Franklin Dean
Bernie Sanders, the former mayor of Burlington, Vermont, travelled to the Soviet Union in 1988, the year he got married, to establish a sister-city relationship with Yaroslavl, a historic Russian city. The trip was part of a 12-person delegation and has been referred to as a strange honeymoon by Sanders and his wife, Jane, who accompanied him. The couple took a more traditional honeymoon the following year in St. Lucia in the Caribbean.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1988 |
| Honeymoon Location | Yaroslavl, Russia |
| Honeymoon Length | 10 days |
| Honeymoon Start Date | 1 June 1988 |
| Trip Purpose | Establishing a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl, Russia |
| Number of Delegates | 12 |
| Honeymoon Description | "Very strange honeymoon" |
| Honeymoon Cost | Paid by Sanders and his companions |
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What You'll Learn
Bernie Sanders' 1988 trip to the Soviet Union
In 1988, Bernie Sanders, then mayor of Burlington, Vermont, took a trip to the Soviet Union, which he jokingly referred to as his "honeymoon". The trip was an official delegation to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington and Yaroslavl, Russia. Sanders was accompanied by his wife, Jane Sanders (née Mary Jane O'Meara), whom he had married the day before, as well as 10 other people, including David F. Kelley, a Republican who helped arrange the trip.
During the trip, Sanders interviewed the mayor of Yaroslavl about housing and healthcare issues in the two cities. He also praised the Soviet Union's transportation system and defended Cuban dictator Fidel Castro's efforts to improve education and healthcare. Sanders noted that he did not see any homeless people or hungry children during his visit.
Upon his return to the U.S., Sanders faced criticism for his comments while abroad, including knocking the cost of housing and healthcare in the U.S. and criticising U.S. interventions in other countries. One of his travelling companions, Kelley, recalled being upset by Sanders' criticism of the U.S. during the Cold War and walked out of the room.
The trip attracted new attention in the lead-up to the 2020 election, with some Republican candidates accusing Sanders of Bolshevism. However, the documents from the trip, including hotel registration cards, letters, and telegrams, were described as boring and indicative of the Soviet Union's opening up at the time.
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The trip was a government initiative
In 1988, Bernie Sanders, then the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, travelled to the Soviet Union as part of a government initiative to establish a sister-city relationship with Yaroslavl, a historic Russian city a few hours northeast of Moscow. The trip was part of a 12-person delegation from Burlington, including Sanders' wife, Jane, and other officials from the Mayor's office. Sanders himself referred to the trip as a ""very" [strange honeymoon"], an official 10-day visit to the communist country.
The genesis of the trip can be traced back to a year earlier when a Soviet choir of about 30 girls visited Burlington and stayed with local families. After this visit, Sanders asked to take the stage and proposed the idea of establishing a sister-city relationship with Yaroslavl. The suggestion for Yaroslavl as a sister city also came from Robert Daniels, a University of Vermont history professor, who noted the similarities between the two cities in terms of environment and academic institutions.
During the trip, Sanders and his companions first visited Moscow, where he walked through Red Square and saw Lenin's Tomb. They then travelled to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and Yaroslavl, where they toured factories, hospitals, and schools. Sanders also interviewed the mayor of Yaroslavl for a Burlington radio show, discussing the costs of housing and healthcare.
The timing of the trip, just after Sanders' wedding, drew attention and earned him the nickname "Bolshevik Bernie" from some critics. However, Sanders has used the trip to help explain his views on foreign policy, emphasising the difference between his beliefs as a democratic socialist and communist dogma. He has also praised certain aspects of the Soviet Union, such as their transportation system and art programs, while criticising some aspects of American society during his trip, such as the cost of housing and healthcare.
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Sanders criticised the US during the trip
In 1988, Bernie Sanders, the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, travelled to the Soviet Union as part of a government trip to establish a sister-city relationship with Yaroslavl, a historic Russian city. The trip was an official 10-day visit, which Sanders and his wife, Jane, jokingly referred to as a "very strange honeymoon".
Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union has been criticised by some as "America-bashing". During the trip, Sanders criticised the cost of housing and healthcare in the US while praising the Soviet Union's transportation system and various art programs. He also criticised the US for intervening in other countries' affairs. One member of the entourage, David F. Kelley, recalled his shock at Sanders' criticism of the US abroad, particularly during the Cold War. Kelley, a Republican who helped arrange the trip, said he "got really upset and walked out".
Sanders' comments about the Soviet Union were not limited to this trip. He had previously visited Nicaragua in 1985 and praised the socialist revolution led by Daniel Ortega, which was opposed by President Ronald Reagan. Sanders also defended Cuban dictator Fidel Castro for his efforts to improve education and healthcare.
Upon returning from the trip, Sanders seemed unrepentant about his criticism of the US. He stated that being critical of the United States may have made the Soviets more receptive to his criticisms of their society. He also emphasised that he supported democratic elections and business enterprises, which were not compatible with the Soviet system.
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The trip was dubbed a strange honeymoon
Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, was criticised for his America-bashing abroad, including knocking the cost of housing and healthcare in the US and criticising the country's interventions in other nations. One of his travelling companions, David F. Kelley, recalled his shock at Sanders' criticism of his own country during the Cold War, saying, "I got really upset and walked out".
Sanders, however, seemed unrepentant upon his return, stating, "The fact that we were willing to be critical of the United States... I think that made them maybe more appreciative of our criticisms we made of their own society". He also praised the Soviet Union's transportation system and defended Cuban dictator Fidel Castro for his efforts to improve education and healthcare.
The trip drew attention in the lead-up to the 2020 election, with critics, including Republican candidates and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, accusing Sanders of Bolshevism and being a communist sympathiser. Sanders and his wife, however, appeared to joke about the trip, referring to it as a "strange honeymoon". They took a more traditional honeymoon to St. Lucia in the Caribbean a year after their wedding.
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Sanders and his wife took a traditional honeymoon in St. Lucia the following year
Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane, travelled to the Soviet Union in 1988, the year of their wedding, on a trip that has since been dubbed a "honeymoon" in the media. Sanders, who was the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, at the time, led a 12-person delegation to the Soviet Union to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington and Yaroslavl, Russia. Sanders himself referred to the trip as a “very strange honeymoon”, and it has been used by critics to paint him as a communist sympathiser.
The following year, Sanders and his wife took a traditional honeymoon in St. Lucia, a Caribbean island. This trip was more in line with the romantic and intimate expectations of a typical honeymoon. St. Lucia is a popular tourist destination known for its beautiful beaches, lush scenery, and luxurious resorts. It offers a range of activities such as snorkelling, sailing, and exploring the island's natural and cultural attractions.
Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union, however "strange" it may have been, was a significant moment in his political career. It reflected his interest in foreign affairs and his willingness to engage with socialist and communist countries, which set him apart from other politicians. This trip, occurring during the final years of the Cold War, drew attention due to its timing and the political statements Sanders made during his visits to various Soviet cities.
Sanders' entourage first visited Moscow, where he walked through Red Square and saw Lenin's Tomb. They then travelled to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and Yaroslavl, where they toured hospitals, schools, and factories. Sanders also interviewed Yaroslavl's mayor for a Burlington radio show, asking about the costs of housing and healthcare.
The senator's comments during this trip caused controversy, with critics accusing him of “America-bashing". Sanders criticised the cost of housing and healthcare in the US and blasted the country for intervening in other nations' affairs. Despite the backlash, Sanders remained unrepentant upon his return, emphasising the importance of engaging with other political systems and learning from each other.
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Frequently asked questions
Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane, travelled to the Soviet Union in 1988.
The trip was an official government trip to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl, Russia.
Yes, Sanders and his companions paid their own way, according to news accounts at the time and his campaign.
Sanders first visited Moscow, where he walked through Red Square and saw Lenin's tomb. He then went to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and visited a cemetery where thousands of Soviets killed during World War II are buried. Sanders then travelled to Yaroslavl, where he toured factories, hospitals, and schools.
Sanders has referred to the trip as a "very strange honeymoon" and a "quiet, romantic honeymoon". He has also used the trip to help explain his views on foreign policy.
