For the benift of y'all, I asked my ex-Komsomol leader friend to write a few words about it. Here's what he says:
Komsomol emraced 99% of Soviet people between 14 and 28 years of age, though being a Komsomol member (at least in the 1970s-1980s) was viewed by more than 50% as a mere formality. To be admitted to membership one had to write a formal application and to pass interviews - first in the primary organization (school) and then - in a district committee. To pass the school round one had to study well, be disciplined, and perform some social duties (patronage of weaker students, for example), and to pass the district committee round one had to learn the history of Komsomol and its distinguished members. Anyway, by the age of 16 even a D-student would be admitted. It is not correct to put an equation mark between Komsomol and leisure time of Soviet youth. For ordinary members, Komsomol events were basically limited to meetings, subbotniki (unpaid labor on Saturday), marches, demonstrations, etc. However, situation was different with Komsomol elite. They enjoyed some perks, like a chain of luxurious resort hotels, discotheques, and the so-called "shkola komsomolskogo aktiva" (school for Komsomol activists). The latter was a fortnight of paid leave and a free pass to one of Komsomol resort hotels. Formally, there were lectures given on Komsomol activism and other bullshit, but actually they indulged themselves in hard drinking and sex. Lots of legends circulated about orgies at such places. I must say, Komsomol was not totally useless. For example, Komsomol committees at universities, institutes, factories, etc. helped Komsomol members if they had conflicts with the administration. Sometimes, this help was very effective, even more effective than trade union's. Komsomol committees helped students and new employees in their adaptation, career, even in job placement. For example, after serving in the Army a guy could apply to his local Komsomol committee to get a recommendation for a preparatory course at the university and to the so-called "rabfak" (special preparatory course which guaranteed enrollment even with Cs at the entry exams). Also, Komsomol organized "exchange of experience" events between young specialists, excursions to interesting places and some other useful events.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ChrisD(RJ)
> Sent: Monday, February 03, 2003 9:21 AM
> To: AlexKondor(RJ)
> Subject:
>
> Sash,
>
> U menya yest' drug v Shtatakh, kotoryi khochet' uznat' kak zhizn' v CCCR
> byla pri Leonida Ilycha. Pozh., Ty mozhesh' napisat' okolo 200-300 slov
> pro svoyu zhizn' v Komsomole, kogda ty byl chlenom rukovoditelstva? Eto
> znachit', chto vy sdelali vmeste, demonstratsii, vecherinki (ili pyanki!),
> kakuyu muziku vy slyshali, chto tebe nravilos' ili ne nravilos', i tak
> daleye (i devchonki!). Spasibo tebe za milost'!