"The Diary of a Guard of the Leader". A documentary film about Stalin's security chief. Who is Vlasik Nikolai Sidorovich, the head of security under Stalin: years of life, short biography, personal life Was Vlasik handsome

Wherever Stalin was, the faithful Vlasik was closest to him. Subordinating to the leadership of the NKGB, and then the MGB, General Vlasik, who has a three-year education, was always next to Stalin, in fact, being a member of his family, and the leader often consulted with him on matters of state security. This could not but cause irritation in the leadership of the ministry, especially since Vlasik often spoke negatively about his superiors. He was arrested in the "case of doctors", which was terminated after the death of Stalin and all those arrested were released - all except Vlasik. More than a hundred times he was interrogated during the investigation. Both espionage, and the preparation of terrorist attacks, and anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda were blamed. Moreover, for each of the charges he was threatened with a considerable period. They “pressed” 56-year-old Nikolai Sidorovich in Lefortovo subtly - they kept him in handcuffs, a bright lamp was on all day and night in the cell, they didn’t let him sleep, calling him for interrogations, and even behind the wall they constantly played a record with heart-rending children’s crying. They even staged an imitation of execution (Vlasik writes about this in his diary). But he kept himself well done, did not lose his sense of humor. In any case, in one of the protocols, he gives such “confessional” testimony: “I really cohabited with many women, drank alcohol with them and the artist Stenberg, but all this happened at the expense of my personal health and in my free time from service.”
And the strength of Stalin's personal bodyguard was not to occupy. They tell such a case. One day, a young state security operative suddenly recognized in the crowd on a Moscow street in a strong man dressed in an excellent coat, the head of the Main Security Directorate (GUO) of the USSR Ministry of State Security, Lieutenant General Vlasik. The operative noticed that a suspicious type was spinning around him, obviously a pickpocket, and began to quickly move towards the general. But, approaching, he saw that the thief had already put his hand into Vlasik's pocket, and he suddenly put his powerful five on his coat over his pocket and squeezed the thief's hand so that, as the operative said, the crack of breaking bones was heard. He wanted to detain the pickpocket, who had turned white with pain, but Vlasik winked at him, shook his head negatively and said: “There is no need to plant, he can’t steal anymore.”

It is noteworthy that Vlasik was removed from his post on April 29, 1952 - less than 10 months before the murder of I.V. Stalin. The adopted daughter of Nikolai Sidorovich, in her interview to the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper on May 7, 2003, noted that "his father would not let him die." This interview, as we will see below, turned out to be sad consequences for her.
Here is what Irina Shpyrkova, an employee of the Slonim Museum of Local Lore, said:
- Personal belongings of Nikolai Sidorovich were transferred to the museum by his adopted daughter - his own niece Nadezhda Nikolaevna (there were no children of her own). This lonely woman spent her whole life seeking the rehabilitation of the general.
In 2000, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dropped all charges against Nikolai Vlasik. He was posthumously rehabilitated, restored to his rank, and the awards were returned to his family. These are three orders of Lenin, four orders of the Red Banner, orders of the Red Star and Kutuzov, four medals, two honorary Chekist badges.
- At that time, - says Irina Shpyrkova, - we contacted Nadezhda Nikolaevna. We agreed on the transfer of awards and personal belongings to our museum. She agreed, and in the summer of 2003 our employee went to Moscow.
But everything turned out like a detective story. An article about Vlasik was published in Moskovsky Komsomolets. Many called Nadezhda Nikolaevna. One of the callers identified himself as Alexander Borisovich - a lawyer, a representative of the State Duma deputy Demin. He promised to help the woman return Vlasik's priceless personal photo archive.
The next day he came to Nadezhda Nikolaevna, supposedly to draw up documents. Asked for tea. The hostess left, and when she returned to the room, the guest was suddenly about to leave. She didn’t see him anymore, like 16 medals and orders, the general’s gold watch ...
Nadezhda Nikolaevna had only the Order of the Red Banner, which she transferred to the Slonim Museum of Local Lore. And also two pieces of paper from my father's notebook.

Here is a list of all the awards that disappeared from Nadezhda Nikolaevna (except for one Order of the Red Banner):
George Cross 4th class
3 orders of Lenin (04/26/1940, 02/21/1945, 09/16/1945)
3 orders of the Red Banner (08/28/1937, 09/20/1943, 11/3/1944)
Order of the Red Star (05/14/1936)
Order of Kutuzov, 1st class (02/24/1945)
Medal of the twentieth years of the Red Army (22.02.1938)
2 badges Honorary Worker of the Cheka-GPU (12/20/1932, 12/16/1935)

During the years of perestroika, when a wave of all kinds of accusations rained down on almost all people from the Stalinist entourage in the advanced Soviet press, the most unenviable fate fell to General Vlasik. The long-term head of Stalin's guard appeared in these materials as a real lackey who adored the owner, a watchdog, ready to attack anyone at his command, greedy, vengeful and greedy ...

Among those who did not spare negative epithets for Vlasik was Stalin's daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva. But the bodyguard of the leader at one time had to become practically the main educator for both Svetlana and Vasily.

Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik spent a quarter of a century next to Stalin, protecting the life of the Soviet leader. Without his bodyguard, the leader lived for less than a year.

From the parochial school to the Cheka

Nikolai Vlasik was born on May 22, 1896 in Western Belarus, in the village of Bobynichi, into a poor peasant family. The boy lost his parents early and could not count on a good education. After three classes of the parochial school, Nikolai went to work. From the age of 13 he worked as a laborer at a construction site, then as a bricklayer, then as a loader at a paper mill.

In March 1915, Vlasik was drafted into the army and sent to the front. During the First World War, he served in the 167th Ostroh Infantry Regiment, and was awarded the St. George Cross for bravery in battle. After being wounded, Vlasik was promoted to non-commissioned officer and appointed commander of a platoon of the 251st infantry regiment, which was stationed in Moscow.

During the October Revolution, Nikolai Vlasik, a native of the very bottom, quickly decided on his political choice: together with the entrusted platoon, he went over to the side of the Bolsheviks.

At first he served in the Moscow police, then he participated in the Civil War, was wounded near Tsaritsyn. In September 1919, Vlasik was sent to the bodies of the Cheka, where he served in the central apparatus under the command of Felix Dzerzhinsky himself.

Master of security and life

Since May 1926, Nikolai Vlasik served as a senior authorized officer of the Operational Department of the OGPU.

As Vlasik himself recalled, his work as Stalin's bodyguard began in 1927 after an emergency in the capital: a bomb was thrown into the commandant's office building on Lubyanka. The operative, who was on vacation, was recalled and announced: from that moment on, he was entrusted with the protection of the Special Department of the Cheka, the Kremlin, government members at dachas, walks. Particular attention was ordered to be given to the personal protection of Joseph Stalin.

Despite the sad story of the assassination attempt on Lenin, by 1927 the protection of the first persons of the state in the USSR was not particularly thorough.

Stalin was accompanied by only one guard: the Lithuanian Yusis. Vlasik was even more surprised when they arrived at the dacha, where Stalin usually spent his weekends. One commandant lived at the dacha, there was no linen, no dishes, and the leader ate sandwiches brought from Moscow.

