Interesting things and facts about Stalin. Joseph Stalin interesting facts. Personal life and children of the leader

The personality and activities of Stalin in modern society are still loudly discussed - some consider him a great ruler who led the country to victory in the Great Patriotic War. Others are accused of genocide of the people, terror and violence against people. Some blindly deify him, others just blindly hate him.

Who he was in reality - a dictator or the greatest political figure and what is the so-called "Stalin phenomenon". It is unlikely that we will ever be able to find objective answers to all these questions.

Metro stations, streets and entire cities were named in his honor, books were written about him, his portraits were depicted on stamps and posters, and so on. However, collectivization and repression are also associated with his name, as a result of which thousands of Soviet citizens died.

Biography facts

Stalin was born on December 21, 1879 into a poor family in the city of Gori (Eastern Georgia), where his house-museum is currently located.

When a son appeared in the family of a shoemaker and a peasant woman, nothing foreshadowed that in more than four decades, Russia would find in him one of the most cruel and outstanding rulers who would be destined to turn the course of world history.

He was the third, but the only surviving child in the family - his older brother and sister died in infancy. Soso, as the mother of the future ruler of the USSR called him, was born a not entirely healthy child. He had a congenital defect of the limbs - two fused toes on his left foot.

As a child, Stalin received a severe hand injury; his left limb was not fully extended at the elbow and outwardly seemed shorter. Because of this, it was declared unfit for military service in 1916.

In his hometown, he studied at a theological school, then at the Tiflis Theological Seminary. Stalin did not succeed in graduating from the seminary, as he was expelled from educational institution right before the truancy exams.

The pre-revolutionary years in the biography of Stalin were spent in active struggle. The path to power of Joseph Vissarionovich was full of repeated exile and imprisonment, from where he always managed to escape. In 1912, he finally decided to change his last name Dzhugashvili to the pseudonym Stalin.

In 1917, for special merits, Lenin appointed Stalin as People's Commissar for Nationalities in the Council of People's Commissars. The next stage in the career of the future ruler of the USSR is associated with Civil war, in which the revolutionary showed all his professionalism and leadership qualities.

At the end of the war, when Lenin was already mortally ill, Stalin completely ruled the country, while destroying all opponents and applicants for the post of chairman of the government of the Soviet Union on his way.

In 1930, all power was concentrated in the hands of Stalin, in connection with which tremendous upheavals and restructuring began in the USSR. Then the cult of Stalin began.

Joseph Stalin

The development of the economy went according to Stalin's plan with the rise of heavy industry. At the same time, collective farms were formed, dispossession of kulaks took place. As a result of this policy, mass terror, up to 20 million people died in the country.

During the Great Patriotic War in the biography of Stalin, the positions of the Chairman of the Defense Committee, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and the People's Commissar of Defense were combined. In the postwar years, he brutally suppressed the nationalist movement, Soviet ideology gained ground.

From the personal life of Joseph Stalin, it is known that the first time he married in 1906, Ekaterina Svanidze, who gave birth to his first child, Yakov. After a year of family life, Stalin's wife died of typhus. After that, the stern revolutionary completely devoted himself to serving the country and only 14 years later again decided to marry Nadezhda Alliluyeva, who was 23 years younger than him.

The second wife of Joseph Vissarionovich gave birth to the wife of a son, Vasily, and took upon herself the upbringing of Stalin's first-born, who until that moment had lived with his maternal grandmother. In 1925, a daughter, Svetlana, was born to Stalin's family.

In 1932, Stalin's children became orphaned, and he became a widower for the second time. His wife Nadezhda committed suicide amid a conflict with her husband. After that, Stalin never married again.

Stalin died on March 5, 1953. By official version as a result of a cerebral hemorrhage, but there is a theory that the leader was poisoned. Stalin's body was mummified and placed in a mausoleum near Lenin. In 1961, the body of the leader was reburied at the Kremlin wall.

Contemporaries about Stalin

Charles de Gaulle is a French statesman: "Stalin had tremendous authority, and not only in Russia. He knew how to tame his enemies, not panic when he lost and not enjoy victories. And he has more victories than defeats." "Stalin's Russia is not the former Russia that perished along with the monarchy. But the Stalinist state without successors worthy of Stalin is doomed ..."

