The Photo-Kino Department
Slutsk gets a new cinema
1921
In mid 1921, the government of the new SSRB was still organizing itself, which is understandable given that it was only about a year since the Poles had been driven out of the eastern half of Belarusian territory. Poland controlled the western part of Belarusian territory and would until 1939.
Newspaper and archival reports indicate a massive effort to structure Art and Politics. A June 3, 1921 Zvyezda article tells us that Comrade Dinershtein (mark that name, you will hear it a lot soon) addressed a meeting of the Vserabis, the All Belarusian Union of Art Workers. The reason he addressed the meeting is because he was Chairman of the Rabis,1 at least according to the application he filed when he wanted to take over Kinoresbel, which, in 1922, took over cinema management from the Political Educational Directorate (more below) Dinershtein spoke about “the tasks of the Main Political Education Department in relation to artistic and propaganda work, in connection with its merger with the Arts Department.” 2
A short time later Slutsk welcomed a new cinema. A June 22 report from Zvyezda tells of a cinema that opened on June 14 “which had never existed before.”3 Once it was open, “Slutsk workers were able to watch cartoons projected on a screen."4
Slutsk, beginning of the XX century.
Source: https://1863x.com/slutsk-gorod-geroi
Things really started moving in July. On July 24, Zvyezda reported that the Department of the Arts “along with all enterprises, groups, cinemas, photographic studios, etc. previously under its jurisdiction” was transferred to the Main Political Educational Directorate, or Glavpolitprosvet.5 The head of the Glavpolitprosvet at the time was Samuel Rakhlin,6 another name to keep an eye on. He will also make a reappearance soon.
Even more interesting in the July 24 article is the statement: “In light of the current financial crisis, and by decree of the central authorities, all theatrical and related enterprises are transitioning to a self-financing model.”7 That sounds like the New Economic Policy at work. And to emphasize that it meant what it said, the Presidium added “free theater tickets are abolished.”8 (This appears to mean live theater, not cinemas.)
The status reports on the cinemas was confusing. A January-February 1921 Narkompros Report said that 5 cinemas were operating.9 That was followed by a May article in Zvyezda that said that two cinemas were closed by order of the Rabis Presidium.10 A later report stated that those cinemas employed 55 people.11
Then, on September, 21, 1921, the Photo-Kino Department reported to Glavpolitprovset that “the former best cinemas in Minsk—such as Red Star and International —have become so neglected and dilapidated, with ceiling plaster having collapsed to such an extent, that unless major repairs are undertaken immediately, they will have to be closed at once.”12
Yet less than a month later, on Oct. 16, 1921, Zvyezda reported that “Recently, 3 cinemas have opened (Italics added), bringing a significant income.”13
Badge Vserabis, 5th anniversary of the Union of Art Workers, 1919-1924.
Source: hhttps://znakussr.ru/shop/profsoyuzy/znak-vserabis-5-letie-soyuza-rabotnikov-iskusstv/
One way the state sought to shift the financial burden is shown in the October 25, 1921 Zvyezda story, “Our Attitude to Art.”14 It called for the burden to be removed from state shoulders and leased to labor collectives, “leaving them under the influence of our state bodies.” This certainly seems as though it will be up to the labor collectives to earn the profit, while the state still gets to decide what can be shown.
Zvyezda does not say what films were being shown. A November 9 story reports that the Red Star (formerly the Giant) cinema hosted an October Revolution celebration, in which “participants shared their memories.” Afterward they saw a film about the opening of the Second Communist International Congress.15
On December 6, Zvyezda reported the Spartak cinema, which was located at the corner of Zakharyevskaya and Bogadelnaya streets, would open that same day. It would host “a grandiose program” for Red Army soldiers.16
When the Third Congress of the Belarusian Communist Party was held in December 1921. reported Zvyezda, delegates were shown the films Hunger in the Volga Region and Beekeeping in the Red Star theater, which used to be the Giant. The article still calls it the Giant. And, of course, this is the same theater that, in September, the Photo-Kino said was about to collapse. Aside from the short article on films, almost the entire December 14, 1921 issue of Zvyezda was devoted to the congress.17
The Association of Art Workers Assisting the Starving, Poster, 1921.
