Table of contents:
- Who owns the idea of Lenin's body mummification?
- How the Mausoleum for Lenin was built
- How is the preservation of Lenin's body in the Mausoleum ensured?
- How was the question of the further fate of Lenin's body decided after the collapse of the USSR
- What is the cost of keeping Lenin's body in the Mausoleum
Video: How the idea arose to embalm Lenin's body, how it is preserved and how much does it cost to keep it in the Mausoleum
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
In the last century, an invariable attribute of Red Square was a non-decreasing kilometer-long queue to the Mausoleum. Tens of thousands of citizens of the Soviet Union and guests of the capital stood there for long hours to honor the memory of the legendary personality - Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov-Lenin. For almost a century, the embalmed body of the leader of the world proletariat lies in a tomb in the center of Moscow. And every year, disputes flare up more and more about how necessary and ethical it is to keep the mummified remains open for public viewing, and about the advisability of burying them in the traditional way, according to Christian canons.
Who owns the idea of Lenin's body mummification?
It may seem cynical, but the question of the posthumous fate of the body of Vladimir Ilyich was raised during his lifetime. A touchstone in this direction was thrown by Stalin at a meeting of the Politburo in the fall of 1923. Reporting about a serious deterioration in the leader's health, Iosif Vissarionovich allegedly voiced the opinion of some comrades-in-arms about the need to embalm Lenin's body after his death. Then this proposal did not find support. However, later Stalin still managed to realize his idea.
After Lenin's death, the need arose to save his body in order to say goodbye to him, delegates from the most remote regions of the country, as well as representatives of foreign communist parties. The initial embalming, lasting several weeks, was carried out by Professor Alexei Abrikosov. Severe frosts contributed to the preservation of the body, but the spring warming could lead to its decomposition. A new technology was needed, which the biochemist scientist Boris Zbarsky could offer. Thanks to his efforts, Stalin was able to create a real cult object, which became a place of pilgrimage for adherents of the ideas of communism from all over the world.
How the Mausoleum for Lenin was built
The first project of Lenin's tomb was developed by the architect Alexei Shchusev and approved by a special government commission 3 days after Ilyich's death. For the same period, the first, temporary, Mausoleum was built. It was a cube-shaped building, culminating in three-tiered steps, from which the first parade was received on May 1, 1924.
When Zbarsky's group began the secondary embalming of Lenin's body and the Mausoleum was closed to visitors, work began on a new construction project. The original composition received artistic development, elements of decoration were thought out, appropriate materials were selected. The sarcophagus was ready by summer. In July 1929, the wooden mausoleum began to turn into a marble one. In less than a year and a half (instead of the planned 4-5 years), the construction was completed. In October 1930, the Mausoleum was accepted by a government commission, and a month later it received its first visitors.
How is the preservation of Lenin's body in the Mausoleum ensured?
Responsibility for maintaining the embalmed remains of Vladimir Ilyich in proper condition is assigned to the staff of the All-Russian Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, in particular, to such a subdivision as the Educational and Methodological Center for Biomedical Technologies. Systematic body examinations are subdivided into control and preventive medical examinations. The main task of the latter is to minimize the destructive influence of the environment.
In addition to medical workers, specialists from the fields of chemistry, physics, biology, as well as an engineering staff serving technical equipment are involved in the work. The examination is carried out twice a week. The exposed parts of the body are treated with a special solution, with special attention paid to the conformity of the face to the anatomical specimen. A responsible and complex re-embalming procedure is performed every one and a half years. Depending on the current state of the object, work can take from several days to two months. The body is removed from the sarcophagus and immersed in a bath with a special embalming liquid. Preservatives are injected inside, if necessary, the areas of tissue that have undergone irreversible changes are replaced with inorganic materials. Lenin's bed is being thoroughly examined, and his clothes are periodically renewed.
According to scientists, modern embalming technology and unique climate control equipment can ensure the safety of the body for several centuries.
How was the question of the further fate of Lenin's body decided after the collapse of the USSR
The decommunization that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union affected almost all spheres of the country's social and political life. However, the proposal to remove from Red Square and bury the mummified ideologist of the October Revolution of 1917 did not find support. This is largely due to the representatives of the Communist Party and their adherents, who have repeatedly appealed to public opinion. Sociological surveys were carried out by both state and independent agencies.
According to the data obtained, many Russians sympathize with Lenin and consider his historical role to be positive, almost half of the respondents are against the removal of the remains of Vladimir Ilyich from the Mausoleum. The democratic foundations of society do not allow disregarding the opinion of fellow citizens that it is unacceptable to destroy the memory of Lenin. In addition, the interest in the first Soviet leader on the part of foreign tourists has noticeably increased recently. All these factors contribute to the fact that the leader of the world proletariat is still in his tomb on Red Square.
What is the cost of keeping Lenin's body in the Mausoleum
Since its inception, the tomb monument has been on the balance sheet of the state. It is currently included in the list of objects of federal significance. It is known about financing of biomedical work to preserve Vladimir Ulyanov-Lenin's lifetime appearance that more than 13 million rubles are allocated from the federal budget for these purposes every year, which is equivalent to about 200 thousand dollars.
For a long time, a substantial subsidy to budgetary funds was provided by the Lenin Mausoleum charitable foundation, with the help of which individuals and organizations could transfer money for the maintenance of the historical object. Representatives of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and their supporters regularly make a significant contribution.
But the tradition of mummification very ancient.
Recommended:
How the landowners exchanged their serfs for things, and how much did the person who was sold on the ad cost
Until serfdom was abolished in 1861, landlords owned peasants as property. It happened that people were sold, given and even mortgaged. Often serfs were exchanged for other property. Trafficking in human beings in the 18th and 19th centuries was not surprising to anyone. The owners even submitted advertisements to the newspapers. Read how much the serf was worth, how people were exchanged for animals and in exchange for what items it was possible to get the property of the peasants
Where was Lenin's body taken from the Mausoleum during the Great Patriotic War and how it was preserved
The Great Patriotic War was not a reason to break the tradition of changing the guard at the Mausoleum on Red Square. This ceremony was a kind of symbol of inviolability and an indicator that the people are not broken and are still loyal to their ideals. The townspeople, and the whole world, did not even suspect that the Mausoleum was empty, and the incorruptible body of the leader was taken deep into the rear. The operation was so secret that nothing was known about it until the 1980s, when the “secret” stamp was removed. So where did they take the body
How much did a cat cost in ancient Russia, and why only cats from all living creatures were allowed to enter an Orthodox church
It is difficult for a modern person to believe that even a thousand years ago, domestic cats practically did not exist in Russia. This is now the proverb: "Without a cat - an orphan's house." But, in ancient times, cats were so rare that their cost was equal to the cost of three cows or a herd of rams. Although there were animals that were valued on an equal basis with cats … These and many other interesting facts from the life of pets - further, in our review
How much does a dinner with a celebrity cost, and where do the stars spend the funds received?
While ordinary fans only manage to see an idol out of the corner of their eye and collect calendars with a star, wealthier fans can afford to spend a cozy evening in the company of their pet. After all, it is not so expensive - only a few hundred thousand dollars, although there are more expensive interlocutors. Today we will tell you about how much the star gatherings cost those who wanted to dine and where the amount earned by the celebrity was subsequently spent
Pilots, sharks, nuclear explosions and much, much more. Black and white illustrations by Robert Longo
Pilots, sharks, sexy girls, dancers, the ocean, impressive explosions - that's what New York-based artist Robert Longo portrays. His illustrations are extremely deep, mystical, powerful and compelling. Perhaps this effect is achieved due to the black and white picture, which the author carefully writes out using charcoal