The "clapping bell" story

So I was browsing a website called reddit, which is famous, among other things, for their strong liberal tendencies. In a topic about Nazism, someone was talking about how during Stalin's speeches, the KGB waited for the first person to stop clapping, and would execute them for disloyalty. Upon some quick research, these claims are made in many anti-communist books, such as Gulag Archipelago. There was another claim that the people were so afraid to stop clapping that they would sometimes go on for 20 minutes or more, and a "clapping bell" was introduced to get the crowd to quiet down after so long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YsL4...=related]%2845 - Here's a video of a seemingly frustrated Stalin during one of these incidents of overwhelming applause.

So is there any substance to these tales? It sounds like total horseshit, but did anything like that happen, even if it wasn't Stalin's command?

Sounds like anti-communist demonization of Stalin, total BS, nothing more.

It doesn't even make sense. Without concrete proof it should be treated as baseless. It only really works if you believe that the NKVD would seriously kill someone because he was the first in a crowd of tens, hundreds or thousands of people to stop clapping, and if you believe Stalin was so vain he wanted people to clap for incredibly long periods to the extent that he demanded the blood of anyone who dared to somehow "initiate" an end to said clapping.

Considering that various sources note that Stalin was opposed to personal flattery (plus the whole personality cult was used for political reasons, but he didn't believe in it), and the fact that something like this would be far more common if it were true (is it ever noted in any serious book on Soviet history?), it's... probably not true.

So I was browsing a website called reddit, which is famous, among other things, for their strong liberal tendencies. In a topic about Nazism, someone was talking about how during Stalin's speeches, the KGB waited for the first person to stop clapping, and would execute them for disloyalty. Upon some quick research, these claims are made in many anti-communist books, such as Gulag Archipelago. There was another claim that the people were so afraid to stop clapping that they would sometimes go on for 20 minutes or more, and a "clapping bell" was introduced to get the crowd to quiet down after so long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YsL4...=related]%2845 - Here's a video of a seemingly frustrated Stalin during one of these incidents of overwhelming applause.

So is there any substance to these tales? It sounds like total horseshit, but did anything like that happen, even if it wasn't Stalin's command?

I do believe you answered your own question. QUESTIONABLE. Fairy tale to frighten the children. Pure and simple. a SILLY SLANDER, WITH THE ADVANTAGE THAT IT CAN NEVER BE SUBSTANTIATED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. Simple fact is when the party was speeding ahead with rapid change, it often carried out purges of leading members. It was ruthless in the sense that loyal comrades were pushed aside, new cadre, chosen from the hundreds of thousands that had graduated or gained new much needed skills. Flattery or bullshit would not have cut it. In all these so called critiques, there is always one ingredient missing .
People, what were they doing? Twiddling their thumbs? Mere cyphers, Sheep? How were the gains made without people? If they cheered Stalin and themselves to the rafters a couple of times a year they had every right to. Soviet power was no mirage.

That's not true. Really. just ignore it.

Can anyone tell me what it is that Stalin says at the end of that video? If anything I think this video shows the exact opposite of the claims these Reddit academics are making. Stalin seemed quite sick of it all.

Can anyone tell me what it is that Stalin says at the end of that video? If anything I think this video shows the exact opposite of the claims these Reddit academics are making. Stalin seemed quite sick of it all.

with out a doubt. the body language says it all. Exoprism I have met several people met him, in early 20's and later. He had the common touch, knew how to make human contact. He even offered the young graduate a job as 'nanny' for his kids. Called her 'salt'. A grounded man then. Not a peacock. not a lounge lizard or salon chatterer. His chauffeur reckoned after his death, they opened his bank account it had 4.38 roubles, which says it all. The Stalin Prize with useful cash award was paid out of his own pocket. Fact.

I've never had that much regard for comrade Stalin, seeing him as a necessary evil in the history of the Soviet Union. Without which the SU would have fallen sometime in the 1930s with all that entails.
But the continual 'hate Stalin' threads (usually, but not soley, started by the daft Troskyist) are making me read up and re-evaluate.

At the end of the day, it may not make me love Stalin, but it may help humanise him.

