Encyclopedia of the Soviet era · 1922–1991
Born in the USSR
The history, culture and daily life of the Soviet Union — verified facts gathered in one place. In Russian and English.
First way in · by time
Timeline of the era
From revolution to dissolution — nine turning points.
Second way in · by topic
Topics
Six broad areas of Soviet life.
Power & Politics
The Party, the state, its leaders, repression and foreign policy.
02Economy
Five-year plans, industrialization, shortages and the planned system.
03Society & Daily Life
Housing, education, medicine, work, fashion and leisure.
04Culture & Arts
Cinema, music, literature, architecture and censorship.
05Science & Space
The space programme, the atomic project and big science.
06Military & Defense
The Great Patriotic War, the Cold War and the defence industry.
07People
Cosmonauts, scientists, leaders, engineers and artists — the lives of the people who shaped the era.
Latest materials
Read now
Sergei Korolev: the chief designer of the Soviet space programme
The man who put the USSR into space first. He survived Stalin's camps, launched the first satellite and Gagarin — yet during his life his very name was a secret.
Joseph Stalin: industrialization, terror and victory in war
Stalin led the USSR for almost 30 years. Under him the country became a superpower and defeated Nazism — and under him came collectivization, famine and mass repression. A detailed, honest account.
Shortages and queues: how Soviet retail worked
Shortages and queues are among the defining memories of Soviet daily life. Why everyday goods were often impossible to buy, how people coped — and what was cheap and guaranteed.
Science & Space
First into space
The space race defined the era — events that reshaped the 20th century.
About
Facts you can trust
Every entry rests on verifiable sources. Where historians disagree, we show the different positions rather than a single verdict.