L&S 140 Communal Living Tour

Communal apartments and this website		A brief description of this Web site.
Housing in the USSR		Housing policy and how it affected people seeking more or improved space.
Apartment I floor plan		Floor plan of the apartment from Tours 1-2 (all clips), home to "auntie" Asya, Ekaterina Sergeevna, Masha, Sveta, and Natasha. 2006.
Apartment door		A typical apartment entrance in the building from Tours 1 and 2. The new wiring on the wall is the TV and Internet cable. 2007.
Partial view of an entryway		Entryway from "The Empty Room," Tour 2. The door to the "empty room" is to the left of the cabinet. The little bookshelf is shown in this photo. Imported electronics were not widely available until the 1990s. 2007.
Sink, pipes, and pesticide chalk		The white lines were drawn with pesticide chalk. This is the apartment's only sink. People do dishes here, brush their teeth, and wash up each morning. Apartment from Tours 1 and 2. See also close-up. 2007.
Bedding on the sofa		In Asya's room (see clip "At Auntie Asya's," Tour 1), there are two places to sleep; during the day she rests on the sofa. In this photo, she uses it to air out the blanket. 2006.
Entryway and hallway		Entryway and hallway with communal phone, table, and chair. We see "Auntie" Asya speaking on the phone in this same hallway in the clip "The Empty Room" (Tour 2), filmed 9 years after this photograph was taken. 1997.
The stairwell ceiling		All of the apartments leading out onto this stairwell from Tours 1-3 are communal; see clip "Stairwell"; some of the original decor from 1917, when the building was built, has been preserved. 2007.
A corner of a communal kitchen		Kitchen tables with dishes and shelves; a shirt and socks are drying. See a close-up photo of the socks. Apartment from Tours 1 and 2. 1997.
A room where seven people lived		A sideboard, desk, and cupboard in a row: an awkward makeshift layout. This room, where half a century ago seven people lived, is now rented by a student. See "Where He Slept" (Tour 1). 2006.
Hallway & Kitchen		Ilya shows his young children the hallway and kitchen in the apartment where he grew up.
Stairwell		Ilya brings his young children to the building where he used to live and shows them the elevator, doorbells, and janitor's quarters.
The Roof Garden		Ilya shows his young children the roof garden in the apartment where he grew up.
Where He Slept		Ilya brings his young children to his former room and talks about his large family, the partition, and watching TV through its reflection in the polished armoire.
A New Shower		A conversation about the bathroom: how clothes are washed and dried, how people wash.
Sheets of newsprint to spread on the toilet seat		This pouch on the inside of the lavatory door holds sheets of newsprint to be spread on the toilet seat. We see this lavatory in the clip "Lavatory & Hallway," Tour 2. The apartment from Tours 1 and 2. 2007.
Lavatory & Hallway		In the apartment where he used to live, Ilya shows the two lavatories and the electric meter in the dark hallway.
In the lavatory		This is one of two lavatories in the large apartment from Tour 3. Usually people spread newspaper on the shared toilet seat before they use it. 1997.
The kitchen		How space is organized and objects function in a communal kitchen.
Expressing "privacy" in Russian		About the concept of privacy in Russian culture, and the word "privacy" in Russian.
Who Pays and Cleans?		In the apartment where he used to live, Ilya explains the cleaning arrangements and payments for utilities and shows the service stairwell.
Repairs and maintenance		Who is responsible for maintaining the common spaces in a communal apartment?
Partition		In his former room, Ilya shows a tiny balcony and explains room partitioning.
A proactive denunciation		A collective petition defending one neighbor against a possible denunciation by another neighbor.
A denunciation sent to a foreign consulate		One resident denounces a neighbor to foreign consulates in order to keep her from going abroad.
A complaint against neighbors for stealing		An old woman complains to the police that her neighbors have been stealing the covers to her pots.
A complaint about harassment		An old woman writes a complaint to the police, claiming that she is being systematically harassed by her neighbors.
We're Like One Big Family		A woman who has spent her whole life in communal apartments explains why she likes it.

An exploration of the ways in which communal apartment spaces were used and controlled in order to fulfill their various functions [introduction] [assignments]

The kitchen		How space is organized and objects function in a communal kitchen.
Not quite like family		Co-tenants are inevitable witnesses to other people's private behavior.
Acceptable violations of privacy		When a right to privacy is violated for the sake of fairness.
At Auntie Asya's		Ilya's former neighbor "Auntie" Asya serves tea to his children and shows them her wood stove.
A Room for Her Daughter		A conversation with a former janitor about her life and how she got her rooms.
If All This Were Yours...		A husband and wife show their apartment and talk. We see the kitchen, hallways, bathroom, and also a room and office, carved out of what was once a large room with four windows.
Kamila, Lena, and Yulya		Three tenants of a large communal apartment talk about their neighbors. We see their rooms, the kitchen, the smoking space, and the place to dry clothes.
The Archangel Michael		An old woman, a comparatively recent resident of a communal apartment, explains how she is helped by her sense of humor and shows her "defenders."
Edik the Cabinetmaker		For the past twenty years, a cabinetmaker who works with fine woods has created museum quality furniture in his communal apartment room.
Quail Farm		A few minutes in a large communal kitchen, where unusual eggs are being scrambled.
Anna Matveevna's little corner in the kitchen		This photograph is offered as an example of what you should be looking at. For most of this assignment, you must find relevant photos in various tours on the Photos page.
In the washroom		This photograph is offered as an example of what you should be looking at. For most of this assignment, you must find relevant photos in various tours on the Photos page.
A loft in Yulya's room		This photograph is offered as an example of what you should be looking at. For most of this assignment, you must find relevant photos in various tours on the Photos page.

