CHAPTER 26 Selling Joseph When I. B. Singer was once asked why he did not write for the theater, he is rumored to have replied: “Because all plays in Yiddish are in fact exactly the same. They all start with a heartbreaking kaddish and end with a stormy wedding.” Well then,

Pipe (Vignette in 72 words) She was beautiful, clever, we smiled at each other, but somehow the novel did not work out. Years passed. Tanya and I have long lived on one end of America, she and her husband are on the other, we met nicely, but that was all. Once I stopped at their place. During the day I dozed off. I sleep

ON THE "KNIPOVICH" TO FRANZ JOSEPH LAND N. N. Zubov studied the regime very well Barents Sea. From the experience of his own voyages and from the works of his predecessors, he knew that warm waters from Atlantic Ocean and cold waters from the Arctic Basin. Sometimes in

AROUND FRANZ JOSEPH LAND In 1931 and part of 1932, Nikolai Nikolaevich Zubov was busy preparing for the Second International Polar Year (II IPY). The decision on the participation of the USSR in carrying out this scientific event adopted by the Soviet government on May 6, 1930. At

The smoking pipe has always been an undoubted sign of dignity and prosperity. The unhurried elegance of movements, the meaningful silence, the fragrant halo of smoke, emphasizing the sacredness of the hero-smoker, the pleasant warmth of the live fire in the hands, the ritual still-life of cleaning and stuffing, and many other moments that are invisible to the uninitiated, give the smoking pipe a meaning that exceeds it. functional role.

No wonder the pipe still finds its loyal consumer in our fussy and practical era of disposables. Ancient history its uses, polished by time classical forms add charm to the pipe just because it has survived to this day. This famous smoking accessory has become a sign of a certain past life. Attraction to the origins makes us use new, technically modern things in everyday life and preserve old, non-functional objects: an old thing acts as a myth about the origin, it attracts us in advance with its “historicity”, bears signs that it was used by “fathers and grandfathers”.

These cigarettes are most famous for the fact that Comrade Stalin preferred them. He broke them, poured tobacco into a pipe (two cigarettes at once), which he then smoked. In the photographs, however, many episodes have been preserved where Stalin is not with a pipe, but with a cigarette in his hand. But more often he is still with a pipe. And in the pipe, as many close associates testify, it is “Herzegovina Flor”.
In this regard, the question is interesting: why, in fact, Joseph Vissarionovich shredded cigarettes in such an absurd way? Of course, you can stuff anything into a pipe, even shag, even home garden, even last year's dry leaves, but it is pipe tobacco that is best suited. It differs from cigarette not in taste, but in larger slices. Then in the tube is better and smoother thrust.
And with the full opportunity to have excellent pipe tobacco (for example, the same Herzegovina Flor brand, produced by the same Moscow Java factory), Stalin for some reason stubbornly crumbles cigarettes into his pipe. Mystery…

Boxes of Herzegovina Flor cigarettes that ended up with Stalin were not mass-produced by the Java factory. Cigarettes were made by special order (naturally, under the special supervision of special services). The tobacco itself was selected, it is quite possible that non-standard cutting was used. It is possible that special aromatic additives were introduced. In one of the publications, I even happened to read a fantastic version that stimulant drugs were allegedly added to Stalin's cigarettes.

There is an opinion that gutting cigarettes is just an image habit that has been entrenched in the leader from a young age. Cigarettes before the revolution and in the first post-revolutionary period were a commodity more expensive than tobacco itself, they were smoked mainly by wealthy classes. In old paintings, it is pipes in the teeth of soldiers, Cossacks or sailors. Here the revolutionary Stalin demonstrated at first his closeness to the people. And then he did not want to change the habit. In addition, smoking a pipe is very convenient for cases when you need to make meaningful pauses in a conversation. Stalin mastered this art to perfection.

In general, all this, of course, is assumptions, versions and conjectures. Why, in fact, Stalin adhered to just such, and not other smoking customs, we will probably never know ...

An ebony smoking pipe engraved with a handshake. A gift to I.V. Stalin from the Main Branch of the Sino-Soviet Friendship Society of the Northeast of the PRC. China, 1950. NCMSIR. An ebony smoking pipe engraved with a handshake. A gift to I.V. Stalin from the Main Branch of the Sino-Soviet Friendship Society of the Northeast of the PRC. China, 1950. GCMSIR.

