Happy Cosmonautics Day: Soviet postcards and retro posters with Yuri Gagarin
Every year on April 12, Cosmonautics Day is celebrated all over the world, dedicated to the first human spaceflight. Yuri Gagarin, a citizen of the USSR, performed this feat in 1961. In honor of the holiday, Izvestia made a selection of Soviet posters and postcards dedicated to space exploration.
Retro Soviet postcards with Cosmonautics Day – 2025
On April 12, 1961, the Soviet satellite ship Vostok-1 entered Earth orbit. This was far from the first Soviet object in space: back in the late 1950s, the first artificial satellite of the Earth, two automatic stations Luna-1 and Luna-2 were launched, and in 1960, the dogs Belka and Strelka rounded the planet and returned home safely. However, everything was different that day — for the first time in history, there was a human aboard the spacecraft.
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin spent 1 hour and 48 minutes in space. During this time, he made one revolution around our planet, and then successfully landed in the Saratov region. The message about this was instantly transmitted by all the radio stations of the USSR — a simple Soviet citizen committed what was previously considered an invention of science fiction. Soon the whole world learned about Gagarin's feat, the cosmonaut became a true hero of mankind.
In 1962, at the initiative of Gagarin's colleague and understudy, German Titov, the celebration of Cosmonautics Day was established. There were themed postcards. The issue of greeting cards accompanied every achievement of the USSR in space, but after 1961 their circulation grew to an incredible scale. Printing houses printed portraits of cosmonauts, images of Soviet spaceships, illustrations of distant planets, and pictures for children. Other products, such as calendars, stamps, albums, etc., were also affected by the space theme.
Back in 1962, Titov suggested that the government of the Soviet Union appeal to the United Nations to bring Cosmonautics Day to the world level. In 1968, at the 61st General Conference of the International Aviation Federation, April 12 was declared World Aviation and Space Day. And in 2011, in honor of the 50th anniversary of Gagarin's flight, the UN General Assembly proclaimed a new holiday — International Human Spaceflight Day.
USSR posters with Gagarin on the occasion of the first human space flight
During the Soviet period, the art of easel graphics, namely posters, reached its greatest heyday. As a rule, they were created for the malice of the day, so it is not surprising that in the 1960s Gagarin became one of the main characters of the posters.
The first man to conquer space was often depicted against the backdrop of spaceships, boundless space and the globe. The main theme of such posters was not only Gagarin's personal feat — the artists praised the genius of scientific and engineering thought, which allowed people to go beyond the limits of the familiar world. The events of April 12, 1961, were perceived as the fulfillment of a long-held dream of space, as the first step towards a great future.
In the 1960s and 70s, cosmonauts were national heroes. All residents of the USSR knew German Titov, Valentina Tereshkova, Alexey Leonov and other space explorers. However, it was Gagarin with his trademark smile who became the main symbol of the beginning of the space age.
Happy Cosmonautics Day on April 12: funny postcards
The peak of the popularity of postcards for Cosmonautics Day occurred in the 1960s and 1970s, but even today they do not lose their relevance. People still continue to send each other greeting cards with images of rockets and satellites, portraits of astronauts, space landscapes, etc.
Space postcards got a second wind with the advent of social networks and instant messengers. Every year on April 12, tens of thousands of users send themed pictures to friends and relatives, share them in family, work and study chats, and post them on their pages. At the same time, the general mood of the postcards has changed: more and more often on the Internet you can find images of "green men", kittens and puppies in spacesuits, "big-eyed" planets and other funny characters.
Modern technologies make it possible to send a Cosmonautics Day postcard even to the other side of the globe in a matter of seconds. This is a great opportunity not only to remember one of the greatest achievements of mankind, but also to share with your loved ones the love, joy of upcoming discoveries and hopes for a bright future.
The picture can also be accompanied by short congratulations. Here are some examples:
"Happy Cosmonautics Day! Even at the beginning of the last century, space was an unattainable dream, and today humanity is already making plans to colonize other planets. I wish you to pursue your dreams without a doubt, conquer new heights and break out of the ordinary!"
"Congratulations on Cosmonautics Day! I wish you to follow the example of spaceships — boldly go beyond the limits of the usual, effortlessly overcome even the force of gravity and fly at great speed to success!"
"They say that if you make a wish on a shooting star, it will definitely come true. But our valiant astronauts have long proved that hard work fulfills dreams the fastest. I wish you not to stop on the way to your goal, to face difficulties with your head held high, to persevere and not to lose faith in your strength!"
Earlier, Izvestia shared colorful animations and original congratulations on Cosmonautics Day.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
