Simon Montefiore - Stalin

Molotov’s face like a mask: Mikoyan, pp. 321–7. Molotov, claims to have saved Tevosian, MR , p. 294.

Khlevniuk, Circle , pp. 224–30. Parrish, “Yezhov,” pp. 78–89. Sudoplatov, p. 43.

Family tragedy of Yezhov: Jansen-Petrov, pp. 121–4; Briukhanov and Shoshkov, p. 124; Starkov, “Narkom Yezhov,” Getty/Manning (eds.), pp. 34–5. Kamov, “ Smert Nikolaia Yezhova ,” pp. 41–3. Vasily Grossman, Mama , pp. 8–15. Simon Uritsky’s interrogation quoted in KGB Lit. Archive, p. 56. Polianski, pp. 190–7.

On Beria and Stalin’s plan to use Yevgenia against Yezhov: Politicheskii Dnevnik , vol. 2, Amsterdam, 1975, p. 136. Kamov, “ Smert Nikolaia Yezhova ,” pp. 41–3. Yezhova to Stalin: APRF 45.1.729.96, quoted in Jansen-Petrov, pp. 166–8. Polianski, p. 190. Briukhanov and Shoshkov, pp. 122–3. KGB Lit. Archive , p. 42. Yezhova to Stalin, APRF 45.1.729.100, quoted in Jansen-Petrov, p. 169. Stalin, Kaganovich and Molotov distance themselves from Yezhov and Terror: RGASPI 17.3.1002.37. On “troikas”: Moskovskie Novosti , 21 June 1992, quoted in Getty, p. 531. RGASPI 17.3.1003.85–7.

Jansen-Petrov, p. 164. IA , 1995: 5–6, p. 24. Testimony of I. Dementev in FSB 3-os-6.3.257; APRF 3.24.375.120; testimony of Yezhov in FSB 3-os.6.3.332–333; both quoted in Jansen-Petrov p. 170–2. Shentalinsky, “ Okhota ,” p. 179. The autopsy that described her as a “woman of 34, of medium height, well-developed physique” reveals that she died of Luminal poisoning. Parrish, “Yezhov,” p. 101. Polianski, p. 190. Beria , p. 250. Yezhov’s brother was shot. KR I, p. 115–20. Pirozhkova, p. 105.

Jansen-Petrov, p. 164, orgies and oral sex, p. 173, God’s will, p. 174, and “plague ridden,” p. 202. Gay sex with Dementev, FSB 3-os.6.1 and 6.3. Sex with Konstantinov and wife: FSB 3-os.6.3.247–52, all quoted in Jansen-Petrov, pp. 172–3. Khlevniuk, Circle, pp. 224–30. Parrish, Yezhov, p. 89. VIZh, 2, 1993. IA 1998. Getty, pp. 528–39. RGASPI 17.3.1003.34 and 17.3.1004.11.

Parrish, “Yezhov,” Testimony of Zimin, chief of Lefortovo, and prison doctor Rozenblum in 1956, quoted in Vaksberg, Vyshinsky , p. 118. Working with Beria and Yezhov: Dmitrov diary, 24/25 Nov. 1938. Beria personally arrested the head of Komsomol, A. V. Kosarev, on 29 November, an act of vengeance for insults. Mgeladze, pp. 168–73: Mgeladze told Stalin the full story of Beria’s vindictive destruction of Kosarev after the war. Yet the Kosarev Case had been bubbling for some time: see RGASPI 558.11.725.160, Gorshenin to Stalin 13 July 1937. Larina, pp. 186–200. On Beria’s men: Beria , pp. 90–4. Sergo B, pp. 179–80. Interviews Martha Peshkova, Gela Charkviani, Eka Rapava, Maya Kavtaradze, Nina Rukhadze, Nadya Dekanozova, Alyosha Mirtskhulava, Nikita Petrov. On Kobulov’s shame: Elena Durden-Smith. See also: Lesser Terror ; Parrish, “Yezhov”; Petrov and Scorkin.

Nadezhda Vlasik. Natalya Poskrebysheva. Parrish, “Yezhov,” p. 86. Petrov and Scorkin. KR I, pp. 294–5. Artyom Sergeev. Svetlana OOY , p. 333. Vlasik, pp. 24–45.

Richardson, Long Shadow , p. 154. PB contempt for Alliluyev women: Natalya Andreyeva. Vlasik’s irritation with Anna Redens’s constant complaints about laundry: Nadezhda Vlasik. Poskrebyshev treated us like poor relations: Kira Alliluyeva. Richardson, Long Shadow, p. 156. Bronka groped by Beria: Natalya Poskrebysheva. Zhenya mocks Beria’s flirtations: Svetlana OOY, p. 323.

Redens and slave labour: Yagoda, pp. 41, 382–90. Agranov’s speech at 1937 Plenum in Getty, p. 430. Banning beating? Leonid Redens and Vladimir Alliluyev (Redens). Petrov and Scorkin.

Vladimir Alliluyev (Redens). Kira Alliluyeva. Svetlana RR, p. 144. Orlov, p. 309. Pavel’s medical: RGASPI 558.11.1551.43. The story of the letter of protest against the Terror based on confession before execution of General D. Pavlov: see Miklos Kun, Stalin: An Unknown Portrait , pp. 427–9.

