Anniversay of October revolution

[mendeleyev]

It is good to know some dates and celebrations of your lady and today, on 7 November, is the day Russians celebrate the October Bolshevik Revolution.

At the Mendeleyev Journal we call this the "take a Communist to lunch day" cause you know that they sure as heck are too poor or too cheap to pay for it themselves.




It was ninety-six years ago, in the city of Petrograd (the one we again call Saint Petersburg) that on this day in history on Nov. 7, 1917 (Gregorian calendar) that Vladimir Lenin's Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government. The Bolsheviks gave control to locals committees, called Soviets, and thus began setting up the first communist government in Russia.



Stalin and Lenin in 1917.

Russia was still on the old Julian calendar back then and so the date on their calendars was 25 October 1917. Russia and some parts of the Eastern world still observe some events, primarily religious, by the old calendar.


First postage stamps in the USSR showed a sword breaking the chains.

The first postage stamps also used an "I" to the spelling of "Ra se ya" the name of Russia, a letter no long found in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet. The name of Russia is still pronounced the same today but the modernized spelling is Россия as the letter и (e) has replaced the I.

The first postage rule of the new Soviet Russia was that short handwritten messages could be sent by post for free but sealed letters and packages required the purchase of stamps. A hallmark of Communism is to offer freebies out of the state treasury as Communists usually aren't bright enough to understand that aside from levying taxes, there is no money in a treasury until first it is confiscated from someone else.

Frankly, there will be a parade of the Communist party in every city and photos and banners of Stalin will be carried around by old folk who yearn for the good ole days when a Jew could be sent to the Gulag just for being a Jew and when there was "order" which is a key word you'll hear today in Russia. The millions of executions, the starvations and the imprisonments seemed to have slipped their minds.

This will be the only day of the year when anybody really cares about the Lenin mausoleum on Red Square. They'll go home tonight and then nobody will care again until next year. Today Stalin holds better poll numbers than Mr. Lenin.

[Ooooops]

If it would't be for that my two great grand fathers would live long and happy life instead of rotting in Gulag.   And the whole country might not be where it is right now. 

[Faux Pas]

If it would't be for that my two great grand fathers would live long and happy life instead of rotting in Gulag.   And the whole country might not be where it is right now.

I would find that to be a fascinating story. That is of course, if you know it?

[Faux Pas]

On a side note, I watched the 2013 flick "Phantom" with my wife last night. It was a bit hokey and "Hollywooded" up to the max but, was based loosely on the K-129 story of 1968. Hollywood took quite a few liberties with the truth and facts but it was an interesting portrayal of the Soviet Navy and the possibilities of what "could have happened". Supposedly, set and effects were well researched even if some of the more obvious were not. My wife had a field day pointing out inaccuracies. But, what can you expect with Hollywood attempting to tell such a story from a Russian POV.

[Boethius]

If it would't be for that my two great grand fathers would live long and happy life instead of rotting in Gulag.   And the whole country might not be where it is right now.

Most of hubby's relatives were shot, down to six and seven year olds.  His Grandparents were all in Ukraine, which is how they managed to survive.

[mendeleyev]

I find it interesting that several contradictions are alive and well in Russia and many of the former Republics today:

- Stalin was regarded as the most evil. He was legitimately insane and was feared. His wartime decisions in realty were often disastrous and cost millions of innocent lives yet he is regarded as the leader who won the GPW.

- Most of his statues have been removed.

- Stalin today enjoys good polling numbers. Were he alive today he could easily run for office although he might not win.


- Lenin died early, probably poisoned. Lenin in realty was as ruthless and evil as Stalin, but his early death gave him a public relations break.

- Lenin's statues remain and most towns have streets and plazas named for him.

- Lenin has lackluster polling numbers and were he to run for office it would likely have to be as a write-in candidate.

[Ooooops]

I would find that to be a fascinating story. That is of course, if you know it?

One great grandfather was rehabilitated during Khruschev warming and documents were sent to my GG with location of his grave.   Second one was never heard of ever again. 

[Ooooops]

Most of hubby's relatives were shot, down to six and seven year olds.  His Grandparents were all in Ukraine, which is how they managed to survive.

That's why I can't bring myself to celebrate such a joyous holiday… 

[mendeleyev]

That's why I can't bring myself to celebrate such a joyous holiday…

I understand and agree.

It makes me sad to see the old folk who earnestly believe that Stalin and the Soviet system was their saviour. They are blind and I hope that new generations do not catch the same fever.
   

[Ooooops]

It makes me sad to see the old folk who earnestly believe that Stalin and the Soviet system was their saviour. They are blind and I hope that new generations do not catch the same fever.
 

How many of those Stalin worshipers are still alive?

[mendeleyev]

Fewer and fewer each year, but some are still around.