# Soviet Russia creates Glavlit, a central office to review all printed material before publication

Published 2026-09-22. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. 2 sources.

Status: historical, as of 2026-09-22.

In 1922, under Vladimir Lenin's government, Soviet Russia created Glavlit, a single agency with final authority to review newspapers, books, plays and even posters before they could be printed or performed. By 1930 no publication in the Soviet Union could appear without its approval.[1][2][3]

- Country: [Russia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ru) (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)
- Where: Russia
- Level of government: National
- Tactics: Prior restraint, Licensing and closure of outlets
- Stage: Silence (ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/prior_restraint#stage-silence)
- Head of government at the time: [Vladimir Lenin](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/vladimir-lenin)
- Issue of the day: The new Soviet government, having just consolidated power after years of revolution and civil war, sought a single, centrally controlled system to replace the uncoordinated military and civilian press controls bodies it had inherited.
- Outcome: Ongoing, January 1, 1989. Glavlit's authority over publishing was still largely intact through the 1980s, though its standards were relaxed from 1988 under Gorbachev's glasnost policy before its 1991 dissolution.
- Era: The 1920s

## What happened

The government led by Vladimir Lenin created Glavlit in 1922 to replace a patchwork of separate military and civilian press controls agencies left over from the Russian Civil War with a single central office. Glavlit, short for the Chief Administration for Literary and Publishing Affairs, held final authority over printed materials and the performing arts, reviewing manuscripts, newspapers and plays before they could reach the public. Its censors watched for material that criticized the Communist Party or the Soviet state, whether directly or by implication, as well as economic or military information judged to threaten state security. By 1930 all printing and publishing in the Soviet Union, down to posters, notepads and theater tickets, required Glavlit's approval before release. The system continued for decades, with its standards loosened only in 1988 under Mikhail Gorbachev's glasnost policy of openness, before Glavlit was dissolved by decree in 1991.[1][2][3]

## What reason was given

Glavlit's mandate was to prevent the publication of material that could pose a military or economic security threat, or that could be read as critical of the Communist Party or the Soviet state.[1][2][3]

## What changed for reporting

No newspaper, book, play or even minor printed item such as a poster or notepad could be published or performed in the Soviet Union without Glavlit's prior approval, a system that lasted essentially unchanged for over six decades.[2]

## Timeline

- 1922: Soviet Russia creates Glavlit, a central office to review all printed material before publication

## Who acted

| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Glavlit](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/glavlit) | enforced | Soviet state office overseeing printed matter and the arts |
| [Vladimir Lenin](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/vladimir-lenin) | announced | Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of Soviet Russia/the USSR |

## Sources

1. Glavlit. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Glavlit (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
2. Glavlit. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/glavlit (Encyclopedia.com).

## Claims cited

[1] Glavlit was the central censorship office established in the Soviet Union in 1922, with final authority over printed materials as well as the performing arts. Quote: "office, known for short as Glavlit, with final authority over printed materials as well as the performing arts." Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Glavlit. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Glavlit Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/156, checked 2026-09-22.

[2] By 1930 all printing and publishing in the Soviet Union was subject to pre-publication censorship, covering everything from newspapers and books to posters and theater tickets. Quote: "by 1930 all printing and publishing in the Soviet Union was subject to pre-publication censorship" Source: Encyclopedia.com. Glavlit. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/glavlit Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/157, checked 2026-09-22.

[3] Glavlit's standards were relaxed in late 1988 as part of Mikhail Gorbachev's glasnost campaign, and the agency was dissolved by presidential decree in 1991. Quote: "Its standards were relaxed in late 1988 as part of Mikhail Gorbachev's glasnost campaign" Source: Encyclopedia.com. Glavlit. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/glavlit Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/158, checked 2026-09-22.

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1922-ussr-glavlit-censorship. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.