Студенту предлагается посмотреть несколько видеоклипов и фотографий и придумать свою версию пропажи иконы, о которой рассказывается в видео. [introduction]

Чаепитие		Жительница коммунальной квартиры среднего размера рассказывает о жизни в квартире в былые времена и о недавних переменах.
Кто жил здесь до революции?		Жительница небольшой коммунальной квартиры рассказывает о давнем и недавнем прошлом квартиры. Мы видим кухню, «пустую» комнату, коридор и прихожую.
Дом на углу Большого и Карповки		Один из перекрестков, которые видят Марина и Лена (клипы «Чаепитие» и «Кто жил здесь до революции?» (Видеоэкскурсия 5) в окрестностях своего дома. 2007.
Окно на лестнице, перила		В окне на лестнице, где много коммунальных квартир (в том числе из видеоклипа «Кто жил здесь до революции?», видеоэкскурсия 5), остались несколько стекол начала века. 2006.
Прихожая		Входная дверь в квартиру из видеоклипа «Кто жил здесь до революции?», тур 5, ведет в прихожую. Что слева за углом, видно на фото «Кресла в прихожей». 2006.
План квартиры VI		План квартиры, где живут Марина, Лена и Влад из видеоэкскурсии 5 (клипы 2-4). 2006.
Комнаты Лены и Марины		Диаграмма помещений из клипа «Узнаю по шагам» (видеоэкскурсия 5): прихожая, комната Марины и общая комната, из которой выгорожен «отсек» для Лены и отгорожен шкафом «уголок Влада». 2006.
Лена и пальто		Лена из клипа «Чаепитие» (тур 5) в прихожей; эта же квартира показана в клипе «Кто жил здесь до революции?» (тур 5). 2006.
Коридор, антресоли		В коридоре квартиры из клипа «Кто жил здесь до революции?» (видеоэкскурсия 5) вещи хранятся на антресолях; детям разрешили разрисовать обои, а ремонт так и не состоялся. 2006.
Сервант и печка		Действующая печь в комнате из клипа «Чаепитие», тур 5. Эта часть комнаты (см. план) используется как гостиная. 2006.
Ленин сервант		Сервант в комнате Лены. Между сервантом и печкой засунута гладильная доска. Комната из клипов «Чаепитие», «Узнаю по шагам» (тур 5), «О ворах и привидениях» (тур 6). 2006.
Компьютер в эркере		В отгороженном шкафом уголке старшеклассника Влада (см. план) стол стоит перед эркерным окном. См. также фото «Кровать Влада». 2006.
Кровать Влада		Отгороженный шкафом уголок старшеклассника Влада (см. план), сына Марины из «Узнаю по шагам» и «Кто жил здесь до революции?» тур 5. 2006.
Плита, кухонный стол, раковина и мусорные ведра		На кухне небольшой квартиры из видеоклипа «Кто жил здесь до революции?» (тур 5) есть зона для работы (мы видим ее здесь) и зона отдыха (на фото «Диван в кухне»). 2006.
Диван в кухне		Лену на этой кухне мы видим в клипе «Кто жил здесь до революции?» (видеоэкскурсия 5). Диван (чрезвычайная редкость на коммунальной кухне) — место разговоров с соседями за сигаретой и чашкой кофе. 2006.

Посмотрев видеоклип, студент может пересказать описанные в нем события и рассказать о подобных случаях из своей жизни. [introduction]

Чаепитие		Жительница коммунальной квартиры среднего размера рассказывает о жизни в квартире в былые времена и о недавних переменах.
О ворах и привидениях		Жительница коммунальной квартиры среднего размера рассказывает о кражах и таинственных пропажах.

Познакомившись с Леной по видеоклипам, студент расскажет на занятии о том, что он думал бы о ней, если бы в детстве жил с ней в одной квартире. [introduction]

Чаепитие		Жительница коммунальной квартиры среднего размера рассказывает о жизни в квартире в былые времена и о недавних переменах.
Кто жил здесь до революции?		Жительница небольшой коммунальной квартиры рассказывает о давнем и недавнем прошлом квартиры. Мы видим кухню, «пустую» комнату, коридор и прихожую.
О ворах и привидениях		Жительница коммунальной квартиры среднего размера рассказывает о кражах и таинственных пропажах.
Узнаю по шагам		Молодая жительница небольшой коммунальной квартиры рассказывает о правилах коммунальной жизни и о своих соседях.
План квартиры VI		План квартиры, где живут Марина, Лена и Влад из видеоэкскурсии 5 (клипы 2-4). 2006.
Следы декора в подъезде дома		В подъезде: печь, заложенная кирпичом, и оконная рама. Здесь живут Лена и Марина из клипов «Чаепитие» и «Кто жил здесь до революции?»> видеоэкскурсия 5. 2007.
Влад		Влад (сын Марины) в прихожей квартиры из клипа «Чаепитие», видеоэкскурсия 5. 2006.
График посещения ванной		Время пользования ванной в утренние и вечерние часы распределено между соседями и зафиксировано в расписании. 2006.
Кухонный телевизор		Этот телевизор включают во время хлопот по хозяйству или смотрят, сидя на диване. И телевизор, и диван на коммунальной кухне — чрезвычайная редкость. 2006.
Цветной линолеум		Многократно залатанный линолеум в кухне из клипа «Кто жил здесь до революции?» (видеоэкскурсия 5). 2006.
Марина с чашкой; печка и книжная полка		Марина (из клипов «Ковровые дорожки», тур 8 и «Узнаю по шагам», тур 5) в интерьере гостиной (см. план). 2006.
Икона и картина		«Красный угол» в комнате, которую мы видим в клипе «Чаепитие» (тур 5). Задолго до постперестроечного религиозного возрождения иконы вошли в моду как украшение интерьера в домах интеллигенции. 2006.
Фрагмент потолка		Комната разгорожена на три отсека (см. схему), поэтому нынешняя люстра висит в стороне от ее центра. Здесь живут Лена и Марина из клипа «Узнаю по шагам», тур 5. 2006.

A journey through the relationships, decisions, sacrifices and memories of communal living in Soviet and post-Soviet Russia.