Silver smoking pipe, wooden mouthpiece. Georgia, con. XIX - beginning. 20th century GTsMSIR.Silver smoking pipe, wooden mouthpiece. Georgia, con. XIX - beginning. 20th century GCMSIR.

Porcelain smoking pipe, overglaze painting, metal, wood. Germany, con. XIX - beginning. 20th century GTsMSIR. Porcelain smoking pipe, overglaze painting, metal, wood. Germany, con. XIX - beginning. 20th century GCMSIR.

Carved foam pipe, amber mouthpiece. France, Paris, beg. 19th century A gift from US citizen S.A. Aizenberg. GTsMSIR. Carved smoking pipe made of foam, mouthpiece made of amber. France, Paris, beg. 19th century A gift from US citizen S.A. Aizenberg. GCMSIR.

Smoking pipe "Napoleon" made of briar, mouthpiece made of horn. A gift to JV Stalin from the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Hungarian Communist Party M. Rakosi. GTsMSIR.Smoking pipe "Napoleon" made of briar, mouthpiece made of horn. A gift to JV Stalin from the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Hungarian Communist Party M. Rakosi. GCMSIR.

"Champ" pipe made of corn cob, mouthpiece made of "melted" amber. USA, Washington, 1940s GTsMSIR. Pipe company "Champ" made of corn cob, mouthpiece made of "melted" amber. USA, Washington, 1940s GCMSIR.

Carved smoking pipe "Fist" made of briar, ebonite mouthpiece. A gift to I.V. Stalin from the family of anti-fascist Viktor Gidon, who died in a concentration camp. Belgium, 1930 - 1940 GTsMSIR. Carved smoking pipe "Fist" made of briar, ebonite mouthpiece. A gift to I.V. Stalin from the family of anti-fascist Viktor Gidon, who died in a concentration camp. Belgium, 1930 - 1940 GCMSIR.

Carved smoking pipe made of wood, mouthpiece made of horn. A gift to I.V. Stalin from members of the Parisian Society of Friends of the USSR. France, 1939 GCMSIR. Carved smoking pipe made of wood, mouthpiece made of horn. A gift to I.V. Stalin from members of the Parisian Society of Friends of the USSR. France, 1939. GCMSIR.

Carved smoking pipe "Stalin and Roosevelt play chess" from briar, ebonite mouthpiece. Master Hetzek Hartsoor. A gift from members of the American chess team. USA, 1945. GCMSIR. Carved smoking pipe "Stalin and Roosevelt play chess" made of briar, ebonite mouthpiece. Master Hetzek Hartsoor. A gift from members of the American chess team. USA, 1945. GCMSIR.

Carved smoking pipe "Female Head" made of briar, ebonite mouthpiece. France. 19th century family heirloom peasant family. GTsMSIR. Carved smoking pipe "Female head" made of briar, ebonite mouthpiece. France. 19th century Family heirloom of a peasant family. GCMSIR.

MOSCOW, September 20 - RIA Novosti, Igor Gashkov. IN State Archive Russian Federation opened an exhibition dedicated to the Munich Agreement - a deal between the Western powers and Nazi Germany that decided the fate of Czechoslovakia. Soviet authorities objected to the revision of borders in Europe, but they were not heeded. The exposition includes intelligence reports, telegrams from residents, documents marked "secret", as well as one of Stalin's famous smoking pipes.

agent girl talking

The summit of Germany, France, Great Britain and Italy took place in Munich on 29 and 30 September 1938. meeting at highest level between Hitler, Chamberlain, Daladier and Mussolini was preceded by a diplomatic preparation that affected all the major capitals of the world. Moscow knew that Reich emissaries were traveling around Europe and negotiating. They were followed by Soviet informers of the most different levels. Collected Information entered the Kremlin.

Special messages presented at the exhibition in GARF intelligence agency Red Army, reports of embassies, encryption of secret agents, notes of Soviet correspondents abroad. Documents that had passed through many hands were laid on Stalin's table. Sources of information in especially secret cases were not disclosed even to the leader.

