History glossary
the Thaw
the limited loosening of Soviet repression and censorship after Stalin's death, especially under Nikita Khrushchev.
- Category
- Political period
- Region
- Soviet Union
- Date range
- 1950s-1960s
What it means
The Thaw was the period of limited cultural and political relaxation after Stalin's death, especially under Nikita Khrushchev. It brought prisoner releases, partial rehabilitation of victims, and some easing of censorship, while one-party rule and Soviet control remained intact.
