Soviet Woman, 30 Juni 1968: 'Meetings. Contacts' (peringatan Kartini di Moskow)

=== [PDF page 1] === ILYICH KNEW THEM By Yevgeni K R I G E R Well-known journalist Alexander Lazebnikov has just published a new book on Le nin which he has entitled "Ilyich Knew Them." Before writing it he interviewed the people who had known Lenin, had met him in the course of business, or had passed on to us his letters, notes, commissions, an swers to requests, or petitions. Instead of a preface, the publishers "Sovetskaya Rossia" have given photographs, copies of postcards and documents connect ed with Lenin and his family. There is even a copy of an account by “Auntie Nyusha" handed to Vladimir Ilyich who was always very strict about money matters: "Comrade Lenin, "Please remit payment for the following: "1. Dinners 6at 1 rble 30 k. 7 rbls ”2. Sandwiches 2 20 k. "3. Sandwich 40 k. Total8 rbls 60 "I just don’t know what to do with Sasha. Please talk to him, Sergei Ivanovich” Kind, good-natured Mira Sa velyevna 80 k. 40 k. 40 k. "Received in full, Baltrukevich." Auntie Nyusha is Anna Baltrukevich, a Lithuanian. At the time of the Provisional Government, then a young girl, she organized a strike among the laundry workers. Later, she took care of Lenin's room when he was Chairman of the Council of Peo ple's Commissars, at first in the Smolny, and then in the Kremlin. Lenin asked An na to see that he paid his bills weekly. The bills were high, generally including extras, such as: "This comrade has come a long way, please see that he has some thing to eat, if possible." Anna Markovna remembers the smallest details about Vladimir Ilyich and his habits. Once, when former workers at the Administration of the Council of People's Commissars were watching a performance in the V. I. Lenin Central Museum at which the actor Nikolai Sizov played the part of Lenin, Auntie Nyusha gasped in surprise at the likeness, and then noted a slight inaccuracy in his costume: Lenin always wore his watch chain through the third buttonhole of his waistcoat. Sizov corrected the error and Nyusha nodded her satisfaction. The book is filled with intimate details like this, which make it very warm and reveal many features of Lenin's character or remind us of such happenings as, for instance, the reprimand V. D. Bonch-Bruyevich got from Lenin, when as manager of the Council of People's Commissars he took the liberty of raising Lenin's salary by a small amount. In money matters, especially involving Government funds, Lenin was always very strict. Lazebnikov’s book can be read and re-read. Each page tells of some trait or feature, hitherto unknown, of Vladimir Ilyich, some incident which seemed trivial at the time when compared with the colossal amount of work Lenin did daily, yet lends warmth to recollections and testimonies. ... The last days of emigration in Zurich, Switzerland. "It isn't easy to say goodbye to a country where you have lived seven years. Even with breaks, it's still seven years," said Vladimir Ilyich to his friend Fritz Platten. He told Platten, on the way to a cafe, of the desire that had come to him on the spur of the moment, to write a goodbye letter to the Swiss workers thanking them for their comradeship. The two friends saw a man hauling a loaded pushcart, tired and sweating from his effort. Lenin and Platten "yoked” themselves onto the cart. On narrow turnings Lenin pushed Platten aside and took over alone, deftly ma noeuvring in and out of the traffic. "You're a real carterl” Platten whispered admiringly. "I'm a Volga man," Lenin answered. “Bur-ly-ak," (barge hauler) retorted Platten, laughingly stumbling over the Rus sian w ord... With the assistance of the strangers the old worker Yakobi earned more than usual that day. The day of Vladimir Ilyich's departure arrived— April 9, 1917. Old Yakobi came running to the station at the last minute. The train was already moving. But among the crowds who had come to see the train off Lenin recognized the man whom he had helped with the pushcart, and shouted from afar: "I wrote to youl... I left you a letterl" And, making a trumpet with his hands, shouted: "Read itl" "W hat is he saying?" the old man excitedly asked a boy standing nearby who was waving a handkerchief at the disappearing train. The boy, who had been seeing his father and Lenin off, explained. Many years later the author of the book met the "b o y " and heard of the incident from him. W ho was that boy? Georges Platten, son of the outstanding Swiss revolutionary and Lenin's frtend, Fritz Platten. Ever new witnesses... Olympiada Zhuravlyova, a domestic help from Barnaul, lived more than a year with the Ulyanov family... The brothers Zubanov, workers from Simbirsk, called by Lenin to work on the construction of the Kashira Electric Power Station.., Alexander Vinogradov, an envoy from a teacher's congress... Philipp Obraztsov, a peasant from Tver Province, recommended by Lenin to work for Yakov Sverdlov... People known and unknown to us... Talks with such people, little-known documents gave A. Lazebnikov what is most important and typical of Lenin. The author has given us a book that is authentic, lyrical and filled with discovery. "Don’t be in a hurry, Sasha. Think!" Only one week left till Mo