Реклама и объявления в витебских газетах 1920-х гг. как источник изучения повседневной жизни горожан

Uniqueness of periodicals as a historical source is that every publication in it can be a «source» unit which makes it possible to identify the whole variety of the published materials as well as specificity of each. So, document processing materials, statement and information and news sources were published in newspapers. In their turn, newspaper advertisements belong to information and news sources. They are not often an object of historians’ research interest, but are irreplaceble when studying the history of everyday life since they are aimed at people’s needs and, at the same time, reflect social and political notions of the time when they are created. The 1920s became a short period of the return of commercial advertising in Soviet newspapers. The 1920s advertising is well studied, the nespaper one including, in the context of the study of Soviet culture of that period. In publications by Russian researchers K. Zaripova and E. Tverdyukova some aspects of how life and household of 1920s Soviet people were reflected in davertising, are presented. There are practically no publications on this topic in home historical research. The aim of the article is to demonstrate the role of adverstising in Vitebsk periodicals of the 1920s as a source on everyday history of urban population in the conditions of New Economic Policy. Material and methods. Vitebsk newspapers of the 1920s stored in Fund 2289 of the State Archive of Vitebsk Region are used in the article. Both general scientific (analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization) and special historical methods are used. Basic methods used in the research are the comparative analysis method, the descriptive method and the historical retrospective method. Findings and their discussion. On the basis of November 8, 1917 Russian Federation Council of People’s Commissars Decree «On State Monopoly on Advertising Publication» advertising business was monopolized by the State. Commercial advertising actually disappeared. Political propaganda type of advertising was made in Vitebsk in the first post Revolution years by M. Shagal, K. Malevich, E. Lisitski and other UNOVIS members. In the conditions of NEP revitalization of Soviet commercial advertising took place. This revitalization was promoted by January 24, 1922 Russian Central Executive Committee and Council of People’s Commissars Decree «On Transition of All Periodicals onto Commercial Basis». Cinema advertising, advertisements of leasing cafes, drug stores, bathhouses, mills, boat crossing facilities across the Western Dvina, stores at the City markets, building refurbishment etc. already in early 1922 filled the pages of Vitebsk «Izvestiya». State trusts and private businessmen started publishing advertisements. Trying to conquer customers manufacturers promise «prewar» or «highest» quality of goods, «quality of product and prices above competition». Private advertisemnts characterize contradiction of the 1920s everyday life well. Their analysis shows that with the end of the Civil War peace concerns and habitual interests came back. However, life of the citizens became different, it was actively changed in the Party projected direction. Forms of new household were actively discussed, sanitary information was published, everything which was connected with religion and cult was questionned. Factory workers were invited to various Party and Trade Union meetings, Party members - to courses, Party discussions, meetings. By late 1920s everyday life of the citizens becomes more and more unified, NEP «thaw» diminishes. Conclusion. Analysis of advertising in Vitebsk newspapers of the 1920s shows that with the end of the Civil War everyday life of the inhabitants was directed into relatively calm channels. Need in music, missing pets, looking for jobs or flats to hire – all these features of everyday life became the reality again. For economic reasons authorities put up with gambling (horse races, lottery-allegry, gambling club opening, mechanical races advertisements). However, impact of ideology on everyday life increased. Party, Komsomol, Trade Union organizations invited Vitebsk citizens to lots of Party trials, lectures and discussions on the issues of new everyday lifestyle, conferences, meetings etc. New trends in marital relations echoed in advertisements of numerous divorses and topical sex culture issues on the pages of newspapers. Easter sales offers of the mid 1920s were substituted with advertisements of establishing a local «Bezbozhniki» (non believers) Union» in 1927. 1923–1925 see advertisement flourishing. Advertising producers always indicated the former name of a company or its previous owner as a guarantee of the quality and the recognized brand. Alcohol and tobacco advertising was most widely spread as well as cinema advertisements, which then also were mainly foreign and entertaining. Since 1926 trust advertising scale is reduced, instead, goods produced by local state owned companies are advertised as a rule. The situation is better in the sphere of culture. Printed advertising, which is closely linked with the tasks of ideology, actively advanced as earlier publishing houses, cinema and theater. The role of social advertising gradually increases.