The Soviet Union (SU or USSR) was a state in Eastern Europe, Central and Northern Asia that existed from 1922 to 1991. It emerged from the so-called Soviet Russia, the successor state of the Russian Empire. The Russian Soviet Republic formed the core of the union and at the same time its largest part, with further constituent republics added. Their number varied over time and was related to the occupation of other countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), Soviet republics that existed only for a short time (Karelo-Finlandia) or the division or merger of Soviet republics. In addition, there were numerous autonomous republics or other territorial units with an autonomy status that was essentially limited to linguistic autonomy for minorities.
Before its formal dissolution, the USSR consisted of 15 Soviet republics with a population of approximately 290 million people. At around 22.4 million km², it was the largest territorial state in the world at the time. The Soviet Union was a socialist soviet republic with a one-party system and an absence of separation of powers.
The Russian Empire (also Russian Empire or Empire of Russia) was a state that existed from 1721 to 1917 in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and North America. The country was the largest contiguous empire in modern history in the mid-19th century. It was dissolved after the February Revolution in 1917. The state was regarded as autocratically ruled and was inhabited by about 181 million people.
The exhibition by the anonymous curator collective “FATA”, which was held in Berlin, took place as part of a residency for women, non-binary and trans people in Russia in 2021. When full-scale war broke out with Ukraine, the Russian feminist protest movement became one of the driving forces behind the anti-war resistance, and quickly formed an alliance with decolonial activists. In 2023, in order to implement the project in Berlin, the organizers and artists adapted the concept to decolonial issues. Feminist themes were supplemented with an examination of Russian and Soviet colonialism. With a few exceptions, all of the participants in this exhibition come from different republics of the Russian Federation. Only three of the 30 participants exhibited under their real name: Victoria Sarangova, Polina Osipova und Neseine Toholya.
Ufa (population 2023: 1,163,304) is located at the mouth of the Ufa River at the gateway of Siberia. In addition to Russians (48%), the city is mainly inhabited by Tatars (26%) and Bashkirs (20%). The history of Ufa goes back to a fortress founded in 1574 by decree of Ivan the Terrible as a defense against the nomadic tribes. In the 17th century, Ufa was considered an important trading town. In the 19th century, Ufa became an important industrial center, which was boosted by the extention of river shipping. During the turmoil following the October Revolution in 1917, Ufa became an important center for opponents of the Bolsheviks. In September/October 1918, they formed a Provisional Government for Russia here, which soon move to Omsk. Since 1919, Ufa has been the capital of the autonomous republic, first called Bashkiria and since 1992 Bashkortostan. Since the second half of the 20th century, oil processing and mechanical engineering have contributed to the city's rapid development.
The Republic of Bashkortostan (population 2023: 4,064,361) is located on the south-western edge of the Ural Mountains, which mark the border of the European part of Russia. The official languages of Bashkortostan are Bashkir and Russian; its capital is Ufa. The republic is named after the Bashkirs (31%), who form one of the largest ethnic group together with Russians (37%) and Tatars (24%).
Since the 16th century, Russia has established itself as a protective power for the Bashkirs living here, especially against the nomadic peoples invading from the east. In 1919, an autonomous Republic was established, which initially included a small part of the areas inhabited by the Bashkirs, but by 1922 encompassed the entire territory of the former Ufa governorate. Its name was finally established in 1937 as the Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, and since 1992 its official name is Republic of Bashkortostan.
The Volga Federal District (population in 2023: 28,540,832) was created in 2000 as one of Russia's original seven federal districts and is named after the 3,530-km-long Volga River. Its area is 1,036,975 km². The Volga Federal District is located in the southwest of Russia, in the European part of the country, and Kazakhstan is its direct neighbor. The capital of the federal district is Nizhny Novgorod.
In the course of the turn towards Europe under the reign of Peter the Great, the region around the Volga became a central connection point to the Baltic Sea and the Caspian Sea. Furthermore, the German settlers who arrived during the reign of Catherine the Great were named after the river as “Volga Germans”. From 1918 to 1943 they were granted autonomy, from 1924 within the framework of an autonomous republic.
The Volga Federal District has deposits of oil and natural gas as well as potash salt, phosphorite, zinc, copper, silver and gold. These are also processed by the local industry. Heavy industry and mechanical engineering are closely intertwined with the defense industry, the automotive industry and aerospace engineering.
The Ural Federal District (population 2023: 12,262,295) was created in 2000 as one of Russia's original seven federal districts. With an area of 1,818,497 km², it mostly covers the Asian side of the country and includes the Ural Mountains. Its capital is Ekaterinburg.
The territory of the federal district is home to a number of mineral resources that contributed to the economic rise of the region as early as the 18th century, but have only been mined on a large scale since the 20th century due to their difficult accessibility. The local industry contributed significantly to Soviet military production, especially during the Second World War, when numerous factories were relocated here from the European part of the country. In addition to silver and gold deposits, iron and manganese ores play an important role, with gas and oil mining and processing occupying a particularly important position in the 21st century.
Elista (population 2023: 103,219) is located in the south of Russia and is the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia. The trading settlement, founded in 1865, only received city rights in 1930, when it had already been the capital of the autonomous Kalmykian Oblast for two years. In the 1930s, the city was shaped by Stalin's collectivization policy: The previously nomadic Kalmyks were forced to settle in Elista for a modern, urban lifestyle. Elista became the capital of the Kalmyk ASSR in 1935. In 1942, the city was occupied by the German Wehrmacht and set on fire before their evacuation at the beginning of 1943. After the abolition of autonomy as a collective punishment for collaboration with the Germans, Elista was renamed Stepnoy in 1944 and many of its inhabitants were deported to penal camps. Reconstruction progressed slowly. After the reintroduction of the autonomous oblast in 1957, Elista was given back its old name. In 1958, it once again became the capital of the ASSR. Elista is the only capital city in Europe that is characterized by Buddhist culture.
The Republic of Kalmykia (population 2023: 266,770) is located in the south of Russia and borders the Caspian Sea in the east. Its area is 74,731 km². The official languages are Kalmyk and Russian. A special aspect of Kalmykia is the predominance of Buddhism. The Kalmyks who immigrated here at the beginning of the 17th century founded the Kalmyk Khanate in 1663, which was subject to tribute to Russia and was finally incorporated in 1771. In 1920, the Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast was created, which was transformed into the Kalmyk ASSR in 1935. Autonomy was abolished in 1943, as the Kalmyks were accused of collaborating with the German Wehrmacht. Its area was incorporated into various territorial units. The Autonomous Oblast was re-established in 1957 and regained the status of a republic in 1958. It is now a subject of the Russian Federation as the Republic of Kalmykia.
Since the 1960s, Soviet irrigation concepts have led to severe desertification in Kalmykia, affecting ever larger parts of the country.
Yar-Sale (population 2020: 7,410) is a Russian village founded in 1927 in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. In connection with the exploitation of gas deposits nearby, Yar-Sale is experiencing rapid population growth in the 21st century.
The Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District (population 2023: 515,960) is located in the Tyumen Oblast in northern Russia on the Kara Sea. Its official languages are Nenets and Russian. It was created in 1930 as a national district of the Ural oblast. Since 1944 it has belonged to the Tyumen Oblast. In 1977 it was transformed into an autonomous district.
The native Nenets make up only 9% of the population, Russians almost 63%. The rapid growth of the region, associated with the extraction and processing of oil and gas, leads to strong immigration. However, with a population density of 0.7 inhabitants/km², it is still one of the most sparsely populated areas in Russia. The district is currently one of the richest in the country.