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[ANTI-RELIGIOUS PROPAGANDA FOR THE YOUTH] Kak chelovek vydumal boga: [Dlya detey srednego vozrasta] [i.e. How Man Invented God: [For Children of Middle Age]

Chumachenko, A.

Item #2756

Moscow; Leningrad: [OGIZ], 1931. 32 pp.: ill. 21,6x17 cm. In original publisher’s illustrated wrappers. Tears of the spine, worn, but otherwise very good.

Scarce. First edition. Text in Russian. Wrapper design by Mikhail Gurevich (1904–1943) and Andrey Igumnov (1903–1975). Gurevich, a graduate of VkhUTEMAS and member of the Society of Easel Painters (OST), developed a modern industrial aesthetic that combined late Constructivism with Expressionist influences. His career was cut short by his death in combat during the Battle of Smolensk in 1943. Internal design by Pyotr Suvorov (1901–1968).
A prime example of Soviet antireligious children’s propaganda, written by the Soviet writer and playwright Ada Chumachenko (1887–1954) and published by “Molodaya Gvardiya” in 1931. The book appeared at the height of the militant atheism campaign in the USSR and was widely used to recruit children into the Young Militant Atheists, the youth wing of the Union of Militant Atheists. Active during the late 1920s and early 1930s, the movement promoted scientific materialism and participated in anti-religious campaigns, including school activities and public events aimed at replacing religious traditions. By the late 1930s its influence declined amid broader political repressions affecting members and leadership, and it was formally dissolved in 1947 alongside the parent organization.
In the text, the author explains how early humans, unable to understand natural phenomena such as rain, thunder, lightning, and seasonal change, attributed them to supernatural forces and gradually created early forms of religion. The narrative traces how, over time, religion evolved alongside society and came to function as a mechanism of social control, serving the interests of priests, tsars, and other ruling groups. The edition is richly illustrated with black-and-white images and photographs showing the scary figurines of ancient idols, cavemen, Pope Pius XI, Russian icons, and happy Soviet proletariat.
The Constructivist wrapper design is dominated by bold, oversized typography. To the right of the title, the upper vignette depicts an indigenous figure confronting a towering, mask-like totem, while the lower scene shows a modern believer kneeling before a religious authority. The rear wrapper depicts a hooded, faceless figure clutching a large cross, accompanied with a direct call to action: “Kids! The Church is the Enemy of the Proletariat. Join the Ranks of the Young Militant Atheists!”
The author, Ada Chumachenko, was a versatile Soviet poet, prose writer, and dramatist who became a prominent figure in early 20th-century educational literature. Initially a poet associated with the Silver Age and the “Sreda” literary circle, she later transitioned to writing popular scientific and adventure books that blended rigorous pedagogy with state ideology. After 1926, Chumachenko wrote exclusively for children and authored one of her most famous works “Chelovek s Luny” [i.e. A Man from the Moon] in 1939. During WWII, she actively contributed to the popular Soviet children’s magazine Murzilka.
Overall, a curious piece of Soviet antireligious propaganda for children.

Worldcat shows 1 copy of the edition at Stanford University.

Price: $1,500.00