11 children from Eva Braun: what young people know about Lenin

On the occasion of the 153rd anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, young people drew up their own portrait of the leader of the world proletariat. MK interviewed Russians aged 19 to 43:

Who is Vladimir Ilyich Lenin? What was he doing? What was the name of his wife and how many children did they have? What did he die of?

Some respondents were confused by our unpretentious blitz survey. And other answers plunged the journalists themselves into a stupor.

Eldar Kalimulin, theater and film actor, Moscow:

– I know who Lenin is – he is a revolutionary, a member of the Bolshevik Party, a man who changed the political system in Russia. He staged a revolution, changed the political system in our country, formed the Soviet Union, brought the Bolsheviks, or the Bolsheviks brought him to power. Nadezhda Krupskaya was the name of his wife. I think they had four or five children, or 11. Well, in general, by the way, he is Ulyanov – he is from Ulyanovsk. And there are thematic paths of Lenin, along which he went to school, to the library. He died of tuberculosis, but, possibly, of syphilis – definitely not from hepatitis and not from covid. Although it may have been COVID-1917.

Donat Moskalev, locksmith-marketer, New Moscow:

– A cool smart guy, unfortunately, not for this planet with a dumb population. A public figure-practitioner, pulled a huge country out of the shithole. Nadezhda Konstantinovna, they have zero children. Death from brain damage, I think that the comrades-in-arms poisoned.

Yana Akulinina, poet, Dobrinka village, Lipetsk region:

– The leader of the world proletariat, organized the October Revolution of 1917. His wife, Nadezhda Krupskaya, has never heard of children. He died, it seems, from atherosclerosis, I don’t know for sure. I was even in the Mausoleum, although I was quite small, but I remember the moment.

Prokhor Chaliapin, singer, Moscow:

– Vladimir Ilyich Lenin is the grandfather of my friend Lena Lenina, a famous writer and blogger. He was engaged in creative activities, composed laws, staged a revolution that did not lead to anything good in our country. He died of syphilis, I know for sure – he was a very dissolute uncle and, apparently, his personal life let him down. His wife’s name was Eva Braun, in my opinion, a well-known fact. Lenin, in my opinion, had no children. My great-niece goes to my clinic, is still alive – my grandmother is 97 years old.

Lena Lenina, writer, Moscow:

– Easily! He is also my great-grandfather. Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov – the leader of the country and the usurper of my name! He destroyed one system and built another, and spread a lot of demagogy. His wife is Nadezhda Konstantinovna and he had no children with her. He died because he was killed. Sorry grandpa.

Svetlana Zhikina, programmer, Moscow:

Lenin is a revolutionary, communist, leader of the proletariat. Wife – Nadezhda Krupskaya, I don’t remember how many children. They killed him. Shot. Here you can talk for a very long time.

Oleg Kozyrev, artist, Marfino:

– I know very little about him, I can only say for sure where he is. Lenin is now in a mausoleum on Red Square.

Mark, student at the Higher School of Economics, Moscow:

– A big shot, a revolutionary in the USSR, posed for the monuments with a raised hand. About his wife, children and how he died – I do not know anything.