Miscellaneous 2023, December

Andrei Gromyko became the head of the Soviet Foreign Ministry in the winter of 1957, having served the Motherland with quality for nearly 30 record years in the midst of the vicissitudes of the Cold War. The predecessor recommended a new minister to Khrushchev, comparing him to a bulldog. Gromyko knew how to harass rivals, not only not yielding to his own, but also snatching off additional benefits. The minister admired the results of the Great Patriotic War, which took two of his brothers, which affected the negotiations with the Germans. By the end of the USSR, Andrei Andreevich personally recommended

The attention of print publishers was given to women as early as the beginning of the 18th century. On the pages of popular magazines, the image of a worthy woman was drawn through associations with restraint, homeliness and family hearth. As for the magazines of the early Soviet period, embroidery schemes or culinary recipes were supplanted by propaganda editorials and essays on the fate of the Bolsheviks. The heel was scolded for harm to health, and they talked about fashion from the standpoint of bourgeois vestiges

Among the caves of the Pamirs, one is associated with a mysterious legend. Mata-tash, only 3 meters long, allegedly hid huge treasures hidden by the Chinese troops for centuries. The entrance to the ancient cache is difficult to access, it is located almost in the center of a high sheer cliff. The hole was half-blocked with stones, obviously for the purpose of disguise. Climbers repeatedly tried to get inside, but the risky volunteers threw vultures off the cliff. And only after a number of unsuccessful expeditions, mountaineers

Weddings in Russia were taken very seriously and they tried to play them at a certain time. For conceiving a young child, March and February were considered the best. The Slavs turned to higher powers for help, decorated the bride's festive attire with special embroidery and performed various rituals. Read in the material why brides made dolls, laid eggs under the chicken, what the willow knew about the birth of children and why the ability to tie knots was highly valued among girls

Azerbaijani Huseyn Khan Nakhichevan was the only non-Muslim Muslim who reached the heights in the Russian military service. The general became famous in the First World War, became a knight of the highest orders of the Russian Empire, was awarded by Romanians, Bulgarians, Persians. In addition, Huseyn Khan enjoyed authority at the court of Nicholas II. The last Russian emperor granted a foreigner the highest rank - Adjutant General of His Majesty. Hussein Khan justified the trust shown in full, without even trying to escape from the

Everyone knows Ivan Poddubny as a famous professional athlete and wrestler who performed in the first half of the 20th century. His name has become a household name. Poddubny participated in a huge number of fights, and almost always won. However, he also had an adversary with whom many torments and disappointments are associated. Read in the material how Poddubny fought with Le Boucher, why the Frenchman won, how he wanted to squeeze the Russian athlete out of the world, but as a result he himself went into another world

During the Great Patriotic War, many Soviet cities were destroyed almost to the ground. In the post-war years, the buildings had to be restored; captured German soldiers were actively involved in this process. What were they like, the buildings that were erected by the Wehrmacht military in the Soviet Union? Read in the material how the stories about the incredibly comfortable "German" housing arose, in which cities the German "builders" worked, and what is happening with German buildings today

The poet Alexander Pushkin is known as a great lover of women. Contemporaries argued that not a single lady could resist him, to whom he showed signs of attention. He has dozens of passionate affairs with a wide variety of women, young and mature, beautiful and ordinary. A certain Olga Kalashnikova also got into Pushkin's Don Juan list. Read in the material who this girl was, what relationship connected her with the poet and how this novel ended

In the USSR, where for a long time personal cars were not available or were only available to a few owners, the popularity of motorcycles reached large-scale proportions. Motorcycle transport has positively established itself in the years of the Great Patriotic War and in the post-war period, motorcyclists only increased. Over time, the motorcycle environment gave rise to the first interest clubs in the Soviet Union. Not without Western influence, they poured into a massive rocker movement that swept the entire country

The population of pre-reform Russia regularly paid taxes to the state. But there were people who were called "walkers" and whose relations with the treasury were somewhat different. Their position was, to put it mildly, unenviable. However, the privileges granted to this caste made their life easier. Read in the material how people became walking people, who are the backbones, bobs, kutniks and hovels, and which of the representatives of these strata of the population had a better life