Winston Churchill Prime Minister of Great Britain: “It was a great happiness for Russia that during the years of hardest trials the country was led by the genius and unshakable commander Stalin. was the greatest, unparalleled in the world, dictator who accepted Russia with a plow and left it with nuclear weapons. Well, history, people do not forget such people. "

Franklin Roosevelt - 32nd President of the United States: "This man knows how to act. He always has a goal in front of his eyes. It is a pleasure to work with him. He presents an issue that you want to discuss and does not deviate anywhere."

HG Wells, English writer: "I have never met a person who is more sincere, decent and honest. There is nothing dark and sinister in him, and it is these qualities that explain his enormous power in Russia. I thought before meeting him, maybe they thought badly of him because people were afraid of him. But I established that, on the contrary, no one is afraid of him and everyone believes in him. Stalin is a Georgians completely devoid of cunning and cunning. "

Alexander Kerensky - Russian politician: "Stalin raised Russia from the ashes. Made it a great power. Defeated Hitler. He saved Russia and humanity."

Henry Kissinger - former US Secretary of State: “Like no other leader of democratic countries, Stalin was ready at any moment to study the balance of power. and resolutely defended Soviet national interests, without burdening himself with the burden of what he believed was hypocritical morality or personal attachments. "

The American magazine Time twice honored Stalin with the title of "man of the year" in 1939 and 1943.

He planned and organized robberies of banks in Transcaucasia in 1906-1907.

Stalin loved watching movies, especially American Westerns. He had a private cinema in his house. He hated sex scenes in movies - it infuriated him.

He loved to sing Russian folk songs during feasts.

He spoke Georgian, Russian, Ancient Greek, and also knew Church Slavonic well since the seminary. According to some researchers, he knew English and German languages, the notes he left in the books were in Hungarian and French. He understood Armenian and Ossetian languages. Trotsky, however, asserted in an interview that “Stalin does not know foreign languages, no foreign life. "

Stalin was a heavy smoker and suffered from atherosclerosis.

At the 1945 Victory Parade, the wounded dog-mine detector Dzhulbars, on Stalin's orders, was carried across Red Square in his greatcoat.

In his Kremlin apartment, the library numbered, according to witnesses, several tens of thousands of volumes, but in 1941 this library was evacuated, and how many books were returned from it is unknown, since the library in the Kremlin has not been restored. Subsequently, his books were at the dachas, and an outbuilding was built on the Middle for the library. Stalin collected 20 thousand volumes in this library.

He hated atheistic literature, called it "anti-religious waste paper."

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

Stalin read a lot. The usual amount of reading for him was about three hundred pages in one day. He studied himself all the time. For example, during treatment in the Caucasus in ...

Stalin read a lot. The usual amount of reading for him was about three hundred pages in one day. He studied himself all the time. For example, during treatment in the Caucasus in 1931, Joseph Vissarionovich wrote to his wife that she should send him books on ferrous metallurgy and electrical engineering. At the same time, he did not even remember what to write about his state of health.

You can make a rough estimate of the degree of education of Stalin, analyzing the number of books and textbooks that he worked. Probably no one will know the exact amount of literature he read. Stalin did not collect books, he chose to keep in his library only what he was going to use somewhere. But even this all chosen is not easy to count. In his apartment in the Kremlin, as contemporaries testify, there were tens of thousands of books, but in 1941 this collection was taken out, and no one knows how many were returned later. After the war, Stalin's books were placed in dachas, on one of them a whole outbuilding was built for books. It contained twenty thousand volumes.

If we assess Stalin's education according to the current criteria, he could have held the title of Doctor of Philosophy since 1920. He also had an outstanding knowledge of economics.

Joseph Vissarionovich kept making forecasts and taking them into account in his activities for decades to come. He formulated goals with a very distant sight, and everything that was done at the present time worked in the end for the distant future.

Under Stalin's leadership, the Soviet Union in difficult post-war conditions was able to significantly evolve in a short time and advance its achievements, which showed that smart people there were a lot in the Soviet country. And this is true because Stalin encouraged the development of science in the USSR. He himself had a very high intellect, and therefore strove to develop all Soviet citizens in the same direction. And to be smart and creative, you need to constantly gain knowledge. Information about the different spheres of life. And during the reign of Stalin, so much was done for the mental development of citizens, as under no other state ruler.

