“Simplicity is the greatest strength” – Picture of the Day – Kommersant

100 years ago, on December 30, 1922, in the newly created Soviet Union, M. I. Kalinin was elected chairman of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the USSR from the RSFSR, who held the post, albeit nominal, head of state until March 19, 1946; the “all-Union headman”, as photos that have not been published for almost a century testify, differed from other Kremlin leaders in his tendency to dress in such a way as to look like his own everywhere or create the necessary mood at the negotiations with his appearance; he willingly posed for the cameras in new images, and this habit let him down only once.

From the memoirs of the chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR from the Ukrainian SSR G. I. Petrovsky, 1925

I met Mikhail Ivanovich in 1912 in St. Petersburg, in the Social Democratic faction of the 4th State Duma (G.I. Petrovsky was a member of the State Duma.— “History”)…

The workers’ faction of the Bolsheviks had to work on its own and seek help only from comrades like us, but we did not have so many of them …

Comrade Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin was one of these comrades against the backdrop of hard factional work and struggle against the Mensheviks in those days.

Often appearing in the faction in a working suit, blue trousers, and a blue blouse, he brought deep despondency to the Mensheviks by his figure alone.

But at the same time, his appearance aroused on their part a deep respect for him and for us, when he was with us …

He is the personification of proletarian modesty and peasant simplicity, exalting the working person over all the pettiness of petty-bourgeois life, the fussiness of commercial capitalist relations …

From the memoirs of the head of the Political Directorate of the Workers ‘and Peasants’ Red Army A. S. Bubnov, 1925

… Kalinin is connected by the strongest ties with the working and peasant masses. He is the leader who emerged from this mass, and at the same time he is one of the millions that make up this mass.

The Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army, in the difficult years of battles and skirmishes of the Civil War, more than once or twice saw Comrade Kalinin in its combat ranks on all sectors of the Red Front. Kalinin is the one who strengthened and raised the Red Army to great deeds, it is not for nothing that he is an honorary Red Army soldier …

From the memoirs of journalist A. G. Menshy, 1925

This should be told simply, without embellishment.

It was in the heroic days, in the spring of 1919 (shortly after M. I. Kalinin was elected chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK), that is, the head of the RSFSR.— “History”).

I was then the head of the editorial office of Pravda …

The man was sitting in my office, smoking a cigarette, patiently waiting. At first glance, he was a rather unprepossessing person: a beard with graying hair and a typical masculine nose – wide. The eyes are attentive and focused. The man was wearing a new coat. This I keenly noticed and remembered because I was still a fresh person then (Small had returned from the United States shortly before.— “History”), and I keenly noticed our poverty and absurdity. The new fur coat was, precisely, poor and awkward.

Shiny fleecy blue cloth and cotton wool under the cloth in clods – such a deplorably pitiful look!

I thought then:

“If this man suddenly found himself on a noisy and elegant New York street, they would laugh, the boys would harass him.

Yes, I still remember the new shiny galoshes. The man sat, smoked, thought, looking intently at the tips of his galoshes …

— And what is your last name?

— Kalinin.

– AND!

An awkward pause … Of course, he should have said from the very beginning that he was Kalinin, then I would not have made him wait an hour and a half …

From the publication “After the flood”, “Izvestia”, September 30, 1924

A government commission arrived in Leningrad to clarify the issue of losses caused by the flood. The commission includes the chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, comrade. Kalinin, Chairman of the State Planning Commission comrade. Krzhizhanovsky, Secretary of the Central Committee of the RCP comrade. Molotov, Deputy People’s Commissariat of Finance Comrade. Frumkin and others.

From the station, the members of the commission went to Smolny …

During yesterday and today, the government commission traveled around the areas most affected by the flood, visited the Krasny Putilovets plant, visited Gavan, Vasilyevsky Island and other places …

From the publication “At the All-Union Nominee”, “Gudok”, March 29, 1929

… And in how many villages, villages, at how many stations Comrade Kalinin himself was in these ten years. Whole volumes of conversations of the “all-Union headman” with peasants, villagers, dehkans, highlanders, stanitsa workers, railway workers of deaf stations have now been published.

In the most difficult moments of our revolution, somewhere in the village teeming with bandits, the “most important leader of the Soviet government” appeared and plowed over the clumsy village brains. Mikhail Ivanovich did not make long and solemn speeches – he conducted conversations …

From the memoirs of the Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR A. S. Yenukidze, 1925

… Mikhail Ivanovich accepted the promotion to the high post of chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee with great timidity and apprehension that he would not be able to cope with this even more unexpected and difficult work than he had to do until now, but even here he was rescued by his ability to approach the masses, simplicity, modesty and , most importantly, direct knowledge of the working and peasant environment …

Thanks to his direct contact with the workers and peasants of the USSR, Mikhail Ivanovich grew from a metal worker and an underground Bolshevik into one of the most experienced and knowledgeable leaders of our party and our state …

When discussing many issues at meetings of the presidiums of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, Mikhail Ivanovich always impresses with his practical, experienced knowledge of many complex issues. And when resolving issues where the class instinct of a worker or peasant is required, Mikhail Ivanovich is indispensable.

Every year it is more and more felt that Mikhail Ivanovich not only chairs the presidiums and sessions of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, but also directs their work …

From the TASS message “Americans in Moscow”, July 22, 1927

Christensen, a former American presidential candidate from the American Workers’ and Farmers’ Party, has arrived in Moscow.

The purpose of his visit to the USSR is the desire to become more familiar with all aspects of the life and way of life of the peoples of the Soviet Union.

Christensen is a supporter of the recognition of the USSR.

“I declare without hesitation,” he says, “that our government is making not only a big mistake by not recognizing the Soviet Union so far, but also a profound injustice. The peoples of America are for the recognition of the USSR and will undoubtedly achieve it.

From the publication “Courage of everyday life”, “Spark”, January 24, 1926

… Some eccentrics mix simplicity with squalor, and external impressiveness with strength. The example of Mikhail Ivanovich shows that simplicity is the greatest strength.

Once in the foreign White Guard newspaper “Dni” they decided to laugh at the “artificial peasant” Kalinin. “Artificial man” – it was supposed to express a murderous mockery. On the one hand, the peasant is not real, but on the other, he is not a real politician …

Publication by Evgeny Zhirnov