“As is known,” Stalin raised a toast to the Great Russian People on May 24 to commemorate the victory over the plague of the West - fascism. It is less known that he addressed the theme of the greatness of the Russian people before. At least since 1917.
What I found in the collection of Stalin’s works (not all volumes were available, unfortunately) and in other sources.
"On the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies"
In order to smash the old government, a temporary alliance of rebel workers and soldiers was enough. For it goes without saying that the strength of the Russian revolution lies in the union of workers and peasants dressed in soldiers' greatcoats.<…>
For it is clear to everyone that the guarantee of the final victory of the Russian revolution lies in strengthening the alliance of the revolutionary worker with the revolutionary soldier.<…>
Soldiers! Organize into your unions and gather around the Russian people, the only true ally of the Russian revolutionary army!<…>
“Pravda” No. 8,
March 14, 1917
Signed: K. Stalin
***
Back in March 1917, a few months before the October Revolution, Stalin wrote in one of his articles that the great Russian people are the most faithful and best ally of progressive revolutionary forces, and only the Russian people can finally resolve the issue of Marxism. About the victory of Marxism.
In 1933, at a meeting with participants in the May Day military parade, he stated:
“The Russians are the main nationality of the world, they were the first to raise the flag of the Soviets... The Russian nation is the most talented nation in the world. Previously, the Russians were beaten by everyone - the Turks and even the Tatars, who attacked for 200 years, and they did not manage to capture the Russians, although they were poorly armed. If the Russians are armed with tanks, aircraft, and a navy, they are invincible.”
1939, November. From a conversation with Kollontai:
The conversation was mainly centered around the situation with Finland. Stalin advised strengthening the work of the Soviet embassy to study the situation in the Scandinavian countries in connection with the penetration of Germany into these countries in order to attract the governments of Norway and Sweden and influence Finland in order to prevent a conflict. And, as if concluding, he said that
“If we can’t prevent it, it will be short-lived and cost little blood. The time for “persuasion” and “negotiations” is over. We must practically prepare for resistance, for war with Hitler.”
<…>
“All this will fall on the shoulders of the Russian people. For the Russian people are a great people. The Russian people are good people. The Russian people have a clear mind. It is as if he was born to help other nations. The Russian people are characterized by great courage, especially in difficult times, in dangerous times. He is proactive. He has a persistent character. He is a dreamy people. He has a purpose. That’s why it’s harder for him than for other nations. You can rely on him in any trouble. The Russian people are invincible, inexhaustible.”
Stalin I.V. Essays. – T. 18. – Tver: Information and Publishing Center “Soyuz”, 2006. P. 606–611 (appendix).
***
And, on May 24, 1945, at a gala reception in the Kremlin on the occasion of the Great Victory. Stalin made the famous toast “To the health of the Russian people!”
“Comrades, allow me to raise one more, final toast.
I, as a representative of our Soviet government, would like to raise a toast to the health of our Soviet people and, above all, the Russian people.
I drink, first of all, to the health of the Russian people because they are the most outstanding nation of all the nations that make up the Soviet Union.
I raise a toast to the health of the Russian people because in this war they have earned and have previously earned the title, if you like, of the leading force of our Soviet Union among all the peoples of our country.
I raise a toast to the health of the Russian people, not only because they are the leading people, but also because they have common sense, general political common sense and patience.
Our government made many mistakes; we had moments of despair in 1941-42, when our army retreated, left our native villages and cities in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the Leningrad region, the Karelo-Finnish Republic, left because there was no another way out. Some other people could say: you did not live up to our hopes, we will install another government that will make peace with Germany and provide us with peace. This could happen, keep in mind.
But the Russian people did not agree to this, the Russian people did not compromise, they showed unlimited trust in our government. I repeat, we made mistakes, for the first two years our army was forced to retreat, it turned out that we did not master the events, did not cope with the situation that had arisen. However, the Russian people believed, endured, waited and hoped that we would still cope with the events.
For this trust in our government that the Russian people have shown us, we thank them greatly!
For the health of the Russian people!”
As you know, Stalin raised a toast to the Great Russian people on May 24 to commemorate the victory over the plague of the West - fascism. It is less known that he addressed the theme of the greatness of the Russian people before. At least since 1917.
What I found in the collection of Stalin’s works (not all volumes are available, unfortunately) and in other sources.
May 24, 1945 at a reception in the Kremlin on the occasion of the Great Victory. Stalin made the famous toast “To the health of the Russian people!”:
“Comrades, allow me to raise one more, final toast.
I, as a representative of our Soviet government, would like to raise a toast to the health of our Soviet people and, above all, the Russian people.