Like all Belarusian peasants, Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik was a solid and well-to-do man. He took up not only the protection, but also the arrangement of Stalin's life.

The leader, accustomed to asceticism, at first was skeptical about the innovations of the new bodyguard. But Vlasik was persistent: a cook and a cleaner appeared at the dacha, food supplies were arranged from the nearest state farm. At that moment, there was not even a telephone connection with Moscow at the dacha, and it appeared through the efforts of Vlasik.

Over time, Vlasik created a whole system of dachas in the Moscow region and in the south, where well-trained personnel were ready at any moment to receive the Soviet leader. It is not worth talking about the fact that these objects were guarded in the most careful way.

The security system for important government facilities existed even before Vlasik, but he became the developer of security measures for the first person of the state during his trips around the country, official events, and international meetings.

Stalin's bodyguard came up with a system according to which the first person and the people accompanying him move in a cavalcade of identical cars, and only the bodyguards know which one the leader is driving in. Subsequently, such a scheme saved the life of Leonid Brezhnev, who was assassinated in 1969.

"Illiterate, stupid, but noble"

Within a few years, Vlasik turned into an indispensable and especially trusted person for Stalin. After the death of Nadezhda Alliluyeva, Stalin entrusted his bodyguard with the care of the children: Svetlana, Vasily and his adopted son Artyom Sergeyev.

Nikolai Sidorovich was not a teacher, but he tried his best. If Svetlana and Artyom did not cause him much trouble, then Vasily was uncontrollable from childhood. Vlasik, knowing that Stalin did not give up to children, tried, as far as possible, to mitigate the sins of Vasily in reports to his father.

Nikolai Vlasik with Stalin's children: Svetlana, Vasily and Yakov.

But over the years, the “pranks” became more and more serious, and it became more and more difficult for Vlasik to play the role of a “lightning rod”.

Svetlana and Artyom, as adults, wrote about their "tutor" in different ways. Stalin's daughter in "Twenty Letters to a Friend" described Vlasik as follows:

“He headed the entire guard of his father, considered himself almost the closest person to him, and, being himself incredibly illiterate, rude, stupid, but noble, in recent years he went so far as to dictate to some artists the “tastes of Comrade Stalin”, since believed that he knew them well and understood ...

His arrogance knew no bounds, and he favorably conveyed to artists whether he “liked” whether it was a film, or an opera, or even the silhouettes of high-rise buildings under construction at that time ... "

“He had a job all his life, and he lived near Stalin”

Artyom Sergeev in "Conversations about Stalin" spoke differently:

« His main duty was to ensure the safety of Stalin. This work was inhuman. Always the responsibility of the head, always life on the cutting edge. He knew perfectly well both friends and enemies of Stalin ...

What kind of work did Vlasik have in general? It was work day and night, there was no 6-8-hour working day. All his life he had work, and he lived near Stalin. Next to Stalin's room was Vlasik's room ... "

For ten or fifteen years, Nikolai Vlasik turned from an ordinary bodyguard into a general heading a huge structure responsible not only for security, but also for the life of the first persons of the state.

N. S. Vlasik with I. V. Stalin and his son Vasily. The near dacha in Volynskoye, 1935.

During the war years, the evacuation of the government, members of the diplomatic corps and people's commissariats from Moscow fell on Vlasik's shoulders. It was necessary not only to deliver them to Kuibyshev, but also to place them, equip them in a new place, and think over security issues.

The evacuation of Lenin's body from Moscow is also the task that Vlasik performed. He was also responsible for security at the parade on Red Square on November 7, 1941.

Assassination attempt in Gagra

For all the years that Vlasik was responsible for Stalin's life, not a single hair fell from his head. At the same time, the head of the leader’s guard himself, judging by his recollections, took the threat of assassination very seriously. Even in his declining years, he was sure that the Trotskyist groups were preparing the assassination of Stalin.

In 1935, Vlasik really had to cover the leader from bullets. During a boat trip in the Gagra region, fire was opened on them from the shore. The bodyguard covered Stalin with his body, but both were lucky: the bullets did not hit them. The boat left the firing zone.

Vlasik considered this a real assassination attempt, and his opponents later believed that it was all a production. As it turns out, there was a misunderstanding. The border guards were not informed about Stalin's boat trip, and they mistook him for an intruder. Subsequently, the officer who ordered the shooting was sentenced to five years. But in 1937, during the "great terror", they remembered him again, held another process and shot him.

Cow abuse

During the Great Patriotic War, Vlasik was responsible for ensuring security at conferences of the heads of the countries participating in the anti-Hitler coalition and coped with his task brilliantly. For the successful holding of the conference in Tehran, Vlasik was awarded the Order of Lenin, for the Crimean Conference - the Order of Kutuzov I degree, for the Potsdam Conference - another Order of Lenin.

But the Potsdam Conference became a pretext for accusations of misappropriation of property: it was alleged that after its completion, Vlasik took various valuables from Germany, including a horse, two cows and one bull. Subsequently, this fact was cited as an example of the irrepressible greed of the Stalinist bodyguard.

Vlasik himself recalled that this story had a completely different background. In 1941, the Germans captured his native village of Bobynichi. The house where my sister lived was burned down, half the village was shot, the sister's eldest daughter was driven away to work in Germany, the cow and the horse were taken away.

My sister and her husband went to the partisans, and after the liberation of Belarus they returned to their native village, from which little was left. Stalin's bodyguard brought cattle from Germany for relatives.

Was it abuse? If you approach with a strict measure, then, perhaps, yes. However, Stalin, when this case was first reported to him, sharply ordered that further investigation be stopped.

Opala

In 1946, Lieutenant General Nikolai Vlasik became the head of the Main Security Directorate: an agency with an annual budget of 170 million rubles and a staff of many thousands.

He did not fight for power, but at the same time he made a huge number of enemies. Being too close to Stalin, Vlasik had the opportunity to influence the leader's attitude towards this or that person, deciding who would get wider access to the first person, and who would be denied such an opportunity.

The almighty head of the Soviet special services, Lavrenty Beria, passionately wanted to get rid of Vlasik. Compromising evidence on Stalin's bodyguard was scrupulously collected, drop by drop undermining the leader's confidence in him.

In 1948, the commandant of the so-called "Near Dacha" Fedoseev was arrested, who testified that Vlasik intended to poison Stalin. But the leader again did not take this accusation seriously: if the bodyguard had such intentions, he could have realized his plans a long time ago.

Vlasik in the office.

In 1952, by decision of the Politburo, a commission was established to verify the activities of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of State Security of the USSR. This time, extremely unpleasant facts have surfaced that look quite plausible. The guards and personnel of the special dachas, which had been empty for weeks, staged real orgies there, plundered food and expensive drinks. Later, there were witnesses who assured that Vlasik himself was not averse to relaxing in this way.

On April 29, 1952, on the basis of these materials, Nikolai Vlasik was removed from his post and sent to the Urals, to the city of Asbest, as deputy head of the Bazhenov forced labor camp of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.