Svetlana, Twenty Letters, pp. 66–7. Beria and Malenkov propose Redens’s arrest: Vasily Stalin to Vladimir Alliluyev (Redens). Redens’s involvement in plot against Beria 1931: RGASPI 558.11.801.42–3, Redens to Stalin. Redens replaced by Balitsky, Aug. 1932: Kaganovich Perepiska , pp. 273–5. Yezhov on Poles, Chase, Enemies , pp. 234–5, 239, 265. Richardson, Long Shadow , p. 150, Mikoyan, p. 59. Vladimir Alliluyev (Redens). Leonid Redens.

Stalin and Dmitrov: Sovershenno Sekretno , 3, 2000. “I’m not Stalin”: Artyom Sergeev. Slavotinskaya’s later career: Miklos Kun, Stalin: An Unknown Portrait , p. 46.

Nakashidze: Sergo Mikoyan. Martha Peshkova. Leonid Redens. Svetlana, Twenty Letters, pp. 135–7. Marriage for Stalin: Volkogonov, p. 155.

Kira Alliluyeva. Kostyrchenko, p. 80.

Stalin appreciative of well-dressed women, flirtations: Kira Alliluyeva, Leonid Redens. Svanidze diary. Stalin’s types, Schpiller and Davydova. Svetlana OOY , p. 329. Vasilieva, Kremlin Wives , pp. 74–6. Galina , p. 95. MR , p. 174. Maya Plisetskaya and Tim Schott, I , Maya (henceforth Maya ), p. 81. Davydova’s belt: Rybin, Ryadom so Stalinym v Bolshom Teatre , pp. 32–3, 67–9. Stalin nicknamed his favourite ballerina, Lepeshinskaya, “the Dragonfly.” “Joseph Vissarionovich, did I dance well?” the “Dragonfly” asked Stalin. “You whirled well,” he would reply, “but Asaf Messerer was better than you!” His favourite actress at the Moscow Arts Theatre was Alla Tarasova.

Rusudana Zhordaniya: Rybin, Oktyabre 1941 , p. 18. Interview with Alyosha Mirtskhulava: he knew Rusudana well and ridiculed the idea of an affair: “She was so much younger than him,” he told the author. He also saw nothing suspicious about Stalin’s invitation via himself to the Georgian girl. Dancing: Kozlovsky in Karpov, Rastrelyanniye Marshaly, p. 342. Women with ideas: Svetlana, OOY, p. 329. MR, p. 174. Kaganovich, pp. 160–2. Kuzakova in Radzinsky, p. 65. Istomina denies Davydova: Rybin, Stalin i Zhukov, p. 63. Chatterbox, comfortable soul: Lozgachev in Radzinsky, p. 560. Father’s creature comforts: Richardson, Long Shadow , p. 248. Artyom Sergeev. Martha Peshkova. Kira Alliluyeva. On confidentiality of service staff: conversation with Roy Medvedev. One common-law wife: Kaganovich’s daughter-in-law: Vasilieva, Kremlevskie Zheny, p. 372. Jealousy of Valechka’s husband: Rybin, Oktyabre 1941, p. 18. Vladimir Putin, First Person, p. 3; also Oleg Blotsky, Vladimir Putin: The Story of My Life. “Nobody’s business/Engels” housekeeper: MR, p. 208. In apron like nurse: Popovich quoted in Dedijer, Tito Speaks, p. 282. Stalin’s love of discretion: Berman in Oni, p. 236. Valechka at Yalta and Potsdam: Volkogonov, p. 574. Stalin’s pride in his underwear drawer: Charkviani, p. 35. “Of course it was known she was his wife”: Poskrebyshev’s daughter Natalya.

Stalin stops the Terror: Volkogonov, pp. 337, 344. Beria moved into Chubar’s dacha: Beria , p. 98. Svetlana OOY , p. 355. RGASPI 558.11.773.101, Mekhlis to Stalin and reply 6 Nov. 1939. Vyshinsky, for example, wrote to complain that the NKVD had arrested officials without the Procurator’s warrant. It would be naïve to say that legality was reasserting itself; it was merely that the illusion was replacing a frenzied witch hunt. RGASPI 82.2.897.28, Vyshinsky to Stalin/Molotov 31 Mar. 1939. We can follow the complex wranglings between Vyshinsky and the NKVD with Malenkov trying to restore some order between them: RGASPI 588.2.155.39.60. Stalin, Khrulev and Mekhlis, Kumanev (ed.), p. 343. Children’s case of Novosibirsk: RGASPI 588.2.155.65, Vyshinsky to Stalin and reply 2 Jan. 1939. We can see the working of the leadership and the practice of absolute dictatorship in this example of relaxation. When Molotov suggested, after some prompting from Vyshinsky, that non-political female prisoners, who had committed the grievous crime in this slave-labour state of leaving work during the day, should be freed, Molotov agreed but Stalin personally specified: “I’m opposed. I think it would be right if such women paid a fine instead of prison of one month’s salary and it must be done thus; 25% of their salary must be deducted for four months. Stalin.” This became law three days later: RGASPI 588.2.1551.27–33, Vyshinsky to Molotov to Stalin 23–26 Aug. 1940. Nikolaenko: RGASPI 558.11.132.141–5, P. T. Nikolaenko to Stalin and Khrushchev 20 Feb. 1939, and Stalin to Khrushchev. Trotsky: Sudoplatov, p. 66.