Scenes from Strange Grownups		Comic scenes of communal apartment life in the 1970s from the feature film "Strange Grownups," reproduced here by permission of the Lenfilm movie studio. Director Ayan Shakhmalieva, screenplay by Maria Evereva and Arkady Minchkovsky. 1974.
Residency permit		The Soviet residency permit as a means of controlling citizens' lives.
A letter to Brezhnev about dachas		A volunteer inspector writes a letter to Brezhnev proposing to bring order to the housing problem.
Mikhail Zoshchenko. "Nervous people"		Mikhail Zoshchenko. "Nervous People." A short story. 1924. Translated by Charles Rougle.
The Empty Room		Ilya shows the so-called "empty room" in his former apartment and talks about his former neighbors.
Request to lock the upper lock of a door		This announcement on an apartment door requests that the residents think about security and use the stronger upper lock. 2000.
There Shouldn't Be Any Communal Apartments		An old lady talks about how her neighbors did not understand her, and says that in her opinion there shouldn't be any communal apartments.
The "empty" room		The common storage room of the small apartment seen in the clip "No Hallway, No Bath Either," Tour 4. 2006.
Another "Empty" Room		Objects in the so-called "empty" (uninhabited) room, left by residents for "temporary" storage.
Either side of the threshold		A striking difference between the carpet in the hallway and the carpet in the entryway to someone's room. 2007.
A baby grand between bed and refrigerator		A large part of one room (serving as bedroom, living room, dining room, and office) is taken up by a baby grand.
Lining up for the kitchen sink		The kitchen has only one hot-water faucet, so sometimes people have to line up to use it. 1998.
Kamila, Lena, and Yulya		Three tenants of a large communal apartment talk about their neighbors. We see their rooms, the kitchen, the smoking space, and the place to dry clothes.
I Won't Do Anything Else		Ilya talks with some of his contemporaries who live in a communal apartment.
Outer City Housing Complexes		Communal residents explain why they didn't want to live in new housing projects on the outskirts of the city.

В каких местах и окружениях мы можем увидеть обувь жильцов коммуналок: где ее оставляют, хранят, сушат. [introduction] [assignments]

Камила, Лена и Юля		В начале клипа, когда Илья и Славомир входят в квартиру, Галя делает, что положено делать со всеми гостями: предлагает им тапочки.
Столяр Эдик		Когда хозяин приглашает гостей пройти, не снимая уличной обуви, это может означать самую высокую степень уважения.
Ботинки, сапоги, туфли, тапочки в коридоре		Обувь и верхнюю одежду в этой квартире оставляют вне комнаты. Пространство в коридоре рядом с дверью как бы приватизировано жильцами и заполнено их вещами.
Девочка у двери в свою комнату		Над головой девочки сумка в форме войлочного шлепанца, в которой хранятся тапочки для гостей.
Тапочки на этажерке		Жильцы комнаты, дверь в которую рядом с этажеркой, тоже оставляют свою домашнюю обувь здесь, вне комнаты.
Тапочки в прихожей с колоннами		Мы видим эту квартиру в видеоэкскурсии 3. Эти тапочки в прихожей с мраморным полом, кажется, довольно далеко от дверей комнаты их владельцев.
Полотенца и ботинки		Ботинки вымыты и оставлены сушиться на батарее в коммунальной ванной.
Ребенок в коридоре		Уличная обувь сушится на батарее в коридоре. Здесь же оставляют и верхнюю одежду, что свидетельствует о доверии между соседями.
Краденые ботинки		Если обувь оставили вне комнаты, она не всегда может считаться в безопасности. Ведь не только соседи, но и их гости бывают в местах общего пользования.
Своя прихожая и общий коридор		Это переход из общего пространства в частное. В коридоре половичок, чтобы вытереть ноги, а за дверью коврик, чтобы не ходить по полу босиком, меняя обувь.
Газета для переобувания		Для чего газета рядом с этой полочкой-скамейкой в комнате Аси ? Чтобы, переобуваясь, не вставать босиком на пол? Или чтобы не запачкать пол уличными ботинками? Мы этого не знаем.
Вход в бывшее общежитие		Входя с улицы в эту нетипичную коммуналку (бывшее ведомственное общежитие), мы попадаем сюда. Некоторые соседи держат тапочки и оставляют обувь здесь.
Телефонный уголок в небольшой квартире		Владельцы рожка для обуви повесили его рядом с дверью в свою комнату. Между тем, это место часто используется всеми жильцами: здесь расположен общий телефон.
Грязь и чистота		В этом эссе говорится о связи грязного и чистого с местными представлениями о порядке.

Жители коммунальных квартир пьют чай сами и угощают гостей. [introduction]

Что и как ели и пили		Очерк о рационе и пищевых привычках жителей коммунальных квартир.
Чайники на самоварном столике		В этой комнате чайники стоят на почетном месте: на таком столике когда-то в давние времена стоял самовар.
Фрукты и чайники		Даже в самом скромном быте пожилых людей есть чайник для кипятка и чайник для чая.
У тети Аси		На этом видео бывшая соседка Ильи «тетя» Ася приглашает гостей к столу и поит их чаем. Угощение – важный элемент гостеприимства. Ася рада гостям.
Чаепитие в гостях у Аси		На столе — обычное место чайника и термоса.
Ася наполняет термос		В термосе Ася заваривает лечебные травы.
Стол с чайниками		На столе Нины Васильевны вместе с чайником есть и термос.
Чаепитие		Чай с лимоном из красивых чашек, что-нибудь сладкое к чаю. Мы видим это в начале видеоклипа, где все интерьвю с леной происходит за чаем.
Вадим и Лена		Лена и Вадим тоже рассказывают истории из жизни за чашкой чая. Во многих домах чай из чайного сервиза пьют только в торжественных случаях.
Марина делает чай		В повседневной жизни чай пьют не из сервиза, а из больших кружек. На столе стоит и банка растворимого кофе, другого любимого напитка, который в советские времена был дефицитным.
Ленин сервант		На нижней полке мы серванта мы видим повседневные кружки, а на верхней — праздничные чашки.
Две плиты, сгоревший чайник		Этот чайник забыли на плите: из него выкипела вся вода, и он обгорел, потому что никого не оказалось на кухне, чтобы его выключить.
Бабушка зажигает плиту		Чтобы поставить чайник, иногда приходится приложить усилия.

