The Suburbs of Leningrad as a Place of Escape in the 1920s and 1930s

Introduction. The anti-urbanism of industrial society, the spread of ideas about hygiene, the benefits of outdoor recreation and a number of other factors led to the active development of suburban space. An excellent example in this case was pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg, surrounded by dachas, imperial residences and resorts. The Soviet period made its own adjustments to this process, transforming suburban daily life and the motivation of those who sought to leave the city. The paper attempts to consider early Soviet suburbs as places of escape, perceived as a profitable alternative to both a large city and a village.
Methods and materials. The subject of the work involves the use of methods typical for historical anthropology research, seeking to hear the voice of a «small» person, sometimes an unnamed witness and victim of large-scale historical processes. For this purpose, in particular, the installations of the new cultural history with its attention to interpretation and symbolic, as well as the socio-philosophical theory of practices, relevant in the study of the history of everyday life, were used. The main sources were egodocuments and fiction, which provide vivid imaginative evidence. In addition, archival materials, journalism and periodical press data were involved.
Results. The most relevant reasons for the attractiveness of suburbs as permanent or temporary residence, as well as for individual visits, have been identified. The categories of the population who preferred to live in the suburbs and perceived them as a place of salvation were identified. It demonstrates how political processes such as collectivization, persecution of representatives of previously privileged classes, popularization of physical culture, etc. influenced this.
Conclusion. Since pre-revolutionary times, country life has been perceived as a desirable escape from harm, vice and the crowded cities, a place of healthy recreation and entertainment, creative work. This was successfully transferred to the Soviet era, when outdoor leisure was consistently popularized, especially among workers. At the same time, new realities have made this space, a kind of buffer zone between the city and the countryside, attractive for those who wanted to hide from collectivization, certification process or religious persecution. Another important factor is the escapism of those who were in no hurry to accept the new post-revolutionary realities, because it was the fading suburbs of the former imperial capital that could give the illusion of returning to the past.