Showing posts with label Iron Curtain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iron Curtain. Show all posts
Saturday, October 24, 2026
1952 - 1953: The Cold War in Europe - ARTE
Saturday, February 21, 2026
The Socialist Symbol of Unity, the Fraternal Kiss
COMRADE: There once was a gesture that symbolised the height of friendship across the Communist world. The fraternal kiss, a special form of greeting between leaders.
Screenshot taken from this article. | Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev kissing East German leader Erich Honecker, (1979), Berlin, East Germany. | Credit: Helmut Lohmann
There once was a gesture that symbolised the height of fraternal friendship across the Communist world. The socialist fraternal kiss, a special form of greeting between Communist leaders, demonstrated the unique bond between socialist countries. This ritual consisted of an embrace and a mutual kiss to the cheeks or, in rarer cases, to the mouth.
The practice had its roots in early Christian and Russian Orthodox traditions, and was later adapted by Communist regimes as a secular display of comradeship. As it evolved, the socialist fraternal kiss became a nuanced diplomatic tool, with its execution closely observed during meetings between Communist leaders.
The omission or refusal of this embrace spoke volumes about international relations. Following the Sino-Soviet split in the 1960s, Chinese officials pointedly refused to embrace their Soviet counterparts. Even when relations normalised decades later, Chinese protocol stubbornly maintained a "handshake, no embrace" policy. This stance extended only to Soviet leaders, as Chinese officials continued to exchange fraternal kisses with leaders from other Communist countries. ` » | Comrade | Undated
Whoever said life was boring and drab behind the Iron Curtain? It looks as if life must have been rather gay and colourful to me, at least for the leaders! 😊 — Mark Alexander
There once was a gesture that symbolised the height of fraternal friendship across the Communist world. The socialist fraternal kiss, a special form of greeting between Communist leaders, demonstrated the unique bond between socialist countries. This ritual consisted of an embrace and a mutual kiss to the cheeks or, in rarer cases, to the mouth.
The practice had its roots in early Christian and Russian Orthodox traditions, and was later adapted by Communist regimes as a secular display of comradeship. As it evolved, the socialist fraternal kiss became a nuanced diplomatic tool, with its execution closely observed during meetings between Communist leaders.
The omission or refusal of this embrace spoke volumes about international relations. Following the Sino-Soviet split in the 1960s, Chinese officials pointedly refused to embrace their Soviet counterparts. Even when relations normalised decades later, Chinese protocol stubbornly maintained a "handshake, no embrace" policy. This stance extended only to Soviet leaders, as Chinese officials continued to exchange fraternal kisses with leaders from other Communist countries. ` » | Comrade | Undated
Whoever said life was boring and drab behind the Iron Curtain? It looks as if life must have been rather gay and colourful to me, at least for the leaders! 😊 — Mark Alexander
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