Motherland-mother calls! (I.Toidze) Soviet Posters (1917-1941)

Description of the Soviet poster "Motherland Calls!"

"Motherland Calls" is one of the most famous propaganda posters in the history of the Soviet Union. The backstory of its creation is very simple, but no less entertaining. The poster came into being during the first days following the attack of Hitler’s Third Reich on the Soviet Union.

The declaration of war was broadcast on all radio channels of the state, so that everyone in the country heard about this terrible news. The artist Irakli Toidze, the future creator of this masterpiece, was no exception. As he admitted over time, the idea of what the poster would look like came to the author quite by accident. Toidze learned about the German attack from the words of his wife.

On the morning of June 22, 1941, the year after the announcement of the Soviet Information Bureau, the artist’s excited wife ran into his studio with only one word: "War! The astonished Toidze, seeing all the horror and quiet determination on his woman’s face, immediately asked her to freeze in place. It was his wife who served as the artist’s inspiration for the poster. On it he depicted an ordinary woman in a simple red dress, which is supposed to symbolize the image of Russia-Mother.

Here we can see a certain continuity in the poster’s heroine, similar to what was already used during the First War, as well as during the Civil War between the Red Army and the remnants of the White Guard. In her hands the Motherland holds an oath, acceptance of which was obligatory before being sent to the front to fight the troops of the German occupiers.

Behind the woman you can see many bayonets, symbolizing the powerful force behind the entire country. The poster had its effect: many conscripts, impressed by this propaganda method, tried to enlist as quickly as possible to be sent to the front as volunteers.