Voluntary Sports Societies of the USSR
Encyclopedia
Voluntary Sports Societies (VSS) of the USSR were the main structural parts of the universal sports and physical education (fitness) system, that existed in the USSR between 1935 and 1991, together with already well established Dinamo, society in cooperation with Army, Aviation, and Fleet (DOSAAF
), and CSKA
sports societies.
VSS united working people and students going in for sports, physical culture, hiking
, mountaineering
, boating
, and various other sports. The societies provided a sponsorship for various sport events and often existed on the volunteer donations from the workers of the certain industry with which they were associated. Their goals were to develop mass physical culture and sports and to provide facilities and conditions for sports training and improvement in athletes' skills. Most of the VSS were governed by trade Unions
and often were closely associated with a certain ministry. Twenty five million athletes were members of such societies in 1970.
One of the most important features of VSS were Children and Youth Sport Schools , which numbered 1,350 in the 1970s and 7,500 in 1987. Later some of them were reformed into more elite Olympic reserve schools. There were also specialized sport clubs, groups of improvement athletes' skills, etc. More than 50,000 trainers and instructors worked there in these institutions.
. Already from the end of 17th century started to form a system of military-fitness training in the Russian Imperial Army, while in the military and selected civilian educational institutions were introduced participation in complexes of fitness exercises such as gymnastics, shooting, fencing, and so on.
Already in the first half of 19th century there appeared sports schools, clubs, societies (sailing and rowing, fencing, swimming, ice skating, cycling, and others) in Saint-Petersburg, Moscow
, Kiev
and other cities of the Russian Empire
. Among the first societies were the yacht clubs of Moscow and Saint-Petersburg. Along with the creation of the sport societies there started to be conducted official sports competitions. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia
states that usually those sports clubs and unions were chartered and financed by representatives of bourgeoisie and nobility and the access to them for students and working youth "was extremely limited". At the end of the 19th and start of the 20th centuries there appeared workers' sports organizations across the cities of the Russian Empire
. A prominent role in the development of the Russian sport has played the "Petersburg's Circle of Sports Fans" (established in 1889), the "Russian Gymnastics Society" (1882, Moscow), the "Petersburg Society of Skating Fans" (1877), the "Circle of Athletic Fans" (1885, Petersburg), and others.
In 1896 the founder of scientific system of the fitness education, Pyotr Lesgaft (1837-1909), opened in Petersburg the courses of educators and leaders of physical education that eventually became a prototype of the higher learning institutions in physical education created in the Soviet Union
and abroad. In the beginning of the 20th century were established All-Russian unions on sports,and organized the first championships. In 1913 the First Russian Olympics took place in Kiev
where participated some 600 people including females. The Second Russian Olympics were conducted next year (1914) in Riga
involving over 1,000 participants. The program of those Olympics consisted of light athletics, gymnastics, fencing, association football, tennis, heavy athletics, swimming, rowing, sailing, modern pentathlon, shooting, equestrian, and cycling.
The Russian Empire
was among the 12 countries, representatives of which, at the 1894 international congress in Paris, adopted the decision of the Olympic revival and established the International Olympic Committee
. Sportsmen of the Russian Empire participated in the 1908 Olympics (5 members) and the 1912 Olympics (174 members). In 1914 in the Russian Empire were 1,200 sports unions involving some 45,000 participants out of some 332 cities and other settlements. After the October Revolution
of late 1917 the state governing of the workers' physical training was assigned in 1918 to the Main Department of Vsevobuch
along with which was created in 1920 the Supreme Council of Fitness Culture (VSFK). In 1923 such VSFK were created for every Executive Committee of each Soviet region. In 1936 the council was reformed into the All-Union committee for fitness culture and sports affairs for the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR
VSS Spartak
, the first of the future Union-wide national sports societies, was created in 1935. The society united the workers of local industries, communal economy, culture, automobile transportation, civil aviation, and others. In the following years numerous other sport societies were created throughout the Soviet Union. One societies were close associated with one industry others in combination of several. For example, athletes from factory schools and vocational schools were united into VSS Trudovye Rezervy
in 1943. The formation of the kernel of the system was finished in the 1950s, when village VSS were established in all 15 Soviet republics
(then at 16 with the addition of the Karelo-Finnish SSR until 1956).
which was a volunteer society in cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Fleet (notice the combination of the last three letters).