Что дорого сердцу людей, которые здесь живут: предметы и изображения, связанные с религией и семейной памятью, а также просто украшения интерьера. [introduction]

Красный угол на серванте, 2000		Сервант, где за стеклом хранится самая красивая посуда для праздничного стола, в 1960-70-е был, наверное, почти в каждом доме.
Красный угол на серванте, 2006 (крупный план)		Уголки с иконами есть в очень многих российских городских жилищах.
Икона и картина		В СССР религия не поощрялась. С начала 1990-х разнообразные проявления религиозности стали частью повседневности многих русских. Но иконы вошли в моду как украшение интерьера в домах интеллигенции еще до Перестройки.
Комната Анны Матвеевны		Анна Матвеевна, хозяйка этой комнаты, живет в этой квартире больше семидесяти пяти лет.
На серванте у Анны Матвеевны		В хрустальной вазе, где лежит старая фотография в резной рамке, помещен лист с печатной молитвой.
Верба, иконки, свечка в банке		На полочке трюмо в комнате Анны Матвеевны.
Нина Васильевна и альбом		У Нины Васильевны много альбомов. Во второй половине этого видеоклипа она показывает этот альбом.
Каминная полка, стол, иконы (крупный план)		На каминной полке — дореволюционный портрет предка хозяйки комнаты.
Ваза в интерьере		Эта ваза в интерьере комнаты старейшей жительницы большой квартиры осталась от дореволюционных хозяев.
На полке		На полке в шкафу.
Если бы это все было ваше...		Во второй половине этого видеоклипа мы попадаем в комнаты, где живут Лена и Вадим.
Славомир, шкаф со старинной посудой		За спиной Славомира, который слушает рассказы Вадима и Лены за чашкой чая, в шкафу с безделушками и старинной посудой, есть несколько статуэток, изображающих таксу. Есть игрушки-таксы и картинки-таксы и в других местах этого дома.
Шуточная табличка в комнате		В комнате Вадима оригинальный дизайн (лестница на антресоли) обыгрывается в содержимом таблички, изначально висевшей в каком-то подъезде.
Круглая печка, номерной знак		Номер дома использован как декоративная деталь интерьера в жилище интеллигентной семьи. Вполне возможно, что это подарок на день рождения хозяина комнаты (не исключено, что отвинчен от реального дома).
Книги Эдуарда		Книжная полка в комнате столяра Эдика.
Компьютер и фото		Рабочее место Марины. На фотографиях она со своим сыном Владом.
Фрагмент интерьера комнаты		В этой комнате живут студенты Савва и Соня. Их родители переехали, но многие вещи оставили здесь.
Комната для дочки		В этом клипе мы видим комнату женщины, которая много лет проработала дворником, а теперь на песнии.

Множество относительно недавно проложенных проводов, которые мы видим в сегодняшних коммуналках (электрические, телефонные, к звонкам, антенные кабели, интернет), объединяет одна черта: они проложены не очень аккуратно.

Перепелиная ферма		В середине этого видеоклипа мы видим, как Толя протягивает кабель параллельного телефона к себе в комнату от стоящего в прихожей общего телефона.
Телефонный уголок в небольшой квартире		Аккуратность дореволюционного витого провода на изоляторах, который до сих пор служит свою службу, контрастирует с наспех брошенным проводом от телефонной розетки к параллельному аппарату в комнате жильцов.
Занавеска и провода		Провода звонков, телефона и телевизионной антенны протянуты над занавеской, скрывающей дверь в комнату жильцов.
Хозяйкины иконы		В середине этого видеоклипа есть эпизод, где Илья показывает провода, ведущие к звонкам в комнатах жильцов.
Обои и старинная проводка		Этой электропроводке, скорее всего, больше восьмидесяти лет.
Счетчики, пробки, провода		Чаще всего такие провода прокладывают не специалисты-электрики, антеннщики, телефонисты, а сами жильцы без официальных согласований. Эти временные провода остаются тут постоянно, даже и после того, как ими перестали пользоваться.
Пережитки: патрон и выключатель		То, что не используется, все равно остается на своем месте, если оно не мешает: этот патрон и этот выключатель остались здесь на многие годы после того, как ими перестали пользоваться.
Звонки на двери в небольшую коммуналку		Получив или сняв комнату, ты получаешь в наследство не только место на кухне и в кладовке, но и звонок с проводкой. Нужно только обозначить себя табличкой или бумажкой, по имени или по фамилии. Аккуратность проводки не всегда связана с характером жильца.
Электрические пробки		С технической точки зрения тут все, может быть, и в порядке. Но нет впечатления безопасности: кажется, что малейшая искра может воспламенить многолетнюю паутину и клочья пыли.
Голая лампочка		Эта лампочка находится не в месте общего пользования, где лампочки без абажура обычны, а в проходе между двумя комнатами одной семьи. Знакомая витая проводка начала ХХ века закрашена краской.
Потолок на «черной» лестнице		С новыми трубами, кабелями цифрового телевидения и интернета в коммуналки приходит техника двадцать первого века. Установленные когда-то лампы дневного света давно не используются, вместо них освещает лестницу лампочка без абажура.

This tour will examine the issues that arise when people must live in close proximity of each other. These issues includes problems in common areas such as the kitchen and bathroom as well setting and obeying house rules. [introduction] [assignments]

