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Russians Relaunch Soviet-Era Space Watches - New Europe - WSJ
By John Revill
Watches manufactured for Soviet cosmonauts, including the first man in space Yuri Gagarin, were among the new exhibits at this year’s Baselworld watch and jewelry exhibition.
The Russian brand Raketa made its debut among the regular Swiss, Italian, French and Japanese brands at the show, which opened today and runs until March 31.
While Swatch Group’s Omega brand takes pride in supplying its watches to the U.S. moon landings, the Petrodvorets factory in St Petersburg supplied watches to Soviet cosmonauts.
The brand name—the Russian word for rocket—was granted in 1962 in honor of Yuri Gagarin’s successful mission as the first man in space. Although Mr. Gagarin didn’t wear one on his mission, he later owned one, as did many members of the Soviet military and later cosmonauts.
Jacques von Polier, managing director of the factory, said: “I’ve spoken to some of old watchmakers and they speak about the special projects they did for the government, making specially adapted watches for cosmonauts.”
At its peak, the factory made watches for all branches of the Soviet government, churning out more than five million watches a year for soldiers, firemen, and polar explorers.
Secret Journal 1836-1837 by A. S. Pushkin
(translated into English from Russian) 1987, 91 p., ISBN 0-916201-07-4; $8
EXCERPTS
Dishonor is a seed I planted. Its vines strangle me. Dantes became a retribution sent by fate for my weak character. Challenging Dantes I become like Jacob fighting God. If I triumph, I refute God's laws and Pussy will ascend the throne in the Heavens without obstruction.
Contemporaries must not know me to the extent that I will allow to future generations. I have to take care of N.'s honor and of the honor of my children as long as they are alive. But I cannot help but to impart my soul to paper; it is this incurable disease of writing. This disease is often fatal, for contemporaries will kill me for these revelations of my soul, for true revelation, if they find out about it. But future generations will not be able to do anything to me or to my great-grandchildren, because remoteness in time will turn the most blameworthy of deeds into mere history. Unlike to the present, history is not dangerous or offensive, but merely amusing and didactic.
I do not want to take my sins, mistakes and torments to the grave with me; they are too substantial not to become a part of my monument.
In two hundred years or so, when censorship in Russia will surely have been abolished, first Barkov (3) will be published and then these notes, although I cannot imagine Russia without censorship. It means that the notes will be published in Europe, but more probably in far-away America. It is awful to know for certain that I will no longer be alive then, and that even my bones would be putrefied.
I look at my hand as it writes these lines and try to visualize it dead, as a piece of my skeleton, buried in the ground. Although this fate is undeniable, I am unable to imagine it. The trustworthiness of death is the only indisputable truth, and despite that it is the most difficult to comprehend, whereas we can easily and thoughtlessly accept and believe many different lies. Secret Journal 1836-1837 by A. S. Pushkin
The hero of the work, Alexander Pushkin, presents in an encapsulated form his various sexual relations,
his complex thoughts on life, the nature of sin, love, and creativity, as well as the complicated path that
led him to his tragic end.
his complex thoughts on life, the nature of sin, love, and creativity, as well as the complicated path that
led him to his tragic end.
THE GREAT DISCOVERY
IN 19th CENTURY
RUSSIAN LITERATURE
IN 19th CENTURY
RUSSIAN LITERATURE
The famous Russian poet and writer Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), fatally wounded in a duel by his brother-in-law and rival, left a secret, ciphered journal, which was recently discovered and smuggled out of the USSR. There has been a lot of speculation and mystery surrounding this journal. According to legend, Pushkin's will stipulated that the journal not be published until 100 years after his death. Some people claimed that the Journal never existed at all.
Secret Journal 1836-1837(translated into English from Russian) 1987, 91 p., ISBN 0-916201-07-4; $8 EXCERPTS
Dishonor is a seed I planted. Its vines strangle me. Dantes became a retribution sent by fate for my weak character. Challenging Dantes I become like Jacob fighting God. If I triumph, I refute God's laws and Pussy will ascend the throne in the Heavens without obstruction.
Contemporaries must not know me to the extent that I will allow to future generations. I have to take care of N.'s honor and of the honor of my children as long as they are alive. But I cannot help but to impart my soul to paper; it is this incurable disease of writing. This disease is often fatal, for contemporaries will kill me for these revelations of my soul, for true revelation, if they find out about it. But future generations will not be able to do anything to me or to my great-grandchildren, because remoteness in time will turn the most blameworthy of deeds into mere history. Unlike to the present, history is not dangerous or offensive, but merely amusing and didactic.
I do not want to take my sins, mistakes and torments to the grave with me; they are too substantial not to become a part of my monument.
In two hundred years or so, when censorship in Russia will surely have been abolished, first Barkov (3) will be published and then these notes, although I cannot imagine Russia without censorship. It means that the notes will be published in Europe, but more probably in far-away America. It is awful to know for certain that I will no longer be alive then, and that even my bones would be putrefied.
I look at my hand as it writes these lines and try to visualize it dead, as a piece of my skeleton, buried in the ground. Although this fate is undeniable, I am unable to imagine it. The trustworthiness of death is the only indisputable truth, and despite that it is the most difficult to comprehend, whereas we can easily and thoughtlessly accept and believe many different lies.
