The Russian Woman in the imaginary of the Friends and Enemies of the Soviet Union (1905-1945)

Abstract

In this article, we review the current knowledge on the role of Russian women in the Revolution of 1917 and the propaganda that circulated in Spain about their situation in the Communist State. This involves an analysis of the main publications, affiliated to the Association of Friends of the Soviet Union between 1933 and 1938, their personal links with Russia and the aspects of interest in legislative, labor, family and sexual áreas regarding the imaginary’s understanding of the “new woman”, “free love”, etc., within the dialectic fascism/antifascism. This is supplemented by an exploration of how Francoist supporters, the dictatorship and especially the Feminine Section of the Phalange took it upon themselves to insult these “denatured mothers” behind the iron curtain, caricaturing them, at least until the end of the Second World War, as an Anti-Spain and No-Woman representation.