Subbotnik

The Subbotnik (of Russian суббота Subbota, Saturday ') is a work written Soviet Russia term for unpaid labor input on Saturday, which was acquired in the use of language in the GDR.

The word " Subbotnik " was written by Lenin in the article: " A Great Beginning " (Russian " Великий почин " Veliky potschin ) in June 1919 with the subtitle: " About the heroism of the workers in the hinterland. On the occasion of the " communist Subbotniks » "(Russian " О героизме рабочих в тылу По поводу " коммунистических субботников » " -. . Geroisme O rabotschich w this many Po powodu " kommunistitscheskich subbotnikow " ) is used. Lenin wrote this article after the Communists and their supporters had agreed at the Moscow -Kazan Railway in 1919 to carry out such " communist Subbotniks " for the fastest possible recovery of the economy.

In the GDR, the voluntary nature was indeed emphasized, often however, there was considerable pressure for these work assignments. Probably very well observed and registered - - Also so many official benevolence of which was participation in these Subbotniks made ​​dependent. Who needed a larger apartment, who was looking for a better place, who wanted to go abroad or even a phone line coveted, was often rely on such " pluses " for his " socialist behavior ".

In the postwar period the Subbotniks were events for the reconstruction, but later they degenerated often too bureaucratic activism, then locally also often lack of material or lack of ideas simply to compulsory exercises. No later than the mid-1980s no longer found this events in many places. The name remained but for work assignments of the " household " in the front yard maintenance or repairs made ​​jointly usual, as they took place, for example in the framework of the national mass Initiative ( VMI).

In the GDR later paid extra shifts were referred to ironically as on Saturday. In Czechoslovakia there was a special name for it, the action Z.

Nowadays, the term Subbotnik found in some East German cities again using. Herewith are an annual spring cleaning in the cities is described, while waste is eliminated, streets are swept, etc.