"Cohabited with women and drank alcohol in his spare time"

Why did Stalin suddenly back down from a man who honestly served him for 25 years? Perhaps it was all the fault of the leader's growing suspicion in recent years. It is possible that Stalin considered the waste of state funds for drunken revelry too serious a sin. There is also a third assumption. It is known that during this period the Soviet leader began to promote young leaders, and openly told his former associates: "It's time to change you." Perhaps Stalin felt that the time had come to replace Vlasik as well.

Be that as it may, very difficult times have come for the former head of the Stalinist guard ...

In December 1952, he was arrested in connection with the Doctors' Plot. He was blamed for the fact that he ignored the statements of Lydia Timashuk, who accused the professors who treated the first persons of the state of sabotage.

Vlasik himself wrote in his memoirs that there was no reason to believe Timashuk: "There was no data discrediting the professors, which I reported to Stalin."

In prison, Vlasik was interrogated with prejudice for several months. For a man who was already well over 50, the disgraced bodyguard held firm. I was ready to admit "moral decay" and even embezzlement, but not conspiracy and espionage.

“I really cohabited with many women, drank alcohol with them and the artist Stenberg, but all this happened at the expense of my personal health and in my spare time', - so sounded his testimony.

Could Vlasik extend the life of the leader?

On March 5, 1953, Joseph Stalin passed away. Even if we discard the dubious version of the murder of the leader, Vlasik, if he had remained in his post, he could well have extended his life. When the leader became ill at the Near Dacha, he lay for several hours on the floor of his room without help: the guards did not dare to enter Stalin's chambers. There is no doubt that Vlasik would not have allowed this.

After the death of the leader, the "case of doctors" was closed. All of his defendants were released, except for Nikolai Vlasik. The collapse of Lavrenty Beria in June 1953 did not bring him freedom either.

In January 1955, the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR found Nikolai Vlasik guilty of abuse of office under especially aggravating circumstances, sentenced under Art. 193-17 p. "b" of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR to 10 years of exile, deprivation of the rank of general and state awards. In March 1955, Vlasik's term was reduced to 5 years. He was sent to Krasnoyarsk to serve his sentence.

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 15, 1956, Vlasik was pardoned with the removal of a criminal record, but he was not restored to military rank and awards.

“Not a single minute did I have in my soul anger at Stalin”

He returned to Moscow, where he had almost nothing left: his property was confiscated, a separate apartment was turned into a communal one. Vlasik knocked on the thresholds of offices, wrote to the leaders of the party and government, asked for rehabilitation and reinstatement in the party, but was refused everywhere.

Secretly, he began to dictate memoirs in which he talked about how he saw his life, why he did certain things, how he treated Stalin.

“After Stalin's death, such an expression appeared as the“ personality cult ”... If a person who is the leader of his affairs deserves the love and respect of others, what’s wrong with that ... The people loved and respected Stalin. He personified a country that led to prosperity and victories, wrote Nikolai Vlasik. - Under his leadership, a lot of good things were done, and the people saw it. He enjoyed great prestige. I knew him very closely... And I affirm that he lived only for the interests of the country, the interests of his people.”

“It is easy to accuse a person of all mortal sins when he is dead and can neither justify nor defend himself. Why, during his lifetime, no one dared to point out to him his mistakes? What hindered? Fear? Or were there no such errors that should have been pointed out?

What Tsar Ivan IV was formidable for, but there were people who cared for their homeland, who, not fearing death, pointed out to him his mistakes. Or were brave people transferred to Russia? - so thought the Stalinist bodyguard.

Summing up his memoirs and his whole life in general, Vlasik wrote: “Without a single penalty, but only encouragement and awards, I was expelled from the party and thrown into prison.

But never, not for a single minute, no matter what state I was in, no matter what bullying I was subjected to while in prison, I did not have anger in my soul against Stalin. I perfectly understood what kind of atmosphere was created around him in the last years of his life. How difficult it was for him. He was an old, sick, lonely man ... He was and remains the most dear person to me, and no slander can shake the feeling of love and the deepest respect that I always had for this wonderful person. He personified for me everything bright and dear in my life - the party, the motherland and my people.

Posthumously rehabilitated

Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik died on June 18, 1967. His archive was seized and classified. Only in 2011, the Federal Security Service declassified the notes of the person who, in fact, stood at the origins of its creation.

Relatives of Vlasik have repeatedly made attempts to achieve his rehabilitation. After several refusals, on June 28, 2000, by a decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Court of Russia, the 1955 sentence was canceled, and the criminal case was dismissed "due to the lack of corpus delicti".

Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik spent a quarter of a century next to Stalin, protecting the life of the Soviet leader. Without his bodyguard, the leader lived for less than a year.

From the parochial school to the Cheka

During the October Revolution, Nikolai Vlasik, a native of the very bottom, quickly decided on his political choice: together with the entrusted platoon, he went over to the side of the Bolsheviks.

Master of security and life

Since May 1926, Nikolai Vlasik served as a senior authorized officer of the Operational Department of the OGPU.

Despite the sad story of the assassination attempt on Lenin, by 1927 the protection of the first persons of the state in the USSR was not particularly thorough.

Like all Belarusian peasants, Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik was a solid and well-to-do man. He took up not only the protection, but also the arrangement of Stalin's life.

"Illiterate, stupid, but noble"

Nikolai Vlasik with Stalin's children: Svetlana, Vasily and Yakov.

But over the years, the “pranks” became more and more serious, and it became more and more difficult for Vlasik to play the role of a “lightning rod”.

Svetlana and Artyom, as adults, wrote about their "tutor" in different ways. Stalin's daughter in "Twenty Letters to a Friend" described Vlasik as follows:

“He had a job all his life, and he lived near Stalin”

Artyom Sergeev in "Conversations about Stalin" spoke differently:

“His main duty was to ensure the safety of Stalin. This work was inhuman. Always the responsibility of the head, always life on the cutting edge. He knew perfectly well both friends and enemies of Stalin ...

N. S. Vlasik with I. V. Stalin and his son Vasily. The near dacha in Volynskoye, 1935.

The evacuation of Lenin's body from Moscow is also the task that Vlasik performed. He was also responsible for security at the parade on Red Square on November 7, 1941.

Assassination attempt in Gagra

Cow abuse

Was it abuse? If you approach with a strict measure, then, perhaps, yes. However, Stalin, when this case was first reported to him, sharply ordered that further investigation be stopped.

Opala

In 1946, Lieutenant General Nikolai Vlasik became the head of the Main Security Directorate: an agency with an annual budget of 170 million rubles and a staff of many thousands.

Vlasik in the office.

"Cohabited with women and drank alcohol in his spare time"

Be that as it may, very difficult times have come for the former head of the Stalinist guard ...

Vlasik himself wrote in his memoirs that there was no reason to believe Timashuk: "There was no data discrediting the professors, which I reported to Stalin."

“I really cohabited with many women, drank alcohol with them and the artist Stenberg, but all this happened at the expense of my personal health and in my free time,” his testimony sounded.

Could Vlasik extend the life of the leader?

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 15, 1956, Vlasik was pardoned with the removal of a criminal record, but he was not restored to military rank and awards.