Stalin did not introduce "dry law"; he eradicated drunkenness by diversifying the leisure of Soviet people. He developed sports precisely among non-professionals, so that every ordinary citizen could engage in physical education. All enterprises and organizations had their own teams. The factories sponsored the stadiums. Many sports developed at once, everyone found something to their liking.

Joseph Vissarionovich drank only two types of wine - "Tsinandali" and "Teliani". He could very rarely drink cognac, but he never used vodka at all. Over the last 23 years of his life, the guards saw him drunk only twice: at S. Shtemenko's birthday and at A. Zhdanov's funeral.

Throughout The Soviet Union, in all its cities during the reign of Stalin, many parks were built. They were built so that the Soviet people could have a cultural rest. In such places, there have always been rooms for reading and board games, pubs and ice cream cafes, dance floors and summer stages were built.

For the first ten years of existence general secretary CPSU Stalin asked three times to be relieved of his post.

Stalin was in many ways like Lenin, but he served not Marxism, but above all the Soviet people.

When Trotsky's supporters waged an ideological struggle with Stalin, their chances were slim. After the words of Stalin and Trotsky in 1927, a referendum was held by the entire party. The results simply "hit on the head" of the Trotskyists. 6,000 party members voted for them, and 724,000 for Stalin.

Joseph Vissarionovich in 1927 issued a decree that at the dachas of party workers there can be no more houses than three or four rooms.

Stalin treated the guards and servants very humanly. He often called them to dinner, and once, noticing that the sentry was soaked in the rain, while standing at his post, he immediately ordered to build a fungus there. But Stalin did not tolerate a bad attitude towards official duties. In this respect, he was very strict.

Stalin spent very little money on himself - he had very few clothes, and he wore things for a very long time.

When the war began, both sons of Joseph Vissarionovich went to the front.

During the Battle of Kursk, a stalemate developed - the Nazis were armed with new items - the Panther and Tiger tanks, which our artillerymen could not physically destroy. Then Stalin remembered our military "news" aerial bomb PTAB, which was at the experimental stage. And the leader set the task - by mid-May, when the roads became passable, 800,000 of these bombs had to be produced.

One hundred and fifty factories of the USSR jointly coped with the task. And near Kursk, with the help of a new bomb, we deprived the fascists of their superiority in armament.

His famous phrase "Cadres decide everything" Stalin said at a 1935 reception in honor of graduates of military academies: “We talk too much about the merits of the leaders, about the merits of the leaders. They are credited with everything, almost all of our achievements. This is, of course, wrong and wrong. It's not just the leaders. ... To set technology in motion and use it to the bottom, people who have mastered the technique are needed, cadres are needed who are able to master and use this technique in accordance with all the rules of art ... That is why the old slogan ... must now be replaced by a new slogan ... ".

In 1943, Stalin said: “ I know that after my death a heap of garbage will be put on my grave, but the wind of history will mercilessly scatter it! "

Planned and organized in 1906-1907. robberies of banks in the Caucasus.
He was arrested eight times, was in exile, made four escapes.
He was accused of collaborating with the tsarist secret police, which has not yet been documented.
He hated sex scenes in movies - it infuriated him.

He loved to sing Russian folk songs during feasts.
He loved to read - in the apartment, in the study, in the country there were huge libraries, mostly books on history, philosophy, Marxism, economics.
He hated atheistic literature, called it “anti-religious waste paper”.
He spoke Georgian, Russian, Ancient Greek, and also knew Church Slavonic well since the seminary. According to some researchers, he knew English and German, the notes he left in the books were in Hungarian and French. He understood Armenian and Ossetian languages. Trotsky asserted in an interview that "Stalin knows neither foreign languages, nor foreign life."
He wrote documents, letters, and other papers extremely competently, which was noted by many witnesses.
Due to a childhood injury to his hand, he was declared unfit for military service in 1916.
I drank only Tsinandali and Teliani wines. Sometimes he drank brandy, did not drink vodka at all.
Stalin was very fond of joking in everyday life. He loved to draw.
Most of the recreation parks in the USSR were built at the initiative of Stalin.
He did not support Lenin's famous April Theses (in particular, his idea of transforming the bourgeois-democratic revolution into a socialist revolution), but rather quickly changed his mind and supported Ilyich on the issues of land, war and the socialist revolution.
It was Stalin who was authorized to negotiate the surrender of the famous Kshesinskaya mansion, as well as negotiations with the soldiers and sailors of the Peter and Paul Fortress.
During the first 10 years of his tenure at the top of the party, Stalin asked for resignation three times. True, these requests were often just another test of comrades.
“It doesn’t matter how they voted, it’s important how they counted.” This is the phrase of Stalin, uttered by him at the elections of the party general secretary in 1934.

