The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1957-08-09
Humor in the Soviet World
Forbidden Jokes In Curtain
Countries Show True
Feelings of the People
by Erik W. KvehneIf-L eddihn

Everybody knows that the power and dynamism of humor
is increased If it deals with a subject forbidden by law or custom.
He who has never lived under a tyranny cannot realize how
1iberating' the effect of real humor can be if it becomes the
only, secret weapon of the oppressed against their inhuman mas
tiers. / still remember the explosive laughter generated by anti
Nazi jokes in Hiuers third Reich" The same situation prevails
today in the Soviet World between the Iron Curtain and the
Bering Straits, including Yugoslavia.
Take for instance the Czech joke about the nationality. of
Adam and Eve. Of course, like all famous people, they were
Russians. Why? Well, they had no decent clothes, they stole ap-
pies, and they were convinced that they were living in Paradise.
An East German story tells about a little man who, evening
after evening, came to the docks of Rostock where ne looked
l En at the horizon n only t, to return r9t IS, sadly shaking snssa Elm his ! mead !.
purpose of this visit. "We hear so much about Russian aid, SO
good man" the inspector replied, you stare in the wrong direc-
ton: you ought to look in the newspapers, not across the Baltic
A Croat told me with a grin, how Tito once frightened by
the prospect of a sudden Russian attack, phoned President Eisen-
hydrogen bomb, but what sort of recompensation will ! get from
your" ooh, I'll present you with a collective farm" the be-
soever," objected the President "Thats where you are mistaken.
A collective farm creates infinitely greater damage than 10 n.y.
Numerous are the jokes about the ignorance of Soviet
bureaucrats and leaders. Thus there is the story, told east OF
Russian delegate to this affair is Professor Bogomolovitch, Presi-
dent of the Academy of Sciences. At the farewell session the
American chairman asks him to sign the guest book. After much
ado the Russian manages to unscrew his large fountain pen and
carefully paints three KS on the dotted line. Taking a step back
and adds another x in front of the row. Now the chairman,
intrigued about this performance, inquiries politely: "Dyou mind
scientist beams, lit meens Docktohrr!"
The best story Gas usuaD comes from Hungary. In a small
L Usual DldS tC IlDStNl 10 AS1N "a - S0NAN
tionary and the local soviet debates who should be his successor.
He ought to be young, intelligent, and a good Communist. There's
only one such person in the village: Janos pronounce: Yahnosh.
So they send him off to Debrecen to study theology and after 2
weeks he returns as a Doctor of Divinity and full Pledged preacher.
Soon the pharmacist too falls under a cloud and escapes
across the Iron Curtain just before he was to be nabbed. The
local soviet debates for two hours. The pharmacist must pc
young, bright, and a reliable Party Member, so there reallysis
nobody but-Janos. Janos protests, but he is sent to Szeged
and three weeks later he returns as a licensed pharmacologlst.
1t is the doctors turn next. The poor man, a Catholic and a
subversive bourgeois, is shot by the secret police and now the
local soviet has a real headache. A doctor they must have for
the village and he must be young, quick wnted, and a
genuine Bolshie. The debates continue until midnight but no
solution is found. In the end they again settle for Janos who
screams and yels in protest, but to Budapest he goes and four
weeks later he returns with an MD's sheepskin.
Then it so happens that a commissars flashy car, buzzlng
through the narrow streets of the village, takes a sudden turn
and kills the teacher. Again a meeting OF the village soviet.
More discussions. Again the same result. At 4 am. they drag
Janos out of his bed. Listen Janos," the chairman says, I'VE
know how you feel, but we trust in your cooperation, in your
communist convictions, in your loyalty to the village; you won't
let us down, you'll be our teacher"
Janos, however, hits the ceiling. "Look, comrade," he shouts,
81 am a good Communist; my hut is plastered with Lenln and
Stain pictures; I love my village. but there's a limit to every
thing and one thing ! won't do, neither for the Party nor even
for the .~vilage-and that's to 60 to another sinking city and to
learn to read and to write!"
Hungary produces other jokes too, grim ones. After last
years posthumous rehabilitation" of Ladislas Rajk the question
was asked: whats the difference between a good. Catholic and
a good Communist" every simple: a good Catholic hopes to 60
to Heaven after his death, but good Communist, after being
tortured, after making fake confessions, and being executed
hopes to be exhumed and reburied with great public honors."