It’s not clear: why in the USSR there were refrigerators with a lock, and what was hidden in them

After its collapse, the Soviet Union left behind many curious secrets and even oddities. Some of them still surprise people today. But we are not talking about super-secret developments and secret operations, but about simple everyday issues.

Lock on the refrigerator: why and why?

In the USSR, a refrigerator is a measure of material well-being and almost the most important place in the house. However, they were manufactured at that time with a bang, if even now you can find a fully functional unit. Yes, it does not boast of having newfangled functions, it closes noisily, it is a bulky, elementary device - there are no problems at all. But Soviet refrigerators performed their task perfectly, if not to say absolutely incomparably.

However, a rather strange system - padlocks were installed on some refrigerators. Whether they were hiding from the products this way, or whether the manufacturers were fighting the obesity of the population in this way - it seems unclear. But everything is much more primitive and simple.

“We don’t need a separate house, it’s more fun for us to live together”

Let's remember. In Soviet times, living in communal apartments was common everywhere. Several families could live on the territory of one apartment at the same time, and not even related by blood or anything in common (except for the apartment itself). Yes, everyone had a separate room (sometimes not very small), but there was one kitchen - common for everyone.Of course, it would be possible to store all the utensils and equipment in your room, but this, naturally, takes up space, which is already not enough.

So they came up with this brilliant idea - to put a lock on the refrigerator door so that food (prepared with care or bought with the last rubles) would not be “borrowed” by neighbors in the communal apartment. But it was almost impossible to find the criminal - try to prove something, only suspicions. This system allowed the owner of the equipment to sleep peacefully and not think that the shelves would be completely empty after his absence.

Safe

Refrigerators with a lock were also used as storage, especially if the owner was forced to leave for a long time and leave his room unattended - a few jewelry, important papers and documents, and other things were kept there.

Of course, such a lock will not scare away competent thieves - they will still do their job, especially if they are too interested. But from those who were physically strong - quite good.

That's the whole secret of the lock on the refrigerator. It seems too simple and sophisticated, but in Soviet times this was the only salvation in a communal apartment not to go hungry.