What did the policy of thaw in the spiritual sphere mean? The revival of culture in the 50's and 60's

On March 5, 1953, an event radically changed the course of the USSR's foreign and domestic policy. I. Stalin died. By this time, repressive methods of governing the country had already exhausted themselves, so the henchmen of the Stalinist course urgently needed to carry out certain reforms aimed at optimizing the economy and implementing social transformations. This time was called the thaw. What the policy of thaw in the spiritual sphere meant , what new names appeared in the cultural life of the country, you can read in this article.

XX Congress of the CPSU

In 1955, after the resignation of Malenkov, the head of the Soviet Union became Nikita Khrushchev. In February 1956, at the 20th Congress of the CPSU, his famous speech about the personality cult was sounded. After that, the authority of the new leader became noticeably stronger, despite the resistance of Stalin's proteges.

The Twentieth Congress launched various reform initiatives in our country, reviving the process of cultural reformation of society. What the policy of the thaw in the spiritual and literary life of people meant, one can learn from new books and novels published at that time.

Politics thaw in literature

In 1957, the publication of the famous work of B. Pasternak "Doctor Zhivago" was published abroad. Despite the fact that this work was prohibited, it disperse in huge editions in self-published copies, made on old typewriters. The same fate comprehended the works of M. Bulgakov, V. Grossman and other writers of the time.

The publication of the famous work of A. Solzhenitsyn "One Day of Ivan Denisovich" is indicative. The story, which describes the terrible routine of the Stalin camp, the chief political scientist Suslov rejected immediately. But the editor of the magazine "New World" was able to show the story Solzhenitsyn personally NS Khrushchev, after which it was given permission to publish.

Works exposing Stalinist repression, found their readers.

The ability to convey their thoughts to readers, to publish their works in spite of censorship and government bodies - that is what the policy of thaw in the spiritual sphere and literature of that time meant.

Revival of the theater and cinema

In the 50's and 60's the theater is experiencing a second birth. About what the policy of the thaw in the spiritual sphere and the theatrical art meant, the best repertoire of the advanced scenes of the middle of the century will best tell. The productions about workers and collective farmers have gone into oblivion, the classic repertoire and works of the 1920s are returning to the stage. But the team style of the work was still dominant in the theater, and administrative posts were handled by incompetent and semi-literate officials. Because of this many performances have not seen their viewers: the plays of Meyerhold, Vampilov and many others have remained lying under the cloth.

The thaw had a beneficial effect on filmmaking. Many films of that time became known far beyond our country. Such works as "The Cranes Are Flying", "Ivan's Childhood", won prestigious international awards. Soviet cinematography has returned to our country the status of the film industry, which has been lost since the days of Eisenstein.

Religious Persecution

The reduction of political pressure on various aspects of people's lives did not affect the religious policy of the state. The persecution of spiritual and religious figures increased. Khrushchev himself was the initiator of the anti-religious company. Instead of physical destruction of believers and religious figures of various faiths, the practice of public ridicule and debunking of religious prejudices was applied. Basically, everything that the policy of the thaw meant in the spiritual life of believers was reduced to "re-education" and condemnation.

Results

Unfortunately, the period of cultural prosperity did not last long. The final point in the thaw was the landmark event of 1962 - the destruction of the art exhibition at the Manezh. Despite the curtailment of freedoms in the Soviet Union, a return to the dark Stalinist times did not take place. What the policy of the thaw in the spiritual sphere of each citizen meant, can be described by the sensation of the wind of change, the diminishing role of mass consciousness, and the appeal to man as a separate person entitled to his own views.