ther’s birthday 17 === [PDF page 2] === he large conference hall in the new building of the USSR Library of Foreign Literature was dec orated with the national flags of Iran and the Soviet Union, and vases of bright tulips and carnations stood on the chairman's table. Soviet people had gathered to mark Nouruz— the Iranian New Year, a festival of spring, of the sun and of new life. Pro fessor Iosif Braginsky, Doctor of Philology, spoke about the festival's ancient origins and the customs, songs and poems connected with it. The festival of Nouruz stands for joy and hope, peace and friend ship, and good husbandry. Professor Enver Aliyev, Achmed Mirfendereski, Iranian Ambassador to national holiday of the Iranian people the USSR, speaking at the gathering devoted to Nouruz, the Photographs by A. RUBASHKIN vice-president of the Soviet Society for Cultural Rela tions with Iran, on behalf of the Soviet people, wished the Iranian people peace, prosperity and well-being. The gathering was attended by Mr. Achmed M ir he moment we stepped into the Central Polytechnical Museum in Moscow we felt Paul Robeson was there with us that day. He smiled at us from the stands as we en tered; his powerful voice greeted us as we mounted the staircase to the big auditorium where Moscow people had gathered to cel ebrate his seventieth birthday, to pay trib ute to this freedom fighter and friend of the Soviet Union, to this "great American and great citizen of the world," as Boris Polevoi, the writer, called him in his opening speech. The main guest at the gathering, James Jackson, National Secretary of the CP of the USA, spoke about Robeson's "great role in the fight for his people's freedom, of how his voice rang out across the world, of how denied the chance to act or sing he was reduced to near poverty. But he went out to his people, at street corners, small churches and schools. In his way Robeson helped to sow seeds which later grew into great trees against the warmongers, the oppressors. New, young voices came forward. Am ong them was Robert Ross, lecturer on political affairs, and Boris Polevoi, writer, with Mikhail Khvoshchev’s Martin Luther King, murdered by a racist." portrait on wood of Paul Robeson Soviet composer Fere called Paul Robe son "a great musician of our age." He spoke Photograph by L. KALININA said: "O ur friendship strengthens with every year. PETER PAN IN MOSCOW The lights grow dim in the hall. The strains of an Eng lish folk song can be heard, the curtains open and the young spectators are plunged into a wonderful fairy-tale world, English children have long known and loved Peter Pan, and there is even a monument in Kensington Gar dens in London to this gay, gallant fairy-tale boy who decided to remain young forever. Now Soviet children are seeing the heroes of Sir James Barrie's tale— Peter Pan and his friends— and their amazing adventures on the stage of the Central Children's Theatre in Moscow. "O ur actors worked with great enthusiasm on the play," said Anna Nekrasova, the theatre's director. "W e tried to recreate on the stage the extraordinarily vivid world of children— fantastic, naive and at the same time with its own wisdom. W e wanted to show, in a lively and attractive way, the adventures of the little heroes, conveying the national flavour and specific details and situations, and preserving the poetic meaning of this tale about Peter Pan, something good, pure and undying— Childhood itself.' V, Tumanova as Wendy with gay, kind Peter Pan (G. Lurina) of the inner strength of this wonderful man, of his soul, his great love for people, for friendship among all people. Robeson's love for Soviet and Russian songs is well known and his singing of them enjoyed all over the globe. Poetess Yekaterina Shevelyova warmly re called meeting Paul in New York and recited a poem he had inspired her to write while there. Mary Patterson, a student at Moscow's Lumumba Friendship University, said that when she was a little girl she remembered how the racists had tried to kill Paul Robeson, how they tried to isolate him from the young- 18 er generation, but "you could not kill him or strangle the cause he fought for, the rights of his people." Victor Gorokhov, author of a film on Robe son and writer of a book about him, spoke about the great warmth and friendliness Paul felt for Soviet people and the many letters he received from Soviet friends. Jim Patterson recited his poem dedicated to Paul Robeson, and a schoolboy, Sasha Korolyov, described how they had honoured Robeson at his school. A cable of greeting from Paul Robeson was read out and one sent to him from the gather ing. Photograph by L. KALININA MEETINGS • CONTACTS • MEETINGS •CONTACTS I RANI AN NEW YEAR fendereski, Iranian Ambassador to the USSR, who === [PDF page 3] === on technical and economic cooperation between Iran and the Soviet Union, which is so necessary to our country, has been prolonged. At the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the iron and steel works to be built in Isfahan, His Majesty the Shahin-shah Muhammed Reza Pahlevi spoke about his gratitude to the Soviet Union, our friend and neigh bour, for the help it was giving to set up a new branch of industry, and expressed the hope that the spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation would continue. On this day of the festival of the sun and its life-giving rays people's minds turn to the future with hope and faith. In this year, 1347, accord ing to the Iranian calendar, we are impatiently look ing forward to Soviet Prime Minister Alexei Kosygin's visit to our country and consider it a good omen for the next year and for many years to come." here are people whose lives are measured not by the years they have lived but by the beat of their hearts devoted to the ser vice of their people, by their inspired thouc about the future happiness and freedom their compatriots. Such was Kartini, founder of the movement in Indonesia, an enlightener patriot and a selfless fighter for the happiness and progress of her people, one who helped awaken the national consciousness of Indo nesia. Not only is it a tradition to mark this day in the Republic of Indonesia; it is also noted by friends of the Indonesian people abroad. The gathering held in Moscow in memory of Kartini was organized jointly by the USSRIndonesia Society and the Soviet Women's Committee. Raisa Smirnova of the Soviet Women's Committee told the gathering about Kartini, her life and the spiritual legacy she left. "W-e Soviet women consider Kartini an outstanding person, for she was the finest possible representative not only of Indonesian women but of the entire Indonesian people; Alexandra Khokhlova, vice-president of the SoKartini's name was the symbol of 'the fight viet-lndonesian Friendship Society, conversing for truth and justice.' " with Mrs, Maramis (right) and Mrs. Rogahang In a speech of reply, Mrs. Maramis, wife of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Ple nipotentiary of Indonesia to the USSR, said: "I am very glad to meet Soviet people and with them celebrate this day in memory of Kartini." KARTINI Photographs by a. stanovov pring" is the title of the picture which brought Ira Isayeva, a young Moscow schoolgirl, a first-class diploma at an internation al children's art competition in New York. It is evening, the windows of the houses are lit up. A group of young people— senior form ers or, perhaps, students are walking along the street, talking and laughing. One girl is deep in thought. Everything is very ordinary, a slice of life on canvas. But it is not just a photograph ic copy— it exudes youthful fervour, and the artist clearly sees the world with joyful, inno cent eyes. "I love to draw people of my own age,” Ira told us, "I know them so well. Apart from the’ir outward appearance I want to give an idea of their inner world." Ira's parents have no special interest in art. Her father is a trolleybus driver and her mother an accountant. One day they decided to show her work to the teachers at the art studio at the local House of Young Pioneers, and the result was that Ira started to study there. Now she is at the Surikov Art School. Her latest work is called "Before the Exams." She is also about to take her school exams and in a year's time there will be entrance examinations for institute or university. These schoolgirls from School No. 715— collective member of the USSR-Finland Society— are deeply interested in how the people of Finland live Photograph by L. KALININA Young Friends of Finland Letters written in Finnish often arrive at School No. 715 in Moscow, a collective member of the USSR-Finland Friendship Society for five years now. A glass-fronted showcase houses gifts from Finnish friends— a doll in Young Pioneer dress, a lily-of-thevalley cunningly fashioned from gilt, picture post cards with views of northern Finland from Aino Nousiainen from Lappeenranta, who will be coming to the Soviet Union this year for a holiday at the Artek Young Pioneer Camp; picture postcards of Helsinki from Valya Haljala and Nina Rainio, who spent last year at a Russian language course in M oscow and frequenty visited the school. The school children know a great deal about Fin land. The ninth-formers (their class has been named "The International") have become real corps of lecturers, giving talks to other classes on Finnish history, art, and natural conditions in that country, on the life of both adults and children there... Friendship evenings held in honour of Finnish national holidays, or the work of Finnish writers, poets and composers are always very interesting, and Finnish friends, students, tourists and members of various delegations are often present at them. The children are frequent visitors to the headquar ters of the USSR-Finland Friendship Society. Raisa Smirnova addressing the meeting Ira Isayeva is finishing another painting Photograph by L. KALININA MEETINGS • CONTACTS ♦ MEETINGS • CONTACTS • MEETINGS • CONTACTS Exchange visits of scientists, actors and sportsmen of the two countries are increasing. The agreement IRA ISAYEVA’S “SPRING” === [PDF page 4] === Galina Chernova with participants in the First Festival of African Neg ro Art in Dakar By E. Y A K O V L E V A Photographs by G. SHKULYOV Beginning with the present issue our magazine will, at the request of our readers, feature a series of stories about women who take an active part in the work of the Societies for Friendship with Foreign Countries. had often