“Not a single minute did I have in my soul anger at Stalin”

Secretly, he began to dictate memoirs in which he talked about how he saw his life, why he did certain things, how he treated Stalin.

“After Stalin’s death, such an expression appeared as“ the cult of personality ”... If a person who is the leader of his affairs deserves the love and respect of others, what’s wrong with that ... The people loved and respected Stalin. He personified a country that led to prosperity and victories, wrote Nikolai Vlasik. - Under his leadership, a lot of good things were done, and the people saw it. He enjoyed great prestige. I knew him very closely... And I affirm that he lived only for the interests of the country, the interests of his people.”

Summing up his memoirs and his whole life in general, Vlasik wrote: “Without a single penalty, but only encouragement and awards, I was expelled from the party and thrown into prison.

Posthumously rehabilitated

The series about Vlasik goes in the evenings on Channel One

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On Channel One, the 14-episode film “Vlasik. Shadow of Stalin. Nikolai Vlasik was called by many the shadow of the leader. He was a real "product of his time", having received the rank of general with three classes (!) Of education. Rostovite Valeria Baykeeva, the author of the script for the series, told Komsomolskaya Pravda about the most striking episodes from the life of the bodyguard of the leader of the peoples.

MY HOMELAND - BELARUS

Nikolai Vlasik was born on May 22, 1896 in the village of Bobynichi, Grodno district, in Western Belarus. This boy from a poor peasant family lost his parents early. There was no one to rely on, so after three classes of the parochial school, from the age of 13 he worked as a laborer at a construction site, was a bricklayer and a loader.

He had no education in the classical sense of the word. But he had an excellent memory, resourcefulness and curiosity, - says screenwriter of the film Valeria Baykeeva.

In March 1915, he was drafted into the army, sent to the front. For the courage shown in the battles during the First World War, the fighter was awarded the St. George Cross. By the way, he did not hide his award all subsequent years, on the contrary, he was proud of it.

UNIQUE SECURITY SYSTEM IS STILL IN USE

After being wounded, Vlasik was promoted to non-commissioned officer, appointed commander of a platoon of an infantry regiment in Moscow. During the October Revolution, together with his subordinates, he quickly oriented himself and went over to the side of the Bolsheviks: he served in the Moscow police, participated in the Civil War, was wounded again - already near Tsaritsyn. Four years later, he was sent under the command of Felix Dzerzhinsky to the bodies of the Cheka. His work as Stalin's bodyguard began in 1927, after a bomb was thrown into the commandant's office on Lubyanka. The 31-year-old operative Vlasik was recalled from vacation and announced an important mission, which from now on was assigned to him - the protection of the Kremlin, members of the government and Himself.

Having fallen into Stalin's orbit, Vlasik developed such a unique security system that the modern Federal Security Service still uses his developments - the screenwriter says.- In particular, several identical motorcades following different routes - the idea of the main guard of the Union. Or, so that nothing threatened the leaders of the anti-Hitler coalition at a meeting in Tehran in 1943, the bodyguard "built" an impenetrable "corridor" of specially crafted shields, and installed it along the path of Stalin's cortege. By the way, in the famous Soviet film "Tehran 43" - which shows the operation of Soviet intelligence to prevent an assassination attempt on the leaders of the anti-Hitler coalition, there is not a word about Vlasik's brilliant work. Despite the fact that he arranged the residence of the Soviet leader in such a way that Roosevelt, disappointed in the safety of the American mission, went "to wait" to Stalin.

SAVE THE LEADER FROM BULLETS

It was Vlasik who became the developer of security measures for the first person of the state during his trips around the country, official events and international meetings. During the war years, the evacuation of the government, members of the diplomatic corps and people's commissariats from Moscow fell on his shoulders. It was necessary not only to deliver them to Kuibyshev, but also to place them, equip them in a new place, and think over security issues. Once, risking his life, he had to close the leader from bullets with his body - this happened in 1935 in Gagra, when the border guards, not knowing what kind of boat was sailing past the outpost outside the set time, opened fire from the shore. In fact, for fun - where wine and songs flowed like water, they simply forgot to warn them. Lucky the bullets didn't hit anyone.

LOVER OF SONGS AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Nikolai Vlasik was a rather closed, silent and calm person and knew how to present himself. But at the same time he did not stick out, did not pull the blanket over himself. The truth is not with everyone. With his own - with whom he served and whom he trusted - with his guards, the people with whom he began serving at Menzhinsky, he was the soul of the company. He loved to sing. By the way, he had an excellent baritone voice. Basically, the repertoire consisted of Belarusian songs such as "Kukushechka" and "Voselochka", as well as Russian folk and romances.

And Vlasik's main hobby was photography. He photographed excellently, preferring the Soviet FED. During the arrest, more than 3,000 negatives were confiscated from Vlasik - pictures of his family, the Leader's family, on vacation and at home ...

By the way, Vlasik’s sense of humor was close to modern, as they would say, “black” ... During interrogation, when he was asked: “How would you comment on the accusations of drunkenness and debauchery?” He replied: “I really harmed my health, but I did it outside of working hours ...”

CHANGED YOUR PATRONYMENAME

Vlasik was an "economic guy": he arranged the life of Stalin and his family in the way he would like to arrange his own. Seeing that the leader and his wife were eating sandwiches brought from Moscow in their dacha, he organized the delivery of food there and organized a cook, a cleaning lady from the nearest state farm, and a telephone connection. But he never had enough time for his family. On the other hand, the handsome, stately Nikolai SERGEICH - as he called himself (the patronymic Sidorovich seemed dissonant to him), was noticed by beautiful women, from waitresses to actresses, including party workers. They said different things, but the prominent bodyguard did not even think about getting divorced.

In fact, Vlasik, like Stalin and his children, was deeply unhappy in his personal life. They had no children with a wife. They, at the insistence of his wife, adopted the girl Nadia, the daughter of Nikolai's deceased sister, raising her.

HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN LOVE ADVENTURES

Vlasik partly took over the care of Stalin's children. Svetlana - the leader's rain, frankly, she did not like him.

Let's start with the fact that Svetochka grew up as a bitchy and very proud girl, - the interlocutor says.- For the first time she fell in love as a teenager, with the son of Beria, whom his father brought to Moscow. Then the reddish and by no means beautiful daughter of the leader of the superpower was friends with the charming Martha Peshkova, Gorky's granddaughter. Girlfriends went everywhere together, and the handsome Sergo became the object of dreams of both of them. But the guy chose Marfa, married her. Later they had children and a close-knit family. Svetlana, at first, went crazy, raged, showing her character. And then she had an affair with screenwriter Alexei Kapler, who was much older than her. When it came to Stalin, then, as they would say today, he simply had an explosion of the brain. As a father, one could understand him: a young girl ran after an adult man as if tied. I must say that Kapler treated her very gently - he introduced her to literature, took her to the skating rink and concerts. Vlasik was indirectly involved in the whole thing. He understood that there was no danger. And even somehow tried to influence the enraged Joseph. But dad was unstoppable. The leader ordered: "Solve this issue, Vlasik!". Then Vlasik suggested that the screenwriter leave Moscow peacefully. But the groom, well-known to the public, overestimated his abilities and, having remained, ended up in the camps. The inconsolable Svetlana suffered at first, but quickly calmed down and began to marry many times. It's hard to say why she behaved this way. The girl was left without a mother early. She was raised by two very busy men: a martinet - her father's bodyguard, and the leader of the state, one of the most influential people on the planet and at all times. What is the upbringing?

