Politics, Putin and the Press
Samizdat is On the Up
We will surely see the expansion of these dissident media in Russia as a result of the war in Ukraine
Putin has silenced domestic critics of his regime. In reaction to the new measures, opposition radio station Ekho Moskvy and TV Dozhd (Rain) have closed shop. Mediazona, which covers political arrests, Snob magazine, the Agentstvo investigative news site and others have been blocked by the government. Access to Facebook and Twitter has been interrupted, and Russians can no longer upload to Tik Tok. Many international news organizations have either abandoned their Russia bureaus or curtailed their reporting. — Politico.com
Samizdat (Russian: самиздат, IPA: [‘səmizdɐt]) is a Russian term for self-publishing. It has its roots in the Russian Revolution of 1917, when workers used samizdat to publish underground newspapers and pamphlets.
And now they are pushing Pussy. Not Pushkin Pussy and not Putin Pussy (that’s a ghastly thought). The Russians need more Pussy Riots and no Pussy for Putin.
What is Samizdat?
A samizdat publication is a type of underground literature. The term, which literally means “self-published” in Russian, was coined by analogy with samizdat, the practice of making and distributing one’s own publications or reproducing censored publications without permission during the Soviet era.
So, Samizdat is a form of dissidence. Usually these materials are created in secret and distributed underground.
Or in public, as with the Pussy Riot. Then Putin jailed them.
In Russki, Pusski is on the up. Definitely, and now more than ever.
I’m a self-publisher and I even worked in Russia for a couple of years, just after the USSR fell apart. I didn’t consider myself a producer of samizdat, but maybe I am, although not Russian. But I do like riotous Pussy.
A Brief History of Samizdat in Russia
Samizdat was developed to circumvent the censorship of the Soviet Union, which controlled Russia and much of Europe and the Caucasus from 1922 until 1991.
The first samizdat publishing houses were created in the 1920s by intellectuals who were disappointed with what they saw as the government’s lack of interest in their work. The publishing houses became more popular during World War II when writers could not publish their works because of censorship.
One of the most significant things that the Soviet Union did was create a censorship system which the Nazis copied in the 1930s. The creators of samizdat developed a system where if someone wanted to send something privately, they had to make it out in code. For each letter, they would use two numbers. For example: “I” would become “2”. I couldn’t decode it either, but no matter.
The Russians and the Nazis loved to burn books, censor plays, films and music. Just like the Chinese do now.
Distribution
Samizdat publications were often distributed by hand, or passed from person to person. Sometimes people would hide samizdat publications in secret places, like in a hollowed-out book.
But times and media have changed. In Russia today, samizdat is still used to publish underground newspapers and magazines. Samizdat can also refer to any unauthorized information other than text, like an underground music album or an unlicensed software program. So now it’s on YouTube.
Some examples of samizdat art include the Russian punk rock band Pussy Riot’s “Punk Prayer” music video, which was distributed illegally online; and the animated short film “The Moscow Stopover”, which was created by a group of self-taught Russian artists.
Samizdat cartoons are also popular. One example is “The Life and Times of Mr. Simpleton”, a satirical cartoon about Soviet life that was published in the late 1980s. This cartoon was so popular that it was eventually published in book form.
How to Find Samizdat Material & Where is the Best Place to Start?
The best place to start looking for samizdat material is on the internet where it is easier to find than in physical archives and libraries because of its widespread availability.
Find it, spread it.
Create it, spread it.
Further reading
Here’s an interesting long read on Putin and Samizdat in 21sr Century.
And of course, samizdat from Alexei Navalny, Putin’s bête noire:
Find it, spread it.
Create it, spread it.
Find it, spread it.
Create it, spread it.
How to get around the BBC block in Russia:
The Russian authorities have restricted access to BBC websites in Russian and English, as well as other international and independent media, accusing them of circulating “false information” about what is happening in Ukraine.
In response, the BBC said “access to accurate, independent information is a fundamental human right which should not be denied to the people of Russia, millions of whom rely on BBC News every week”.
Record numbers of people have read the BBC’s Russian language news website since the invasion.
To get around the BBC ban in Russia:
- Download the Psiphon app from the AppStore or Google Play Store
- Look for the dedicated BBC site on the Tor Browser
which can be found using this URL
- . Note that this URL only works using the Tor Browser or the Onion Browser (on iPhones)
- If access to the apps is restricted then send a blank email to [email protected] or [email protected]. An email will be sent in response with a direct and safe download link
The BBC has also launched two new shortwave frequencies broadcasting World Service English news for four hours a day to Ukraine and parts of Russia:
- 15735 kHz from 14:00 GMT to 16:00 GMT
- 5875 kHz from 20:00 GMT to 22:00 GMT
Spread it!
About me: I guarantee variety in your inbox. I write on a variety of topics including humor, tech and travel, together with daily news events and the minutiae of daily life on a boat. I also write techno-thrillers…and about…
…samizdat, Putin’s insane invasion of Ukraine, despots, dictators and Pussy (Riots)
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