Uncle Joe Stalin: Doodler

[Morpheus]

Stalin drew cartoons of his victims' fate
by Mark Franchetti, Moscow
THE SUNDAY TIMES
July 8 2001 RUSSIA

NEWLY discovered cartoons and doodles believed to have been drawn by Joseph Stalin could provide an unusual insight into the mind of one of the 20th century's most ruthless dictators.

According to Boris Ilizarov, a historian and member of the Russian academy of sciences, Stalin used to draw offensive sketches of some of his victims while attending politburo meetings. In one cartoon, which Ilizarov believes Stalin drew around 1930, his finance minister, Nikolai Bryukhanov, is depicted naked, hanging from a rope by his genitals.

The sketch was found with a note written and signed by Stalin in which the tyrant made no effort to disguise his pleasure at the fate he had in mind for Bryukhanov, a politburo member for four years.

Under the heading "Special File", it read: "To all members of the politburo, for all his present and future sins, Bryukhanov should be hung by his balls. If they hold up he should be considered not guilty as if in a court of law. If they give way he should be drowned in a river."

Bryukhanov was executed on Stalin's orders in 1938 on trumped-up charges. He was rehabilitated in 1956, three years after Stalin's death.

A copy of the cartoon and the note were taken from a state archive by Ilizarov, who recently also uncovered KGB documents revealing that Stalin had an illegitimate son from a relationship with a 14-year-old girl. The affair was hidden by the Kremlin for decades. Hundreds of files on Stalin, who ruled Russia from the 1920s until his death in 1953, remain closed, even to academics.

"These drawings give us a unique chance to look into his complicated mind," said Ilizarov, who is writing a book about Stalin. "I have no doubt there are many more such drawings which fully reveal the inner depth of his soul."

The archives contain more than 500 sketches and cartoons. Dozens were drawn by members of Stalin's inner circle, including portraits by Nikolai Bukharin, a confidant who was also executed in 1938. Another prolific sketcher during meetings in the Kremlin was Valery Mezhlauk, Stalin's right-hand man, who died the same year.

However, Ilizarov believes many were drawn by Stalin himself during the years when his policies and repressions claimed 20m lives. Several experts have confirmed that the note about Bryukhanov was written by Stalin.

"The drawing and the note come from the same file and I have no doubt that both are Stalin's work," said Ilizarov, who noted that in the doodle Bryukhanov is depicted crouching like a cat. He said this echoed episodes from Stalin's early years in which he watched and probably helped other children torturing cats.

"As a child he watched several executions when criminals were hanged," he said. "He had the sense of humour of a hooligan. He loved humiliating and mocking those who surrounded him. He was cruel and a sadist, especially with people who made fun of him."

Stalin often doodled with a blue pencil during long Politburo meetings. Archives also contain dozens of books from his personal library in which he scribbled in the margins, often making offensive silhouettes of characters he was reading about. In his copies of the works of Lenin, he wrote comments deriding the father of the Russian revolution, pencilling in huge question marks and writing "Ha Ha Ha!!" alongside.

"Stalin loved to scribble all over his books and papers," said Larissa Rogovaya, an archivist with access to Stalin's files. "He also doodled in his books. And in his remarks he did not mind his language.

"After defeating the Nazis he became even more megalomaniac. He wrote speeches and scribbled in the text at what point the audience was meant to applaud and for how long."

[mcleodstickle]

July 8 2001

has nothing been heard of this Mark Franchetti since this date?
Im about to go search on the internet for some more stuff on this, cos i find it really interesting, (im one of these folks who like to know a lot about the people as well as what they have done in history. Much to the annoyance of my last tutor! )

Where did you get the article from morpheus ? i am intrigued

[Morpheus]

I got this article from the archives of the LBO-Talk listerv.

[Urban Rubble]

Pretty fucking biased wouldn't you say ? I hate it when writers go out of their way to paint the picture of the Evil Stalin. I mean, people have their minds made up about the guy, why does this guy need to add things like "tyrant" and the alleged 20 million people he killed.

I just think it's odd. If this an article about Hitler, would they really add the holocaust numbers and shit like that ? I doubt it, because they know people have their mind made up about Hitler, it's damn near a universal belief that Hitler was evil. I think they do it because they know communism isn't dead, they need to keep saturating people with the notion that ALL communists are EVIL.


