Staff Communications Club ("Communication Club")2 photos

#### Workers' Cultural House of Communications ("Communication Club")

The construction of this 740-seat communication club began in 1927, and it was officially opened on March 31, 1929. In addition to the auditorium, the club included a sports hall, a shooting range, a library, and relaxation areas.


This building has a remarkable history. Over its 80-year existence, it has served various organizations, but as stated on its official website, it “has never changed its cultural orientation, remaining a cornerstone of aesthetic education for countless generations.” It has functioned as both an Officers’ Club and a Postmen’s Club, as well as a Workers’ Communication Cultural House and a Communication Workers’ Culture Center. Since becoming publicly owned in December 1999, it has also served as the Kiev District Culture Center.

Among this building’s contributions to the city’s cultural life, I would like to highlight one in particular: from 1964 to 1966, our renowned fellow citizen, poet Boris Alekseevich Chichibabin, conducted literary studies at the Communication Workers’ Cultural House. It was here that the Chichibabin Center was established and continues to operate today.
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I would like to share excerpts from the speech given by former student Yuri Miloslavsky at an event commemorating the 45th anniversary of the study’s establishment (February 7, 2009):

“…The literary studies associated with the Workers’ Communication Cultural House are often omitted in its brief name, which actually expands its meaning significantly. In early January 1964, Boris Alekseevich Chichibabin was entrusted with this task; almost immediately, the entire of Kharkov learned of this. However, the first actual meeting took place on the evening of February 5, 1964. I never disagreed with Chichibabin, but we also never agreed on everything… His literary studies went far beyond the traditional framework of such programs. What I know about Russian literature today stems entirely from Chichibabin’s influence. There are many others like me; his initial introduction to Russian literature shaped our understanding of it forever. To this day, I always think about how Boris would have interpreted a given text—I imagine reading it through his eyes…”

“…One evening after class, we were walking along the puddles near Zerkalnaya Struja after having consumed some alcohol. Chichibabin said to me: ‘You constantly criticize these amateur writers, but what would they do if they didn’t write poetry? They’d probably drink vodka, beat their wives, or engage in other misbehavior. Or they might just sit at home, watching hockey matches or bad movies. Yet they still aspire to something beautiful. How can you not understand that?’ But I was too young back then—I was only 16 or 17 years old. It wasn’t until many years later that I realized how right he was. Literature serves to elevate what is otherwise dull and miserable in human existence, regardless of the social system, country, or era. People simply cannot endure life as it is. We struggle to cope with it even when using strong alcohol… So literature provides us with an spiritual environment that helps us transcend these limitations.’…”

(These “best memories” can be found at: ndgazeta.org.ua/?p=170)

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