I drink, first of all, to the health of the Russian people because they are the most outstanding nation of all the nations that make up the Soviet Union.
I raise a toast to the health of the Russian people because in this war they have earned and have previously earned the title, if you like, of the leading force of our Soviet Union among all the peoples of our country.
I raise a toast to the health of the Russian people, not only because they are the leading people, but also because they have common sense, general political common sense and patience.
Our government made many mistakes; we had moments of despair in 1941-42, when our army retreated, left our native villages and cities in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the Leningrad region, the Karelo-Finnish Republic, left because there was no another way out. Some other people could say: you did not live up to our hopes, we will install another government that will make peace with Germany and provide us with peace. This could happen, keep in mind.
But the Russian people did not agree to this, the Russian people did not compromise, they showed unlimited trust in our government. I repeat, we made mistakes, for the first two years our army was forced to retreat, it turned out that we did not master the events, did not cope with the situation that had arisen. However, the Russian people believed, endured, waited and hoped that we would still cope with the events.
For this trust in our government that the Russian people have shown us, we thank them greatly!
For the health of the Russian people!”
In order to smash the old government, a temporary alliance of rebel workers and soldiers was enough. For it goes without saying that the strength of the Russian revolution lies in the union of workers and peasants dressed in soldiers' greatcoats.<…>
For it is clear to everyone that the guarantee of the final victory of the Russian revolution lies in strengthening the alliance of the revolutionary worker with the revolutionary soldier.<…>
Soldiers! Organize into your unions and gather around the Russian people, the only true ally of the Russian revolutionary army! <…>
Back in March 1917, a few months before the October Revolution, Stalin wrote in one of his articles that the great Russian people are the most faithful and best ally of progressive revolutionary forces, and only the Russian people can finally resolve the issue of Marxism. About the victory of Marxism.
In 1933 At a meeting with participants in the May Day military parade, he stated:
“The Russians are the main nationality of the world, they were the first to raise the flag of the Soviets... The Russian nation is the most talented nation in the world. Previously, the Russians were beaten by everyone - the Turks and even the Tatars, who attacked for 200 years, and they did not manage to capture the Russians, although they were poorly armed. If the Russians are armed with tanks, aircraft, and a navy, they are invincible.”
KHMELKO Mikhail Ivanovich (1919-1996)The conversation was mainly centered around the situation with Finland. Stalin advised strengthening the work of the Soviet embassy to study the situation in the Scandinavian countries in connection with the penetration of Germany into these countries in order to attract the governments of Norway and Sweden and influence Finland in order to prevent a conflict. And, as if concluding, he said that“If we can’t prevent it, it will be short-lived and cost little blood. The time for “persuasion” and “negotiations” is over. We must practically prepare for resistance, for war with Hitler.”
<…>
“All this will fall on the shoulders of the Russian people. For the Russian people are a great people. The Russian people are good people. The Russian people have a clear mind. It is as if he was born to help other nations. The Russian people are characterized by great courage, especially in difficult times, in dangerous times. He is proactive. He has a persistent character. He is a dreamy people. He has a purpose. That’s why it’s harder for him than for other nations. You can rely on him in any trouble. The Russian people are invincible, inexhaustible."
“A toast to the great Russian people (To the great Russian people).” 1946 (?). Sketch.
"A toast to the great Russian people." 1947 (?)
"A toast to the great Russian people." 1947 National Art Museum of Ukraine, Kyiv.
"A toast to the great Russian people." 1949 State Museum and Exhibition Center "ROSIZO", Moscow.
Let me clarify: despite the attention to this event, I did not find data on how and how many times the artist painted the picture, from which photographic portraits. There are four versions of the reproduction on the Internet, and the dates for the same painting will be different. I'll bring them all. There is a suspicion that No. 2 (where in the center, between Kalinin and Khrushchev, a certain general (?) with “lost” contrast or acquired “blurring” - as you wish) is not the author’s version, but an unsuccessful copy made from the centerfold of the album. Or this is a photographic recording of an intermediate version in the process of author's correction.
The canvas was repeatedly corrected by the author - depending on what the time, the party and the government dictated: either ZHUKOV was sent into honorable exile in the Odessa Military District, or other marshals and admirals were demoted in rank, or even shot, like BERIA.
The canvas depicts: STALIN I.V., MOLOTOV V.M., KALININ M.I. (although he was not at this reception), KHRUSCHEV N.S., ZHDANOV A.A., VOROSHILOV K.E., BUDENNY S.M., ROKOSSOVSKY K.K., MIKOYAN A.I., MALENKOV G.M. ., Kaganovich L.M.