The best physical culture collectives were awarded the title Sport Club.
! style="text-align: left;"|Foundation
! style="text-align: left;"|Industry
|-----
| |Burevestnik
| 1957
| Higher Education
|-----
| Vodnik
| 1938
| Waterways communication
|-----
| Zenit
| 1936
| Defense
|-----
| Lokomotiv
| 1936
| Railways communication
|-----
| Spartak
| 1935
| Others
|-----
| Trudovye Rezervy
| 1943
| Professional Education
!align="left" |Republic
!align="left" |Foundation
|-align=left
|Труд (Trud, Labour)||Russian SFSR||1957
|-align=left
|Авангард (Avanhard, Advance Guard)||Ukrainian SSR
||1958
|-align=left
|Чырвоны сцяг (Сhervony stsyah, Red Banner)||Byelorussian SSR
||1958
|-align=left
|Мехнат (Mekhnat, Labour)||Uzbek SSR
||1958
|-align=left
|Енбек (Enbek, Labour)||Kazakh SSR
||1958
|-align=left
|განთიადი (Gantiadi, Dawn)||Georgian SSR||1958
|-align=left
|Нефтчи (Neftchi, Petrolman)||Azerbaijan SSR
||1958
|-align=left
|Žalgiris (after the Battle of Žalgiris
)||Lithuanian SSR
||1944
|-align=left
|Молдова (Moldova)||Moldavian SSR
||1958
|-align=left
|Daugava (after the Daugava River)||Latvian SSR
||1944
|-align=left
|Алга (Alga, Forward)||Kyrgyz SSR||1958
|-align=left
|Тоҷикистон (Tajikistan)||Tajik SSR
||1958
|-align=left
|Աշխատանք (Ashkhatank, Labour)||Armenian SSR
||1958
|-align=left
|Захмет (Zakhmet, Labour)||Turkmen SSR
||1958
|-align=left
|Kalev (after Kalev)
||Estonian SSR||1944
!align="left" |Republic
!align="left" |Foundation
|-align=left
|Урожай (Urozhai, Harvest)||Russian SFSR||1956
|-align=left
|Колос (Kolos, Grain ear)||Ukrainian SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|Ураджай (Uradzhai, Harvest)||Byelorussian SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|Пахтакор (Pakhtakor, Cotton farmer)||Uzbek SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|Қайрат (Kairat, Strength)||Kazakh SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|კოლმეურნე (Kolmeurne, Kolkhoznik)||Georgian SSR||1956
|-align=left
|Мәһсул (Mekhsul, Harvest)||Azerbaijan SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|Nemunas (Nemunas River)||Lithuanian SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|Колхозникул (Kolkhoznikul, The Kolkhoznik)||Moldavian SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|Vārpa (Grain ear)||Latvian SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|Колхозчу (Kolkhozchu, Kolkhoznik)||Kyrgyz SSR||1958
|-align=left
|Хосилот (Khosilot, Harvest)||Tajik SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|align=left|Սևանա (Sevan, Lake Sevan
)||Armenian SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|Колхозчы (Kolkhozchi, Kolkhoznik)||Turkmen SSR
||1956
|-align=left
|Jõud (Strength)||Estonian SSR||1946
and sports). On January 1, 1983 these eight VSS united 48.365 million members. VSS that did not belong to Trade Unions were not reorganized.
In February 1987 republican and rural VSS were abolished. On the basis of eight Trade Unions' VSS, one All-Union Volunteer Fitness and Sports Society of Trade Unions was created. The rural VSS were also combined into a single All-Union rural VSS.
