Chronicles of Moscow Life

When the Soviet government took over, the pension system was wrought with problems for years to come. Just how did Soviet pensioners live after years of hard work?

For the past 20 years, Moscow has rarely experienced severe frost. But in mid-January of 2006, Moscow experienced a cold front for the records. Just how does the largest city on the planet located in an extreme climate zone handle such a situation?

The Bermuda Triangle - the three main shopping outlets of Russia - GUM, TSUM, and Children’s World. What were these stores famous for and why did they attract so many Muscovites and visitors to the capital?

What did sausage mean to the life of a Soviet citizen? What sorts were meant for the common person, and what was their relationship to those at the top?

The Soviet Union had one of the highest abortion rates in the world. Watch as ordinary Muscovites open up about some of their most personal moments regarding abortion.

The country was sorely lacking meat, people ate very poorly, and nobody considered fish as food. To remedy the situation, the People’s Commissar of the food industry explained to hungry citizens that a wonderful meal can be had from the herring.

Among dental health in the Soviet Union, there was a wide disparity. Some suffered through ineffective anesthetics and seals made of cements, while others received crowns made of platinum from the best dentists.

First Suslov passed away, then many others followed. It seemed as if the country was ran by a “gerontocracy” with all the top positions held by elderly statesman. The era of the “magnificent funeral” was in full swing and seemed as if these grand affairs were a part of daily Soviet life.

The everyday Soviet Muscovite received two bouquets a year - one on their birthday and on March 8th. These flowers were a large drain on public funds, so why did authorities implement the tradition of giving bouquets on International Women's Day?

Many women saw marriage with a foreigner as a means to benefit themselves and leave the Soviet Union, but this was a very difficult affair. Hear the stories of happy and tragic love stories that broke through the Iron Curtain.

"Drunken politics" every Soviet leader had his own. Lenin did not allow himself anything but beer, Stalin loved Georgian wine, Khrushchev drank from a glass with a special thick bottom exclusively for vodka ... alcohol permeated much of the decisions and views molded in the Kremlin.

The life of an “illegitimate” child can be tough and confusing, but imagine being born out of wedlock to a parent who is a prominent public figure.

Lyubov Orlova was one of the first prominent women in the Soviet Union to boldly reconstruct her face with plastic surgery. After her operation, a national craze was born.

The first half on the 1900’s was gripped by a crave for immortality among Soviet elites. Some claimed to have found the keys to longevity in curdled milk, blood transfusions, and even the transplanting of animal organs.

The three most famous and prestigious pogosts of Moscow - the Kremlin wall, Novodevichy and Vagankovskoe cemeteries. The most fascinating Russians of history call these their final resting spots.

The three most famous and prestigious pogosts of Moscow - the Kremlin wall, Novodevichy and Vagankovskoe cemeteries. The most fascinating Russians of history call these their final resting spots.

The first mobile phone, which was seen in Russia, weighed 3 kilograms and cost 5 and a half thousand dollars. So, why did Russia not adopt mobile phones earlier than the Americans that lagged behind in it’s debut?

The house on the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment was the height of luxury, only but a few people could dream of enjoying its extravagance.

The mausoleum is one of the most mysterious buildings in Moscow,with no shortage of tales. The wildest of all? Lenin walks its halls in the night.

We think of the police as honest during Soviet times, but that is simply not the case. As they do today, they took bribes, harassed, and were rarely punished. Watch this historical investigation into life under a Soviet police force.