On April 12, 1961 the first manned space flight was performed by the  Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. This is one of the photographs he took from space:

Cosmonauts loved to stop by and chat with V.I.Lenin, get some cosmonauting advice and encouragement.

When the Soviet People found out that the first spaceflight was a success, they jumped on their bicycles and rushed to the Red Square carrying signs “Everyone to space!”.

And those who didn’t have the bicycles just started dancing…

…or just marching and being happy…

…or accordion playing.

Gagarin looked at them from his TV and smiled. He was really tired. And wanted to find a real toilet. Because there was no toilet on his spaceship and he was holding it in all day.

Read my old post with photos of the real 1961 Soviet newspaper.

Oscar-nominated short animation “Gagarin”:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ5E9Oh4O4U