VASILY STALIN RESPECTED VLASIK

But the middle son of Stalin - Vasily - respected Vlasik.

Red - that's what Stalin called him for his red hair, worked miracles - the screenwriter continues.- Now they would say that he majored in full: he didn’t want to study, he made a duplicate key to the apartment of Yasha’s older brother - while he was studying in Leningrad, and arranged drinking parties there. Vlasik periodically covered this "raspberry" himself, and when strangers complained, he stood up for Vasya before his father. After one of these sprees, Stalin sent his son to study at the Kachinsky Pilot School. But then Beria began to fight for influence on Vasya, knocking out his sacred duty - to visit the heir. He went there with checks, and then went to Stalin with reports. What was the father's surprise when a letter came to his name from the commander of the school, in which he wrote "your son is a loser, a lazy person and a violator of the rules." The brutalized Stalin called Vlasik, sending him to deal with the offspring. He gave the ward a good scolding. Vasily was afraid of Vlasik, but he loved, calling Uncle Kolya.

"GIFT" FROM BERIA

Iosif Vissarionovich was a very knowledgeable person and told Vlasik: I know everything about everyone. But he had an interesting property: even if a person behaved inappropriately, committed some misconduct, but at the same time was useful to him until a certain time, Stalin did not touch him. Then the main question remains - why, after two decades of service, the leader still refused a devoted bodyguard?

There was a confluence of circumstances - the scriptwriter thinks. - Stalin was a man far from the way of life. He completely and in all domestic matters trusted Vlasik. And Beria very cleverly played on this feature. Once they were standing together on the roof of the Middle Dacha. And the leader suddenly asked: "Lavrenty, what kind of city is there on the horizon?" Beria replied: "So this is your Vlasik and built for his guards." In fairness, it should be noted that the bodyguard, actively promoting a healthy lifestyle and taking care of his subordinates, really organized a small village with a stadium, a swimming pool and a cinema so that the guards lived right next to their object. But how was it presented? And that was the first call.

Then Beria hinted to Stalin that that Astrakhan herring, which is always on the table and appears at the first click of the owner, costs crazy money, because, by order of Vlasik, it is delivered by plane, which in itself is not a cheap pleasure. And it began to dawn on the leader: a lot of money is being spent uncontrollably. Beria actively warmed up this topic. Then, in 1952, the “case of the poisoning doctors of a number of Soviet leaders” arrived. By that time, Stalin had already begun to suffer from the same paranoia that is still talked about so much. And he refused Vlasik.

And when they came to arrest the bodyguard, he said: "There will be no me, there will be no Stalin." In less than three months, he turned out to be right - Stalin died.

TWO HEART AND FAKE SHOOTING

56-year-old Nikolai Vlasik went to prison, outwardly still a handsome healthy man, and four years later he came out as a deep old man with shuffling legs - after all, there he had two heart attacks and two false executions.

After the arrest, the bodyguard thrown to the sidelines of life returned to Moscow, where he had almost nothing left: his property was confiscated, a separate apartment was turned into a communal one. The wife lived in cramped conditions. The husband of the adopted daughter, after the arrest of an influential father, left his wife. Not accustomed to giving up, Vlasik knocked on the thresholds of offices, wrote to government leaders, asked for rehabilitation and reinstatement in the party, but was refused everywhere. He was pardoned with the removal of a criminal record only after the reburial of Stalin. That's just in the military rank and awards have not been restored.

WHO WROTE THREE MILLION DENUSIONS?

There was one episode that clearly showed the attitude of the then contemporaries to Vlasik - recalls Valerie.- Somehow, in the 60s, he arrived at the Kuntsevskaya dacha, where Stalin died. At that time, the remnants of the leader's personal belongings were taken out of there, and among others, huge boxes with denunciations written by the Soviet people. The denunciations were both serious and on the level: "Dear Comrade Stalin, please influence my neighbor Serafima Kozlovskaya, who does not turn off the light at night in the toilet." The young officer recognized old Vlasik and rudely “asked” to leave the territory. Vlasik replied: "I actually built this cottage." To which the young man grunted: “Listen, grandfather, neither history nor the fate of the tyrant and murderer (meaning Stalin) is of interest to anyone here.” Vlasik remained faithful to his master to the last and did not remain silent: “The tyrant and the murderers, maybe, just who wrote these three million denunciations?”

SPECIFICALLY

Watch the series "Vlasik. Shadow of Stalin” from Monday to Thursday at 21:35 on Channel One.

Until recently, private pictures of the leader of all nations were not available to the general public. About ten years ago, the surviving archives of Vlasik were "opened" by his relatives and even his diaries were published. But the rest of the materials about Stalin's life confiscated by Lubyanka, and in huge quantities, including photos, video, and audio, are not yet available.

Let's start in order, with a biography.

Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik (May 22, 1896, the village of Bobynichi, Slonim district, Grodno province (now Slonim district, Grodno region) - June 18, 1967, Moscow) - figure in the security agencies of the USSR, head of security of I. Stalin, lieutenant general.

Member of the RCP(b) since 1918. He was expelled from the party after being arrested in the doctors' case on December 16, 1952.

Born into a poor peasant family. By nationality - Belarusian. He graduated from three classes of a rural parochial school. He began his career at the age of thirteen: a laborer for a landowner, a digger on a railway, a laborer at a paper mill in Yekaterinoslav.

In March 1915 he was called up for military service. He served in the 167th Ostroh Infantry Regiment, in the 251st Reserve Infantry Regiment. For bravery in the battles of the First World War he received the St. George Cross. In the days of the October Revolution, being in the rank of non-commissioned officer, along with a platoon, he went over to the side of Soviet power.

In November 1917, he entered the service of the Moscow police. Since February 1918 - in the Red Army, a participant in the battles on the Southern Front near Tsaritsyn, was an assistant company commander in the 33rd working Rogozhsko-Simonovsky infantry regiment.

In September 1919, he was transferred to the bodies of the Cheka, worked under the direct supervision of F. E. Dzerzhinsky in the central office, was an employee of a special department, senior commissioner of the active department of the operational unit. From May 1926 he became a senior commissioner of the Operational Department of the OGPU, from January 1930 - assistant to the head of the department there.

In 1927, he headed the Kremlin's special guards and became the de facto chief of Stalin's guards. At the same time, the official name of his position was repeatedly changed due to constant reorganizations and reassignments in the security agencies. From the mid-1930s - head of the department of the 1st department (protection of senior officials) of the Main Directorate of State Security of the NKVD of the USSR, from November 1938 - head of the 1st department in the same place. In February - July 1941, this department was part of the People's Commissariat for State Security of the USSR, then it was returned to the NKVD of the USSR. From November 1942 - First Deputy Head of the 1st Department of the NKVD of the USSR.

