Biography of Vlasik n t boss. Nikolai Vlasik: biography and personal life of Stalin’s security chief

Bodyguard of Stalin. The real story of Nikolai Vlasik

During the years of perestroika, when practically all people from Stalin’s circle were subjected to a wave of all kinds of accusations in the advanced Soviet press, the most unenviable lot fell to General Vlasik. The long-time head of Stalin's security appeared in these materials as a real lackey who adored his master, a chain dog, ready to rush at anyone at his command, greedy, vindictive and self-interested.

Among those who did not spare Vlasik negative epithets was Stalin’s daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva. But the leader’s bodyguard at one time had to become practically the main educator for both Svetlana and Vasily. Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik spent a quarter of a century next to Stalin, protecting the life of the Soviet leader. The leader lived without his bodyguard for less than a year.

From parochial school to the Cheka

Nikolai Vlasik was born on May 22, 1896 in Western Belarus, in the village Bobynichi, in a poor peasant family. The boy lost his parents early and could not count on a good education. After three classes at the parochial school, Nikolai went to work. From the age of 13, he worked as a laborer at a construction site, then as a bricklayer, then as a loader at a paper mill.

In March 1915, Vlasik was drafted into the army and sent to the front. During the First World War, he served in the 167th Ostrog Infantry Regiment and was awarded the St. George Cross for bravery in battle. After being wounded, Vlasik was promoted to non-commissioned officer and appointed platoon commander of the 251st Infantry Regiment, which was stationed in Moscow.

During the October Revolution, Nikolai Vlasik, who came from the very bottom, quickly decided on his political choice: together with the entrusted platoon, he went over to the side of the Bolsheviks. At first he served in the Moscow police, then he participated in the Civil War, and was wounded near Tsaritsyn. In September 1919, Vlasik was sent to the Cheka, where he served in the central apparatus under the command of the Felix Dzerzhinsky.

Master of Security and Household

Despite the sad story of the assassination attempt on Lenin, by 1927 the security of the top officials of the state in the USSR was not particularly thorough. Stalin was accompanied by only one guard: a Lithuanian Yusis. Vlasik was even more surprised when they arrived at the dacha, where Stalin usually spent his weekends. There was only one commandant living at the dacha; there was no linen or dishes, and the leader ate sandwiches brought from Moscow.

Over time, Vlasik created a whole system of dachas in the Moscow region and in the south, where well-trained staff were ready at any time to receive the Soviet leader. It is not worth mentioning that these objects were guarded in the most careful manner. The system for protecting important government facilities existed before Vlasik, but he became the developer of security measures for the first person of the state during his trips around the country, official events, and international meetings.

Stalin's bodyguard came up with a system according to which the first person and the people accompanying him travel in a cavalcade of identical cars, and only the personal security officers know which of them the leader is traveling in. Subsequently, this scheme saved lives Leonid Brezhnev, who was assassinated in 1969.

An irreplaceable and especially trusted person

Within a few years, Vlasik turned into an irreplaceable and especially trusted person for Stalin. After death Nadezhda Alliluyeva Stalin entrusted his bodyguard with taking care of the children: Svetlana, Vasily and adopted son Artyom Sergeev. Nikolai Sidorovich was not a teacher, but he tried his best. If Svetlana and Artyom did not cause him much trouble, then Vasily was uncontrollable from childhood. Vlasik, knowing that Stalin did not give permission to children, tried, as far as possible, to mitigate Vasily’s sins in reports to his father. But over the years, the “pranks” became more and more serious, and the role of “lightning rod” became more and more difficult for Vlasik to play.

Svetlana and Artyom, having become adults, wrote about their “tutor” in different ways. Stalin’s daughter in “Twenty Letters to a Friend” characterized Vlasik as follows: “ He headed his father’s entire guard, considered himself almost the closest person to him, being himself incredibly illiterate, rude, stupid, but noble...»