At the 1945 Victory Parade, the wounded dog-mine detector Dzhulbars, on Stalin's orders, was carried across Red Square in his greatcoat.
During the war, Vasily Stalin was nominated for the rank of general 12 times, but Stalin canceled the performance each time.
The list of gifts given to him for his 700th birthday was published in newspapers from December 1949 to March 1953.
He was twice recognized by the American Times magazine as the person of the year. For the first time on January 1, 1940, for the fact that he "concluded a non-aggression pact with Hitler and started the Soviet-Finnish war, as a result of which he changed the balance of power in the world political arena." In January 1943, he was named “Person of the Year” by the same magazine again.
On the day of Stalin's death, national mourning was declared in Israel.
Until 2004 he was an honorary citizen of Budapest, until 2007 - the city of Kosice (Slovakia) and is still an honorary citizen of the Czech city of Ceske Budejovice.
In the former republics of the USSR and in Russia, there are still more than thirty streets named after Stalin.

Now you know more :)

You will learn interesting facts from Stalin's life in this article.

Stalin interesting facts

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin- Russian revolutionary, Soviet political, statesman, military and party leader.

During the first 10 years of his tenure at the top of the party, Stalin asked for resignation three times. True, these requests were often just another test of comrades.

Was in 1916 due to a childhood hand injury declared unfit for military service.

He spoke Georgian, Russian, ancient Greek languages, and also knew the Church Slavonic language well from the seminary. According to some researchers, he knew English and German, the notes he left in the books were in Hungarian and French. He understood Armenian and Ossetian languages. Trotsky asserted in an interview that "Stalin knows neither foreign languages, nor foreign life."

Most of the recreation parks in the USSR were built at the initiative of Stalin.

During the war, Stalin was nominated for the rank of general 12 times, but Stalin canceled the performance each time.

Planned and organized in 1906-1907. robberies of banks in the Caucasus.

He was accused of collaborating with the tsarist secret police, which has not yet been documented.

He hated sex scenes in movies - it infuriated him.

He loved to sing Russian folk songs during feasts.

He wrote documents, letters, and other papers extremely competently, which was noted by many witnesses.
I drank only Tsinandali and Teliani wines. Sometimes he drank brandy, did not drink vodka at all.

Stalin was very fond of joking in everyday life. He loved to draw.

It was Stalin who was authorized to negotiate the surrender of the famous Kshesinskaya mansion, as well as negotiations with the soldiers and sailors of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

At the 1945 Victory Parade, the wounded dog-mine detector Dzhulbars, on Stalin's orders, was carried across Red Square in his greatcoat.

The list of gifts presented to him on his 70th birthday was published in newspapers from December 1949 to March 1953.

He was twice recognized by the American Times magazine as the person of the year. For the first time on January 1, 1940, for the fact that he "concluded a non-aggression pact with Hitler and started the Soviet-Finnish war, as a result of which he changed the balance of power in the world political arena." In January 1943, he was named “Person of the Year” by the same magazine again.

On the day of Stalin's death, national mourning was declared in Israel.

In the former republics of the USSR and in Russia, there are still more than thirty streets named after Stalin.

1 , 12:02

Joseph Stalin is an extremely ambiguous personality. There were so many contradictory moments in his life that it would be very unreasonable to interpret him from only one side. However, we will not try to do this.

The purpose of this article is to tell you different stories, witnessed by contemporaries or even eyewitnesses of those events. Some of them have documentary evidence, others were simply retold orally.

The life of great people is so often surrounded by legends, invented stories and frank anecdotes that it is almost impossible to find out the veracity of this or that statement.