Council's main activities were:
Under the Council federations of various sports disciplines, Coach Councils, Judging Boards were functioning.
s in 1970). There were a lot of sports facilities constructed throughout the country using this means by 1970: 2,490 stadiums, 59,000 football grounds, 14,400 complex sports grounds, 10,200 artistic gymnastics
halls, 950 artificial swimming pool
s, 270,000 grounds for sport games.
Each VSS had its own flag, emblem, sports uniform, pin. Societies, which were awarded orders (e.g. VSS Spartak - Order of Lenin
) had their images on the flag and other symbols.
58 were from Spartak, 48 from Burevestnik, 28 from Trud, 13 from Zenit and 11 from Avangard.
DOSAAF
DOSAAF was a paramilitary society in the Soviet Union, Voluntary Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Fleet . The society was preserved in a number of post-Soviet Republics, e.g., in Russia and Belarus...
), and CSKA
Armed Forces (sports society)
Central Sports Klub of the Army or is the Russian sports society and the successor of the Soviet CSKA.-Overview:The society was one of the largest sports societies in the USSR. In the Soviet era all CSKA and SKA teams that resided in the Soviet Union belonged to the Armed Forces sports society...
sports societies.
VSS united working people and students going in for sports, physical culture, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, and various other sports. The societies provided a sponsorship for various sport events and often existed on the volunteer donations from the workers of the certain industry with which they were associated. Their goals were to develop mass physical culture and sports and to provide facilities and conditions for sports training and improvement in athletes' skills. Most of the VSS were governed by trade Unions
Trade unions in the Soviet Union
Trade unions in the Soviet Union trace their history back to Russian Revolution of 1905. Many trade unions were shut down or restricted on the eve of World War I and during the War, but they revived after the February Revolution and their leaders were democratically elected during 1917.Anarchists...
and often were closely associated with a certain ministry. Twenty five million athletes were members of such societies in 1970.
One of the most important features of VSS were Children and Youth Sport Schools , which numbered 1,350 in the 1970s and 7,500 in 1987. Later some of them were reformed into more elite Olympic reserve schools. There were also specialized sport clubs, groups of improvement athletes' skills, etc. More than 50,000 trainers and instructors worked there in these institutions.
Creation
The system of the Volunteer Sports Societies has arisen out of the established sports societies of the Russian EmpireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. Already from the end of 17th century started to form a system of military-fitness training in the Russian Imperial Army, while in the military and selected civilian educational institutions were introduced participation in complexes of fitness exercises such as gymnastics, shooting, fencing, and so on.
Already in the first half of 19th century there appeared sports schools, clubs, societies (sailing and rowing, fencing, swimming, ice skating, cycling, and others) in Saint-Petersburg, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and other cities of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. Among the first societies were the yacht clubs of Moscow and Saint-Petersburg. Along with the creation of the sport societies there started to be conducted official sports competitions. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia is one of the largest and most comprehensive encyclopedias in Russian and in the world, issued by the Soviet state from 1926 to 1990, and again since 2002 .-Editions:There were three editions...
states that usually those sports clubs and unions were chartered and financed by representatives of bourgeoisie and nobility and the access to them for students and working youth "was extremely limited". At the end of the 19th and start of the 20th centuries there appeared workers' sports organizations across the cities of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. A prominent role in the development of the Russian sport has played the "Petersburg's Circle of Sports Fans" (established in 1889), the "Russian Gymnastics Society" (1882, Moscow), the "Petersburg Society of Skating Fans" (1877), the "Circle of Athletic Fans" (1885, Petersburg), and others.
In 1896 the founder of scientific system of the fitness education, Pyotr Lesgaft (1837-1909), opened in Petersburg the courses of educators and leaders of physical education that eventually became a prototype of the higher learning institutions in physical education created in the Soviet Union
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....
and abroad. In the beginning of the 20th century were established All-Russian unions on sports,and organized the first championships. In 1913 the First Russian Olympics took place in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
where participated some 600 people including females. The Second Russian Olympics were conducted next year (1914) in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
involving over 1,000 participants. The program of those Olympics consisted of light athletics, gymnastics, fencing, association football, tennis, heavy athletics, swimming, rowing, sailing, modern pentathlon, shooting, equestrian, and cycling.
The Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
was among the 12 countries, representatives of which, at the 1894 international congress in Paris, adopted the decision of the Olympic revival and established the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
. Sportsmen of the Russian Empire participated in the 1908 Olympics (5 members) and the 1912 Olympics (174 members). In 1914 in the Russian Empire were 1,200 sports unions involving some 45,000 participants out of some 332 cities and other settlements. After the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
of late 1917 the state governing of the workers' physical training was assigned in 1918 to the Main Department of Vsevobuch
Vsevobuch
Vsevobuch , universal military training) is the name of the compulsory military training of men practised in the former Soviet Union. Vsevobuch is affiliated with sports training, to which it contributed....
along with which was created in 1920 the Supreme Council of Fitness Culture (VSFK). In 1923 such VSFK were created for every Executive Committee of each Soviet region. In 1936 the council was reformed into the All-Union committee for fitness culture and sports affairs for the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR
VSS Spartak
Spartak (sports society)
Spartak is the International Fitness and Sports Society of Nikolai Starostin.-Overview:Spartak was the first and the largest All-Union Voluntary Sports Society of workers of state trade, producers' cooperation, light industry, civil aviation, education, culture, health service etc...
, the first of the future Union-wide national sports societies, was created in 1935. The society united the workers of local industries, communal economy, culture, automobile transportation, civil aviation, and others. In the following years numerous other sport societies were created throughout the Soviet Union. One societies were close associated with one industry others in combination of several. For example, athletes from factory schools and vocational schools were united into VSS Trudovye Rezervy
Trudovye Rezervy
Trudovye Rezervy — voluntary sport society of students of professional-technical schools in the USSR and later in post-Soviet countries.Founded on June 19th, 1943 as an all-union voluntary sport society and operated by the trade unions. In 1975 5,538 physical culture collectives by the educational...
in 1943. The formation of the kernel of the system was finished in the 1950s, when village VSS were established in all 15 Soviet republics
Republics of the Soviet Union
The Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics of the Soviet Union were ethnically-based administrative units that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union...
(then at 16 with the addition of the Karelo-Finnish SSR until 1956).
Structure
The main structural units of VSS were physical culture collectives by the enterprises, public-service institutions, collective farms (kolkhoz), State farms (sovkhoz), educational institutions, etc. These collectives were primary organizations of VSS and numbered 114 thousands (including 105 thousands under Trade Unions), united into 36 VSS (29 of them were Trade Unions' ones) as of 1971. There were six All-Union VSS ; 15 republican VSS, uniting physical culture collectives of industrial enterprises; 15 republican rural VSS. Beside those there were also numerous other sport societies that preceded the above mentioned one or were less represented such as Vympel (River transportation) and Moryak (Sea transportation) combined into Vodnik, Stakhanovets (Mining industry) changed into Shakhter, and others. There even was a society of DOSAAFDOSAAF
DOSAAF was a paramilitary society in the Soviet Union, Voluntary Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Fleet . The society was preserved in a number of post-Soviet Republics, e.g., in Russia and Belarus...
which was a volunteer society in cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Fleet (notice the combination of the last three letters).
The best physical culture collectives were awarded the title Sport Club.