The system of Soviet education was called popular. From the very beginning in 1917, its task was to educate the younger generation in the spirit of communist ideology. And the primary moral goal was the preparation of a worthy representative of the working collective, who, together with the entire vast country, was building a “bright future”. The teaching of both the humanities and the natural, exact sciences was subordinated to ideological guidelines. But this did not prevent the Soviet school from being considered one of the best

Under the USSR, there were both thieves and bandits. There is one among them, which was considered the most incorrigible in the entire period of Soviet forensic history. This is Ivan Petrov, who bore the nickname Vanka Sly. The criminal had a flexible mind and special abilities that allowed him to deceive people and carry out grandiose scams. Fortunately, in all his life of crime, Sly has never shed human blood. Read in the material about the life and criminal "exploits" of Ivan Petrov

Soldiers' regiments in Russia were formed in the second third of the 17th century. Servicemen of the Russian army left to fulfill their duty, and their families were left without a breadwinner. The situation is, of course, quite difficult. The service was long, so only very loving wives remained faithful to their husband. Most women understood perfectly well that the chances of their husband returning home are scanty, so after seeing off the army they tried to build their personal lives. Read in the material about the hard life of soldiers in Russia, how

By the end of the 19th century, the export of Russian-made butter was estimated at millions of poods of a product worth tens of millions of rubles. At the end of the empire, oil sold abroad brought more gold to the treasury than the largest gold mines combined. Europeans revered the Russian product, different from any other, for its special preparation technology. Butter production revived hundreds of wilting Siberian villages

During the Great Patriotic War, the police were entrusted with tasks that went far beyond their traditional functions. In the harsh wartime, work on the protection of law and order was combined with the identification of fascist saboteurs, the protection of important objects from artillery attacks, and the evacuation of the population and enterprises. Not much is known about the exploits of Soviet militiamen during the war years. Meanwhile, enthusiastic historians have unearthed many facts about the exemplary heroism of employees of the internal affairs bodies, shown in the

Russia is rich in exotic peoples with centuries-old roots. One of the most ancient northern ethnic groups that inhabited the Kamchatka region thousands of years ago are the Itelmens. Genes, lifestyle and mythology unite the Itelmens with the Indians of North America. Despite the fact that the nationality has threatenedly decreased and is considered disappearing, this ethnic group, even at the end of the world, is trying to preserve its unique and unlike any other culture in Russia

In 1918, the troops of the anti-Soviet UPR made a march to the Crimea, intending to establish control over the peninsula and raise the Ukrainian national flag over the Black Sea Fleet. At first, everything went well for Ukraine, and foreign anti-Russian support also affected. But when the German partners, a day after the Ukrainians entered Crimea, seized the initiative, it became clear that Kiev could not see the peninsula. Not finding understanding with the freedom-loving Crimean regional government, acting

Usually, when people are called brothers, they mean consanguinity. Of course, we are not talking about gangster "brothers". But in Russia there were other options, that is, not only kinship by blood, but also many other fraternal bonds, no less strong. Read in the material who were called foster brothers, what was the difference between half-hearted, uterine and half-blood children, how it was possible to become crusaders, and what principles numerous religious brotherhoods had

The period of the Great Patriotic War has more than one thousand feats that Soviet people performed while defending the country. Alexander Petrovich Mamkin became a hero after risking his life, he managed to save all the passengers of his plane. Driving a wrecked car and being in a burning cockpit, according to the instructions, he had the right to gain altitude and jump off with a parachute. But it is unlikely that the pilot thought about it even for a moment, knowing that there were defenseless children and seriously wounded on board, who trusted and believed in him

During the Nazi occupation of Soviet territories, the Germans regularly used leaflets to communicate with the enslaved population. So, at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War around the Belarusian Dobrush one could find announcements calling for assistance in the capture of the elusive "bandit Katya". For a tip-off on the trail of the "main saboteur", the German command promised a reward of 3,000 marks and even a substantial allotment of land. It was clear from everything that the fragile girl managed to deliver