However, we want to tell you Interesting Facts from Stalin's life... We hope that this will allow you to imagine a little more clearly how the USSR lived during the time of Joseph Dzhugashvili.

Stalin and Zasyadko

Once a director of one of the mines by the name of Zasyadko was proposed for the post of minister of the coal industry. However, opponents of this candidacy argued that he abused alcohol, and therefore was not suitable for such a responsible position.

Stalin invited Zasyadko for a personal conversation.

Let's have a drink? he asked when the director of the mine came to see him.

With pleasure, Comrade Stalin. For your health! - rapped out Zasyadko, and having poured a full glass of vodka overturned it into himself.

After a while, the leader suggested "the second". Not once embarrassed, Zasyadko again poured a full glass of vodka, and drank it to the bottom.

Looking closely at the interlocutor, the secretary general offered a drink for the third time. This time, the miner politely pushed the glass aside and said:

Perhaps not, Zasyadko knows when to stop.

After this conversation, when the question of filling the vacant position was raised at the meeting, and again accusations were made against the candidate who abused alcohol, Joseph Vissarionovich said:

Zasyadko knows when to stop.

Since then, for many years, this man headed the coal industry of the USSR.

Cheated everyone

In the life of Stalin, however, like that of other rulers, the question of longevity was serious. Academician A.A. Bogomolets, seriously engaged in the study of this topic, promised to do a lot for science. Moreover, he reasonably stated that the average life expectancy of a person is in no way less than 120 years.

In a word, hoping for the discoveries of an outstanding scientist, at the suggestion of the leader, the academician was allocated a whole institute for this business. However, Bogomolets took and died at the age of 65.

He cheated everyone! - Stalin exclaimed when he learned about the death of the inventor of longevity.

Flood

After the victory of the Second World War, Comrade Stalin and Churchill discussed what to do with the German fleet. Joseph Vissarionovich proposed dividing it between states, and the Englishman insisted on flooding it.

So you will flood your half - Stalin cut off.

Twice

It is known that Stalin was very fond of joking in his life. Moreover, his witty jokes were not a figment of the imagination of the masses, but a real reality, which was recognized even by his sworn enemies.

In short, in the 1930s there was a serious question of increasing grain supplies. The head of one of the areas decided to joke:

Comrade Stalin, you know, as the French say, that even the most beautiful woman cannot give more than she has.

But she can give twice - the leader answered.

As it is

They say that when Stalin arrived at the Art Theater and first met the great director Stanislavsky, he went up to the leader and confusedly gave his real name:

Alekseev.

Dzhugashvili - Stalin answered, shaking his hand.

Let's take off

When Glinka's opera “Ivan Susanin” was ready, the commission headed by the chairman Bolshakov carefully analyzed this production. In the end, they came to the conclusion that it was necessary to shoot the finale, where the phrase “Glory to the Russian people” sounds, they say, smacks of patriarchalism.

Upon learning of this, Stalin said:

That's right, we will shoot, but not the final, but Bolshakov, but we will leave the final.

At the stop

In general, there were many films in Stalin's life. Indeed, at that time it was a real curiosity, available almost only to the first persons of the country. In 1939, the film "The Train Goes East" was screened. I must say that he was terribly boring. And so, according to the plot, the train stops.

Which station is this? - Stalin asks the dignitaries sitting next to him.

Nikitovka - they answer.

Perhaps I will go out here - said the leader and, getting up from his chair, left the hall.

Lots of light

After watching one patriotic film, Stalin came out, dropping the only phrase: "Too much light."

The workers started to Beria, trying to find out what the generalissimo meant.

There are no two suns - Lavrenty Palych explained, hinting that there are too many of both leaders in the plot: Lenin and Stalin.

Of course, Lenin's participation was "cut off". Although, most likely, Joseph Vissarionovich meant that the film was too pink and out of touch with reality.

How much is the Motherland?

When the legendary Soviet car was developed, the commission unanimously decided to name it "Rodina". Upon learning of this, Stalin asked: "Well, how much will we have a Motherland?" The car was immediately renamed the famous "Victory".

Colonel

It is reliably known that Stalin in his life did not tolerate pettiness associated with the external aspects of life. It is no coincidence that he wore the same jacket for many years. In this he was similar to the emperor Vespasian, about whom we have already written.