All-Union VSS
! style="text-align: left;"|Name! style="text-align: left;"|Foundation
! style="text-align: left;"|Industry
|-----
| |Burevestnik
| 1957
| Higher Education
|-----
| Vodnik
Vodnik (sports society)
Vodnik was the All-Union Voluntary Sports Society of Trade Unions of the sea and river transport. Established in 1938, when two VSS, Moryak and Vympel , were combined...
| 1938
| Waterways communication
|-----
| Zenit
Zenit (sports society)
Zenit was the All-Union Voluntary Sports Society for workers of arms industry, established in 1936. Due to reorganization of sports societies, between 1957 and 1966 physical culture collectives of Zenit were a part of VSS Trud from the Russian SFSR, and other republican sports societies. In 1966...
| 1936
| Defense
|-----
| Lokomotiv
Lokomotiv (sports society)
Lokomotiv is the Russian sports club and a member of the International Railway Sports Association.Lokomotive traces its history to the All-Union Voluntary Sports Society of rail transport workers' Trade Unions, one of the first sports societies of workers of the USSR. Established in 1936, it...
| 1936
| Railways communication
|-----
| Spartak
Spartak (sports society)
Spartak is the International Fitness and Sports Society of Nikolai Starostin.-Overview:Spartak was the first and the largest All-Union Voluntary Sports Society of workers of state trade, producers' cooperation, light industry, civil aviation, education, culture, health service etc...
| 1935
| Others
|-----
| Trudovye Rezervy
Trudovye Rezervy
Trudovye Rezervy — voluntary sport society of students of professional-technical schools in the USSR and later in post-Soviet countries.Founded on June 19th, 1943 as an all-union voluntary sport society and operated by the trade unions. In 1975 5,538 physical culture collectives by the educational...
| 1943
| Professional Education
Republican VSS of industrial enterprises
!align="left" |Name/Translit/Meaning!align="left" |Republic
!align="left" |Foundation
|-align=left
|Труд (Trud, Labour)||Russian SFSR||1957
|-align=left
|Авангард (Avanhard, Advance Guard)||Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
||1958
|-align=left
|Чырвоны сцяг (Сhervony stsyah, Red Banner)||Byelorussian SSR
Byelorussian SSR
The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union. It was one of the four original founding members of the Soviet Union in 1922, together with the Ukrainian SSR, the Transcaucasian SFSR and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
||1958
|-align=left
|Мехнат (Mekhnat, Labour)||Uzbek SSR
Uzbek SSR
The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Uzbek SSR for short, was one of the republics of the Soviet Union since its creation in 1924...
||1958
|-align=left
|Енбек (Enbek, Labour)||Kazakh SSR
Kazakh SSR
The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Kazakh SSR for short, was one of republics that made up the Soviet Union.At in area, it was the second largest constituent republic in the USSR, after the Russian SFSR. Its capital was Alma-Ata . Today it is the independent state of...
||1958
|-align=left
|განთიადი (Gantiadi, Dawn)||Georgian SSR||1958
|-align=left
|Нефтчи (Neftchi, Petrolman)||Azerbaijan SSR
Azerbaijan SSR
The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Azerbaijan SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union....
||1958
|-align=left
|Žalgiris (after the Battle of Žalgiris
Battle of Grunwald
The Battle of Grunwald or 1st Battle of Tannenberg was fought on 15 July 1410, during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. The alliance of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respectively by King Jogaila and Grand Duke Vytautas , decisively defeated the Teutonic Knights, led...
)||Lithuanian SSR
Lithuanian SSR
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Lithuanian SSR, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union...
||1944
|-align=left
|Молдова (Moldova)||Moldavian SSR
Moldavian SSR
The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic , commonly abbreviated to Moldavian SSR or MSSR, was one of the 15 republics of the Soviet Union...
||1958
|-align=left
|Daugava (after the Daugava River)||Latvian SSR
Latvian SSR
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Latvian SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union. Established on 21 July 1940 as a puppet state during World War II in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Latvia after it had been occupied by...
||1944
|-align=left
|Алга (Alga, Forward)||Kyrgyz SSR||1958
|-align=left
|Тоҷикистон (Tajikistan)||Tajik SSR
Tajik SSR
The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Tajik SSR for short, was one of the 15 republics that made up the Soviet Union. Located in Central Asia, the Tajik SSR was created on 5 December 1929 as a national entity for the Tajik people within the Soviet Union...