“He had a job all his life, and he lived near Stalin”

Artyom Sergeev in “Conversations about Stalin” expressed himself differently: “ His main responsibility was to ensure Stalin's safety. This work was inhuman. Always take responsibility with your head, always live on the cutting edge. He knew Stalin’s friends and enemies very well... What kind of work did Vlasik even have? It was a day and night job, there were no 6-8 hour days. He had a job all his life and lived near Stalin. Next to Stalin’s room was Vlasik’s room...»

In ten to fifteen years, Nikolai Vlasik turned from an ordinary bodyguard into a general, heading a huge structure responsible not only for security, but also for the life of the top officials of the state. During the war years, the evacuation of the government, members of the diplomatic corps and people's commissariats from Moscow fell on Vlasik's shoulders. It was necessary not only to deliver them to Kuibyshev, but also to accommodate them, equip them in a new place, and think through security issues. The evacuation of Lenin's body from Moscow was also a task that Vlasik performed. He was also responsible for security at the parade on Red Square on November 7, 1941.

Assassination attempt in Gagra

In 1935, Vlasik really had to cover the leader from bullets. During a boat trip in the Gagra area, fire was opened on them from the shore. The bodyguard covered Stalin with his body, but both were lucky: the bullets did not hit them. The boat left the firing zone. Vlasik considered this a real assassination attempt, and his opponents later believed that it was all a staged act. Judging by the circumstances, there was a misunderstanding. The border guards were not notified of Stalin's boat ride, and they mistook him for an intruder.

Abuse of cows?

During the Great Patriotic War, Vlasik was responsible for ensuring security at conferences of the heads of countries participating in the anti-Hitler coalition and coped with his task brilliantly. For the successful implementation conference in Tehran Vlasik was awarded the Order of Lenin for Crimean conference- Order of Kutuzov, 1st degree, for Potsdam- another Order of Lenin. But the Potsdam Conference became the reason for accusations of misappropriation of property: it was alleged that after its completion, Vlasik took various valuables from Germany, including a horse, two cows and one bull. Subsequently, this fact was cited as an example of the irrepressible greed of Stalin’s bodyguard.

Vlasik himself recalled that this story had a completely different background. In 1941, his native village Bobynichi was captured by the Germans. The house in which the sister lived was burned, half the village was shot, the sister’s eldest daughter was taken to work in Germany, the cow and horse were taken away. My sister and her husband joined the partisans, and after the liberation of Belarus they returned to their native village, of which little remained. Stalin's bodyguard brought cattle from Germany for his loved ones. Was this abuse? If you approach it with strict standards, then, perhaps, yes. However, Stalin, when this case was first reported to him, abruptly ordered further investigation to be stopped.

Opal

In 1946, Lieutenant General Nikolai Vlasik became the head of the Main Directorate of Security: an agency with an annual budget of 170 million rubles and a staff of thousands. He did not fight for power, but at the same time he made a huge number of enemies. Being too close to Stalin, Vlasik had the opportunity to influence the leader’s attitude towards this or that person, deciding who would receive wider access to the first person and who would be denied such an opportunity. Many high-ranking officials from the country's leadership passionately wanted to get rid of Vlasik. Incriminating evidence on Stalin's bodyguard was collected scrupulously, bit by bit eroding the leader's trust in him.

In 1948, the commandant of the so-called “Near Dacha” was arrested. Fedoseev, who testified that Vlasik intended to poison Stalin. But the leader again did not take this accusation seriously: if the bodyguard had such intentions, he could have realized his plans a long time ago.

On April 29, 1952, on the basis of these materials, Nikolai Vlasik was removed from his post and sent to the Urals, to the city Asbestos, deputy chief Bazhenovsky forced labor camp of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“He cohabited with women and drank alcohol in his free time”

Why did Stalin suddenly abandon a man who had honestly served him for 25 years? Perhaps the leader’s growing suspicion in recent years was to blame. It is possible that Stalin considered the waste of state funds on drunken revelry to be too serious a sin. There is a third assumption. It is known that during this period the Soviet leader began to promote young leaders, and openly said to his former comrades: “It’s time to change you.” Perhaps Stalin felt that the time had come to replace Vlasik too. Be that as it may, very difficult times have come for the former head of Stalin’s guard.