And then one day the colonel-general reported to the commander-in-chief about the state of affairs. When he finished, Stalin asked:

Is there anything else you wanted to say?

A little nervous, the general quickly began to speak:

Yes, Comrade Stalin. Here in Germany I took away several things of interest to me, but they were detained at the checkpoint. Order them back to me.

Write a report - gloomy, said the leader, - I will impose a resolution.

Comrade Stalin, there's a mistake here. The fact is that I am not a colonel, but a colonel general.

Everything is correctly written there, Comrade Colonel - Stalin snapped dryly.

No others

Polikarpov, who oversaw the activities of Soviet writers, complained that his subordinates lead a hectic lifestyle, drink a lot and, in general, live immorally.

Upon learning of this, Stalin said:

I have no other writers for Comrade Polikarpov, but we will find another Polikarpov for writers.

In general, they say that in life Stalin did not like whining, and in no way.

I dare

They say that Irakli Andronikov, who cleverly parodied many party leaders, when meeting with Stalin, found himself in an ambiguous situation. The leader asked to portray him.

You? I dare not! - Andronikov said with a characteristic accent, making a gesture with an imaginary pipe.

Hearing

In 1936, rumors spread in the capitalist west that Stalin had died of a serious illness. The well-known journalist Charles Nitter personally came to the Kremlin in order to verify the accuracy of this information.

He asked to either confirm or deny the rumor. Stalin did not often have to answer such a request in his life. Therefore, the answer followed immediately, and in writing.

We present it below.

"Your Majesty! As far as I know, from the reports of the foreign press, I have long since left this sinful world and moved to the next world. Since the reports of the foreign press cannot be disregarded, if you do not want to be deleted from the list of civilized people, then please believe these reports and do not disturb my peace in the silence of the other world.
October 26, 1936. Sincerely, I. Stalin. "

Writes

When S. Zlobin wrote the novel Stepan Razin, he was not nominated for the Stalin Prize. The secretary general asked Fadeev why he did not initiate this candidacy.

Comrade Stalin, - he reported, - Zlobin is nowhere to be seen at the events, and he does not lead public life at all.

Maybe he is writing at this time? - Iosif Vissarionovich asked.

You know better

This story from Stalin's life is known in several versions. We offer the generally accepted option.

When the poet Mandelstam was arrested and exiled, they called Pasternak's apartment. The voice said that Comrade Stalin would now speak with the writer.

Is this Comrade Pasternak? - the question was asked with a characteristic accent.

Yes, Comrade Stalin - cold, said Boris Leonidovich.

What is your opinion of Mandelstam? What should we do with it?

You know better, Comrade Stalin - trying to control himself, answered Pasternak.

At one time we knew better how to protect our friends - said Joseph Vissarionovich and hung up.

After Osip Mandelstam died in the camps, Pasternak blamed himself for this for the rest of his life.

He knows better

When the composer Golubev, Zhdanov's favorite, was nominated for the Stalin Prize, no one doubted the results of this venture.

However, when these papers were brought to Stalin for signature, he drew attention to a strange feature.

Golubev ... all "For", one "Against". And who is this one? - asked the leader.

Composer Shostakovich.

Well, he knows better, he understands music better than we do, said Stalin, who knew Shostakovich very well, and struck Golubev from the list of candidates.

It's not his fault

Emperor Alexander III, making a business trip around the country, was seduced by a provincial beauty. After sleeping with her, he asked to be informed if she suddenly had a child.

After a while, he was really told that the lady had a son. The emperor gave the order: "The youth should be named Sergei, the patronymic should be given by his father, and the surname by his nickname."

It should be recalled here that Alexander III was nicknamed the peacemaker because during his reign the country did not wage a single war.

In a word, the illegitimate baby was named Sergei Alexandrovich Mirotvortsev.

But what has Stalin got to do with it? And the thing is that in the 30s the authorities became aware of this interesting fact of the origin of Mirotvortsev. Stalin was immediately denounced in writing.

The leader left a note on this note: "It is not his fault that his father was such a whore."

Surprisingly, S.A. Peacekeepers in his life not only became a professor, but also deserved the Stalin Prize.

Budyonny, your mother!