So, from memorandum number 8480 it follows that Soviet leadership there was a high-ranking agent in German government with the callsign Girl. "The girl reports: Chamberlain arrived in Germany with the following proposal for Hitler: the immediate demobilization of Germany, the convening of a four-power conference, the withdrawal of Czechoslovak troops from the Sudetenland and the establishment of an international police there." According to the same source, the Nazis refused the offer. “Hitler did not let Chamberlain finish and in a four-hour speech demanded the return of all the old colonies of Germany, non-interference in Germany's assistance to the Sudeten Germans,” the Girl reported.

A greedy look at Czechoslovakia

The main direction of Soviet efforts in 1938 was attempts to rapprochement with Western countries in opposition to Hitler. As is known, these attempts were unsuccessful. The documents testify to the disappointment of Soviet diplomats with France's unwillingness to believe that the USSR was ready to provide effective assistance to Czechoslovakia in the event of a Nazi attack.

In a cipher telegram from Switzerland addressed to People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Maxim Litvinov, a Soviet informant reports: "From what has become known about conversations with the French, it is clear that they continue to fool around, pretending not to understand our answer, and reducing it only to a proposal to act through the League of Nations. Meanwhile, it follows from other documents that Moscow considered the possibility of transferring troops through Romania and enlisted the tacit support of Bucharest. However, neither Paris nor London heeded the Kremlin's arguments.

Forgotten page of history Munich agreement- participation in the division of Czechoslovakia by anti-Soviet Poland. There are many messages from Warsaw in the exposition. Soviet informants noted the increased "resentment" of the Poles because of their secondary position in Europe. Poland hoped to rectify the situation by expanding its borders. “My colleagues in the diplomatic corps from Great Britain and Sweden say that Warsaw will oppose the Czechs, even if the Germans did not want it,” Colonel Rybalko, military attaché in Poland, wrote to Moscow. Other documents inform about the cooperation of the Germans with the Poles.

Stalin's pipe and other items

A separate stand presents Stalin's personal belongings: a magnifying glass, a fountain pen (made by personal order of the leader) with engraved initials "I.V.S." and one of the smoking pipes against the backdrop of a map of the continent. In the multimedia room - a screen with interactive map Europe before and after the Munich deal.

The map clearly shows that the policy of appeasing the Nazis, which was chosen by France and Great Britain in 1938, did not bring results. Hitler did not limit himself to the Sudetenland and abolished the entire Czechoslovak state. Soon the same fate befell Poland.

In 1938, Moscow failed to join forces against a common enemy - the Nazis. However, the Kremlin's efforts have not gone unnoticed. In one of the secret reports presented at the exhibition, it is reported that the informant met with the resigned Czechoslovak President Beneš. The humiliated and betrayed politician said that "in the east, Czechoslovakia has a friend who is faithful to his obligations to the end."

IN Lately the image of Comrade Stalin is popular and gaining momentum. It seems that this firm and fair hand is missing. The time where they defeated the most terrible enemy and became an industrial power of world importance.
And what about without the image of Stalin with a pipe. Maybe he smoked something special? Now we will talk about this and look into the snuffbox of the leader of all times and peoples.

The most famous pipe smoker, no doubt, is Joseph Vissarionovich. His image in the eyes of any people will certainly evoke associations with a tobacco pipe.

The answer is simple and obvious at least for those who at least once were interested in the life and fate of Joseph Vissarionovich, this is Herzegovina Flor. It is worth noting that these cigarettes were made specifically for the leader by special order. An interesting fact is that Stalin usually filled his pipe with tobacco from cigarettes, and threw away the “sleeve”.

This brand of cigarettes was produced back in the pre-revolutionary years and was considered elite, the smell of smoking which evoked admiration and a sense of prestige from those around the smoker.

As for tobacco, the “leader of the peoples” liked American varieties, such as Edgewood Sliced. The leader of the Communist Party of Bulgaria Georgy Dimitrov in 1936 brought a package of this tobacco as a gift to the leader from America. He was delighted with the gift, but lamented that "he does not know how much longer the doctors will allow him to smoke a pipe."