In December 1952, he was arrested in connection with the Doctors' Case. He was charged with the fact that the statements Lydia Timashuk, who accused the professors who treated the top officials of the state of sabotage, he ignored. Vlasik himself wrote in his memoirs that there was no reason to believe Timashuk did not have: " There was no information discrediting the professors, which I reported to Stalin».

In prison, Vlasik was interrogated with passion for several months. For a man who was well over 50, the disgraced bodyguard was stoic. I was ready to admit “moral corruption” and even waste of funds, but not conspiracy and espionage. " I actually cohabited with many women, drank alcohol with them and the artist Stenberg, but all this happened at the expense of my personal health and in my free time from service“- this was his testimony.

Could Vlasik extend the life of the leader?

On March 5, 1953, Joseph Stalin passed away. Even if we discard the dubious version of the murder of the leader, Vlasik, if he had remained in his post, could well have extended his life. When the leader became ill at the Nizhny Dacha, he lay for several hours on the floor of his room without help: the guards did not dare to enter Stalin’s chambers. There is no doubt that Vlasik would not allow this.

After the death of the leader "The Doctors' Case" closed. All of his defendants were released, except Nikolai Vlasik. Collapse did not bring him freedom Lavrentiy Beria in June 1953. In January 1955, the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR found Nikolai Vlasik guilty of abuse of official position under especially aggravating circumstances, sentencing him under Art. 193-17 paragraph “b” of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR to 10 years of exile, deprivation of the rank of general and state awards. In March 1955, Vlasik’s sentence was reduced to 5 years. He was sent to Krasnoyarsk to serve his sentence. By a resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 15, 1956, Vlasik was pardoned and his criminal record was expunged, but his military rank and awards were not restored.

“Not for a single minute did I have any grudge against Stalin in my soul.”

He returned to Moscow, where he had almost nothing left: his property was confiscated, a separate apartment was turned into a communal apartment. Vlasik knocked on doors of offices, wrote to the leaders of the party and government, asked for rehabilitation and reinstatement in the party, but was refused everywhere. Secretly, he began dictating memoirs in which he talked about how he saw his life, why he committed certain actions, and how he treated Stalin.

« After the death of Stalin, such an expression as “cult of personality” appeared... If a person - a leader by his deeds deserves the love and respect of others, what’s wrong with that... The people loved and respected Stalin. He personified the country, which he led to prosperity and victories, wrote Nikolai Vlasik. “Under his leadership, a lot of good things were done, and the people saw it.” He enjoyed enormous authority. I knew him very closely... And I claim that he lived only in the interests of the country, the interests of his people » .

« It is easy to accuse a person of all mortal sins when he is dead and can neither justify himself nor defend himself. Why did no one dare to point out his mistakes during his lifetime? What was stopping you? Fear? Or were there no errors that needed to be pointed out? What a threat Tsar Ivan IV was, but there were people to whom their homeland was dear, who, without fear of death, pointed out to him his mistakes. Or have brave people disappeared from Rus'?“- this is what Stalin’s bodyguard thought.

Summing up his memoirs and his life in general, Vlasik wrote: “Having not a single penalty, but only incentives and rewards, I was expelled from the party and thrown into prison. But never, not for a single minute, no matter what state I was in, no matter what bullying I was subjected to while in prison, I had no anger in my soul against Stalin. I understood perfectly well what kind of situation was created around him in the last years of his life. How difficult it was for him. He was an old, sick, lonely man... He was and remains the most dear person to me, and no slander can shake the feeling of love and deepest respect that I have always had for this wonderful man. He personified for me everything bright and dear in my life - the party, my homeland and my people.”

Posthumously rehabilitated

Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik died on June 18, 1967. His archive was seized and classified. Only in 2011, the Federal Security Service declassified the notes of the person who, in fact, was at the origins of its creation. Vlasik’s relatives have repeatedly made attempts to achieve his rehabilitation. After several refusals, on June 28, 2000, by a resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Court of Russia, the 1955 sentence was overturned and the criminal case was dismissed “for lack of corpus delicti.”