||1958
|-align=left
|Աշխատանք (Ashkhatank, Labour)||Armenian SSR
Armenian SSR
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet...
||1958
|-align=left
|Захмет (Zakhmet, Labour)||Turkmen SSR
Turkmen SSR
The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Turkmen SSR for short, was one of republics of the Soviet Union in Central Asia. It was initially established on 7 August 1921 as the Turkmen Oblast of the Turkestan ASSR. On 13 May 1925 it was transformed into Turkmen SSR and became a...
||1958
|-align=left
|Kalev (after Kalev)
Kalev (mythology)
In Estonian mythology and Kreutzwald's epic poem "Kalevipoeg", King Kalev was the father of King Kalevipoeg and the husband of Linda.Toompea, a hill in the centre of Tallinn, was said to be the tumulus over his grave, erected by Linda in memory of him. It is now Estonia's centre of government.In an...
||Estonian SSR||1944
Republican rural VSS
!align="left" |Name/Translit/Meaning!align="left" |Republic
!align="left" |Foundation
|-align=left
|Урожай (Urozhai, Harvest)||Russian SFSR||1956
|-align=left
|Колос (Kolos, Grain ear)||Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
||1956
|-align=left
|Ураджай (Uradzhai, Harvest)||Byelorussian SSR
Byelorussian SSR
The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union. It was one of the four original founding members of the Soviet Union in 1922, together with the Ukrainian SSR, the Transcaucasian SFSR and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
||1956
|-align=left
|Пахтакор (Pakhtakor, Cotton farmer)||Uzbek SSR
Uzbek SSR
The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Uzbek SSR for short, was one of the republics of the Soviet Union since its creation in 1924...
||1956
|-align=left
|Қайрат (Kairat, Strength)||Kazakh SSR
Kazakh SSR
The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Kazakh SSR for short, was one of republics that made up the Soviet Union.At in area, it was the second largest constituent republic in the USSR, after the Russian SFSR. Its capital was Alma-Ata . Today it is the independent state of...
||1956
|-align=left
|კოლმეურნე (Kolmeurne, Kolkhoznik)||Georgian SSR||1956
|-align=left
|Мәһсул (Mekhsul, Harvest)||Azerbaijan SSR
Azerbaijan SSR
The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Azerbaijan SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union....
||1956
|-align=left
|Nemunas (Nemunas River)||Lithuanian SSR
Lithuanian SSR
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Lithuanian SSR, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union...
||1956
|-align=left
|Колхозникул (Kolkhoznikul, The Kolkhoznik)||Moldavian SSR
Moldavian SSR
The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic , commonly abbreviated to Moldavian SSR or MSSR, was one of the 15 republics of the Soviet Union...
||1956
|-align=left
|Vārpa (Grain ear)||Latvian SSR
Latvian SSR
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Latvian SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union. Established on 21 July 1940 as a puppet state during World War II in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Latvia after it had been occupied by...
||1956
|-align=left
|Колхозчу (Kolkhozchu, Kolkhoznik)||Kyrgyz SSR||1958
|-align=left
|Хосилот (Khosilot, Harvest)||Tajik SSR
Tajik SSR
The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Tajik SSR for short, was one of the 15 republics that made up the Soviet Union. Located in Central Asia, the Tajik SSR was created on 5 December 1929 as a national entity for the Tajik people within the Soviet Union...
||1956
|-align=left
|align=left|Սևանա (Sevan, Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world.Lake Sevan is situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, inside the Gegharkunik Province, at the altitude of 1,900m above sea level...