Anyway, I'd love to hear more about this also. If you guys can find anything else, let me know.

[Felicia]

I like it. haha, I can just picture him doodling away :lol:

[elijahcraig]

If anyone believes this nonsense, you really have a gullable nature to work on.

[Urban Rubble]

I like it how you've gone (in a few short days) from being anti Stalin to denying everything negative said about him.

Not that I'm saying this story is true, it could be complete lies. The thing is, you have no idea whether it's true or not. Try to think for yourself there Elijah.

[elijahcraig]

Yes, well anyone can make up slanderous words about a dead man and assert them as being true. Does this give them any validity? Unless some proof is presented, it is not even worthy of a thread.

On, "thinking for myself"...this accusation is nonsense. I disagree with most stalinists on many many things.

[Rastafari]

wonder if he did many john wayne doodlings?

[the SovieT]

Ok that is all very pretty but what about the bathrooms? what are the cultural conditions of your bathrooms?
(hint hint Nikita ;) )

damn this blink smillie is totally retarded...


anyways, its all very pretty but what about the pics?
and copies of the original KGB files?


because i wouldnt trust the Sunday Times too much...

[Bianconero]

Seing that the author of that text has made no attempt to give the reader the impression he is unbiased on the topic, one can only doubt what he claims to be the truth.

[Vinny Rafarino]

Originally posted by [email protected] 5 2003, 04:44 AM
wonder if he did many john wayne doodlings?
If he did I can imagine its a nice doodle of the evil Stalin taking the Duke's ham and cheese sandwich away from him as the duke dangles out a window of a train sending him to a gulag in Siberia. All while the politiburo are standing behind Stalin coerceing the duke's children into getting into the stewing pot.

[Sabocat]

I read a report that Stalin ate babies and tanned their skins into leather and made comfy sofas out of them. I also read that he would have orgies with 90 year old women, and....and....

It was all in a book written by Victor Whobityurcockov, so it must be true.

[Rastafari]

haha...cani is just jealous because he can't find any tender babies in his area...

[Urban Rubble]

"Yes, well anyone can make up slanderous words about a dead man and assert them as being true. Does this give them any validity?"

No, what gives them validity is that about %90 of the world has found them to be true.

[Ian]

Q: Because Mark Franchetti is a subjective journalist, who reporting Boris Ilizarov's research, does it mean Ilizarov is a complete liar?
A: Absolutely not, although he may be


I have seen no one refute this, please, stalinists and stalinoids, address the point? Did Stalin doodle!!

[Vinny Rafarino]

I think no one addressed it because if comrade Stalin did indeed doodle, I'm sure it did not affect his policies.


I personally would allow a 2 foot Mike Tyson to use my nuts as his punching bag to get my hands on a "Stalin doodle".

[Saint-Just]

In one cartoon, which Ilizarov believes Stalin drew around 1930, his finance minister, Nikolai Bryukhanov, is depicted naked, hanging from a rope by his genitals.

Mezhlauk drew this; not Stalin.

'Bryukhanov was executed on Stalin's orders in 1938 on trumped-up charges'

He died of old age in 1943 having survived the purges.

All the politburo drew some pictures. Many of them were much better than simple sketches to be considered fine art. There were only around 500 in the life of the politburo and very few were drawn by Stalin although he did so most of them; some of them being criticism of him. Many were considered to be important political statements and some were shown to everyone simply for their artistic value

'stalinists and stalinoids, address the point? Did Stalin doodle!!'

I don't know what a 'Stalinoid' is. Yes, in my opinion you are right, he did make sketches.

I read a report that Stalin ate babies and tanned their skins into leather and made comfy sofas out of them. I also read that he would have orgies with 90 year old women, and....and....

It was all in a book written by Victor Whobityurcockov, so it must be true.

You have a correct attitude Disgustipated, as opposed to the attitude that we side with the imperialists to attack fellow anti-capitalists.

[Cassius Clay]

Chairman Mao you forget Stalin was a 'Authoritarian' and had a 'State-Capitalist' regime. :D Anyway well done for pointing out the obvious, although that article lost all credibility when it says one of the most brutal dictators.

