All kind of events took place during this week in history: in the military chapter, we will talk about the first Chechen war between this province and the rest of Russia. We will see an exciting Cold War episode, the so-called “Second Red Scare”, unleashed against the communists. In politics, the current Russian constitution was adopted. In a more historical page, we will remember one of the few failures of the Russian space race. Also, we will visit the opening day of one of the largest commercial galleries in the world and read about its different uses. Finally, we will learn about the appointment of Tsar Paul I as Grand Master of the Order of Malta.

First Chechen War

In the second week of December 1994, Russian tank divisions move into in the territory of Chechnya, with the target of capturing its capital, Grozny. The “First Chechen War” was unleashed after the region of Chechnya decided not to sign the Treaty of the Russian Federation of 1992. This war would last five years and included the declaration of independence of Chechnya in 1993. Ten years later, no foreign country had recognized Chechnya’s independence.

War scene in Chechnya

New constitution

More significant events took place in the 90s. In the second week of December 1993, a new constitution of the Russian Federation was approved by referendum. It replaced the previous one of 1978. Many things changed with this constitution. For example, it meant the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet, the body that managed the policies and laws of the USSR between 1937 and 1993. Of all registered voters countrywide, 58.187.755 took place eventually in the referendum. 32,937,630 people (54.5 %) voted in favor of the adoption of the new Constitution.

Red scare

It is now the year 1953. During the Cold War and due to the fear of having Russian spies in its facilities, the American company General Electric fires all workers suspected of being communists. This period of American history is called the “Second Red Scare” (1947-1954), and its aim was to remove all traces of communism from American society and government. During this time, things happened as curious as renaming a baseball team to avoid any communiste misinterpretations: the Cincinnati Reds became the Cincinnati Redlegs.

GUM galleries

Let's go back in time, but still in the second week of December. In 1893, at Moscow’s Red Square, GUM shopping galleries were inaugurated, with more than 1200 shops inside. Over the years, these galleries have had different uses: first as retail stores, later as offices during the Stalin period and today as luxury boutiques and a tourist attraction. Perhaps the most surprising use happened after the death of Stalin's wife, Nadezhda (1919-1932), when for a time the GUM galleries became her mausoleum.

GUM Department Store, by the Red Square

Zond-7

We fly now into space. A last minute failure caused that the USSR lost the lead in so-called space race, on a day like today of 1968. The Soviet Union was forced to cancel their first manned flight around the Moon, due to technical problems. It was the Zond 7 mission. 13 days after, American mission Apollo 8 takes off and eventually completes ten orbits around the Moon. Astronauts Jim Lovell, Frank Borman and Bill Anders became the first humans to see the Moon up close.

Soviet Spacecraft Zond -7

Order of Malta

And finally, let's talk about one of the greatest historical Orders: the Order of Malta. This is one of the oldest (it was founded in the 11^th century) and one of the few that still survive today. In the second week of December 1798, Tsar Paul I was appointed Grand Master of the Order of Malta and thus became the order’s leader. This recognition was awarded after the Tsar’s decision of giving shelter to the members of the order, who had been expelled from their headquarters in Malta by Napoleon. A curious fact about the Order of Malta: it issues its own passports, with which its member can travel to 104 countries without a visa.