L.P. BERIA and G.K. ZHUKOV who were present at the table are not shown.
On the evening of May 24, 1945, a reception was held in the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace in honor of the commanders of the Red Army. At this reception, Joseph STALIN made his famous toast. In the 15th volume of his works he is stated with the reference “According to a newspaper report”:
Newspaper report and sheet from Stalin's archive with shorthand recording and his personal edits.
The corrected text was published in central Soviet newspapers on May 25, 1945, and was then reproduced many times and interpreted by historians. The transcript itself remained inaccessible and was declassified only in the late 1990s.
| From the transcript | From a newspaper report |
I, as a representative of our Soviet government, would like to raise a toast to the health of our Soviet people and, above all, the Russian people. I raise a toast to the health of the Russian people because in this war they have earned and have previously earned the title, if you like, of the leading force of our Soviet Union among all the peoples of our country. I raise a toast to the health of the Russian people, not only because they are the leading people, but also because they have common sense, general political common sense and patience. Our government made many mistakes; we had moments of despair in 1941-42, when our army retreated, left our native villages and cities in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the Leningrad region, the Karelo-Finnish Republic, left because there was no other way out. Some other people could say: you did not live up to our hopes, we will install another government that will make peace with Germany and provide us with peace. This could happen, keep in mind. But the Russian people did not agree to this, the Russian people did not compromise, they showed unlimited trust in our government. I repeat, we made mistakes, for the first two years our army was forced to retreat, it turned out that we did not master the events, did not cope with the situation that had arisen. However, the Russian people believed, endured, waited and hoped that we would still cope with the events. For this trust in our government that the Russian people have shown us, we thank them greatly! For the health of the Russian people! (Stormy, long, unceasing applause) |
Comrades, allow me to raise one more, final toast. I would like to raise a toast to the health of our Soviet people and, above all, the Russian people. (Stormy, prolonged applause, shouts of “hurray”) I drink, first of all, to the health of the Russian people because they are the most outstanding nation of all the nations that make up the Soviet Union. I raise a toast to the health of the Russian people because in this war they have earned general recognition as the leading force of the Soviet Union among all the peoples of our country. I raise a toast to the health of the Russian people, not only because they are a leading people, but also because they have a clear mind, persistent character and patience. Our government made many mistakes; we had moments of despair in 1941-1942, when our army retreated, left our native villages and cities in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the Leningrad region, the Baltic states, the Karelo-Finnish Republic, left because there was no other way out. Another people could say to the government: you have not lived up to our expectations, go away, we will install another government that will make peace with Germany and provide us with peace. But the Russian people did not agree to this, because they believed in the correctness of their government’s policy and made sacrifices to ensure the defeat of Germany. And this trust of the Russian people in the Soviet government turned out to be the decisive force that ensured the historic victory over the enemy of humanity - over fascism. Thanks to him, the Russian people, for this trust! For the health of the Russian people! (Stormy, long, continuous applause) |
Writers and historians have interpreted the meaning of a toast to the Russian people in different ways, sometimes from diametrically opposed positions. This is especially characteristic of post-Soviet Russian historiography.
In total, the stenographic record recorded 31 toasts (5 of them belonged to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief), which involved 45 people. For example, MOLOTOV dedicated his first toast to the Red Army, Red Navy, officers, generals, admirals, marshals of the Soviet Union and, above all, I.V. Stalin, who “led and is leading” the entire struggle and led “to a great victory unprecedented in history.” Molotov raised his second glass “to the great party of Lenin - Stalin” and to its headquarters - the Central Committee. And he dedicated this toast to Stalin.
STALIN was the first of those present to propose a toast to Vyacheslav Mikhailovich MOLOTOV, the head of foreign policy. At the same time, he clarified: “A good foreign policy sometimes weighs more than two or three armies at the front.” Stalin concluded his toast with the words: “For our Vyacheslav!” (Molotov was the only one who was called only by name at the reception.)
The newspaper version differs from the shorthand version, which became available not so long ago. For example, STALIN’s fourth toast was as follows: “Down with Hitler’s Berlin! Long live Berlin Zhukovsky! The toast caused laughter and applause in the hall. However, in the newspaper report, Stalin’s words about “Berlin Zhukovsky” are missing.
Toasts in honor of the famous warriors were interspersed with performances on stage by soloists of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of the USSR, among whom were I.I. MASLENNIKOVA, G.S. ULANOVA. The concert program included the best numbers performed by the State Folk Dance Ensemble under the direction of I.A. MOISEEV and the Red Banner Ensemble of Red Army Song and Dance A.V. ALEXANDROV.