WITH light hand Soviet film directors mass consciousness the picture took root: I. V. Stalin opens a pack of Herzegovina Flor cigarettes, takes out one, crushes the sleeve, and fills his pipe with spilled tobacco. He may have done this a couple of times, but probably not often. The fact is that a pipe needs special, large-cut tobacco, otherwise it will either burn out very quickly or soon go out. The Soviet leader had the opportunity to smoke tobacco of any kind (for example, "Prince Albert" or "Edgeworth"), and he did not need to invent something. And he smoked cigarettes, and so, in the most usual way, the chronicle conveyed these historical moments to his contemporaries. It should be noted that there were almost no special workshops producing products for the Kremlin then, another thing is that purchases were made by a special department of government security. But the fact that "Herzegovina Flor" were the favorite cigarettes of I.V. Stalin is really true.

According to some reports, the leader was fond of tobacco for five decades, which he was not particularly ashamed or ashamed of. Stalin's collection of pipes is also striking, of which he had very, very many during his life. From stamps domestic manufacturers to the English Dunhill. Often, Stalin's collection of pipes can be seen at special exhibitions dedicated to his life and period of rule. Some of the pipes in the collection have their own unique biography and history. Despite popular misconception, Stalin smoked not only the pipe. He could not disdain domestic cigarettes, he also preferred Bulgarian brands. One of the preferred varieties was the American Edgewood Sliced.

There is a rumor that once Stalin gathered in his office all the important representatives of the match factories. With them, he defiantly begins to take out a box of matches one at a time from the drawer of his desk, while trying to light a pipe. One, the other goes out, and the boxes one by one go to the leader. And so on until the seventh attempt, until the match from the next box blazed with bright light.
At the end of the "presentation", the representatives were asked one question - ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? After those present had no questions, and the essence of the demonstration was absorbed by everyone, Stalin silently dismissed all the representatives. Subsequently, Soviet matches became almost the most reliable in the world.

Smoking is definitely bad. This bad habit hinders both the adherent himself and the people around him. However, many people suffer from an irresistible urge to devour tobacco smoke which is quite difficult to get rid of. Some make attempts to stop smoking, and then, on the basis of their experience, claim, like Mark Twain, that it is not difficult at all, and they themselves have done this many times.

Tobacco industry - component Food Industry And agro-industrial complex many countries. Manufacturers usually value trademarks that have been known to the consumer for many decades. One of them, Herzegovina Flor, was born in tsarist Russia, survived revolutions, two world wars, the era of Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, three more general secretaries, the collapse of the USSR and exists to this day. Its history is closely connected with the annals of the whole country.

Factory Gabaya

This story could serve as an illustration of the theory about the enormous opportunities that capitalist freedom of enterprise provides. After the wars with Turkey, Russia was enriched with a new ethnic group, namely the Karaite people, whose representatives were traditionally engaged in the sale of tobacco. Crimean Samuil Gabai, having enlisted financial support Kharkov merchant Abraham Kapon, created an enterprise in Moscow in the second half of the 19th century. This energetic person did not stop at the usual mediation, and invested profits in the development of his offspring. Cigarettes were just coming into fashion in Russia at that time, and in 1883 Gabai began their production. For successful competition, some kind of commercial "chip" was required, and the owner of the "Tobacco Factory Partnership S. Gabay" found it. He began to import fragrant raw materials from the exotic Indonesian island of Java. The products really had a delicate aroma, and things went well. By the beginning of the new century, Samuil Gabai already owned two production buildings, he changed his trademark, naming it in honor of his most popular cigarettes "Java". It seemed commercial success achieved, you can rest on your laurels.

But capitalist system requires continuous development, and at the beginning of the second decade of the 20th century, Java appeared in the assortment new product- cigarettes "Herzegovina Flor".

scented tobacco

As in the case of Java, Samuil Gabay made the right marketing move. He named the new brand of cigarettes after the area of ​​origin of the tobacco he stuffed his products with. But in this case the brand matched not only geographical location raw material plantations. In the Balkans, namely in Herzegovina, a special fragrant variety with a rich bouquet grew (if one can speak of such in relation to suffocating smoke). Actually trademark corresponded to the botanical name of the plant Herzegovina Flor (Herzegovina Flor), and today the seeds of this tobacco are presented on the profile market. Anyone can purchase them and try to grow such a self-garden in their summer cottage. True, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the climate and soil, otherwise everything would be very simple. In Russia, there are appropriate conditions only in Krasnodar Territory, where virgin varieties also readily grow.

