These 10 Photos Show Soviet Hippies Secretly Kept Flower Power Alive  

For some, the images of Soviet countries elicit the grays of brutalist concrete architecture and the reds of state-sponsored propaganda posters. But a new collection of artwork from Cold War countries showcases a new, colorful palette that reveals a seldom discussed population: Soviet hippies.

During the Cold War, Hungary was caught between two worlds, they were experiencing state-sponsored censorship, but they were also gleaning cultural influences by the far-out art of the West. Hungary became part of the Soviet Union in 1948, but after an uprising against the Soviets in 1956, the government slightly loosened their grip on artistic censorship. While the country was surrounded by Communist countries, their border with Austria offered a connection with the counter-cultural revolutions happening in the rest of Europe. Their artwork reflected this relatively liberal mindset; as their country was institutionally connected to the Soviet Empire, Hungarian artists created works that were whimsical and sometimes subversive.   

These Hungarians became part of an undercover network of hippie Soviets, who were secretly gaining access to Western rock music and the aesthetic styles accompanied the culture. While Communism encouraged conformity, Soviet hippies reflected the global counter-culture movements; they existed as a kind of paradox within their own countries. They faced persecution for their commitment to free thought and expression, but still
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persevered until the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. 

A pair of
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exhibitions by The Getty Research Institute and the Wende Museum of the Cold War –  “​Promote, Tolerate, Ban: Art and Culture in Cold War Hungary” and “​Soviet Flower Power” –  showcases some of psychedelic work of the Soviet Hippies, along with never-before seen ephemera from personal collections of the time.

Below, check out some of their eye-catching designs below with captions by Joes Segal, chief curator at the Wende Museum.

Hero and share image of “Hippie Peach Ship” by Azazello/Wende Museum.