Russian history knows several military pilots who returned to the helm after lower limb amputations. The most famous of them, thanks to the Soviet writer Boris Polevoy, was Alexei Maresyev, who lifted a fighter into the sky without both legs. But the fate of another person - the owner of the Hero's star - Leonid Belousov, is known to few people. His feat stands apart - this pilot returned to service after being severely injured twice

In the First World War, Andrei Georgievich Shkuro became a hero: he was wounded more than one, fearlessly fighting the Germans in the interests of the Russian Empire. He also showed himself in the battles with the Red Army - as an adherent of the old system, he was an ideological opponent of the Bolshevik power. This would be enough for an objective history to be remembered as a patriot and courageous person in any system in the country. However, in the memory of Shkuro's descendants, he will forever remain an out-of-class enemy - a traitor who agreed with

After the surrender of Berlin, the Red Army brought back a lot of trophies from occupied Germany: from cars with armored vehicles to paintings with gold tiaras. This cannot be called robbery, because small trophies were corny bought by soldiers at flea markets, and historically significant acquisitions were deservedly and centralized in the USSR. Of course, individual cases of illegal takeover took place, but for this, the most severe punishment was provided for in the Red Army

In April 1944, a victorious offensive operation was launched in the Crimea, clearing the peninsula of the Wehrmacht. And if the Nazis took 250 days to occupy only one heroically defended Sevastopol, then 35 days were enough for the Soviet troops to destroy the enemy. When the German 17th Army was defeated, even the Hitlerite generals themselves called Crimea “the second Stalingrad”. Defeated, they left this land hastily and ingloriously

On April 12, 10 years before the Gagarin flight, pilots under the command of three times Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Kozhedub dispelled the myth about invulnerable flying American bombers. On that day, the Russian aces, having entered into battle with the B-29 "Superfortress" in the Korean sky, inflicted the largest defeat on the American aircraft since the Second World War. In a matter of minutes of the air battle, up to a dozen US aircraft were shot down, and a hundred pilots were captured. At the same time, Soviet MiGs returned without a sweat

They sang songs about the Russian pilot Li Si Tsin, composed anecdotes and army tales. He shot down American fighters in the Chinese sky, instilled fear in enemy pilots over Korea, and directed air operations in Vietnam. The history of this pseudonym for many decades, and for the first time this name sounded back in the period of the formation of Soviet power. Li Si Tsin is not a specific historical person, but the legends about this warrior combined the feats of a number of friendly countries who fought for the lands

The caravan, codenamed QP-11, departed from Murmansk for the shores of Great Britain on April 28, 1942. He transported timber, as well as a cargo not indicated in the accompanying documents, placed in 93 boxes on board the cruiser "Edinburgh". The boxes contained gold - 465 bars worth more than $ 6.5 million at modern exchange rates. However, difficulties arose with the delivery of the valuable metal to the destination: the very next day after leaving the port, transport ships were discovered by a German

With the development of aviation, due to the constant military-political tension between the major world powers, the idea arose to develop an "invisible" aircraft. He would allow him to have an advantage in the sky, and in the event of a local conflict, without revealing himself, he could easily hit ground and air targets. The pioneer in this area was the Soviet Union, which in 1936 created an experimental aircraft capable of "dissolving" in the sky

There are traitors and deserters in any war. It would seem that it does not matter what caused the betrayal - ideological considerations or perceived benefit, betrayal is betrayal. But in the case of women, the situation is always ambiguous, as a rule, not only benefits are involved, but also personal dramas that make their own adjustments. Considering that women in the war were not at all in the same position as men, their fate was very difficult

Many people are jealous of the stars, because they have money, fame, fans, interesting work. But not all celebrities are as happy in life as they are on screen. Many of them hide the pain from past memories or an unhappy present behind a dazzling smile. After all, as they say, happiness is not in money. Having delved into the personal life and biography of the stars in more detail, you can often find out about their difficult childhood, unrequited love, beatings, illness and other personal dramas. And some of the stars survived such