seen art historian Galina Chernova at meetings of the So viet Association for Friendship with the Peoples of Africa. I also re member, with a group ot visitors, listen ing to her explaining the works of a Congolese artist at an exhibition of Congolese art held in Moscow. When she returned from the Con gress of Africanologists in Dakar, I made her acquaintance, as she had brought me a curious souvenir from my African friends— a sea shell that sang... ... Entering her home one is im pressed by her friendliness. Her flat is full of books and souvenirs from peo ple she met on the far-off continent. Hanging over an antique secretaire is an exquisite portrait. I asked Galina about it. "Can’t you see any resemblance?" she smiled. "It is a portrait of me done by my teacher, the well-known Soviet artist Igor Grabar. I studied Soviet art under him at the History of Fine Arts Institute and before that— French mediaeval painting." French masters, Soviet black-and- 20 Galina Chernova was born in Le ningrad, the cify on the Neva that has absorbed all the violent social upheav als of the age. She was one of those Komsomol (Young Communist League) members of the 1930s who, on finishing school, went to work at factories and plants for some years before entering the University. It was no simple matter for a forewoman, quite recently en gaged In finding the best way of ac celerating chemical reactions, to fake up the history of art. Pondering over ancient French minia tures and fifteenth century Flemish chronicles, Galina Chernova developed traits of character indispensable for a historian: persistence, precision and tirelessness in research. In order to be able to read the chronicles, Galina had to learn old French in order to give a faithful historical explanation of the scenes depicted by mediaeval French artists. Her research was almost completed in 1941, but the war broke out and its publication had to be postponed. "W hen war came," she said, “I went to work as a nurse at a hospital that was accommodated in the Leningrad Academy of Arts.. She paused, lost in thought. Maybe she was recalling those people, so near and dear, who had left for the front working on her book devoted to a won derful Soviet artist Georgi Vereisky. On one of her bookshelves I saw "French Miniatures of the Sixteenth Century," which has won the high appraisal of both Soviet and foreign specialists, standing beside the mon ograph "G eorgi Vereisky" and vol umes of the monumental work "Russian and Soviet Art." Galina Chernova par ticipated very actively in creating the latter. It would not be wrong to say that it was this breadth of artistic and intellectual scope that has enabled her to deal so successfully with problems of African culture and art. At present books from her pen have been supplemented by a big album in a colourful cover entitled: "The Art of Tropical Africa in Soviet Collections." I opened the album and read the following lines she had written in the preface: "The joint efforts of archaeologists, historians, ethnographers and art histo rians gradually begin to throw light upon the remote past of the African peoples. The accumulated materials have also made it possible now to re construct the complex history of African art. No other continent can compare with Africa in abundance of monu ments. Some date back to six or even seven thousand years B. C. The drawings on rocks in North Africa, the Sahara desert, East and South Africa enable scientists to trace the history of the development of the arts in Africa from the most ancient times up to the present day." I turned over the pages. The album contained pictures of masks, sculptures of people and of animals, ritual cups, exquisite ornaments. The articles had never to come back, or the terrible days of the Leningrad blockade, when the Soviet people's courage, endurance and love for their Motherland moved people everywhere. It was then that, in defiance of everything, she con ceived the idea of telling the world about the life-asserting Soviet art. Maybe she was thinking of the days in the besieged city When she began the names of the countries they had come from written under the pictures. The names included Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria, the Cameroons, Togo, Dahomey, Ghana and Sierra-Leone. Several years ago thousands of M us covites admired these works at an exhibition held at the Moscow Museum of Oriental Art. Galina Chernova was among its organizers. A SPLENDID CAUSE white drawings, African art— my hos tess's interests were wide, I was think ing. And, as If reading my thoughts, she continued: "Is not human life like a house where the past is the base for the present and the future?.. That evening Galina Chernova told me many things about her life and the cause she served. In practically every village of tropical Africa, besides craftsmen— metal workers, sculptors and wood carvers— women work at house decoration which reveal their profound feeling for linear design and whole composition, as well as making domestic utensils of various materials— clay, pumpkins, and other natural fabric. You see here a few samples of this type of art form. Many more reproductions can be found in the recently published book by Galina Chernova