Franklin Dean
In 1988, Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane, travelled to the Soviet Union—just a day after their wedding. The trip was part of a government initiative to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and the Russian city of Yaroslavl. Sanders, then the mayor of Burlington, also visited Moscow and Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). Critics have pointed out that Sanders combined business with pleasure on his honeymoon, praising the Soviet Union and criticising the US, while failing to address human rights abuses in the USSR.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1988 |
| Who | Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane Sanders |
| Place | Yaroslavl, Moscow, Leningrad, Soviet Union/USSR |
| Purpose | Diplomacy, establishing a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl |
| Trip Type | Government trip |
| Number of Guests | 10-12 |
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What You'll Learn
Bernie Sanders' honeymoon in the Soviet Union was in 1988
Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union has been described as a “very strange honeymoon". The trip's primary purpose was diplomacy, not leisure, and included about 10 extra guests. While in the Soviet Union, Sanders walked through Red Square and saw Lenin's tomb. He also visited Leningrad and Yaroslavl. In Yaroslavl, Sanders and his Vermont companions were treated to a visit to a sauna, followed by vodka toasts and Russian folk songs. Sanders even sang the Woody Guthrie socialist classic "This Land Is Your Land".
During his time in the Soviet Union, Sanders combined business and pleasure, meeting "ordinary people" from everyday walks of life (carefully selected by the Communist Party). He also ate nice-looking meals, toured a decorated subway station, took horse-and-buggy rides, and watched professional dancers. A cab driver even serenaded members of Sanders' delegation with songs.
While Sanders did not gloss over the problems in the Soviet Union, he did make a pro-business remark, saying that "in America, in general, the housing is better than in the Soviet Union". He also criticised the way the United States had "intervened" in other countries but failed to mention the countless Soviet interventions since World War II, including the erection of the Iron Curtain and the crushing of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union was a significant event in his political career, and it is worth considering the potential biases of his opponents when evaluating their criticisms.
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The trip was part of a government initiative
In 1988, Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane Sanders, travelled to the Soviet Union shortly after their wedding. The couple has referred to it as a "very strange honeymoon". However, the trip was not a traditional honeymoon, as it was part of a government initiative to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and the Russian city of Yaroslavl. The trip was pre-scheduled, and the couple set their wedding date to coincide with it to avoid taking additional time off.
Sanders, then the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, travelled with a 12-person delegation from his city to Yaroslavl. The trip aimed to foster connections between the two cities, and Sanders spoke about his dream of reducing conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union by building relationships between ordinary citizens. He also wanted young people to participate in exchange programs between Burlington and Yaroslavl.
During the trip, Sanders and his wife toured Moscow and Yaroslavl, meeting "ordinary people" and experiencing Soviet culture. They visited Red Square and Lenin's tomb, took horse-and-buggy rides, watched professional dancers, and enjoyed nice meals. They were treated to a sauna and vodka toasts, inspiring a bare-chested Sanders to sing "This Land Is Your Land". Sanders also criticised US foreign policy at a banquet but failed to mention Soviet interventions, such as the Iron Curtain and the crushing of the Hungarian Revolution.
The trip occurred during a pivotal time in the Soviet Union, which was in the midst of economic and political upheaval under Mikhail Gorbachev's rule. Sanders's journey to the Soviet Union during the Cold War has been criticised by his opponents as evidence of poor judgement and potential Communist involvement. However, the trip was also a significant event in his political career, showcasing his commitment to diplomacy and reducing international conflict.
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Sanders has referred to the trip as a strange honeymoon
Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator and former presidential candidate, travelled to the Soviet Union with his wife, Jane, in 1988. The trip came right after their wedding, and the couple has referred to the trip as a "very strange honeymoon".
The trip was part of a government initiative to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and the Russian city of Yaroslavl. The trip's primary purpose was diplomacy, not leisure, and included about 10 extra guests. Sanders and his wife travelled to Moscow and Yaroslavl, and Sanders also walked through Red Square and saw Lenin's tomb.
Sanders has been criticised for choosing to honeymoon in the Soviet Union, a country with a history of human rights abuses. While there, he criticised US foreign policy but did not mention Soviet interventions since World War II, including the erection of the Iron Curtain and the crushing of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Sanders has also been accused of having a soft spot for Russia and even Communist involvement.
Sanders has never explained why he chose to honeymoon in the Soviet Union. However, a spokesperson for his campaign said that the trip was pre-scheduled before the couple's marriage and that they set their wedding date to coincide with the trip to avoid taking more time off.
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Sanders criticised the US but not the Soviet Union
In 1988, Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane Sanders, travelled to the Soviet Union, shortly after their wedding. The trip was part of a government initiative to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and the Russian city of Yaroslavl. While in the Soviet Union, Sanders walked through Red Square, saw Lenin's tomb, and visited Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). He also travelled to Yaroslavl and Moscow.
Sanders has described the trip as a “very strange honeymoon”, although a spokesperson for his campaign has denied this, stating that the trip to the Soviet Union was scheduled before Sanders' marriage proposal, and the wedding date was set to "coincide with that trip because they didn't want to take more time off". The couple had a more traditional honeymoon in St. Lucia the following year.
Sanders has been criticised for his apparent failure to acknowledge the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Soviet regime during his trip. While he criticised US foreign policy, he did not address the Soviet Union's interventions since World War II, including the erection of the Iron Curtain, the crushing of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, the suppression of the Czech rebellion in 1968, the banning of the Solidarity trade union in Poland in 1980, and the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. He also failed to mention the countless political prisoners being held in the Soviet Union at the time.
Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union has been held up by his opponents as evidence of poor judgement and even Communist involvement. However, it is important to note that Sanders has never expressed support for the Soviet regime or its human rights abuses. He has, instead, been a vocal critic of US foreign policy and what he sees as its interventions in other countries.
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Sanders' trip was to Yaroslavl, Russia
In 1988, Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator and independent with close ties to the Democrats, travelled to the Soviet Union with his new wife, Jane Sanders, for their honeymoon. The trip was also a government trip to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and the Russian city of Yaroslavl.
Yaroslavl is a city in west-central European Russia, located in the Central Federal District. It is the administrative centre of the Yaroslavl Oblast region and is served by major highways, railroads, and waterways. The city is an important industrial centre, with industries including a petrochemical plant, a tire manufacturing plant, and a diesel engines plant.
Yaroslavl was founded in 1010 by Prince Yaroslav I (the Wise) and served as the capital of an independent principality from 1218 until 1471 when it came under the rule of Moscow. The city has a rich history, having been sacked by the Tatars in 1238, by Ivan I Kalita in 1332, and captured by Novgorod in 1371. It has also been plagued by disastrous fires and attacks by foreign invaders, particularly from the Mongol Horde.
During their time in Yaroslavl, Sanders and his Vermont companions were treated to a visit to a sauna, followed by numerous toasts of vodka and Russian folk songs. Sanders even joined in, singing the Woody Guthrie socialist classic "This Land Is Your Land."
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Frequently asked questions
Bernie Sanders honeymooned in the Soviet Union in 1988.
No, it was a government trip to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and the Russian city of Yaroslavl. It included about 10 extra guests. Sanders himself has described the trip as a very strange honeymoon.
While Sanders did not gloss over the problems in the Soviet Union, he did make a pro-business remark. He also criticised the way the United States had "intervened" in other countries but failed to mention the countless Soviet interventions.
Yes, the couple took a more traditional honeymoon a year later, in St. Lucia in the Caribbean.
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