The dance of the small spirochaetes

Kosenko, Oxana; Polianski, Igor J.

doi:10.1007/s00120-020-01133-9

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The gender factor played an important role in the early Soviet republic. The physicians believed that female sex workers spread STDs 13 . Thus, it was aimed that sex workers be enlightened and integrated in the new Soviet society.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Women education in the Soviet prophylactoria and the care homes for sexually transmitted disease patients in the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany

Schochow

Steger

2023

Acad Dermatol Venereol

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ObjectivesIn the 1920s, so‐called prophylactoria were established in the USSR. In these institutions, sex workers with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were treated. After the end of World War II, care homes for patients with STDs were established in the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany (SOZ). These institutions were also intended to treat people suffering from STDs. This article compares these two types of medical institutions.MethodsSources from the State Archive of the Russian Federation in Moscow, the German Federal Archives in Berlin and the City Archive Zwickau were used. The analysed sources were evaluated by using the historical‐critical method.ResultsThe prophylactoria were novel institutions that combined education and medical treatment of people with STDs. Similar strategies were followed in the care homes for STD patients. In both institutions, the sick persons had to follow a regular daily routine and work every day. The political indoctrination served to educate ‘socialist personalities’. Nevertheless, various differences can be found between the facilities: the length of stay was different. The women in Soviet prophylactoria were cared for there for up to 2 years. However, the standard duration of stay in the care homes for STD patients was 3–6 months.ConclusionsThe prophylactoria had a long‐term programme not only to treat sick women but also to reeducate them. The aim was to enlighten and integrate them into the new Soviet society. The care homes for STD patients had a short‐term programme of combating venereal diseases. Their main goal was to treat patients with STDs as quickly as possible, while education was an additional measure. Whether both institutions were successful in educating and treating these patients can hardly be assessed from today's perspective.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The physicians believed that female sex workers spread STDs. 13 Thus, it was aimed that sex workers be enlightened and integrated in the new Soviet society. Such a program required time, therefore a stay in prophylactoria could last up to 2 years.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Women education in the Soviet prophylactoria and the care homes for sexually transmitted disease patients in the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany

Schochow

Steger

2023

Acad Dermatol Venereol

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“…Already in the 1920s, combatting venereal diseases in the Soviet Union became political agenda and ran parallel to the fight against prostitution, which was perceived as a capitalistic relic. The Soviet model concentrated on early detection and treatment of the diseases combined with educational measures among the population (18)(19)(20). Its main features were mass examination of the population and compulsory treatment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Policy Approaches Toward Combatting Venereal Diseases in the Soviet Occupation Zone in Germany (1945–1949), the German Democratic Republic (1949–1989), and the Polish People's Republic (1945–1989)

et al. 2021

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The spread of venereal diseases after the Second World War constituted a grave public health danger in Europe. Especially in all four occupation zones in Germany and the Polish People's Republic high morbidity rates were observed. In order to limit the spread of diseases, respective administrations adopted specific regulations. The aim of this research is the analysis and comparison of legal regulations for controlling and combating venereal diseases in these countries. We have analyzed legislative and administrative acts concerning combatting venereal diseases issued by the official organs of the Soviet Occupation Zone, the German Democratic Republic, and the Polish People's Republic from 1945 to 1989. Subsequently, the analyzed sources were evaluated in light of the existing literature on the topic. Our analysis shows that policy approaches in both countries were based the Soviet Union's model for fighting venereal diseases. Visible are similarities of the approaches. They include organization of anti-venereal services, compulsory hospitalization, and actions against social groups perceived as sources of venereal diseases. Beside the purpose of breaking the spread of the epidemics, the approaches had also a political aim of sanctioning behavior that diverged from prescribed socialist moral norms.

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Nervosität und theatrale Hygieneaufklärung im Sowjetrussland der 1920–30er Jahre

Polianski

Kosenko

2020

Ber Wissenschaftsgesch

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The present contribution analyses the nervousness and neurasthenia discourse in the early Soviet Union. Its focus is on psycho‐hygienic plays staged by the Moscow Theatre for Sanitary Culture. It asks in which images, figures and actions a knowledge about the nervous disorder was presented on stage, which genre traditions and communicative instruments were used and on which changing political implications those performances were based. To obtain this the archive sources, selected texts of neurasthenic dramas, reports and reviews in daily press have been evaluated.

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The dance of the small spirochaetes

Cited by 6 publications

References 10 publications

Women education in the Soviet prophylactoria and the care homes for sexually transmitted disease patients in the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany

Women education in the Soviet prophylactoria and the care homes for sexually transmitted disease patients in the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany

Policy Approaches Toward Combatting Venereal Diseases in the Soviet Occupation Zone in Germany (1945–1949), the German Democratic Republic (1949–1989), and the Polish People's Republic (1945–1989)

Nervosität und theatrale Hygieneaufklärung im Sowjetrussland der 1920–30er Jahre

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