General Information

Author/Creator

Abrahams, Anna, director.

Language

Russian.

Subtitles

English

Published

Germany : Rene Scholten, 1995.

Physical Description

DVD-ROM (92 min.)

Digital ver. identifier

HU_OSA_00002636

Contents/Summary

Summary

In the late 1920s and early 30s, well-known Western European architects were invited to create the workers' paradises. SOTSGOROD tells their stories in the architects' own words. Some of the last survivors are interviewed: Jan Rutgers (of the Autonomous International Colony Kuzbass), Magarete Schutte-Lihotzky (of the Ernst May group, famous for the "Frankfurter Kuche" or super efficient kitchen), and Phillipp Tolziner ("Bauhaus Brigade"). Those who have passed away speak through their letters, articles and lectures, including Hannes Meyer, Hans Schmidt and Ernst May. Some believed they were making an essential contribution to the workers' struggle; others were seizing an unheard of opportunity to apply their design philosophies and spatial theories to entire cities. In 1937 the Westerners were presented with a choice: become citizens or leave the Soviet Union. For the first time, this film reveals the fate of the architects who stayed, as well as those who left and kept silent for six decades. The film also visits four of the cities that were built: Magnitogorsk, Orsk, Novokuznetsk and Kemerov. The success of these Sotsgorods ("Socialist Cities") is examined by following a resident in each city as he goes to work, shops, eats dinner. Nothing spectacular, but by looking at the quality of day-to-day lives, the film tries to measure the success of the once robust ideals of the architects.

Bibliographic Information

Note

Duration: 01:32:00

Holdings

Item Type	Current Location	Call Number	Status	Shelving Location	Public Note
DVD-ROM	OSA Film Library	FL Record 0922	Available	-	-
Digital film	OSA Film Library	FL Record 0922 (HU_OSA_00002636.mp4)	Available		Access Copy, MP4 format