Von Geldern and Stites, Questions for Tuesday Week 10
Katyushka (Isakovsky and Blanter, 1938) (pp. 315-16)
Note that there are two versions of this song provided—one is from 1938 (p. 315) and the other is from sometime between 1941-45 (p. 316). A footnote: the lyricist of the 1938 song was a poet from Smolensk Province…
In the 1938 song, from whom is the soldier protecting Katyushka (and the USSR)? In other words, what are soldiers ready to fight for?
(For bonus points: What does Katyushka refer to in the WWII version of the song?)
If Tomorrow Brings War (Lebedev-Kumach and the Pokrass Brothers, 1938) (pp. 316-18)
What sort of attitude towards the fascist and Japanese threat is portrayed in this song, and why do Von Geldern and Stites say that sngs like this were "partly responsible for Russian unpreparedness in June 1941"?
Three Tank Drivers (Laskin and the Pokrass Brothers, 1937) (pp. 318-19)
From what enemy were the tank drivers protecting the USSR? Explain.
Legend of Voroshilov (1939) (pp. 320-21)
Who was Voroshilov? How does this legend portray his Civil War exploits? Why was he portrayed in this way?
My Beloved (Dolmatovsky and Blanter, 1939) (p. 333)
This was a very popular song in 1939-40. Who were Red Army troops engaged against during these years, and what might have made this song so popular?
The Blue Kerchief (Peterburgsky and Galitsky, 1940) (pp. 334-35)
This song and the one before it share a common sentiment…based on the song, what were young soldiers expected to fight for? Think of these songs and of Katyushka—is the appeal entirely to patriotism? Explain.