Lenin's "Toad" or the gray cardinal of the revolution: What role did Nadezhda Krupskaya play in the history of the Land of Soviets

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

History has repeatedly proven that there is a woman behind every successful man. However, the role of Nadezhda Krupskaya in the revolution is so understated that it seems as if Lenin always and everywhere coped with a coup d'etat on his own. Perhaps with the help of comrades-in-arms-revolutionaries. By the way, the latter allowed themselves to come up with impartial nicknames for the wife of Comrade Lenin, calling her either "Fish" or "Fishberg". However, this did not prevent them from burdening her with a huge amount of organizational work.

For many of the layman, Krupskaya almost became an awkward figure who loomed near the leader, and whom he affectionately called Nadia for some merits. Her appearance overshadowed both her literary ability and organizational streak. Most do not even suspect that it was with her heavy and painful hands that the revolution was created. And that it was she who was at the origin of the sexual revolution.

Many call Lenin not so much a revolutionary as an organizer. Only in this case is it necessary to say "Lenin" and keep Krupskaya in mind. It was she who gave her husband the most rewarding work, and she herself was engaged in encryption, organized transport links and established contacts in Russia. Doing something that takes much more time and effort, but does not promise popular recognition.

While there was someone to do all this dirty work, Lenin could well conduct detached disputes with the same sublime revolutionaries as himself. He could speak from the stands, putting his hand in his coat, and the second was laying in history the legendary gesture “comrades are going the right way”.

Lenin in general did not bother himself with anything, in exile the family lived on the money of his mother-in-law, Nadezhda was responsible for correspondence with comrades, from somewhere found finances for publishing the newspaper Iskra, translated whole volumes of scientific treatises for Lenin, wrote speeches for him. At the same time, she, being a hereditary teacher, participated in the reform of the educational system.

Through her efforts, the boys and girls of the future USSR were given the opportunity to study. With her efforts, gender equality has reached the point that women have come to be considered equal rivals in both sports and science. No, you can't call her a feminist. She didn't try to appear in trousers or be ahead of her husband. She was simply proving the fact that women can do anything. For her, the sexual revolution meant a female breakthrough in economics, politics, philosophy.

Their love story is proof that friendship can grow into something more. After all, at first they were just comrades in arms, they could talk for hours about Marxist doctrine. They were interested in each other and they saw in each other the full depth of their personality. But the leadership in their pair was taken over by Nadezhda. Fighting for equality was no stranger to her.

Contemporaries would call her the producer of the revolution. She made an image star out of her husband, created a team of associates for him, made sure that his ideas were accepted, and most importantly, found finances to carry out all these tasks. So Ilyich himself was created by his "Fish".

The publicistic and historical legacy that Krupskaya left behind is enormous. Letters, speeches, articles - all of this has historical value. But the majority in her sees only a woman of unpleasant appearance, every now and then exclaiming, they say, how could grandfather Lenin ever get married? Only Vladimir Ilyich himself knew perfectly well that without the support of this woman he would not have succeeded.

How did Krupskaya get in touch with the revolutionaries?

Krupskaya was born in 1869 in St. Petersburg, although her parents were of noble origin, they did not differ in wealth. His father was a lieutenant, and his mother worked as a governess. Despite the limited funds, they tried to give their daughter the best education. She studied at the girls' gymnasium and graduated with honors. In her autobiographical book, she recalls this period as difficult and boring. Therefore, she cannot be called a particularly diligent student.

However, there is no archival evidence that Nadezhda graduated from this particular gymnasium, and even with honors, no. And no one has ever seen her gold medal itself. However, there are no witnesses in the face of the girlfriends with whom she studied together. It is no wonder that they are trying to question this fact in every possible way.

After graduating from high school, she continues her education at the Bestuzhev courses, in the same years she is fond of revolutionary ideas. At that time it was a kind of fashionable phenomenon, and many young and advanced representatives of the young intelligentsia were interested in the revolution. Krupskaya, being very tight on money, was a rather fashionable girl. But finances did not allow her to update her wardrobe constantly, she was carried away by ideological fashion. Over time, and completely denying all the tinsel in the form of dresses, jewelry and other gizmos dear to her heart, she became a real bond of the revolution.

So she was able to become the number one ideological fashionista. Whereas in the usual fashionable sphere, such a triumph would definitely not threaten her. The fact that Nadezhda was clearly not an ordinary girl cannot be denied.

Mom Nadia was quiet and calm, in the past - a graduate of the Institute of Noble Maidens, very pious. But the father, on the contrary, was a rebel. As a district governor in Poland, he defended the interests of the local population to the last. Hope inherited from the characters of both parents. On the one hand, she, like any woman and her mother, wanted family warmth, on the other hand, she was the same rebel by nature, like her father.

Acquaintance with Lenin

They met Vladimir at one of the meetings of the Marxist circle. She was invited there for gatherings "for pancakes". The meeting was organized on the occasion of the arrival of "one Volzhanian". And so they met. There was no spark or mutual attraction. The hearts of both had already been given to the revolution.

However, Nadezhda fell in love. True, her friends said that Krupskaya fell in love not with Lenin, but with him as an instrument of this revolution. In her head, she had already created a leader out of him, and was ready to help him in everything, to follow him to the end.

Lenin offered her hand and heart by mail. At that time, they were both serving sentences and this form of communication was normal. Another thing is that between and there was no romance. Rather, like two comrade revolutionaries, they wanted to stick together. Historians are sure that the marriage should have been fictitious at all. And in general, initially Vladimir was supposed to tie the knot with a certain Elena Lenina. But she flatly refused to go to Siberia to her future husband. Therefore, Krupskaya became the only possible option.

