Severe Nostalgia gravis

[Jocko]

Before you revealed the source, I thought the DDR boys were posing for advertising, otherwise incredible that were brandishing such gear in such a privileged position in front of the crowd. And now we know they were waiting for the astronaut, were they still posing for the book illustration, sprawling down the steps? Diplomats' kids?

Hallo Sylvaticus! I wondered about that too! I initially assumed that the picture was a simple set-up; I have similar, monumentally grotesque, North Korean photographs in which near-toddlers tote Nikon SLRs...(!)

Yet the fact that the boy with the Kiev apparently knows how to use it intrigued me very much. I think you must be right: I believe it was normal in "socialist" states to reserve the best schools for the offspring of party functionaries, diplomats etc.. Doubtless the same went for FDJ troops. To judge by propaganda practice elsewhere in the east, these children would naturally be to the fore in any public event, presenting the best possible face of the regime. They were certainly very privileged.

This would seem to be confirmed by the rest of the book, which features numerous photographs of crowds and of cameras (although not too many people have the latter). Most cameras in private hands appear to be Smenas, Werras or something crude in bakerlite, plus some Exactas, held over-head. Identifiable Soviet Rangefinders seem to be confined to official photographers and a few Russian officers.

As for color... I used to love the old Kodacolour 1000 ASA... so soft, so grainy, so romantic.....!

Cheers, Ian