Since May 1943 - head of the 6th department of the People's Commissariat of State Security of the USSR, since August 1943 - first deputy head of this department. Since April 1946 - Head of the Main Security Directorate of the USSR Ministry of State Security (since December 1946 - Main Security Directorate).

In May 1952, he was removed from the post of head of Stalin's security and sent to the Ural city of Asbest as deputy head of the Bazhenov forced labor camp of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.

December 16, 1952 Vlasik was arrested. He was accused of embezzling large amounts of state money and valuables, "indulging pest doctors", abuse of office, etc. L. Beria and G. Malenkov are considered the initiators of Vlasik's arrest. “Until March 12, 1953, Vlasik was interrogated almost daily (mainly in the case of doctors). The audit found that the accusations against the group of doctors are false. All professors and doctors have been released from custody. Recently, the investigation into the Vlasik case has been conducted in two directions: the disclosure of secret information and theft of material assets ... After Vlasik's arrest, several dozen documents marked "secret" were found in his apartment ... Being in Potsdam, where he accompanied the government delegation of the USSR, Vlasik engaged in hoarding…”(Certificate from the criminal case).

On January 17, 1953, the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR found him guilty of abuse of office under especially aggravating circumstances, sentencing him under Art. 193-17 p. "b" of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR to 10 years of exile, deprivation of the rank of general and state awards. Sent to serve exile in Krasnoyarsk. Under an amnesty on March 27, 1953, Vlasik's term was reduced to five years, without loss of rights. By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 15, 1956, Vlasik was pardoned with the removal of a criminal record. He was not restored in military rank and awards.

On June 28, 2000, by a decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Court of Russia, the 1955 verdict against Vlasik was canceled and the criminal case was dismissed "due to the lack of corpus delicti".

Vlasik lasted the longest in the protection of Stalin. At the same time, almost all the domestic problems of the head of state lay on his shoulders. In essence, Vlasik was a member of the Stalin family. After the death of N.S. Alliluyeva, he was also a teacher of children, an organizer of their leisure, an economic and financial manager.

Stalin's summer residences, along with the security staff, maids, housekeepers and cooks, were also subordinate to Vlasik. And there were many of them: a dacha in Kuntsevo-Volynsky, or "Near Dacha" (in 1934-1953 - the main residence of Stalin, where he died), a dacha in Gorki-tenths (35 km from Moscow along the Uspenskaya road), an old manor along Dmitrovskoye Highway - Lipki, a dacha in Semenovsky (the house was built before the war), a dacha in Zubalovo-4 ("Far Dacha", "Zubalovo"), 2 dacha on Lake Ritsa, or "Dacha on the Cold River" (at the mouth the Lashupse River, which flows into Lake Ritsa), three dachas in Sochi (one is not far from Matsesta, the other is behind Adler, the third is before Gagra), a dacha in Borjomi (Liakansky Palace), a dacha in New Athos, a dacha in Tskhaltubo , a dacha in Myusery (near Pitsunda), a dacha in Kislovodsk, a dacha in the Crimea (in Mukholatka), a dacha in Valdai.

"He N. S. Vlasik] simply prevented Beria from getting to Stalin, because his father would not let him die. He would not wait a day outside the door, like those guards on March 1, 1953, when Stalin “wakes up” ..."- the daughter of N. S. Vlasik Nadezhda Vlasik in the newspaper "Moskovsky Komsomolets" dated 05/07/2003

Unfortunately, this interview turned out to be sad consequences for Nadezhda Nikolaevna. Here is how an employee of the Slonim Museum of Local Lore tells this story:

“The personal belongings of Nikolai Sidorovich were transferred to the museum by his adopted daughter, his own niece Nadezhda Nikolaevna (there were no children of her own). This lonely woman sought the rehabilitation of the general all her life.

In 2000, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dropped all charges against Nikolai Vlasik. He was posthumously rehabilitated, restored to his rank, and the awards were returned to his family. These are three orders of Lenin, four orders of the Red Banner, orders of the Red Star and Kutuzov, four medals, two honorary Chekist badges.

At that time, - says Irina Shpyrkova, - we contacted Nadezhda Nikolaevna. We agreed on the transfer of awards and personal belongings to our museum. She agreed, and in the summer of 2003 our employee went to Moscow.

But everything turned out like a detective story. An article about Vlasik was published in Moskovsky Komsomolets. Many called Nadezhda Nikolaevna. One of the callers identified himself as Alexander Borisovich - a lawyer, a representative of the State Duma deputy Demin. He promised to help the woman return Vlasik's priceless personal photo archive.

The next day he came to Nadezhda Nikolaevna, supposedly to draw up documents. Asked for tea. The hostess left, and when she returned to the room, the guest was suddenly about to leave. She didn’t see him anymore, like 16 medals and orders, the general’s gold watch ...

Nadezhda Nikolaevna had only the Order of the Red Banner, which she handed over to Slonimsky local history museum. And also two pieces of paper from my father's notebook. "

Here is a list of all the awards that disappeared from Nadezhda Nikolaevna (except for one Order of the Red Banner):

George Cross 4th class

3 orders of Lenin (04/26/1940, 02/21/1945, 09/16/1945)

3 orders of the Red Banner (08/28/1937, 09/20/1943, 11/3/1944)

Order of the Red Star (05/14/1936)

Order of Kutuzov, 1st class (02/24/1945)

Medal of the twentieth years of the Red Army (22.02.1938)

2 badges Honorary Worker of the Cheka-GPU (12/20/1932, 12/16/1935)

In his memoirs, Vlasik wrote:

« I was severely offended by Stalin. After 25 years of impeccable work, without any reprimand, but only encouragement and awards, I was expelled from the party and thrown into prison. For my boundless devotion, he gave me into the hands of enemies. But never, not for a single minute, no matter what state I was in, no matter what bullying I was subjected to while in prison, I did not have anger in my soul against Stalin.»

According to his wife, Vlasik was convinced until his death that L.P. Beria “helped” Stalin to die.

Well, now let's move on to Vlasik's activities as a photographer. Here is what he writes in his memoirs:

« A few days before the November holidays in 1941, Comrade Stalin called me and said that it was necessary to prepare the premises of the Mayakovskaya metro station for the solemn meeting.

There was very little time, I immediately called the deputy chairman of the Moscow Council, Yasnov, and agreed to go with him to Mayakovsky Square. Arriving and inspecting the metro station, we made a plan. It was necessary to build a stage, get chairs, arrange a rest room for the presidium and organize a concert. We quickly organized all this, and at the appointed time the hall was ready. Coming down the escalator to the Ceremonial Meeting, Comrade Stalin looked at me (I was wearing a bekesha and hat) and said: “Here you have a star on your hat, but I don’t have it. Still, you know, it’s uncomfortable - the commander-in-chief, but he’s not dressed in uniform, and there’s not even a star on his cap, please get me a star.

When Comrade Stalin left for home after the meeting, a star shone on his cap. In this cap and in a simple overcoat without any insignia, he performed at the historic parade on November 7, 1941. I managed to photograph him successfully, and this photo was distributed in large numbers. The soldiers attached it to the tanks and with the words: “For the Motherland! For Stalin!" — went into fierce attacks. »

The very famous photo of N. Vlasik, taken on November 7, 1941, during the parade on Red Square.