There is an ancient and mysterious place in Peru. It is believed to have special power. These are the pyramids of Tucum, which existed here even before the Incas. Many ancient artifacts are hidden here, but the history of the origin of these objects and the culture of their contemporaries is still one of the most interesting mysteries for archaeologists and historians of South America. Well, for tourists, this is another exotic attraction that excites the imagination

A week ago, an event took place in Karelia that shocked many local residents. In the village of Rabocheostrovsk, located in the Kemsky region, a hut, which served as a decoration for the film "The Island" by Pavel Lungin, burned down. According to the plot, it was a church in which monks prayed and which can be repeatedly seen in the frames of the film. This building was an iconic place, a special attraction in Karelia, and it was often visited not only by residents of the surrounding settlements, but also by fans of the Island with

The story of Cinderella in any of its variations will be popular at all times. And the story of the transformation of an unattractive boss-cracker into a sexy beauty-fashionista - even more so. That is why the image of Lyudmila Prokofievna Kalugina from "Office Romance" made such a strong impression on the entire generation of Soviet women. But was it easy to create and transfer to screens? Yes and no

"Sons, dear ones, do not feel sorry for me - beat the reptiles!" - they say that these were the last words of 83-year-old grandfather Kuzmich before his death … Matvey Kuzmich Kuzmin, the oldest hero of the Soviet Union, was awarded the posthumous award only 20 years after the Great Victory. When the whole country learned about his feat, the people immediately dubbed the hero Susanin of the Great Patriotic War, because, like the famous hero of the Russian-Polish war, Kuzmich led the enemies into the forest to certain death. Monument to Kuzmin can be seen in mos

The devastating consequences of the First World War forever reshaped the political map of the world. As a result, 2 revolutions took place, 4 empires disappeared, more than 20 million people died. It is striking that at the origins of this conflict were people who, by their origin, upbringing and childhood experience, were supposed to serve as a solid bulwark of peace. Three emperors, sovereigns of three powerful powers, were relatives of each other and were friends for many years

Leonid Osipovich Utyosov became a legend during his lifetime. He was the first in many ways. He was the first to perform works by Babel, Bagritsky and Zoshchenko, created his own "Tea Jazz", which after only five years received the status of the State, was the first to bring musicians from the orchestra pit to the stage, and the first pop artist to receive the title of People's. And Leonid Utyosov was always a very honest person. He never hid the fact that during the years of repression he was desperately afraid of Stalin, especially after

Sometimes the personality of the Georgian Queen Tamara is difficult to distinguish from the collective epic image. In terms of legend, it will overtake any other ruler of Georgia since the beginning of the history of the state. In every somewhat self-respecting Georgian settlement there is a street named after Queen Tamara. Historically, all architectural delights in the country are attributed to her merits. Tamara, who led Georgia in the difficult and alarming 12th century, remains, perhaps, the only woman who bore the title of tsar

Today, July 15, Pyotr Mamonov, a cult performer, founder and leader of the Zvuki Mu group, passed away. His whole life was built on contrasts. It had a place for creativity, fame, recognition and at the same time - cruel dependence, life in a drunken stupor. And later he found his salvation in faith, retired from the capital, began to lead a secluded life, without giving up creativity. And by his side there was always his wife, his guardian angel. Over the years of marriage, she more than once saved him from

They have not had to prove anything to anyone for a long time. The representative of the "golden era" of Hollywood Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne Bidense met in the middle of the last century, went through serious trials together, survived the loss of one of their sons and remained still in love and happy with each other. What is the secret of their all-consuming long-term happiness?

Boris Skosyrev can be called a unique person: a foreigner, far from an aristocrat, he managed to become the king of a foreign country, without any coup d'etat. Taking advantage of the unstable situation in Europe and combining his oratorical skills with legal knowledge, Skosyrev received royal power in Andorra for 12 days. Perhaps his reign would have lasted much longer if the newly-made king had not made the fatal mistake that left the country without its first and last monarch