Hi All,
Could your help me with these questions?
1. Is Lomonosov Moscow State University now called Moscow State University?
2. At what age did children start to go to school in 1940s?
3. In 1950s, did most of the residents in Moscow live in houses or apartments?
Many thanks for your help!
Hi
Quill10,
Sorry, I've been away from AWWC for a while
1. It's officially called Lomonosov Moscow State University. But anyone's free to drop Lomonosov's name in colloquial speech. Native speakers usually call it MGU, short for Moscow State University.
2. In 1940, children started school at 8 years old. In 1944, school age was changed to start at 7. Please note that from 1939 until 1956, high school, college and university education in the USSR were fee-based. It wasn't too expensive though: about 10% of an average family's income. But you still had to pay to continue your studies.
3. In 1950s, the overwhelming majority of Muscovites lived in apartments. It was normal practice in the USSR, and still is in Russia. In those days, an average "private house" was (and often still is these days if you don't count new Russians' posh villas) a very basic and dilapidated affair, usually a log cabin, often without any plumbing or proper heating (but it always had electricity and a radio outlet). Living in such a 'house" and not in a "proper" apartment that had central heating, hot water and indoor toilets, was considered a sign of utter misery and bad fortune
As for proper stone private houses of well-off Russians, after the revolution of 1917 they were all changed into apartments to house dozens of families (a family per room,usually) and the old owners were either left one room to live in, or arrested and evicted. So most pre-1917 private houses were turned into apartments, too. When high-standing Soviet Russians wanted to have a private house, this was what an out-of-town "dacha" (a holiday house) was for. They could be true mansions with servants, all for one family. But most such dachas were state-owned and once their temporary owner retired or otherwise lost his post, the family lost their right to live there and the dacha was passed over to his successor.
But in cities, even the poshest Soviet Russians lived in apartments - often elaborate with a great many rooms and servants, but apartments nevertheless.
Hope it helps