“At the conference in Tehran, which took place at the end of November 1943, from November 28 to December 1, in addition to Comrade Stalin, Molotov, Voroshilov and the head of the Operations Directorate of the General Staff Shtemenko were present.

During his stay in Tehran, Comrade Stalin paid a visit to the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, in his truly fabulous crystal palace. I personally managed to capture this meeting in a photograph.

December 1, 1943, Tehran. The delegation of the USSR headed by Stalin and Shahinshah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, on the eve of the conversation in the palace of the Shahinshah. It is possible that this photograph was taken by N. Vlasik.

At the Tehran conference, I again had to act as a photojournalist. Together with other photojournalists, I photographed the Big Three, who specially posed for the press. The photographs turned out to be very successful and were published in Soviet newspapers.»

November 29, 1943, Tehran. Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. It is possible that one of these photos belongs to N. Vlasik.

« On August 19, 1947, the Molotov cruiser under the command of Admiral I.S. Yumashev, accompanied by two destroyers, left the port of Yalta.

On board the cruiser, in addition to Comrade Stalin, were: A. N. Kosygin, who was invited by I. V. T. A. N. Kosygin, the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral F. S. Oktyabrsky, who was resting at that time in Yalta, and others. This trip made an unforgettable impression on me. The weather was great and everyone was in high spirits. Tov. Stalin, under the incessant greeting "Hurrah!" the cruiser bypassed the entire crew. The faces of the sailors were joyful and enthusiastic. Having agreed to the request of Admiral Yumashev to be photographed together with the personnel of the cruiser, Comrade Stalin called me. I ended up, one might say, in photojournalism. I already took a lot of pictures, and Comrade Stalin saw my pictures. But despite this, I was very worried, because I was not sure about the film.

Tov. Stalin saw my condition and, as always, showed sensitivity. When I finished shooting, having taken a few photos to guarantee, he called a security officer and said: “Vlasik tried so hard, but no one took him off. Take a picture of it with us." I handed the camera to the employee, explaining everything that was necessary, and he also took a few pictures. The photographs turned out to be very successful and were reprinted in many newspapers. »

A series of photographs taken on August 19, 1947 by various authors. Some photos could have been taken by N. Vlasik:

In this photo, the shadow of a photographer in a cap is visible on Stalin's trousers. Therefore, with a high probability we can say that the photo was taken by N. Vlasik.

"For a snack", but past the topic - as usual, based on Stalin's majestic visits to something, court socialist realist artists wrote agitation. This time, the artist V. Puzyrkov wisely fussed.

Fragments of the court session on January 17, 1955, mostly about Vlasik's passion for fixing Stalin's life:

The presiding judge, opening it, announced that a criminal case was being considered on charges of Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik of committing crimes under Article 193-17 p "b" of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR.

presiding. Defendant Vlasik, did you keep secret documents in your apartment?

Vlasik. I was going to compile an album in which the life and work of Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin would be reflected in photographs and documents, and therefore I had some data in my apartment for this.

I thought that these documents were not particularly secret, but, as I see now, I had to deposit some of them with the MGB. I kept them locked in the drawers of the table, and my wife made sure that no one climbed into the drawers.

Court member Kovalenko. Defendant Vlasik, show the court about your acquaintance with Kudoyarov.

Vlasik. Kudoyarov worked as a photojournalist back in the period when I was attached to the protection of the head of government. I saw him on the set in the Kremlin, on Red Square, I heard about him as a great photographer. When I bought myself a camera, I asked for a photo consultation. He came to my apartment. Showed how to handle the camera, how to shoot. Then I visited several times in the photo lab on Vorovskogo street

Court member Kovalenko. And what can you say about the fourteen cameras and lenses you had?

Vlasik. Most of them I received through my career. I bought one Zeiss apparatus through Vneshtorg, another apparatus was presented to me by Serov.

Court member Kovalenko. Where did you get the telephoto camera from?

Vlasik. This camera was made in Palkin's department especially for me. I needed it for filming I. V. Stalin from a long distance, because the latter was always reluctant to allow photography.

Court member Kovalenko. Where did you get your movie camera from?

Vlasik. The film camera was sent to me from the Ministry of Cinematography especially for the filming of I. V. Stalin.

Court member Kovalenko. And what kind of quartz devices did you have?

Vlasik. Quartz devices were intended for illumination during photo and filming.

Based on Art. 331 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the RSFSR property discovered during a search in Vlasik’s apartment, such as: ... a movie camera No. 265, ..., cameras No. 102811 with a lens No. 1396, No. 16690, No. 331977, No. 2076368, No. 318708, No. 151429, No. 3112350, No. 1006978, No. 240429, No. 216977, Talbot camera, 14 different photo lenses, two quartz devices, ... indicated in the search report of December 17, 1952, Nos. 41, 42, 43, 46 and 47, ... - as acquired by criminal means - to withdraw and turn into state revenue.

The equipment confiscated during the search on December 17, 1952 is a significant collection of photographic equipment. Let's see how Vlasik used it. And along the way we will try to restore the chronological order.

Summer 1935. Most likely "near dacha". The private life of a dictator. Photographs not only Vlasik, but also him.

Vlasik with Vasily and Joseph Stalin. Please note that Vlasik has a camera hanging around his neck (I hope that experts will be able to determine the model). It was with this camera that the photo session was made, which follows below.

Stalin with his daughter Svetlana. Well known photo.

Stalin with children - Vasily and Svetlana.

The same, but the composition has changed.

A lesser-known photo of Stalin, where he jokes twice as hard.

A very private photo of Stalin taken by Vlasik. The same 1935, Tiflis. Stalin with his mother, Beria and an unknown Georgian communist.

A large series of photographs taken by Vlasik on April 29, 1936 in the Kremlin. Stalin, Molotov, Mikoyan, Ordzhonikidze, I.A. Likhachev and others inspect a new brand of Soviet car - ZiS-101.

Here is what the website of the magazine "Behind the wheel" wrote about this event:

“These were two cars, black and cherry. Preparing them, engineers Aleksey Alekseevich Evseev and Nikolai Timofeevich Osipov did not leave the workshop for two days, checking every detail with the assemblers many times. And now the limousines sparkling with varnish froze under the windows of the Kremlin apartment of one of the most popular people's commissars of the country, Grigory Konstantinovich Ordzhonikidze. The director of the ZiS plant, Ivan Alekseevich Likhachev, and the old coachbuilder Evseev went upstairs with a report. It turned out that Ordzhonikidze was walking around the Kremlin at that hour. And when the ZiS people again went out to the cars, Comrade Sergo was already enthusiastically getting acquainted with the new products. Despite on this effect of surprise, the show developed successfully.

Sergo Ordzhonikidze driving one of the ZiS-101

The mood of all members of the government that morning was excellent. Looking at Likhachev's ironed jacket, Stalin joked: "Comrade Sergo, buy Likhachev half a dozen good shirts, otherwise he, apparently, does not have enough salary for decent shirts."