Nikolay Vlasik

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Thanks to the diaries of the personal bodyguard of leader Nikolai Vlasik, many episodes of our history will open from the other side.

...The diaries of the all-powerful head of Stalin's security, which lay for more than fifty years in an old suitcase with his daughter Nadezhda Nikolaevna Vlasik-Mikhailova. These notes in notebooks, notebooks, and on scraps of paper are a sensation. Nikolai Vlasik was Stalin’s personal bodyguard for many years and held this position the longest. Having joined his personal guard in 1931, he not only became its chief, but also actually became a member of the family. After the death of Stalin's wife Nadezhda Alliluyeva, he was also the teacher of the children Vasily and Svetlana.

Having served his “Master” faithfully for more than 20 years, Vlasik was practically betrayed by him and was arrested two and a half months before the leader’s death...

...In May 1994, during the restoration of the first building of the Kremlin, a secret passage was discovered on the second floor in a former Stalinist office. In the very place where Stalin’s desk used to stand, two large hatches were found under the parquet. Below them are two brick shafts with iron brackets in the walls going into the basement. One can now only guess about the purpose of the secret passage. But two severed special communication cables found in these mines are alarming. It looks like someone was listening to Stalin. Who?

Only one person from his entourage, Beria, could decide to do this, and only in the last years or even months of Stalin’s life, when the question of an heir turned into a matter of life and death for Beria. It was then that Beria managed to remove from his path one of his main opponents - the head of Stalin’s personal security, Nikolai Vlasik, a figure now, perhaps, no less legendary than Beria himself. During his arrest in December 1952, Vlasik uttered prophetic words:

“If there is no me, there will be no Stalin.” And he turned out to be right. Stalin died 2.5 months later in a strange death at his “Near Dacha” in Kuntsevo.

Today, for the first time in many years of rumors and legends, there was an opportunity to hear Vlasik himself. It’s hard to believe, but it turns out that there are diaries of the all-powerful head of Stalin’s security. They lay in a closet in an ordinary old suitcase for more than 50 years. These notes in notebooks, notebooks, and random scraps of paper are a sensation, priceless evidence of the era.

Published materials N.S. Vlasik are unique historical documents that are of great value both for any researcher and for a wide range of readers interested in the history of Soviet society.

It is worth noting that the leader’s personal bodyguard was fond of photography, and over almost 30 years of service he took more than 3,000 photographs. All of them were confiscated by Lubyanka during Vlasik’s arrest. And until recently, private photographs of the leader of all nations were inaccessible to the general public. About ten years ago, the surviving archives of Vlasik were “opened” by his relatives and even his diaries were published. But the rest of the confiscated materials about Stalin’s life, and in huge quantities, including photos, video, and audio, are not yet available.

“During the arrest of N.S. During a search of Vlasik’s work, apartment and dacha in the village of Tomilino, numerous records and about three thousand photographs and negatives were confiscated. Almost all of these documents and unique photographs taken by the general over many years of service were included in his criminal case. After the rehabilitation of N.S. Vlasik, a significant part of these materials was returned to the general’s family. Later they were transferred to the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation by the adopted daughter N.S. Vlasik - Nadezhda Nikolaevna Vlasik"

“Favorites” - from the diaries of Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik

Preface

I do not set myself the task of showing Stalin as a political figure.

Try to remove the unfair accusations of rudeness, cruelty and inhumanity brought against him. Try to refute the lies that were attributed to him after his death, to justify what he was undeservedly accused of.

To the best of my ability, I will highlight the facts that I have witnessed and establish the truth where possible.

1919 A year of healing the wounds inflicted by the war, a year of the beginning of the restoration of the national economy and the ongoing struggle against counter-revolutionary elements trying to strike blows at the young and fragile Soviet republic.

At this difficult time for the country, at the call of the party, I was sent to the Special Department of the Cheka at the disposal of Comrade. Dzerzhinsky. Until 1927 I worked in the Special Department, and then in 1927 I moved to work in the Operations Department.