A smoking pipe is an item that is not quite ordinary and does not lend itself to standard classification. Beyond purely practical tasks, which she successfully performs, there is something mystical, elusive in the pipe ... No wonder many legends and superstitions are associated with this subject. If we consider the domestic legislators of this method of smoking, then, undoubtedly, the odious personality of the “father of all peoples” - Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich, is immediately recalled.

Stalin is credited with a whole collection of the most interesting copies of smoking pipes, donated to him on his seventieth birthday in 1949 and to this day stored in the State Central Museum of Contemporary Art. In fact, Iosif Vissarionovich did not see all these valuable gifts. He had his favorite pipes English company Dunhill and carved by Alexei Fedorov, a Soviet connoisseur of the smoking ritual, especially for the leader.

It is interesting that Stalin did not fill his pipe with special pipe tobacco, but with Herzegovina Flor cigarette tobacco. These cigarettes were produced in only one factory in Tambov region and it was impossible to buy them freely - the elite "Herzegovina Flor" was intended exclusively for Stalin. gutting cigarettes, Soviet leader stuffed his favorite pipe with this tobacco and enjoyed the process.

Until now, the reasons why the ruler preferred to smoke a pipe rather than traditional cigarettes have not been unraveled - this image with a pipe in his mouth does not fit into the usual, outwardly ascetic appearance of the ruler. Severity in clothes, lack of outrageous details, a simple way of life - and suddenly an obvious object from another world, more noble, screaming about the prosperity and elegance of its owner.

Therefore, it is no coincidence that Stalin's smoking pipe is credited with a special, magical meaning - supposedly it gave him strength and served as a magnet that attracts success and good luck. They say that Winston Churchill, the great statesman and political figure England. Considering the mystical amulet to be the object of Peter I himself, the British Prime Minister decides to take possession of the valuable item. Having decided on a replacement, Churchill orders exactly the same copy of a smoking pipe, trusts him to smoke it faithful person and commits forgery with the help of Lavrenty Beria. According to the legend, in the first days of March 1953, Beria threw a skilful forgery to Stalin, and already on March 5, the Soviet ruler died.

Exhibits of the exhibition of smoking pipes by I. V. Stalin

A pipe made from the corncob of the American corporation Champ

The cob is pre-dried for two years, and then treated with a special compound. These pipes are distinguished by a special, delicate taste, extraordinary lightness and cheapness, but they have one serious drawback - they burn out rather quickly.

Pipe "Stalin and Roosevelt play chess"

In the year when Soviet troops won a resounding victory over Nazi Germany, between the US and Soviet Union a chess tournament was held in radio mode. Domestic chess players won with a huge gap: 15:5. Deciding to "sweeten the pill", the USSR invited the American team to visit our country. Returning from a memorable trip, the Americans made a gift to Stalin in the form of a smoking pipe, on which the heads of two states playing chess were carved. Moreover, Joseph Vissarionovich was depicted here with his favorite pipe.

Smoking pipe "Female head"

This item is a family heirloom of a French peasant family. Since the 19th century, the pipe has been handed down from generation to generation. Made from traditional material for pipes - heather, or briar - it reminds of female beauty. The mouthpiece is made of ebonite, a vulcanized rubber containing a large number of sulfur.

Silver pipe

This precious specimen late XIX century was presented by Georgia as a tribute to the great ruler. The silver tube is very durable and is not afraid of falls and mechanical stress. Due to the plasticity of the metal, you can create products of the most bizarre shape. The Georgian pipe is equipped with a long wooden mouthpiece.

porcelain tube

Clay is the earliest product for the production of smoking pipes. In this case, the gift presented to Stalin defeated Germany, symbolic - the ancient Indian tribes had a special ritual "lighting the pipe of the world." A simple clay pipe passed from hand to hand between the warring parties until they came to an agreement. So in this case, the Germans hoped for forgiveness and reconciliation with a great power.

You can attribute many mystical properties to the legendary pipes of Joseph Stalin, but one thing is certain: men with pipes have a huge psychological superiority over their opponents. Having lost the thought, they can simply pretend that they are smoking their pet, and this will not look indecent and annoying from the outside. Taking a break, the owner of the pipe will calm down and accept correct solution. People around will see it deep wisdom and noble thought...