[YKTMX]

Originally posted by Cassius [email protected] 7 2003, 04:40 PM
Chairman Mao you forget Stalin was a 'Authoritarian' and had a 'State-Capitalist' regime.
Agreed.

[Morpheus]

Originally posted by Chairman [email protected] 7 2003, 01:51 PM
In one cartoon, which Ilizarov believes Stalin drew around 1930, his finance minister, Nikolai Bryukhanov, is depicted naked, hanging from a rope by his genitals.

Mezhlauk drew this; not Stalin.
How do you know this?


'Bryukhanov was executed on Stalin's orders in 1938 on trumped-up charges'

He died of old age in 1943 having survived the purges.

You have some proof of this claim?

[Saint-Just]

Originally posted by Morpheus+Aug 7 2003, 06:27 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Morpheus @ Aug 7 2003, 06:27 PM)
Chairman [email protected] 7 2003, 01:51 PM
In one cartoon, which Ilizarov believes Stalin drew around 1930, his finance minister, Nikolai Bryukhanov, is depicted naked, hanging from a rope by his genitals.

Mezhlauk drew this; not Stalin.
How do you know this?


&#39;Bryukhanov was executed on Stalin&#39;s orders in 1938 on trumped-up charges&#39;

He died of old age in 1943 having survived the purges.

You have some proof of this claim? [/b]
I obtained my information from the Daily Telegraph - the most right-wing broadsheet.

[elijahcraig]

No, what gives them validity is that about %90 of the world has found them to be true.

Well, about 90% of the US also thinks we&#39;re not imperialist.

[Saint-Just]

Originally posted by [email protected] 7 2003, 07:09 PM

No, what gives them validity is that about %90 of the world has found them to be true.

Well, about 90% of the US also thinks we&#39;re not imperialist.
90% of the world knows virtually nothing to nothing of Stalin. 90% of the U.S. does not know what imperialism is.

[Morpheus]

Originally posted by Chairman [email protected] 7 2003, 06:45 PM
I obtained my information from the Daily Telegraph - the most right-wing broadsheet.
Which issue? Is the data available from their website? Do you have a link?

[Saint-Just]

Originally posted by Morpheus+Aug 7 2003, 11:13 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Morpheus @ Aug 7 2003, 11:13 PM)
Chairman [email protected] 7 2003, 06:45 PM
I obtained my information from the Daily Telegraph - the most right-wing broadsheet.
Which issue? Is the data available from their website? Do you have a link? [/b]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml...F20%2Ftljoe.xml (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=%2Farts%2F2001%2F07%2F20%2Ftljoe.xm l)

As for Bryukhanov, by a perverse twist of fate he was spared the purges and died of old age in 1943.

Just as ruthless was another effort apparently by Mezhlauk... Nikolai Bryukhanov, the commissar in charge of the country&#39;s finances, is depicted hanging, naked, from a rope by his genitals.

[stonerboi]

Where cabinet meetings that dull in the USSR that Stalin and friends has nothing better to do than doodle on tissue paper :blink: :blink: :blink: &#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

[Vinny Rafarino]

I will doodle Stonerboi to death.

[elijahcraig]

90% of the world knows virtually nothing to nothing of Stalin. 90% of the U.S. does not know what imperialism is.

:lol:

[Xvall]

I thought that was hillarious too, Elijah&#33;

[the SovieT]

Stalin, a political name adopted when he was 34, meaning Man of Steel, studied for the priesthood under his real name, Dzhugashvili. Son of a shoe maker, he joined the Social Democratic party after being expelled from a theological school for insubordination. After the RSDLP split in 1903, Stalin became a member of the Bolshevik party.

In Stalin&#39;s early years he was continually in trouble with the local authorities. During this period he took the nickname Koba, after the famous Georgian outlaw and the name of a character in the romance "Nunu", by the Georgian author Kazbek. The celebrated brigand Koba was known as a fighter for the the rights of the people, while the fictional Koba was depicted as sacrificing everything in his struggle against the Tsarist authorities on behalf of his people, but unsuccesful, freedom was lost.

