Anna Levina – Saint Petersburg – Soviet Culture of the 1940’s: Stalin, Patriotism & Censorship

Your guide for this event is Anna Levina

**Just a reminder of the obvious. These tours do not mean that we support the current regime. I think the story of my life pretty much proves that. We study history and try to learn from the mistakes of the past** The 1940s were a transformative decade for Soviet culture, deeply influenced by World War II and the early Cold War. During the war, the state mobilized artists, writers, musicians, and filmmakers had to boost morale and foster patriotism, producing works focused on heroism and sacrifice. Strict censorship ensured alignment with propaganda needs, while composers like Shostakovich created emblematic pieces such as the “Leningrad Symphony.”