How Many Tenants?		A story about how the number of tenants grew, how clean the apartment used to be, and how the bathroom was used.
Private versus communal space		The difference between a hallway rug and a private one. 2007.
Expressing "privacy" in Russian		About the concept of privacy in Russian culture, and the word "privacy" in Russian.
Common area cleaning schedule		The common area cleaning schedule is posted on the kitchen wall. It mentions "newcomers," among other residents. Apartment from Tours 1 and 2. 2007.
The kitchen		How space is organized and objects function in a communal kitchen.
Rules for using the bathroom		On the door to the bathroom is an appeal to residents not to use the bathroom at night, as the person who posted the note lives in the room next door. 2000.
Chart: Who gets to use the bathroom		Times that each tenant can use the bathroom in the morning and evening are indicated on a chart. 2006.
Cleaning your section of a communal kitchen		Auntie Asya cleans her section of the kitchen. 1998.
Cleaning duty		What happens when a resident is on duty for apartment cleaning.
Who Pays and Cleans?		In the apartment where he used to live, Ilya explains the cleaning arrangements and payments for utilities and shows the service stairwell.
A note about proper use of the phone		Payment for and use of the shared telephone is a potential source of conflict among residents. 2006.
A note about a tenant's long absence		The tenant who is responsible for the telephone bill has not been around for a long time.
A note about gas		A note written about a neighbor who left the apartment, leaving a gas burner turned on and unlit.
A note about the kitchen window		One resident asks another not to open the kitchen windows. 2005.
Repairs and maintenance		Who is responsible for maintaining the common spaces in a communal apartment?
Don't hang up your underwear!		A notice in the bathroom, asking people not to hang underwear on the clothesline.
I Know Their Footsteps		A young tenant in a small communal apartment talks about the rules of communal life and about her neighbors.
A complaint against neighbors		An old woman complains to the police about stealing and assault on the part of neighbors.
A complaint against neighbors for stealing		An old woman complains to the police that her neighbors have been stealing the covers to her pots.
A complaint about assault		An old woman complains to the police that her neighbors have been attacking her physically.
A complaint with a request for a police search		An old couple writes a complaint to the police, claiming that their neighbors are harassing them.
A little girl takes justice into her own hands		A little girl takes vengeance on a neighbor for stealing food.
Spying		Some tenants spy on others.
Stolen pork chops		"Caught on webcam: a thief — and grim end of a Soviet dream." A report filed from Moscow by Nick Holdsworth of Telegraph.co.uk. 2005.

L&S 140C - The Soviet Experience - An exploration of how communal apartments create and/or challenge an individual's privacy, protection, and persona.

Stolen pork chops		"Caught on webcam: a thief — and grim end of a Soviet dream." A report filed from Moscow by Nick Holdsworth of Telegraph.co.uk. 2005.
Mikhail Zoshchenko. "Nervous people"		Mikhail Zoshchenko. "Nervous People." A short story. 1924. Translated by Charles Rougle.
Daniil Kharms, "Myshin's Victory"		A miniature story by Daniil Kharms, 1940. Translated by Alice Nakhimovsky.
Scenes from Strange Grownups		Comic scenes of communal apartment life in the 1970s from the feature film "Strange Grownups," reproduced here by permission of the Lenfilm movie studio. Director Ayan Shakhmalieva, screenplay by Maria Evereva and Arkady Minchkovsky. 1974.
Scenes from Our Neighbors		Comic scenes of communal apartment life in the late 1950s from the feature film “Our Neighbors,” reproduced here by permission of the Belarusfilm movie studio. Director Sergei Sploshnov, screenplay by Mikhail Antonenkov and Ephraim Sevela. 1957.
A little girl takes justice into her own hands		A little girl takes vengeance on a neighbor for stealing food.
The kitchen		How space is organized and objects function in a communal kitchen.
Apartment stewards		An essay about formal leadership in a communal apartment.
Communal apartments and this website		A brief description of this Web site.
Property and ownership		Soviet Russians did not view themselves as renters; rules were very different from market economies.
Not quite like family		Co-tenants are inevitable witnesses to other people's private behavior.
Expressing "privacy" in Russian		About the concept of privacy in Russian culture, and the word "privacy" in Russian.
Acceptable violations of privacy		When a right to privacy is violated for the sake of fairness.
Intimate details		Knowledge of other people's intimate lives in a communal apartment.
Chart: Who gets to use the bathroom		Times that each tenant can use the bathroom in the morning and evening are indicated on a chart. 2006.
Three bulbs in the lavatory		In this lavatory, each family has their own bulb.
Sheets of newsprint to spread on the toilet seat		This pouch on the inside of the lavatory door holds sheets of newsprint to be spread on the toilet seat. We see this lavatory in the clip "Lavatory & Hallway," Tour 2. The apartment from Tours 1 and 2. 2007.
Couch in kitchen		Lena is shown in this kitchen in the clip "Who Lived Here Before the Revolution?" (Tour 5). The couch (highly unusual in a communal kitchen) is a place for talking with neighbors while having a smoke and a cup of coffee. 2006.
Apartment II floor plan		Floor plan of the apartment from Tour 3 (all clips), home to Sasha, Yulia, Tatyana, Iraida Yakovlevna, Anna Matveevna, Nina Vasilievna, Sonya, and Savva. 2006.
Twenty Keys		A young woman tells about how someone stole keys and got inside the apartment.
How Many Tenants?		A story about how the number of tenants grew, how clean the apartment used to be, and how the bathroom was used.
Nina Vasilievna		The oldest tenant in the apartment shows her photo album and talks about her life.
Who Pays and Cleans?		In the apartment where he used to live, Ilya explains the cleaning arrangements and payments for utilities and shows the service stairwell.
Partition		In his former room, Ilya shows a tiny balcony and explains room partitioning.
Where He Slept		Ilya brings his young children to his former room and talks about his large family, the partition, and watching TV through its reflection in the polished armoire.

This tour explores sources of, and some solutions to, conflicts between tenants in communal apartments. [introduction] [assignments]