I've never had that much regard for comrade Stalin, seeing him as a necessary evil in the history of the Soviet Union. Without which the SU would have fallen sometime in the 1930s with all that entails.
But the continual 'hate Stalin' threads (usually, but not soley, started by the daft Troskyist) are making me read up and re-evaluate.

At the end of the day, it may not make me love Stalin, but it may help humanise him.

Indeed, Rainsborough. There would be real value in that. Link below William Podmore, Amazon reviewer(prolific) and author. Hope of use.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profi...542532-0008548

with out a doubt. the body language says it all. Exoprism I have met several people met him, in early 20's and later. He had the common touch, knew how to make human contact. He even offered the young graduate a job as 'nanny' for his kids. Called her 'salt'. A grounded man then. Not a peacock. not a lounge lizard or salon chatterer. His chauffeur reckoned after his death, they opened his bank account it had 4.38 roubles, which says it all. The Stalin Prize with useful cash award was paid out of his own pocket. Fact.

Do you have any source for what you just said or are these personal anecdotes from your meetings with some of Stalin's acquaintances? Because I would be quite interested to see them. Stalin having only 4.38 roubles in his bank account, if true, really shows just how great he was as a person. Something comparable in the bourgeois democracies is unheard of.

The woman who met Stalin has Passed on of course. The ROUBLES STORY CAME FROM A YOUTUBE DOC---SUCH A CRAZY LIE IT MUST BE TRUE? I'll dig out link s a p. I'LL ping yer.

Stalin having only 4.38 roubles in his bank account, if true, really shows just how great he was as a person. Something comparable in the bourgeois democracies is unheard of.

Well, not really.

I think it's fairly well-known that Steve Jobs' official salary was only $1, but obviously he lived off investments and other sources of income. I don't know if this is still true, but in the past, British MPs didn't get paid for their work in Parliament. Catholic clergy also don't make any money, but I don't think the Pope is hurting.

It's very probable Stalin could have gotten by just fine without having any real use for a personal bank account.

When I was in Italy both priests and nuns with connections had (2) jobs, paying a salary. Usually state jobs.Christian Democrat controlled areas. They lived high off the hog----no shame in that, as far as Italians were concerned. They expected it from powerful people.Other parts of the world vary , here very normal for priests to own land. As for Stalin--he had royalties from publishers that paid for cash/prizes in his name. Yes Lee, I don't have problem with what you are saying, Stalin 'could get by.' Access to state Dacha et al. Mao the same..he took average wage of industrial worker. Still important he/they did not cream off money for their personal fortune. Accepted as norm in Westminster.They award themselves fat increases whilst others are pauperised. Many prosecuted for false claims on expenses. They also milk money TV appearances, company directorships. consultancy--gravy train. Recall people noted as you, that they wanted for nothing, but it was an important solidarity for those lof less influence and to set example to others in state or party. A style of leadership sadly lacking today!.

During the war the King and Queen bathed in 2ins of water. They were in Buckingham Palace at the height of the Blitz. How did we know? They told us , silly! + The Royal Standard was fluttering for all to see. They had ration books too!!! For myself I shall be very saddened, to find out I don't owe money to the bank, when I'm dead.

Sorry for bumping an old thread but a new topic would just take up more space

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTDdUsj0ye4

As much fun as it is to just say "it's made up by bourgeois historians" here is video proof that this clapping bell was in fact a real thing (watch about the first 1:30 the rest is a bit irrelevant) It's a little concerning that we all seem to have the exact same response to this one unimportant bit of history but our single explanation appears to be wrong... Any other way to respond to this?

I guess you could argue that somebody (anti-communist propaganda producer) just edited the bell sound into the actual video clip but in addition to not being able to find another version of this clip to prove otherwise, it also seems a bit pointless to use modern video editing technology to slander the long dead leader of a long dead ideology right? thus it's safe to assume it's real.

There's a difference between "there's a bell so that clapping doesn't go on forever" and "IF YOU STOP CLAPPING BEFORE THE BELL YOU DIE."

I'd say it was one of those obligatory things that everyone had to do. As late as 1991 Soviet persons frequently cited Lenin in their works no matter what the subject, and from the 30's to 1956 they cited Stalin as well. A failure to do this was seen as a sign of disloyalty.