"A one-percent increase in productive labor by the workers of the preparation section will result in 660 pairs of semimanufactured product in excess of the plan per 24 hour period."
A popular youth pastime (among certain circles) here in St. Petersburg, and indeed all over the former USSR, is exploring abandoned Soviet factories. The Russians call it by many names, among them Russified English terms like “indastrial” and “tresh.”
Last week we explored the “Krasniy Treugol’nik” (“Red Triangle”) factory, an ENORMOUS shoe production facility now given over to a few auto shops, installation art pieces, bum hideaways and various other informal “business.” But the place is too big to be conquered all at once, so there’s plenty left to explore (and it’s the most accessible place I’ve yet visited besides an ex-submarine base in the Crimea, since the guards just sit in their shack drinking and watching movies).
Besides the forlorn pairless shoe here and there, we found several great pieces of “Sovok” (Soviet-era artifacts), including a roomful of documents and this classic Soviet motivational placard:
“A one-percent increase in productive labor by the workers of the preparation section will result in 660 pairs of semimanufactured product in excess of the plan per 24 hour period.”
Tags: Factory, Industrial, Red Triangle shoe factory, Russian English terms, Soviet, Soviet motivational poster, Sovok, St. Petersburg, Submarine base Crimea, USSR
August 21, 2009 at 2:25 pm |
Sounds quite fun.
August 21, 2009 at 3:54 pm |
The paranoid russophobia displayed here is not so great a fun as it seems. It will lead to a dismal end for the morons who are trying to insult Russia.
September 9, 2009 at 1:36 pm |
Enjoyed your post. I’m actually visiting St. Petersburg next week, and would love to know how to get to this Red Triangle Shoe Factory. I’m real interested in old Soviet history, and if you had any other advice on things to do and visit re: Soviet kitsch in St. Petersburg, I’d really appreciate it.
Thanks again,
Allison