearts of people, recalling the bygone days and the festive, magical smell of New Year's tangerines.

Old Happy New Year cards are more than just a piece of history. These postcards delighted Soviet people for many years, in the happiest moments of their lives.

Fir-trees, cones, happy smiles of forest characters and the snow-white beard of Santa Claus - all these are integral attributes of New Year's Soviet greeting cards.

They were bought in advance in pieces of 30 and sent by mail to different cities. Our mothers and grandmothers knew the authors of the pictures and hunted for postcards with illustrations by V. Zarubin or V. Chetverikov and kept them in shoe boxes for years.

They gave the feeling of the coming magical New Year holiday. Today old postcards are festive samples of Soviet design and just pleasant memories from childhood.

And after a while, the industry produced a wide range of postcards that were pleasing to the eye in the windows of newsstands filled with traditionally discreet printed matter.

And although the print quality and the brightness of the colors of Soviet postcards were inferior to imported ones, these shortcomings were atoned for by the originality of the subjects and the high professionalism of the artists.

The true heyday of the Soviet New Year postcard came in the 60s. The number of plots has increased: such motives as space exploration, the struggle for peace appear. Winter landscapes were crowned with wishes: "May the New Year bring success in sports!"

A variegated variety of styles and techniques reigned in the creation of postcards. Although, of course, it could not do without interweaving the content of newspaper editorials into the New Year theme.
As the well-known collector Yevgeny Ivanov jokingly notes, on the postcards, “Soviet Santa Claus is actively involved in the social and industrial life of the Soviet people: he is a railway worker on the BAM, flies into space, melts metal, works on a computer, delivers mail, etc.

His hands are constantly busy with business - perhaps that is why Santa Claus carries a bag of gifts much less often ... ”. By the way, the book by E. Ivanov "New Year and Christmas in Postcards", which seriously analyzes the plots of postcards from the point of view of their special symbolism, proves that an ordinary postcard hides much more meaning than it might seem at first glance ...

1966 year

1968 year

1970 year

1971 year

1972 year

1973 year

1977 year

1979 year

1980 year

1981 year

1984 year

And after a while, the industry produced a wide range of postcards that were pleasing to the eye in the windows of newsstands filled with traditionally discreet printed matter.

And although the print quality and the brightness of the colors of Soviet postcards were inferior to imported ones, these shortcomings were atoned for by the originality of the subjects and the high professionalism of the artists.

The true heyday of the Soviet New Year postcard came in the 60s. The number of plots has increased: such motives as space exploration, the struggle for peace appear. Winter landscapes were crowned with wishes: "May the New Year bring success in sports!"

A variegated variety of styles and techniques reigned in the creation of postcards. Although, of course, it could not do without interweaving the content of newspaper editorials into the New Year theme.
As the well-known collector Yevgeny Ivanov jokingly notes, on the postcards, “Soviet Santa Claus is actively involved in the social and industrial life of the Soviet people: he is a railway worker on the BAM, flies into space, melts metal, works on a computer, delivers mail, etc.

His hands are constantly busy with business - perhaps that is why Santa Claus carries a bag of gifts much less often ... ”. By the way, the book by E. Ivanov "New Year and Christmas in Postcards", which seriously analyzes the plots of postcards from the point of view of their special symbolism, proves that an ordinary postcard hides much more meaning than it might seem at first glance ...

1966 year

1968 year

1970 year

1971 year

1972 year

1973 year

1977 year

1979 year

1980 year

1981 year

1984 year