Volunteer Citizen Patrol, Soviet Propaganda

Created in 1962 by Soviet artist V. Vasilyev, this propaganda poster promotes the druzhina, a system of volunteer citizen patrols that helped maintain public order throughout the Soviet Union. The enormous figure wearing the red armband is a druzhinnik, an ordinary Soviet citizen volunteering as a member of one of these patrols. Druzhinniki worked alongside regular police, patrolling streets and public spaces and watching for behavior such as vandalism, fighting, public drunkenness, theft, and other activities considered disruptive to Soviet society. The poster makes its message impossible to miss. The volunteer patrolman towers over a tiny “hooligan,” casually lifting him by the collar while the troublemaker still clutches a rock in his hand. The exaggerated difference in size is deliberate: the responsible Soviet citizen appears strong and confident, while the lawbreaker is reduced to a ridiculous and powerless figure. A rhyming verse by A. Filatova reinforces the image, calling on the volunteer patrolman to fulfill his duty, defend Soviet law, and drive the “insolent hooligan” out of the community. Volunteer citizen patrols became particularly prominent during the Khrushchev era. Formally expanded at the end of the 1950s, the system reflected the Soviet idea that maintaining order was not solely the responsibility of the police. Citizens themselves were expected to participate in protecting their workplaces, neighborhoods, and communities. Published by Agit-Plakat, part of the Soviet state’s political publishing system, the poster uses a limited burgundy and cream palette and exaggerated caricature to turn a serious law-and-order campaign into an immediately understandable image. Created in Khabarovsk in the Soviet Far East, this poster offers a fascinating glimpse into everyday Soviet life during the early 1960s and the government’s effort to turn ordinary citizens into active participants in maintaining public order. Size: 20.5" x 13.5" Artist: V. Vasilyev Condition: Good, Age-appropriate wear, fading and toning. Various background creases and stuffs. General border and corner wear. Please use the photo zoom feature to get a better understanding of overall condition. *Additional photos available upon request.