Source: https://postermuseum.com/collections/soviet-union-russia/products/the-association-of-artists-assisting-the-starving-poster-49/
Video of the film Famine in the Volga, 1922.
And to top it off, after the film, the play Губернатор (The Governor) was staged.18 The play is about a governor who ordered guards to shoot into a crowd of thousands of strikers that was causing violence. The governor “tormented by pangs of guilt, ultimately condemns himself to death.”19 He travels without guards, and two “people’s avengers” ultimately shoot him.20 The play was twice made into a film. The first came in 1928, and was entitled Белый орёл (The White Eagle). It was released in the U.S. as Lash of the Czar.
And in the "some things never change" department. The Deputy Chair of the Glavpolitprosvet issued this order on December 1, 1921.
It has been observed that ticket sellers and controllers are allowing entry through side doors without tickets.
This practice must be stopped immediately. Repeat offenders will be dismissed and prosecuted for dereliction of duty.21
1 Национальный архив Республики Беларусь/National Archives of the Republic of Belarus (NARB) фонд/fond. 42 опис/Inventory 1, дело/file1057, pp 9-9b.
2 Всерабис /Vserabis Звезда/Zvyezda 1921 3 Jun 127 (811).
3 На борьбу c темнотой (Слуцк)/Fighting the Darkness (Slutsk)Звезда/Zvyezda 1921 22 Jun 143 (827).
4 Ibid.
5 Всем Уездотделениям работников Искусств/To All County Departments of Art Workers Звезда/Zvyezda 1921 24 Jul 171 (855).
6 Вестник Наркомпрос/Bulletin of the People's Commissariat of Education, 1921 Oct., p. 39.
7 Всем Уездотделениям работников Искусств/To All County Departments of Art Workers Звезда/Zvyezda 1921 24 Jul 171 (855).
8 Ibid.
9 Школа и культура Советской Белоруссии /School and Culture Soviet Belorussia No 1-2 1921 Янв-Фев/1921 No. 1-2 Jan-Feb
10 В союзе Рабис /In the Rabis Alliance Звезда/Zvyezda 1921 19 May 114 (798).
11 О нашей театральной практике/About our theatrical practice Звезда/Zvyezda 1921 3 Nov. 258 (942).
12 Председателю Главполитпросвета Докладная записка/Memorandum To the Chairman of the Main Political Enlightenment Committee 1921 21 сентябрь/1921 21 Sept. Национальный архив Республики Беларусь (НАРБ)/National Archives of the Republic of Belarus (NARB) фонд/fond. 42 опис/Inventory 1, дело/file 107 листы c/pp 96-96b.
13 Съезд работников искусств/Congress of Art Workers, Звезда/Zvyezda 1921, 16 Oct. 243 (927).
14 Наше отношение к искусству/Our Attitude to Art Звезда/Zvyezda 1921, 25 Oct. 250 (944).
15 В театре «Красная Звезда»/In the Theater “Red Star” Звезда/Zvyezda 1921, 9 Nov. 262 (946).
16 Красноармейское кино/Red Army Cinema Звезда/Zvyezda 1921, 6 Dec. 285 (969).
17 Демонстрация картины ‘Голод в Поволожье’/Showing of the film ‘Hunger in the Volga Region”, Звезда/Zvyezda, 1921, 14 Dec. 292 (976).
18 Ibid.
19 Моршинский, В. С./ Morshinsky, V.S «Символика колоративов в рассказе Л. Н. Андреева “Губернатор.”» Современные исследования социальных проблем /Contemporary Research of Social Problems № 3-1(27), 2016, c. 86. CyberLeninka https://web.archive.org/web/20211118140543/https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/simvolika-kolorativov-v-rasskaze-l-n-andreeva-gubernator. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
20 Ibid. p. 89.
21 Приказ №39/Order No. 39 1921 1 декабря/ 1921 1 December. Национальный архив Республики Беларусь/National Archives of the Republic of Belarus (NARB) фонд/fond. 42 опис/Inventory 1, дело/file 1052, pp 42.