The religious calendar, the infamous opium of the people in Marx’s words, is frowned upon. But something acceptable had to be found to replace religious holidays. There are the big, obvious ones: March 8, women’s day; May Day, the worker’s holiday; November 7, the anniversary of the 1917 Revolution. This postcard shows that there is no shortage of other dates to celebrate (although few of them were legal holidays) in GDR: March 1, Army Day; June 5, Youth Brigade Day, November 8, Chemical Workers’ Day, etc. – each one with its own traditions, including medal ceremonies, inaugurations etc. The acme of the cult of personality: in the mid-80s, Nicolae and Helena Ceaucescu’s birthdays were declared national holidays in Rumania.

After signing their marriage license, Soviet newlyweds traditionally visit the monuments in their city to have their picture taken. In many newer cities, these include a huge central monument honoring soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War, World War II’s official denomination in the Soviet Union. Sometimes the young couple even places a wreath in front of the eternal flame. The idea is to maintain Soviet patriotism and to keep the memory of the glorious Red Army’s spirit of sacrifice alive.

Despite the many official Socialist ceremonies that punctuated daily life, some traditional pagan or folk holidays survive, although the authorities cast a suspicious eye on them. Maslenitsa, for example, a sort of Russian mardi gras, also known as butter or pancake week, was tolerated by the 60s as the "End of Winter Celebration" in order to avoid using the old name, which came from traditional mythology. Nevertheless, people still eat blinis (symbolizing the sun’s return), dance, sing and go for sleigh rides. And huge bonfires are built to burn effigies of winter’s cold. Perestroika lifted the taboo on the old name, “Maslenitsa,” which is in use once again.

Blessing of the cakes in church on Holy Saturday, after the Pascal service, before eating them at home. Despite – or perhaps because of – decades of persecution, orthodoxy has not disappeared from Russia. Many Coptic popes and believers were persecuted, others manipulated by the KGB, and huge numbers of churches were closed, destroyed or used for storage. The outcome is that only a few people – in the countryside for the most part – still follow the old rituals: when they do, they run the risk of being denounced at work, excluded from the Komsomol etc. But almost everyone still enjoys a traditional Easter dinner, with eggs dyed red (using onion-skin dye) to symbolize... Christ’s blood. And on the day before Easter – which no longer officially exists, even the most Soviet of bakeries sells “spring cakes” whose shape and taste are indistinguishable from traditional Easter cakes. Since the opening of Perestroika, followed by the collapse of the Communism, Eastern Orthodoxy has been experiencing a tremendous revival.

Admission into the Pioneers, with their music and their red scarves, was placed under the patronage of Lenin himself. The pledge enjoined children from age 9 to love the USSR and defend the CPSU. Activities ranged from scouting to picking up recyclable litter.  It is inconceivable – synonymous with social and political death – for the children of a normal Soviet family not to join the Pioneers.

For over 40 years, once a year on May 1, happy, colorful crowds would, according to the official rhetoric, come out to demonstrate their determination to marcher towards a victorious, radiant future, towards Communism. As can be seen clearly in this 1978 report for the Czechoslovak state television, this holiday celebrated work, and workers were the heroes of the day. The population, organized into workplace-based delegations within the parade, was building a future Communist society through their work. The parade was a march for the masses, both literally and figuratively. The whole country, and all countries, marched together, at the same time (the parades in other European capitals always waited for the one on Red Square to give the signal to start), and in the same direction, towards the same ultimate goal. The parade was a representation of the entire history of the workers’ movement, from the first steps under Marx and Engels to the present day, via figures like K. Gottwald, the "first working-class president.” The slogans let people know the high points of the year, which leaders were in good graces just then, and the year’s production levels – in other words, how far society had come, even if it still had a long way to go to achieve Communism... Most workers’ collectives’ "spontaneous" vows to outdo their goals for the next five-year plan were sworn at May 1 ceremonies. And lastly, May 1 was a chance to flaunt role models and a put a representation of an ideal society (people’s militias, athletic champions, workers’ brigades) on display, for both the domestic audience and foreign spectators.

7 October 1989. East Germany has been shaken by a wave of escapes and unprecedented demonstrations, but SED Party leaders are in denial. A torch-lit parade on October 6 and a military one on the 7th: celebrations for the 40th anniversary of East Germany are organized as though everything were perfectly normal. Except that the Party’s resources were depleted. With the crowds shouting “Gorby, help us!” at the General Secretary of the CPSU in front of western news cameras, the celebration is a fiasco.

Rituals like this massive military parade on Red Square in honor of the October Revolution serve a dual purpose. First off: they reassure leaders that their power is in place. The parade is not intended as a public ceremony, but is actually for the benefit of the Politburo, which watches it from Lenin’s mausoleum. Secondly: to show foreigners (both friend and foe) that unity between the Party and the population is still thriving, and that it will be defended at all costs. The parades are also occasions for unveiling new military technology, as well as introducing new members of the inner circles of power.