When Reality Becomes Skazka: "Pioneer Heroes" Series and the Heroic Narrative of the 1970–80s

Abstract

Child heroes of the Great Patriotic War continued to serve as role models for Soviet children in the post-war decades. In the late Soviet period, these heroes received a decidedly mythological treatment, but narrative representations also continued to emphasize the factual reality of the children’s exploits. Considering the series Pionery-geroi (1980-82), this article discusses several characteristics of the late Soviet heroic narrative, such as its combination of mythologizing and realism, along with an extensive description of the commemorative tradition surrounding each hero.

Keywords: skazka, Great Patriotic War, pioneer heroes, Soviet children’s literature, heroic narrative, mass culture