Minute of Silence
Encyclopedia
Minute of Silence was a joint radio and TV program in the Soviet Union
broadcast on at 6:00 pm on May 9, the day of the victory
of the Soviet Union in the second world war. It was first broadcast on Soviet Central Television
in 1965, 20 years after the Allied victory over Nazi Germany. Aside from the minute of silence itself the main part of the program was a solemn address, commonly known as The Minute of Silence, dedicated to all those who fell fighting the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union.
The idea of the program was suggested by Irana Kazakova. Other people of the team who produced the first version were Ekaterina Tarkhanova, Svetlana Volodina, Arkadi Revenko, Mesyatsev, Khazanov, Levitskaya, and other people assistants, artists, musical editors, etc.
The program was started with the announcement "Attention, Moscow's listening and watching!" by the Soviet radio voice Yuri Levitan
, famous for his announcements during World War II. The very "minute of silence" was sounded with the toll of the Moscow Kremlin
bells. The address was initially narrated by a well-known Soviet radio commenter and actress Vera Enyutina. The TV version was showing the flame on the background of a wall with the text "To the Memory of the Fallen." Due to its solemnity the address was informally known as "the prayer".
After Enyutina emigrated to the United States
the address was narrated by Levitan later by Igor Kirillov
. The text of the address was modified during the Brezhnev stagnation
by Galina Shergova and Yevgeny Sinitsyn, under the orders of the management. In particular, a piece about Malaya Zemlya
was inserted (removed after Leonid Brezhnev
's death in the May 9, 1983 broadcast).
Russia's Channel One
and other networks (like Russia 1) still broadcast this special program today.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
broadcast on at 6:00 pm on May 9, the day of the victory
Victory Day (Eastern Europe)
Victory Day or 9 May marks the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in the Second World War...
of the Soviet Union in the second world war. It was first broadcast on Soviet Central Television
Soviet Central Television
The Central Television of the USSR , was the state television broadcaster in the Soviet Union....
in 1965, 20 years after the Allied victory over Nazi Germany. Aside from the minute of silence itself the main part of the program was a solemn address, commonly known as The Minute of Silence, dedicated to all those who fell fighting the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union.
The idea of the program was suggested by Irana Kazakova. Other people of the team who produced the first version were Ekaterina Tarkhanova, Svetlana Volodina, Arkadi Revenko, Mesyatsev, Khazanov, Levitskaya, and other people assistants, artists, musical editors, etc.
The program was started with the announcement "Attention, Moscow's listening and watching!" by the Soviet radio voice Yuri Levitan
Yuri Levitan
Yuri Borisovich Levitan , was a Soviet radio announcer famous for his wartime reports of the battles, which usually began with "Attention, Moscow is speaking." His voice announced battlefield victories, air raid warnings, and the surrender of Germany to the Soviets on May 9, 1945...
, famous for his announcements during World War II. The very "minute of silence" was sounded with the toll of the Moscow Kremlin
Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin , sometimes referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River , Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square and the Alexander Garden...
bells. The address was initially narrated by a well-known Soviet radio commenter and actress Vera Enyutina. The TV version was showing the flame on the background of a wall with the text "To the Memory of the Fallen." Due to its solemnity the address was informally known as "the prayer".
After Enyutina emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the address was narrated by Levitan later by Igor Kirillov
Igor Kirillov
Igor Leonidovich Kirillov is a prominent former news anchor for Central Television of the USSR , the main state broadcaster of the Soviet Union...
. The text of the address was modified during the Brezhnev stagnation
Brezhnev stagnation
The Era of Stagnation, also known as Brezhnev stagnation or the Stagnation Period, refers to a period of economic stagnation under the rules of Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko in the history of the Soviet Union which started in the mid-1970s.-Terminology:Various authors...
by Galina Shergova and Yevgeny Sinitsyn, under the orders of the management. In particular, a piece about Malaya Zemlya
Malaya Zemlya
Malaya Zemlya was a Soviet uphill outpost on Cape Myskhako that was recaptured after fierce, bloody battles with the Germans during the Battle of Caucasus, on the night of 4 February 1943...
was inserted (removed after Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
's death in the May 9, 1983 broadcast).
Russia's Channel One
Channel One (Russia)
Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%...
and other networks (like Russia 1) still broadcast this special program today.