Communal apartments and this website		A brief description of this Web site.
Property and ownership		Soviet Russians did not view themselves as renters; rules were very different from market economies.
How Soviet Russians understood money		The diminished role played by monetary considerations in Soviet society had many repercussions.
Repairs		In the kitchen of the apartment where Ilya used to live, Ilya and "Auntie" Asya talk about the difficulty of getting anything fixed.
Repairs and maintenance		Who is responsible for maintaining the common spaces in a communal apartment?
Who Paid for the Lock?		After a thief got into the apartment, money was collected for a new lock.
"Justice" and the sharing of resources		How the principle of "justice" applies in the division of resources within a communal apartment.
A note about gas		A note written about a neighbor who left the apartment, leaving a gas burner turned on and unlit.
A note about proper use of the phone		Payment for and use of the shared telephone is a potential source of conflict among residents. 2006.
The electric bill as an instrument of justice		People pay close attention to money spent on lighting public spaces.
Electric meters, fuses, wires		Electrical and telephone wires in the hallway of the small apartment shown in the clip "If All This Were Yours..." (Tour 4) have been run along the wall somewhat carelessly. 2006.
Three bulbs in the lavatory		In this lavatory, each family has their own bulb.
Cleaning duty		What happens when a resident is on duty for apartment cleaning.
Half-cleaned stove		In the clip "Cooking Saltimbocca," (Tour 3) we learn that two families use this stove; one of them cleans the stove less carefully. The bucket, broom, and dustpan are for cleaning the common areas. 2006.
Note about cockroaches		An old lady who is a controlling type writes to a temporary resident that she saw a cockroach on top of her cabinet.
Common area cleaning schedule		The common area cleaning schedule is posted on the kitchen door. (See the essay.) Nine years later in the same kitchen the schedule is posted on the wall. 1998.
Who Pays and Cleans?		In the apartment where he used to live, Ilya explains the cleaning arrangements and payments for utilities and shows the service stairwell.
In the washroom		These buckets and basins in the washroom of the apartment shown in Tour 3 belong to various residents. On the floor under the bench is an electric centrifuge for squeezing out wet laundry. 2005.
Washroom		Ilya shows the washroom in his former apartment and talks about his former neighbors.
"In a communal apartment" by Mikhail Zhvanetsky		A sketch by a famous satirist about an old man who tries to get to the lavatory.
Lavatory & Hallway		In the apartment where he used to live, Ilya shows the two lavatories and the electric meter in the dark hallway.
Rules for using the bathroom		On the door to the bathroom is an appeal to residents not to use the bathroom at night, as the person who posted the note lives in the room next door. 2000.
Chart: Who gets to use the bathroom		Times that each tenant can use the bathroom in the morning and evening are indicated on a chart. 2006.
Apartment stewards		An essay about formal leadership in a communal apartment.
A note about the kitchen window		One resident asks another not to open the kitchen windows. 2005.
A complaint with a request for a police search		An old couple writes a complaint to the police, claiming that their neighbors are harassing them.
A denunciation sent to a foreign consulate		One resident denounces a neighbor to foreign consulates in order to keep her from going abroad.
A proactive denunciation		A collective petition defending one neighbor against a possible denunciation by another neighbor.
Switching oranges		A portion of a conversation Ilya held with informants about their relationship with their co-tenants. It is risky to keep your refrigerator in the kitchen.
A nail and a sweater		A part of a conversation Ilya held with informants about their relationship with co-tenants and the consequences of envy.
Nobody thought about money		The good old days and New Year's parties before the war.
Mikhail Zoshchenko. "Nervous people"		Mikhail Zoshchenko. "Nervous People." A short story. 1924. Translated by Charles Rougle.
Stolen pork chops		"Caught on webcam: a thief — and grim end of a Soviet dream." A report filed from Moscow by Nick Holdsworth of Telegraph.co.uk. 2005.
There Shouldn't Be Any Communal Apartments		An old lady talks about how her neighbors did not understand her, and says that in her opinion there shouldn't be any communal apartments.
Clean and dirty		Practices and notions of cleanliness vary across cultures and communities. How do we understand the mess and dirt we see in many images of communal apartments?

A look at a number of issues that arose specifically in the kitchens of communal apartments and the solutions to those issues.

Scenes from Our Neighbors		Comic scenes of communal apartment life in the late 1950s from the feature film “Our Neighbors,” reproduced here by permission of the Belarusfilm movie studio. Director Sergei Sploshnov, screenplay by Mikhail Antonenkov and Ephraim Sevela. 1957.
Scenes from Strange Grownups		Comic scenes of communal apartment life in the 1970s from the feature film "Strange Grownups," reproduced here by permission of the Lenfilm movie studio. Director Ayan Shakhmalieva, screenplay by Maria Evereva and Arkady Minchkovsky. 1974.
Mikhail Zoshchenko. "Nervous people"		Mikhail Zoshchenko. "Nervous People." A short story. 1924. Translated by Charles Rougle.
Communal Pulp Fiction		Lev Rubenshtein. "Communal Pulp Fiction." Essay. From Music Played at Home. Moscow, 2000.
The kitchen		How space is organized and objects function in a communal kitchen.
Expressing "privacy" in Russian		About the concept of privacy in Russian culture, and the word "privacy" in Russian.
Part of a kitchen		In this picture of the kitchen of a medium-sized apartment, we see how the space in and around a special cupboard has been turned into a kind of pantry. 1998.
Lining up for the kitchen sink		The kitchen has only one hot-water faucet, so sometimes people have to line up to use it. 1998.
Half-cleaned stove (close-up)		Two families use this stove, and each one cleans only their own half (or not). 2006.
You can wash your hair in the kitchen		In the kitchen: Kristina has just washed her hair. 1997.
An improvised refrigerator between window frames		Cooked dishes and certain food items are often set between the kitchen window frames even when there is a refrigerator, as is usually now the case. Each resident has his or her own place there. 1997.
Cooking Saltimbocca		A communal kitchen in action: in the kitchen of a large communal apartment, Ilya makes an Italian dish for his friends who live there.
Stolen pork chops		"Caught on webcam: a thief — and grim end of a Soviet dream." A report filed from Moscow by Nick Holdsworth of Telegraph.co.uk. 2005.
Anna Matveevna in the kitchen extension		Anna Matveevna (see clip "Anna Matveevna," Tour 3) has hung a padlock on her kitchen cabinet. There is a similar one on the door to her room. 2006.
A little girl takes justice into her own hands		A little girl takes vengeance on a neighbor for stealing food.
"Justice" and the sharing of resources		How the principle of "justice" applies in the division of resources within a communal apartment.

