Culver City,
California
x
Zarnitsa
Maker: V. Sachkov
Date Made: 1969
Country: Soviet Union
Materials: paper
Measurements: 83 cm x 58.5 cm; 32 11/16 in x 23 1/16 in
“Zarnitsa” was a popular childrens’ war game from the 1960s to 1980s that was created by the Young Pioneers organization. Although a game, participation in “Zarnitsa” was mandatory, as it served to train the youth for the military. Members of the military were directly involved in creating tasks and scenarios. They exposed the children to realistic, war-time scenarios, such as navigating minefields and shooting, and they were age-specific, becoming more complicated as the children got older. The poster features children participating in “Zarnitsa,” with two children holding shotguns, one throwing a “grenade,” and the other running with a dog. The children portrayed in the poster are boys and girls, showing that the game, and war itself, is not just for men. Lastly, the leftmost part of the poster showcases the official “Zarnitsa” flag.
Accession Number: 2006.010.269
Collection/Series: Soviet Posters