RotFront – Sovietoblaster
When I was in primary school, the Iron Curtain still existed. On the first few days of first grade, we were instructed to let ourselves drop to the ground in case we saw a bright light outside as it might be the Soviets attacking the West with some bomb or another. The metaphorical Ivan was an imminent threat, and Radio Yerevan jokes helped us tackling the fear of the moustached, vodka-drinking, kazachok-dancing cossack. Our primary school music teacher wanted us to bridge cultural gaps and made us sing a song about Petrushka, who falls in love with Katinka. Katinka wanted to wed Petrushka and promised him shnapps and wine at their wedding. However, Petrushka’s a no-show at his own wedding – the Cold War still bore the possibility that he was annihilated by James Bond afterall – so Cousin Mishka comforts Katinka and drinks for two.
Then on 3 October 1989, the Berlin Wall came down, and nothing in Europe was anymore the way it had used to be. The newly found freedom of travel, a sense of adventure and the hope for a capitalist lifestyle drove many former Soviet comrades West. The Ivans had no moustaches, it turned out, but snug-fitting disco outfits, not uncommonly well-defined abs and a great love of each and any Kinder chocolate product. And they brought along their samovars, home-distilleries, shashlik, and deejays.
The Sovietunion soon ceased to exist and it released its Jews, who, tired of pickled cucumber and beetroot cream cakes (I guess), also moved West. One of those Soviet Jews is one Jewlicious’s favourites Yuriy Gurzhy, a true mastermind of danceable new-folk & new-Jew-folk and RotFront bandleader.
Over here at Jewlicious we’re proud to consider Yuriy one of our friends.
Click the “Play”-button on the video above, and you’ll see why we adore Yuriy so much.
Спасибо.
lisa
9/30/2009
“on 3 October 1989, the Berlin Wall came down”
hum, hum, it was the 9th of November
froylein
9/30/2009
Only practically (as in the mass movement that received most media coverage), but theoretically on 3rd October (many events preceding 9th November; it wasn’t a sudden movement), that’s why the re-unification date was shifted to 3 October 1990 in addition to 9th November not being a suitable date for celebrations in Germany.
mark in east berlin
10/1/2009
“only practically” is a strange way of saying “yes, i made a mistake”, which someone really should’ve said… note how it says “3 October 1989″ in the text and “3 October 1990″ in the comment. the wall “came down” on 9 November 1989, nothing significant happened on 3 October 1989 and re-unification was formalized on 3 October 1990.
rotfront are wonderful.
froylein
10/1/2009
Aller vereinfachter Historie zum Trotz, der 3. Oktober 1989 war von Bedeutung; das Datum ist nicht beliebig für den Feiertag gewählt worden – dann im Folgejahr. Dem Sturz der Mauer ging eine lange Vorgeschichte voraus.
Falls erwünscht, werde ich in Zukunft natürlich minimalisierte Inhalte abliefern. Die Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung hält ja genügend preiswerte Materialien für diejenigen bereit, die sich weitergehend informieren wollen u.a. auch eine informative Quellensammlung zur Geschichte des Widerstandes in der DDR.
mark in east berlin
10/1/2009
ein “ich hab mich vertan” hätte dir besser zu gesicht gestanden.
froylein
10/1/2009
Geschichte lässt sich nicht auf Quizwissen reduzieren.
mark in east berlin
10/1/2009
ein “ich hab mich vertan” hätte dir entschieden besser zu gesicht gestanden.
froylein
10/1/2009
Ich erinnere mich nicht daran, Ihnen das “Du” angeboten zu haben.
Alles Weitere ist bereits gesagt.
mark in east berlin
10/1/2009
oy vey.