Stalinist Religion

Question 1

What did Stalin’s 1936 constitution do?

Answer 1

-criminalised publication or organisation of religious propaganda
-but priests regained right to vote

Question 2

How did Stalin treat Muslims?

Answer 2

-pilgrimages to Mecca forbidden from 1935
-frequency of prayers, fasts + feasts reduced
-wearing veil forbidden

Question 3

How did Muslim communities react?

Answer 3

-backlash in some central Asian Muslim communities - traditionalists murdered who obeyed Soviet injunctions
-Muslim priests imprisoned or executed

Question 4

What did the anti-religion drive extend to?

Answer 4

-Buddhists, Armenian + Georgian churches

Question 5

What remained despite Stalin’s anti-religion stance?

Answer 5

-power of church institution broken but faith remained strong

Question 6

What happened to Christian churches + Muslim mosques?

Answer 6

-1941 40,000 converted into schools, cinemas, clubs, warehouses, museums + grain stores

Question 7

What was evidence of remaining strong religious beliefs?

Answer 7

-strengthened by attacks during collectivisation period + purges
-1937 57% population defined themselves as believers