Anon - Noukogude Eesti 1940-1955 [Soviet Estonia 1940-1955] - 1955

Published on the 15th anniversary of the annexation of Estonia in 1955, this Soviet propaganda photobook is a comprehensive documentation of the Baltic State in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. The layout follows the expected narrative of such books: a nod to history before concentrating on the glorious future being created under communism. Happy collective farmers toil in the fields using their new tractors while cheerful factory workers spend their days in factories belching smoke before concentrating on the new and better life being provided by the state thanks to the new apartments and infrastructure being built.

Of course the elephant in the room is the fact that Estonia, like the other Baltic States, was handed over to the USSR after a grubby deal with the Nazis just before they invaded Poland, something that the Russian government is still very sensitive about today because making cozy deals with Hitler to carve up Eastern Europe between them completely undermines the entire legitimacy of the regime which is based around simplified World War 2 myths. During the Second World War, Estonia was first invaded by the USSR, then invaded by the Nazis and reconquered by the USSR - meaning that the narrative upon which this entire book is based, is a complete lie.

The other ghost that haunts this book is Stalin, the brutal Soviet dictator: although he died two years prior to this being published, the legacy of terror and fear he produced lies behind every page. Like a magic talisman, his image is used to ward off evil by people who are paranoid about being arrested or denounced at any time. Although his successor Khrushchev introduced reforms and reduced the terror, people were still afraid and uncertain about how long this new era might last - and the fact that Stalin was the one who invaded and brutally forced Estonia into the Soviet Empire adds another layer of menace to this book.

Condition:
Very good copy of this rare propaganda photobook. Heavy wear to edges of the cover. Inscription to front page. Damage to rear endpaper. Please examine listing photos carefully.