)||Armenian SSR
Armenian SSR
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet...
||1956
|-align=left
|Колхозчы (Kolkhozchi, Kolkhoznik)||Turkmen SSR
Turkmen SSR
The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Turkmen SSR for short, was one of republics of the Soviet Union in Central Asia. It was initially established on 7 August 1921 as the Turkmen Oblast of the Turkestan ASSR. On 13 May 1925 it was transformed into Turkmen SSR and became a...
||1956
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|Jõud (Strength)||Estonian SSR||1946
Reorganization in the 1980s
In 1982 the Presidium of the VTsSPS reorganized 33 Trade Unions' VSS. None were abolished, just governing organization of most of them was changed from VTsSPS to another one. Eight largest Trade Unions' VSS remained under VTsSPS leadership: Burevestnik, Vodnik, Zenit, Lokomotiv, Spartak, Trud, Urozhai, FiS ' onMouseout='HidePop("93941")' href="/topics/Physical_culture">fitnessPhysical culture
Physical culture is a term applied to health and strength training regimens, particularly those that originated during the 19th century. During the mid-late 20th century, the term "physical culture" became largely outmoded in most English-speaking countries, being replaced by terms such as...
and sports). On January 1, 1983 these eight VSS united 48.365 million members. VSS that did not belong to Trade Unions were not reorganized.
In February 1987 republican and rural VSS were abolished. On the basis of eight Trade Unions' VSS, one All-Union Volunteer Fitness and Sports Society of Trade Unions was created. The rural VSS were also combined into a single All-Union rural VSS.
Other important VSSs
- Torpedo
- Neftyanik
- Energia (energy and power industries)
- Stroitel
- Start
- Khimik
- Metallurg (metals industries)
- Krasnaia Zvezda (defense industry and armed forces)
- Shakhter
- Pishchevik
- Zapolyarnik
Governing body and its functions
Governing body of Trade Unions' VSS was the All-Union Council of Trade Unions' VSS , established and governed by VTsSPS since 1957.Council's main activities were:
- to hold competitions between VSS, SpartakiadSpartakiadSpartakiad initially was the name of an international sports event that the Soviet Union attempted to use to both oppose and supplement the Olympics...
s of Trade Unions, to arrange physical culture holidays - to support the participation of VSS in All-Union and international competitions
- to control functioning of Children and Youth Sport Schools and other institutions
- to lead construction of sports facilities
- to award the best physical culture collectives the title Sport Club
- to maintain relations with foreign workers' and students' sports unions
Under the Council federations of various sports disciplines, Coach Councils, Judging Boards were functioning.
Financing, facilities and symbols
VSS were financed mostly by the Trade Unions (e.g. 355 million roubleSoviet ruble
The Soviet ruble or rouble was the currency of the Soviet Union. One ruble is divided into 100 kopeks, ....
s in 1970). There were a lot of sports facilities constructed throughout the country using this means by 1970: 2,490 stadiums, 59,000 football grounds, 14,400 complex sports grounds, 10,200 artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
halls, 950 artificial swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
s, 270,000 grounds for sport games.
Each VSS had its own flag, emblem, sports uniform, pin. Societies, which were awarded orders (e.g. VSS Spartak - Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
) had their images on the flag and other symbols.
VSS at the Olympics
The most represented VSS at the Olympics usually were Spartak, Burevestnik, Trud, Zenit, Avangard. For example, from 409 competitors for the USSR at the 1976 Summer Olympics1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
58 were from Spartak, 48 from Burevestnik, 28 from Trud, 13 from Zenit and 11 from Avangard.
See also
- Dynamo
- CSKACSKACSKA refers to military sports teams in several east European countries:Bulgaria* CSKA Sofia ** PBC CSKA Sofia, a basketball club...
- Ready for Labour and Defence of the USSRReady for Labour and Defence of the USSRReady for Labour and Defence of the USSR , abbreviated as GTO was the All-Union physical culture training programme, introduced in the USSR on March 11, 1931 on the initiative by VLKSM. It was a complement to the Unified Sports Classification System of the USSR...
(GTO) - VsevobuchVsevobuchVsevobuch , universal military training) is the name of the compulsory military training of men practised in the former Soviet Union. Vsevobuch is affiliated with sports training, to which it contributed....
- Sports clubSports clubA sports club or sport club, sometimes athletics club or sports association is a club for the purpose of playing one or more sports...