The White St. George Hall is one of the order halls, where the idea of memory of many generations of people who served Russia and distinguished themselves in battles for it is embodied. This is the most grandiose room of the Grand Kremlin Palace, built in 1838-1849. It is 60 m long, 19 m wide and 17 m high. The hall received its name from the Order of St. George (established in 1769). The decoration of the hall uses the symbols of this order. Thus, 18 twisted zinc columns are topped with allegorical statues of Victory. In the niches and on the slopes of the pillars there are marble plaques with the names of 546 Russian victorious regiments and the names of the Knights of St. George.
In Imperial Russia, St. George's Hall was the main ceremonial room of the Kremlin. This tradition was revived in the second half of the 1930s: here the leaders of the Bolshevik Party and the Soviet government received representatives of the military elite - participants in the May Day parades on Red Square (later - the November 7 parades), graduates of the military academies of the Red Army. The “heroes” of the occasion were often pilots, industry leaders, scientists, writers and artists... The number of guests at these grandiose feasts ranged from several hundred to one and a half to two thousand people.
There are some rather outrageous conversations that Stalin, paying tribute to the role of the Russians in the Great Patriotic War, through clenched teeth uttered a few words about them in 1945, this famous toast “For the Russian people”...
March 1917. One of the articles says that the great Russian people are the most faithful and best ally of progressive revolutionary forces, and only the Russian people can finally resolve the issue of Marxism. About the victory of Marxism. March 17th! Can you imagine?
Yes, at the same time he is discussing something there on the national issue, that the bourgeoisie is seizing on him, already in 1717 a toast was made to the Russian people.
May 2, 1933. At a meeting with participants in the May Day military parade. I quote: “Russians are the main nationality of the world.”
“Russian is the main nationality of the world. They were the first to raise the Soviet flag. The Russian nation is the most talented nation in the world. Russians used to be beaten by everyone - the Turks, and even the Tatars, who attacked for 200 years. And they failed to capture the Russians, although they were poorly armed. If the Russians are armed with tanks, aircraft, and a navy, they are invincible.”
February 1931, even earlier. Speaking at the All-Union Conference of Socialist Industry Workers: “I call for a return to the concept of the Fatherland, which we will have to defend.”
1934. Bring back teaching of Russian history in secondary schools. Without understanding what the Fatherland is, we cannot develop further, carry out the necessary transformations and move forward and win the war.
1936. Nikolai Bukharin published an article in the Izvestia newspaper in which he mockingly mocked the backwardness of pre-revolutionary Russia and its wretched peoples. He called the Russians the Oblomov nation. The Pravda newspaper reacted very sharply to this publication. The editor, an old associate of Stalin, Lev Mehlis wrote: “Only lovers of verbal tricks, who have little understanding of Leninism, can claim that in our country Oblomovism was the most universal character trait, and the Russian people were the Oblomov nation. The people who gave the world such geniuses as Lomonosov, Lobachevsky, Popov, Pushkin, Mendeleev, Chernyshevsky, the people who carried out the October Revolution under the leadership of the Bolshevik Party, such a people can only be called the Oblomov nation by a person who is not aware of what he is saying.” Mehlis compared Bukharin’s opuses with fascist propaganda, in which Russians were portrayed as a racially inferior people.
1939, November, during a conversation with Soviet diplomat Alexandra Kollontai. Stalin: (I quote) “The Russian people are a great people. Russians are kind people. The Russian has a clear mind, it is as if he was born to help other nations. The Russian people are characterized by great courage, especially in difficult times, in dangerous times. He is proactive. They have a persistent character, they are dreamy people, they have a goal, that’s why it’s harder for them than other nations, but you can rely on them in any trouble.”
I emphasize again, this is the year 1939, there is no war.
In 1941, a call to the Red Army soldiers leaving for the front: “to fight for Russia, inspired by the images of Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy, Suvorov and Kutuzov.”
1943, anthem “The indestructible union of free republics has united forever Great Rus'».
May 24, 1945, a toast made at a Kremlin reception (there is more in the transcript of the toast than in the newspaper version, so I read it in full):
“Comrades, allow me to raise one more, final toast.
I would like to raise a toast to the health of our Soviet people, and above all the Russian people.
(Stormy, prolonged applause, shouts of “hurray.”)
I drink, first of all, to the health of the Russian people because they are the most outstanding nation of all the nations that make up the Soviet Union.
I raise a toast to the health of the Russian people because in this war they have earned general recognition as the leading force of our Soviet Union among all the peoples of our country.
