[New games for new children] Glyazer, S. [Kultsniping] Kul’tsnayping.

New games for new children

Glyazer, S. [Kultsniping] Kul’tsnayping.

Moscow: Molodaya Gvardiya, 1935. 8vo; 128, [2] p., illustrated by L. Smekhov.

In the original illustrated dustjacket; torn, yellowed, worn. Fragments of the spine are missing, the rest broken, faded. Pages yellowed, lightly faded, foxed. Some creasing present. Overall in fair condition.5000 vopies printed.

In the early years of the Soviet Union, the government was faced with a difficult task of creating an entirely new system of recreational activities for children and young adults. All former traditions had to be substituted with new ones, ideologically sound and disconnected from the old regime. Thus, new children’s games were introduced, along with a new social role of a game-master (“massovik-zateynik”), who would explain and promote the new activities.

Kultsniping presents 30 sets of educational games, touching on the subjects of science and technology, art, literature, etc. For example:

This event in the history of aeronautics is shrouded in mystery. By the orders of Alexander I and Count Rumyantsev, a flying machine was being built in order to attack the army of Napoleon Bonaparte. The attack never went through, and the inventor, who had already spent 185 thousand golden rubles on this project, fell into disfavor. Who was the inventor of the flying machine and where was he originally from?

Detailed answers to all the questions are given at the end of the book.

The term “kultsniping” comes from a game in Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, which became incredibly popular with young adults and highly praised for promoting cultural and historical education among the masses. The word itself is a merger of the words “culture” and “sniping”, and came after the original name: Answer Aptly.

Samson Glyazer (1908-1984) gained a reputation creating children's games. Several of his works became staples in school libraries all over the Soviet Union.

OCLC locates one copy of this edition only: National Library of Armenia.

$ 1 500