Of the remarks made by the leader, the most significant related to the form of the decorative bonnet design. The massive mascot depicting a waving banner will subsequently be replaced by a laconic and less material-intensive flag."

V.Ya. Chubar, I.A. Likhachev, N.S. Khrushchev G.K. Ordzhonikidze, I.V. Stalin, V.I. Mezhlauk, L.M. Kaganovich, V.M. Molotov

I.V.Stalin, V.M.Molotov, A.I.Mikoyan, G.K.Ordzhonikidze and I.A.Likhachev at one of the ZiS-101 samples. There is a slight falsification - the first deputy chairman of the USSR State Planning Committee, V.I.

Grigory Konstantinovich (aka Sergo) Ordzhonikidze, who recently admired the ZiS-101, died on February 18, 1937. Whether he shot himself or died due to illness is still unknown. Vlasik again took a very valuable photo in historical terms. At Sergo's deathbed are relatives and associates: wife Zinaida Gavrilovna Ordzhonikidze, comrades Molotov, Yezhov, Stalin, Zhdanov, Kaganovich, Mikoyan and Voroshilov:

The following photos have already been used in the material "The Third Coming of Stalin". Let me remind you that this is April 22, 1937, a visit by Stalin and the construction company of the Moscow-Volga Canal:

Voroshilov, Molotov, Stalin, Khrushchev and Yezhov

Voroshilov, Moltov, Stalin and Yezhov at Gateway No. 3

There. Voroshilov, Moltov, Stalin are already without Yezhov, who was removed from the photo after his arrest.

A little-known but very important meeting between Harry Hopkins and Stalin at the very beginning of the war, on July 30, 1941, was also recorded by Vlasik on film.

G. Hopkins, as a representative of the American government and personally President Roosevelt, repeatedly visited Moscow, where he negotiated with Stalin, Molotov and other Soviet leaders. He first arrived in the Soviet capital on July 30, 1941 to clarify Moscow's position on the demand for the necessary military supplies, as well as to clarify the intentions of the USSR regarding participation in the war. The message delivered by Hopkins to the American administration promised US support for the supply of weapons to Moscow, as well as a proposal to convene a trilateral conference (US, USSR and Great Britain) at which the positions of the three parties and theaters of war would be discussed. For Stalin, the main goal was to open a second front, but he supported the offer of American assistance, including on the Soviet-German front.

Hopkins gave a positive account of the negotiations with Stalin, concluding that the Soviet Union was ready to fight to the bitter end. On August 2, 1941, an exchange of notes took place between the USSR and the USA: Washington declared its readiness to provide all possible economic assistance to the USSR.

On March 28, 1947, another new car of the Soviet automobile industry was brought to the Kremlin. This time it was the legendary "Victory". Stalin and members of the government visiting Pobeda. Photo by N. Vlasik, published in the magazine "Technique-Youth":

As we have already seen, the not always technically perfect photographs of N.S. Vlasik are of great historical value, showing the life of Stalin and his entourage from completely unexpected angles. For example, a photo of drunk Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev, in a Ukrainian vyshyvanka of a dancing hopak at the Middle Dacha.

Where are the archives of Vlasik now?

Fragments of the conversation between the compiler of the book “Shadows of Stalin General Vlasik and his associates” Vladimir Loginov with the daughter of N. S. Vlasik Nadezhda Nikolaevna Vlasik-Mikhailova.

Nadezhda Nikolaevna Vlasik-Mikhailova, the daughter of Nikolai Sergeevich Vlasik, lives in a small two-room apartment not far from the Belorusskaya metro station. After the death of her mother, she handed over, according to her father's will, his suicide notes-memoirs about Stalin to Georgy Aleksandrovich Egnatashvili with a large number of photographs from the personal archive of Nikolai Sidorovich.

« A lot of things were taken from us and a lot of everything that was connected with the father's archive. As a matter of fact, the main part. And what was left, my mother saved until her death. In 1985, people from Gori came to us with a letter from the Council of Ministers of Georgia with a request to transfer everything that was left to the Stalin Museum in Gori. I have it, I can show it to you. And I handed over one hundred and fifty-two photographs, five smoking pipes of Stalin, Nadezhda Alliluyeva's student card, the original of her letter, and something else. And what was left, I gave to Bichigo, as my mother bequeathed to me. I only have personal photos...

- But besides just human qualities, he was also very talented in many ways?

- Not that word. It was just a nugget. Whatever he undertook, he succeeded. Judge for yourself, because he went through life from a shepherd to a lieutenant general! Take his passion for photography. The Pravda newspaper constantly published his pictures. I remember which number you take: "Photo by N. Vlasik." After all, he had a special dark room equipped at home. Everything - from exposure and shooting to developing, printing and glossing - he did exclusively by himself, without anyone's help.

Have all the awards been confiscated?

- Absolutely everything! Four Orders of Lenin, Kutuzov, the Red Banner, medals, titles... All films and recordings of Stalin's voice were taken away... And a huge number of photographs, cameras...

- Please tell us how you lived without a father.

- Lived badly. My father was arrested the day after my mother's birthday - December 16th. We took it very hard. And they didn’t even feel sorry for the confiscated services and cameras - this can be experienced. It was terrible that the father's archive was ruined. »

So, most of the archive and personal belongings of Vlasik are now in the archives of the NKVD. Some of the belongings (photo equipment, etc.) were sold after being seized immediately after the arrest. What survived in the family in 1985 was partially transferred to the Stalin Museum in Gori (including about 150 photographs), most of the orders and medals were stolen in 2003, the surviving order and a few personal items were transferred to the Slonim Museum of Creed Studies in the same year (at the place of birth of N.S. Vlasik), and the rest was given by will to a certain Bichigo. Who is Bichigo?

From the memoirs of Lavrenty Ivanovich Pogrebny (recorded by V.M. Loginov):

- Georgians accept without evidence the version expressed by Anatoly Rybakov in the novel "Children of the Arbat": the true father of Stalin was Yakov Georgievich Egnatashvili, who was cleaned and washed by Ekaterina Georgievna Dzhugashvili - Joseph's mother. So, he also had children and grandchildren. And one of them is Georgy Alexandrovich Egnatashvili, my old comrade nicknamed Bichigo. When I worked with Shvernik, he was his head of security.

Here is the turn of events! Another almost detective story!

Explanation of Georgy Alexandrovich Egnatashvili himself (recorded by V.M. Loginov):

"The memoirs of Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik, dictated by him before his death and recorded by his wife Maria Semyonovna Vlasik, were handed over to me by the daughter of General Nadezhda Nikolaevna Vlasik-Mikhailova, according to the will of her mother, along with a large number of photographs, which captured I. V. Stalin with his own camera, the head of the Main Directorate protection."

It remains only to hope that the documents of the era will not dissolve in time and space and that people will be puffed up who will be able to study and describe in more detail and professionally the photographic heritage of not only the personal security guard, but also the photographer of Stalin, Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik.

Not being a Stalinist, however, I believe that the Stalin era should be studied objectively and thoroughly. And it’s hard to find anything more objective than photographs.