The most amusing incident occurred in the life of Stalin in the 30s. Then they were not yet very zealous with the protection of higher officials. In a word, Joseph Vissarionovich was traveling by train to the Caucasus to rest. Together with him were the closest associates.

It all happened at the Rostov-on-Don station. After the train stopped, Comrade Voroshilov was the first to get out of the car. Seeing the People's Commissar of Defense, the people standing at the station gasped:

Voroshilov!

Then the head of the government appeared. The audience was even more excited:

However, when Comrade Stalin himself appeared on the platform, the people experienced a real shock, mixed with extreme delight, and, lining up in a row, began to applaud the leader.

Indeed, no one expected to see the entire top of the government so easily, and in such a free atmosphere.

When the applause ceased, Budyonny, who had hesitated, suddenly appeared from the vestibule. Seeing him in the crowd, someone exclaimed:

The people burst into unrestrained laughter. Comrade Stalin himself laughed. Since then, every time we meet at any meetings, barely seeing Budyonny, Joseph Vissarionovich jokingly said:

And Budyonny is here, your mother!

We will envy

On the Honored General of the Army Chernyakhovsky (according to other information from Rokossovsky), someone collected dirt. When a sufficient amount of material had accumulated, it was presented to Stalin. The denunciations were mostly accusations that the general had too many women.

What are we going to do, Comrade Stalin? - Vasilevsky asked the generalissimo.

What to do, what to do - said Stalin. - We will envy!

By the way, this phrase has become a winged phrase since Soviet times.

Scared

Another interesting episode from Stalin's life. Once a graduate of the theological seminary in Tiflis, who studied with Joseph Dzhugashvili, came to Moscow. Having received an invitation to his former classmate and the current general secretary, he asked how best to dress for a meeting with the leader: in church clothes, or in civilian clothes.

He was told that it would be better to go in regular clothes.

When Comrade Stalin saw the former seminarian, he greeted him warmly. After greeting him, he touched his clothes, and said:

You are not afraid of God, but were you afraid of me?

Vice versa

And this seems to be a real anecdote, although some argue that it is real story from the life of Stalin. In short, the leader once talked to meteorologists who made weather forecasts.

What is the percentage of accuracy of your predictions? - Iosif Vissarionovich asked.

Forty percent - scientists boldly answered.

And you say the opposite, and then the accuracy will be 60% - advised the head of the USSR.

"Spire"

There were periods in Stalin's life when he worked at the dacha for a long time, without leaving anywhere. At one of these moments, those close to him decided to help him unwind by offering him a ride around Moscow at night.

The escort was severely punished so that he listened attentively and remembered everything that the leader said on the way.

When they returned from a walk, the chief immediately began to ask in what place and what exactly the secretary general said.

Yes, he was silent all the way - says the attendant.

What, didn’t say a word at all?

When we drove by Smolenskaya Square he seemed to have uttered one word - "Spire".

Spire? What does it mean?

I don't know, that's all.

And at this time, a new one was being built on Smolenskaya Square. high building... The next day, the official gathered the builders and ordered:

Do not decorate the top of the building. There should be a strict spire.

Burn

Before you is JV Stalin's letter to the Detizdat of the Central Committee of the Komsomol dated February 16, 1938 regarding the book "Stories about Stalin's childhood" being prepared by the publishing house.

We quote verbatim.

I am strongly against the publication of Stalin's Childhood Stories. The book is replete with a mass of factual surfaces, distortions, exaggerations, undeserved praises. The author was misled by hunters of fairy tales, liars (perhaps, "conscientious" liars), sycophants.
Sorry for the author, but the fact remains. But that's not the point. The main thing is that the book tends to instill in the minds of Soviet children (and people in general) the cult of the personality of leaders, infallible heroes. It is dangerous and harmful. The theory of "heroes" and "crowds" is not a Bolshevik, but an SR theory.
“Heroes make people, transform them from a crowd into a people,” say the Socialist-Revolutionaries.
"The people make heroes" - the Bolsheviks answer to the Socialist-Revolutionaries.
Any such book will harm our common Bolshevik cause.
I advise you to burn the book.
I. Stalin

Wind of history

V.M.Molotov and A.E. Golovanov say that in 1943 Stalin said:

I know that after my death, heaps of garbage will be piled on my grave, but the wind of history will mercilessly scatter it.