Nadya came with her mother to Ulyanov, who at that time was on the hunt. This is an example of how their relationship was built at the initial stage. At the time of registration, Krupskaya was 29, Lenin was a year younger.

The more popular Ulyanov became, the more women paid attention to him. In 1911, Inessa Armand, the daughter of a French opera singer and a wealthy widow, began to besiege him with her attention. For the opportunity to be close to Lenin, she, in the name of the revolution, let go of all her inheritance. Rumor has it that Inessa's son Andrei is the fruit of those tumultuous relationships. But in France, this point of view is not approved.

Krupskaya herself could not give heirs to the leader of the revolution. Her illness, which the doctors were able to detect too late, robbed her of the joy of motherhood and her pretty appearance. Disorders in the thyroid gland or Basedow's disease caused Krupskaya to look strange. At first she was painfully thin, then suddenly gained weight and became obese. Roll-out eyes and huge eyeballs are all consequences of the disease. Despite this, the revolutionary associates now and then made fun of this circumstance.

Did Krupskaya know about her husband's French friend? Undoubtedly. When rumors overcame her completely, she offered him a divorce. But Lenin, without a grain of doubt, broke off relations with the beauty, and did not agree to remain without the support of Krupskaya. Although the comings and goings were part of the lives of all three of this love triangle, for a long time. Lenin simply used both women and could not act like an honest man.

Perhaps this triangle would have existed further if Inessa had not died of cholera. Krupskaya could breathe calmly and no longer torment herself with jealousy. But at the same time I saw how her legal husband was being killed for this woman. Lenin even fainted several times at the funeral they attended together.

How broad the soul of Krupskaya was can be judged at least by the fact that it was she who raised the four children of her deceased rival. And she did it as a token of gratitude for Lenin's happiness.

An unexpected decision for a woman who completely dissolves in her husband. Perhaps Nadezhda saved her psyche with the decision that if Inessa wants it, then let him take Lenin's body, but she will still leave his soul for herself. In the latter, she was sure, since by this moment they were connected with Lenin not only years of life, but also joint affairs, a huge amount of work for the benefit of the revolution. She understood that Lenin could not imagine himself without revolution. And his real fighting friend is her, Nadezhda.

But why would she think that Inessa gave birth to a child to Vladimir, while she herself was not able to give her beloved husband an heir? She really wanted to become a mother, made attempts to heal, but all this was in vain, she was not destined to become a mother.

While they lived in Europe, Krupskaya worked a lot, wrote tirelessly, translated, in fact was Lenin's personal assistant, and his own PR manager. It seemed that it was impossible to lead her astray. However, Nadezhda also had a weakness - she adored sweets. Sometimes she could sneak into a cafe to pamper herself with an airy dessert. But Lenin did not encourage this and did not allow the revolution's money to be spent on his whims. Krupskaya rarely bought clothes for herself, often refused even something necessary.

Support for the husband

Most were sure that Krupskaya was some kind of titan who had no feelings. But as soon as Lenin fell ill, she looked after him, forgetting about her interests and eternal problems with well-being. Lenin's last years were very difficult for her, however, it didn't get any easier without him. She understood that the death of the leader of the peoples would stir up the entire Union.

Immediately after Lenin died, she wrote a rejection of his inheritance, and did not even cry at the funeral. Those who knew Krupskaya well explained this by the fact that she no longer wanted to live, did not see the point. And suicide was even more unimaginable.

She understood that after the departure of her husband, her life would change. She survived Lenin for 15 years and all these years were filled with new difficulties. She was sure that in this way she was paying for the happiness that was in her life. Meaning, of course, Lenin. If before she stood firmly on her feet, now it was not at all clear to her what to do.

Her unconditional revolutionary flair haunted her. It also haunted Stalin. She always remained in some opposition, but realizing that her name is invariably personified with Vladimir Ilyich, and could lead to a split in the party, she backed down. She was no longer that confident and calm Krupskaya. As if she had lost the ground under her feet, she began to rush. The ruling elite, realizing this, tried to break it.

Outwardly, she, as the widow of the leader, continued to be given honor and respect. But at the same time, they did not miss the opportunity to discredit her with rumors, spreading the most ridiculous gossip. Jokes about her appearance were in a special way and no one was embarrassed that it was she who should in many respects be grateful to those who use the benefits of the revolution, at the origins of which she stood.

For Stalin, she was like an eyesore. He always expected a trick from her, apparently remembered what this woman was capable of. In addition, she knew too much about Comrade Stalin himself. And not only disagreeable. The history of the party was unfolding before her eyes, and it would have been awkward for her to rewrite it to please Stalin.

According to the history of the party, Stalin was always close to Lenin, and Krupskaya understood that all this was a blatant lie. Which seemed to her disgusting and offending the memory of her husband. Trying to keep it under control, Stalin built a dense "ring" of NKVD officers around it. Near Krupskaya, someone was constantly dying, old comrades were dying, and often under strange circumstances. And her movements were all under control.

She was still writing, but her articles were published, to put it mildly, reluctantly. After lengthy negotiations between the editor, who checked for censorship, checking every letter and word, the article could finally be published. Often they tried to include edits to the text to cultivate Stalin's personality, most of them passed by Krupskaya, but came out under her name.

What could she do? She, as if cornered, not understanding what and how she could change, in torment from a serious illness, just tried to live out her difficult fate. Her death is also enmeshed in mystery. It happened right after her birthday. And for the celebration, Stalin sent her a cake. Rumors immediately spread that Stalin had decided to poison the leader's widow.

However, the most plausible version seems to be that the cake caused an attack of appendicitis. Doctors were afraid to operate on her and blood poisoning began. From which she died.