Some common and significant elements of communal apartment life, for Colgate students

Stairwell		Ilya walks up the stairs in the building where he used to live and talks about the elevator, graffiti, doorbells, and drug addicts.
Apartment I floor plan		Floor plan of the apartment from Tours 1-2 (all clips), home to "auntie" Asya, Ekaterina Sergeevna, Masha, Sveta, and Natasha. 2006.
Kitchen		In the apartment where he used to live, Ilya greets his former neighbors, and while he talks to them, we see the kitchen.
The kitchen		How space is organized and objects function in a communal kitchen.
Anna Matveevna in the kitchen extension		Anna Matveevna (see clip "Anna Matveevna," Tour 3) has hung a padlock on her kitchen cabinet. There is a similar one on the door to her room. 2006.
Part of a kitchen		In this picture of the kitchen of a medium-sized apartment, we see how the space in and around a special cupboard has been turned into a kind of pantry. 1998.
Lining up for the kitchen sink		The kitchen has only one hot-water faucet, so sometimes people have to line up to use it. 1998.
Half-cleaned stove (close-up)		Two families use this stove, and each one cleans only their own half (or not). 2006.
Two elderly residents in the kitchen		Life in the kitchen: residents, saltcellars on the wall, and a serving table. Apartment from the clip "Kamila, Lena, and Yulya," Tour 5. 1997.
Kitchen in a large apartment		View of a communal kitchen with its exit to the back staircase; it is set up as a place for people to smoke. See the same kitchen several years later. 1997.
Door to the service staircase		View from the kitchen to the extension, designated as a place for smoking. The door leading to the service staircase has been stripped for painting. We see this apartment in the clip "Kamila, Lena, and Yulya." 2006.
Kitchen extension		The passage leading to a separate part of the kitchen of the large apartment from the clip "Kamila, Lena, and Yulya." 2006.
Sonya with a cigarette, table, cabinet		Sonya smokes a cigarette, standing next to her kitchen table and wall cabinet. 2006.
Meatballs and laundry in the kitchen		In the kitchen, Oksana is making meatballs that she will fry (Russian kotlety). 1998.
Washroom		Ilya shows the washroom in his former apartment and talks about his former neighbors.
Lavatory & Hallway		In the apartment where he used to live, Ilya shows the two lavatories and the electric meter in the dark hallway.
Communal apartments and this website		A brief description of this Web site.
Housing in the USSR		Housing policy and how it affected people seeking more or improved space.
Eating and drinking		Food staples and consumption habits of communal apartment dwellers.
Everyday life and housing		The study of housing is a key part of the larger body of scholarship on everyday life.
A hallway cluttered with stuff, arch, cat		Cabinets, boxes, and a coat rack in a cluttered hallway of the apartment which is home to Vadim and Lena from "If All This Were Yours..." (Tour 4) and Eduard from "Edik the Cabinetmaker" (Tour 5). 2006.
There Shouldn't Be Any Communal Apartments		An old lady talks about how her neighbors did not understand her, and says that in her opinion there shouldn't be any communal apartments.
We Laughed and Cried		A story about how very different people shared an apartment, sometimes getting along and sometimes not.
Jew Rugs		How one tenant amused herself with casual antisemitism.
A complaint against neighbors for stealing		An old woman complains to the police that her neighbors have been stealing the covers to her pots.
From The Magic Power of Art		A funny (or perhaps not-so-funny?) story about a stage actor who helps an elderly woman bring her obnoxious neighbors to heel. By permission of the Lenfilm Movie Studio. Director, Naum Virman. Screenplay by Dragunsky. Featuring Arkady Raikin. 1970.
Kamila, Lena, and Yulya		Three tenants of a large communal apartment talk about their neighbors. We see their rooms, the kitchen, the smoking space, and the place to dry clothes.
The waiting list for housing		The waiting list for better housing, 1960 through the 1980s.
Dacha		Dachas outside the city, their history and functions.
Intimate details		Knowledge of other people's intimate lives in a communal apartment.
Clean and dirty		Practices and notions of cleanliness vary across cultures and communities. How do we understand the mess and dirt we see in many images of communal apartments?
Poverty and the quality of life		A discussion of some of the economic and social factors that explain why people stay in and tolerate communal apartments.

Russian culture in the 20th century [assignments]

Communal apartments and this website		A brief description of this Web site.
Stairwell		Ilya brings his young children to the building where he used to live and shows them the elevator, doorbells, and janitor's quarters.
How Many Tenants?		A story about how the number of tenants grew, how clean the apartment used to be, and how the bathroom was used.
Apartment II floor plan		Floor plan of the apartment from Tour 3 (all clips), home to Sasha, Yulia, Tatyana, Iraida Yakovlevna, Anna Matveevna, Nina Vasilievna, Sonya, and Savva. 2006.
Expressing "privacy" in Russian		About the concept of privacy in Russian culture, and the word "privacy" in Russian.
I Know Their Footsteps		A young tenant in a small communal apartment talks about the rules of communal life and about her neighbors.
Couch in kitchen		Lena is shown in this kitchen in the clip "Who Lived Here Before the Revolution?" (Tour 5). The couch (highly unusual in a communal kitchen) is a place for talking with neighbors while having a smoke and a cup of coffee. 2006.
Property and ownership		Soviet Russians did not view themselves as renters; rules were very different from market economies.
Acceptable violations of privacy		When a right to privacy is violated for the sake of fairness.
Intimate details		Knowledge of other people's intimate lives in a communal apartment.
Eating and drinking		Food staples and consumption habits of communal apartment dwellers.
There Shouldn't Be Any Communal Apartments		An old lady talks about how her neighbors did not understand her, and says that in her opinion there shouldn't be any communal apartments.
Kamila, Lena, and Yulya		Three tenants of a large communal apartment talk about their neighbors. We see their rooms, the kitchen, the smoking space, and the place to dry clothes.
Clean and dirty		Practices and notions of cleanliness vary across cultures and communities. How do we understand the mess and dirt we see in many images of communal apartments?
Poverty and the quality of life		A discussion of some of the economic and social factors that explain why people stay in and tolerate communal apartments.
Nobody thought about money		The good old days and New Year's parties before the war.
Mikhail Zoshchenko. "Nervous people"		Mikhail Zoshchenko. "Nervous People." A short story. 1924. Translated by Charles Rougle.
Lydia Chukovskaya. Sofia Petrovna		Lydia Chukovskaya. Sofia Petrovna. Translated by Aline B. Worth. Revised and amended by Eliza Kellogg Klose. Excerpt.
"In a communal apartment" by Mikhail Zhvanetsky		A sketch by a famous satirist about an old man who tries to get to the lavatory.
In a Room and a Half		"In a Room and a Half" from Less Than One, Selected Essays by Joseph Brodsky. Excerpt.

