Why Stalin was not at his mother's funeral

History 20/01/20 Why Stalin was not at the funeral of the mother

In the midst of the Great terror, in the summer of 1937, Georgia’s mother died Joseph Stalin, Ekaterina Dzhugashvili. But the head of state, in letters wishing mother “to live a thousand years” at her funeral in Tbilisi did not come.

Sickness and death

Ekaterina (Keke) Dzhugashvili could not boast of excellent health. In 1902 Stalin wrote that his mother was severe cough. Contributed to the longevity of elderly women and loneliness. Keke lived in the Palace of the former Imperial Viceroy in Tiflis, in isolation from other members of his family. In the early 30-ies it was in the Kremlin with his son, but did not want to stay, and decided to return to Georgia.

“Not wanted in the Kremlin will be in the damp earth,” — said on this occasion, Lavrenti Beria – the unofficial “guardian” of Stalin’s mother. The prediction came true a few years: Ekaterina Dzhugashvili became seriously ill with pneumonia. 4 Jun heart 79-year-old woman who gave birth to one of the worst dictators of XX century, stopped. The official cause of death the doctors called the cardio.

funeral arrangements

Meanwhile, the political situation in the country was extremely tense. Stalin began a Grand cleansing of the armed forces. The oppressive atmosphere of those days, feel literally every Soviet citizen, well conveys, for example, the entry in the diary of the playwright Alexander Gladkov from 5 June:

“all sides speak about the arrest of Tukhachevsky, Rudzutak, eideman, Krestinsky, Karakhan, Rosangelica etc. on the front page of “Pravda” called “Mercilessly smash and uproot the Trotskyist-right-wing spies.” The word “spies” indicated the special character of the alleged crimes, i.e. meant military and diplomats.

the same day the question of the conspiracy of the high command of the red Army, Stalin discussed with Yezhov, Molotov and Kaganovich. It was at this meeting byl constituted accused of “anti-Soviet Trotskyist military organization.”

like the background of the event of the private life of the “father of Nations” could too need to distort it a “agenda””. Stalin accepted a compromise – the death of Keke was publicly declared in Georgia, the inhabitants of the other republics aware of this “not supposed to”. Any condolence to Stalin, no one has officially expressed. The leader had to solve the main issue — to attend the funeral or not.

“the photo of the little Soso I always wear the heart. It will be those who will cry on my grave. He sends me sweet dreams” — these words Keke Dzhugashvili in 1935 finished a small book of his memoirs. However, the aspirations of Stalin’s mother was not to be.

Wreath of son,

June 8, Ekaterina Dzhugashvili (nee Geladze) was buried in Tbilisi Mtatsminda Pantheon, resting place for prominent figures of Georgia. So posthumously “merits” of a simple washerwoman from Gori were equal, for example, to the merits of the Russian playwright and diplomat Alexander Griboyedov and the Georgian writer-a classic of vazhi Pshavela. The ceremony was held according to the Orthodox canons, but in the end the orchestra played the “Internationale.” The coffin was carried Lavrenty Beria and NKVD officers, followed by defense Commissar Kliment Voroshilov. Joseph Stalin was present only symbolically – from his grave put a wreath with a handwritten inscription in Georgian “Dear and beloved mother from her son Joseph Dzhugashvili”. Don’t let Stalin to say goodbye to the grandmother and their children Yakov, Vasily and Svetlana.

apparently, the reason for such action was not only that Stalin because of important Affairs could not leave Moscow. In the end, the aircraft was allowed to take a quick flight to Tbilisi and back. An equally dubious version of the historian Edward Radzinsky – Stalin feared the revenge of the repressed (in Moscow there were more).

most Likely those are right who see in the behavior of the “dear Soso” a reflection of his true relationship to his mother. As evidenced Svetlana Alliluyeva, her father feared her mother. Even after becoming the ruler of one-sixth part of the world, he could not eradicate the fear left over from childhood, when Keke mercilessly beat “Golden boy” (as she called it in 1935). Maybe Stalin was ashamed that did not meet the all-important mother hopes, did not become a priest.

Timur Sagdiyev

Source:
© Russian Seven

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