I raise a toast to the health of the Russian people, not only because they are a leading people, but also because they have a clear mind, persistent character and patience.
Our government made quite a few mistakes; we had moments of despair in 1941-1942, when our army was retreating, leaving our native villages and cities in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the Leningrad region, the Baltic states, the Karelo-Finnish Republic, That's why. that there was no other way out. Another people could say to the government: you have not lived up to our expectations, go away, we will install another government that will make peace with Germany and provide us with peace. But the Russian people did not agree to this, because they believed in the correctness of their government’s policy and made sacrifices to ensure the defeat of Germany. And this trust of the Russian people in the Soviet government turned out to be the decisive force that ensured the historic victory over the enemy of humanity - over fascism.
Thanks to him, the Russian people, for this trust!
For the health of the Russian people! [Stormy, prolonged applause].”
If Stalin and Gorbachev were tried, then, of course, only the latter would be convicted.
Folk wisdom
The greatest suffering of the Russian people occurred at the beginning and end of the Soviet Union. It began with the fact that Trotsky, with his overseas patrons, decided to use the Russian people “as firewood to kindle the world revolution.” But it was Stalin who was the force that prevented him from doing this. Unfortunately, Gorbachev had neither an ice pick nor his own Stalin. Therefore, we suffered no less genocide as a result of the actions of the “soft” revolution or perestroika, as it is commonly called. It seems that there was no war, but the demographic problems that resulted from Gorbachev’s instability and Yeltsin’s betrayal destroyed millions of human lives.
It is no secret how those called liberals treat the Russian people. For them, we are “rednecks” and “anchovies.” Mr. Svanidze recently in the Public Chamber was indignant for a long time about the fact that the man on the fence wrote “I am Russian!” How did Comrade Stalin treat the Russian people?
There is such an interesting book:
Nevezhin V. A. Stalin’s table speeches: Documents and materials. M., St. Petersburg, 2003.
The verbatim report indicates that Comrade Stalin made a total of 31 toasts, which involved 45 people.
The last toast, “About the Russian People”, delivered well after midnight, was accompanied by stormy applause.
Anyone who wants to know the truth, and not feed on the myths prolific of liberals and Westerners, should familiarize themselves with its verbatim content:
“Comrades, allow me to raise one more, final toast.
I, as a representative of our Soviet government, would like to raise a toast to the health of our Soviet people and, first of all, the Russian people. (Stormy, prolonged applause, shouts of “hurray”).
I drink first of all for the health of the Russian people because he is the most outstanding nation of all nations that are part of the Soviet Union.
I'm raising a toast for the health of the Russian people because he deserved in this war and earned the title before, if you want, guiding force of our Soviet Union among all the peoples of our country.
I'm raising a toast for the health of the Russian people not only because he - leading people, but also because he has there is common sense, general political common sense And patience.
Our government had a lot of mistakes, we had moments of desperate situation in 1941–42, when our army retreated, left our native villages and cities in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the Leningrad region, the Karelo-Finnish Republic, left because there was no other way out.
Some other people could say: you did not live up to our hopes, we will install another government that will make peace with Germany and provide us with peace. This could happen, keep in mind.
But the Russian people did not agree to this, Russian people didn't compromise, he placed unlimited trust in our government. I repeat, we have there were mistakes, the first two years our army was forced to retreat, it turned out that we did not master the events, did not cope with the created situation. However the Russian people believed, endured, waited And hoped that we will still cope with events.
For this trust in our government that the Russian people have shown us, we thank them greatly!
For the health of the Russian people! (Stormy, long, unceasing applause.)"
Please note that Stalin, without further ado, admits his mistakes to all the people.
Being a Georgian by nationality, Stalin regretted that he was not born Russian. He told Marshal of Long-Range Aviation Golovanov about this:
“Stalin regretted that he was not born Russian, he told me that the people did not love him because he was Georgian. His Eastern origin showed only in his accent...”
The best indicator of the relationship between the state and the people is demography.
You can see how much the people “hated” Stalin on the population graph of our country:
The war left a demographic hole, this is understandable. But the Stalinist era created such a foundation in all sectors that the Soviet people multiplied and multiplied until the conscious genocide and destruction of the USSR - until the era of Gorbachev-Yeltsin. It is always easier to destroy than to create.
In general, it is periodically useful to turn to primary sources for information, and not listen to third-rate “experts” on de-Stalinization, who do not feed them bread, but let them say something nasty about the people, about the War, about the country and its leaders. Unless we are talking about the oathbreaker Gorbachev, his successor Yeltsin or the young reformers.