Koba escaped prison exile several times, at his last escape he fled to St. Petersburg, where he became a member of the editorial staff of Pravda in 1912. Within a year, Stalin was arrested again and exiled to Siberia. He was released from exile by general amnesty after the February Revolution of 1917, and went back to the editorial staff of Pravda in Petrograd.

After the October Revolution Stalin was elected to the post of commissar for nationalities.

Throughout the following civil war, Stalin ascended the ranks of the government through extensive bureaucratic manoeuvering and in 1922, received the majority vote to become the General Secretary of the Communist party. In the same year Lenin called for his removal, explaining that Stalin had amassed to much power, in what was to become known as Lenin&#39;s last testament.

Following Lenin&#39;s death in 1924, a wave of reaction swept through the Soviet government. Stalin introduced his theory of socialism in one country, where he explained that Socialism could be achieved by a single country.

Unlike former inner-party debates, where the positions of either side were written in newspapers, talked about in public meetings and soviets; the reaction and practices of the long and devastating civil war, caused a &#39;debate&#39; that was completely hidden from the public, in order to &#39;establish the appearance&#39; of a healthy, stable, government.

In 1927, after years of bureaucratic manoeuvering, the members in the government that were part of the Left Opposition were deported on a wide scale. Immediately following, Stalin announced his theory of social fascism, describing that the theories of Social-Democracy and Fascism were essentially the same. Following this new theory, members of Social-Democratic organisations (of which Bolsheviks were once a part) were arrested or deported. In 1929 the right-wing of the Communist party, led by Bukharin, was removed from the so-called "soviet" government by the Stalinists.

In late 1928, Stalin introduced methods of productively advancing the Soviet Union via forced industrialisation and collectivisation. These efforts were tasked out in five year plans, the first of which included a widescale campaign of mass executions, arrests, and deportations of the kulak class.

Russia advanced tremendously from the draconian measures implemented to ensure that "socialism in one country" could survive. Russia moved from complete devastation and destruction after WWI and the Civil War, to become a nation that was one of the most powerful in the world: achieving such goals that 30 years previous would have been viewed as wholly impossible.

From 1934 to 1939 Stalin ordered a series of executions and imprisonments, largely directed towards people within the Soviet government. Half of the members of the first Council of Peoples Commissars were executed in 1938 (A quarter of them had died natural deaths before hand, of the remaining quarter only Stalin lived past 1942). Some government officials executed were thought to be Nazi agents or sympathisers, while others were accused for planning to overthrow the Soviet government. Members of the Left Opposition who were allowed to return to the party after accepting Stalinism were soon executed, those who remained abroad were hunted down and killed. Also executed were people belonging to the right-wing of the party (Bukharin and others). The exact number of people executed is not known, estimates range from thousands to millions.

During WWII Stalin organised and lead the Soviet Union to victory over the invading Nazi armies. [...]

from marxists.org

[Felicia]

Originally posted by [email protected] 5 2003, 01:36 AM
Yes, well anyone can make up slanderous words about a dead man and assert them as being true. Does this give them any validity? Unless some proof is presented, it is not even worthy of a thread.

On, "thinking for myself"...this accusation is nonsense. I disagree with most stalinists on many many things.
what&#39;s sohard to believe about the guy doodling pictures?

I remember a girl (when I was a kid) who was picking on another girl, when I went back to class I drew mean pictures of her because I didn&#39;t like her...... then I drew a beard on her (a friend&#39;s sugestion) and I got in trouble for it.... :(

I don&#39;t know why you&#39;re sopersistant that this couldn&#39;t be true, you never know, you seem awfully sure of yourself :blink:

[elijahcraig]

This is slander. Period.

[Koba Dzhugashvili]

That would be cool to see some of those "doodles". He is one of my idols. I have alot and he is one of the top ones. Che will be my fave though.

[Felicia]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2003, 01:56 AM
This is slander. Period.
slander?

I don&#39;t get it, it&#39;s not like doodling about how to kill people ("enemies") is a bad or disgraceful thing.... :blink:

I like the idea of Stalin being a doodler :lol:

[elijahcraig]

An attempt to portray Stalin is an insane man is slander. It&#39;s all just the usual push to destroy his position as a great communist leader.