Various aspects of life in the communal apartment

Communal apartments and this website		A brief description of this Web site.
Kitchen extension		The passage leading to a separate part of the kitchen of the large apartment from the clip "Kamila, Lena, and Yulya." 2006.
A complaint about harassment		An old woman writes a complaint to the police, claiming that she is being systematically harassed by her neighbors.
An order to investigate and take action		An order from the head of the district administration to the head of the district police to respond to a feud in a communal apartment.
How Many Tenants?		A story about how the number of tenants grew, how clean the apartment used to be, and how the bathroom was used.
The kitchen		How space is organized and objects function in a communal kitchen.
Clean and dirty		Practices and notions of cleanliness vary across cultures and communities. How do we understand the mess and dirt we see in many images of communal apartments?
No Hallway, No Bath Either		Ilya visits a comparatively small communal apartment and shows us its "empty" room with an asymmetrical ceiling. A student who rents a room here shows us the bathroom.
Chart: Who gets to use the bathroom		Times that each tenant can use the bathroom in the morning and evening are indicated on a chart. 2006.
In the lavatory		This is one of two lavatories in the large apartment from Tour 3. Usually people spread newspaper on the shared toilet seat before they use it. 1997.
A note about the kitchen window		One resident asks another not to open the kitchen windows. 2005.
A complaint with a request for a police search		An old couple writes a complaint to the police, claiming that their neighbors are harassing them.

An examination of the deterioration of Russian communal apartments [introduction] [assignments]

Подъезд (крупный план)		This photo shows the outer and inner entrance doors to the apartment. The outer door is an addition common to most Russian apartments, added for security and to augment the deteriorated inner door. Note the cardboard inserts on the original door.
Окно в подъезде		This window is inside the entrance to the apartment, and it was bricked up after another building was built next door. Note that the window frames and the awning have not been removed and there is a pipe running along the wall in clear view.
Лестница		Ilya walks up the stairs, comments on the fake marble walls which have been covered with graffiti. In this video we can see the contrast between the old beauty of the building and its current deteriorated state. Ilya also comments on a drug dealer.
За лифтом — дверь в бывшую дворницкую		This image shows the old quarters of the liftman. An old refrigerator, which sits behind the elevator, can be seen on the left. This is a clear example of how the building has been run down over the years, which nothing has been done about.
Отремонтированные перила		This is a photo of the stairwell with some repaired handrails. Again, we can see how the quality of the building has deteriorated, with almost no care being put into its maintenance.
Потолок лестничного пролета		This is an image of the ceiling in the stairwell, which is the original ceiling. The contrast between the classical architecture and the modern elevator is striking.
Чей звонок?		This shows a doorbell, and we can see remains of old pieces of paper denoting whose doorbell it is. The door itself looks like it has been written on and people have not taken care to completely remove the pieces of remaining paper attached to it.
Дверь в квартиру		This is the door to the apartment. It looks like it was once upscale, but now has gone to seed. Note the individual doorbells on the left of the door and the new cables on the right, some for cable television, and others for internet access.
Уборная и коридор		Ilya talks about two toilets, and the problems of having a drunk resident in the apartment. Note the dirty floors and the general rundown quality of the toilets and floors in the apartment. Ilya also discusses individual electricity meters of residents.
Кухня		Ilya visits the kitchen, which is a collection of tables reserved for individual tenants. Each tenant has his or her own apportioned space. Note how the entire space needs cleaning and maintenance. The single sink is sometimes used to brush teeth.
Фрагмент интерьера кухни		This is a photo of the kitchen dating back to 1998. We can see the exit to the back staircase and some cleaning materials. The condition of the cleanliness of the kitchen cannot be determined, but is assumed to be the same as the present.
Интерьер кухни через год после съемок видео		This photo of the kitchen was taken a year after the video, in 2007. The kitchen remains in the same poor condition as before. It will most likely remain in this condition unless repaired by the residents or the local housing authority
Кто платит и убирает?		Ilya talks about the distribution of rent payments and shows the back entrance to the apartment, which he says is not used anymore. He says this cats and homeless people live here, and it used to be filled with excrement.
Ремонт и обслуживание		This is an image of the damaged ceiling in the kitchen. The text talks about the responsibility of repairs being on the housing authority. Unfortunately, repairs are hard to come by and the quality of service is poor compared to its high cost.
Ремонт		Ilya talks about how repairs are done by the agreement of all the residents, or a single resident who takes it on himself to pay for it. He says the government is not reliable, and the services it provides are expensive and often ineffectual.
«Черный» ход ведет во двор		This is an image of the back staircase which is not used by the residents. Note the trash on the sill and the floors, the grafitti on the left wall, and the peeling paint.
Раковина, трубы, мелок от тараканов		This is a photo of the kitchen sink, which is the only sink available in the apartment. The white lines are drawn with pesticide chalk.
Черный ход		This is another photo of the doorway to the back entrance. This shows part of the kitchen which we saw in the earlier photo from 1998. Note the cracked wall of the doorway. The locks on the door are assumed to be broken; only the hook is used.
Потолок на «черной» лестнице		This is the ceiling in the back staircase, with a new pipe running up the wall and old fluorescent light bulbs which have not been used in some time. A naked lightbulb has replaced them. There are new cables running across the walls.
Электрические пробки		This is an image of the electrical fuses and wires in the kitchen of the apartment. They have not been upgraded for decades, and the wall hasn't been painted in 15 years. This shows the ineffectiveness of the housing authority.
Водогрей и сажа на стене		This is a photo of the water heater in the kitchen, which doesn't have an exhaust pipe, leaving the soot on the wall above it. The photo is from 1992. The sink was one of two in the apartment and no longer has a functioning faucet; it cannot be used.
Ничего делать не буду		This is a video of a different apartment. Ilya talks to the residents. We see a similar soot covered wall in the kitchen above the water heater. The residents discuss their cleaning habits. A man says he will no longer do extra work for others.
Коридора не было, ванной тоже		In a different apartment, Ilya goes into an "empty" room used for storage. He says everything there is saved because people are too lazy to throw it away. He says that the hallway adjacent to the room used to not exist. He talks to a female resident.