From 1919 to 1952 I went from an ordinary employee to a general.

My new position

In 1927, a bomb was thrown at the commandant's office building on Lubyanka. At that time I was in Sochi on vacation. The authorities urgently called me and instructed me to organize the security of the Special Department of the Cheka, the Kremlin, as well as the security of government members at dachas, walks, on trips, and to pay special attention to the personal security of Comrade Stalin. Until this time, Comrade Stalin had only an employee who accompanied him when he went on business trips.

It was a Lithuanian - Yusis. Having called Yusis, we went with him by car to a dacha near Moscow, where Stalin usually rested. Arriving at the dacha and examining it, I saw that there was complete chaos there. There was no linen, no dishes, no staff. There was a commandant who lived at the dacha.

As I learned from Yusis, Comrade Stalin came to the dacha with his family only on Sundays and ate sandwiches that they brought with them from Moscow.

Family, rhythm of life, everyday life

Comrade Stalin’s family consisted of his wife, Nadezhda Sergeevna, an unusually modest young woman, the daughter of the old Bolshevik Alliluyev S.Ya., whom Comrade Stalin met in 19 (?) when he was hiding in their apartment in Petrograd, and two children - son Vasya, a very lively and impetuous boy of five years old, and daughter Svetlana, two years old.

In addition to these two children, Comrade Stalin had an adult son from his first marriage, Yasha, a very sweet and modest person, unusually similar to his father in his conversations and manners.

Looking ahead, I will say that he graduated from the Institute of Railway Transport, lived on a scholarship, was in need at times, but never turned to his father with any requests. After graduating from college, in response to his father’s remark that he would like to see his son in the military, Yasha entered the Artillery Academy, which he graduated from just before the war. In the very first days of the war, he went to the front. At Vyazma, our units were surrounded and he was taken prisoner. The Germans kept him captive in a camp until the end of the war. In the camp they killed him, allegedly while trying to escape.

According to the former French Prime Minister Herriot, who was with him in this camp, he behaved with exceptional dignity and courage. After the end of the war, Herriot wrote to Stalin about this.

By order of my superiors, in addition to security, I had to arrange supplies and living conditions for the protected person.

I began by sending linen and dishes to the dacha, and arranged for a supply of food from the state farm, which was under the jurisdiction of the GPU and located next to the dacha. He sent a cook and a cleaner to the dacha. Established a direct telephone connection with Moscow. Yusis, fearing Stalin’s dissatisfaction with these innovations, suggested that I myself report everything to Comrade Stalin.

This is how my first meeting and first conversation with Comrade Stalin took place. Before that, I had only seen him from afar, when I accompanied him on walks and on trips to the theater.

Comrade Stalin lived very modestly with his family. He walked around in an old, very shabby coat.

I suggested that Nadezhda Sergeevna sew him a new coat, but for this it was necessary to take measurements or take an old coat and make exactly the same one in the workshop. It was not possible to take measurements, as he flatly refused, saying that he did not need a new coat. But we still made him a coat.

His wife, Nadezhda Sergeevna, as I already said, was unusually modest, very rarely made any requests, and dressed modestly, unlike the wives of many responsible workers. She studied at the Industrial Academy and devoted a lot of time to children. I wanted to know, and I needed it, the tastes and habits of Comrade Stalin, the peculiarities of his character, and I looked closely at everything with curiosity and interest.

August 17, 1922. Joseph Stalin (left) and his wife Nadezhda Alliluyeva (right)

Stalin usually got up at 9 o'clock, had breakfast and at 11 o'clock was at work at the Central Committee on Old Square. He had lunch at work; it was brought to his office from the Central Committee canteen. Sometimes, when Comrade Kirov came to Moscow, they went home together for dinner. He often worked until late at night, especially in those years when, after Lenin’s death, the fight against the Trotskyists had to be intensified.

He also worked on his book “Questions of Leninism” in his office at the Central Committee, sometimes staying until late at night. I often returned from work on foot with Comrade Molotov, walking to the Kremlin through the Spassky Gate. I spent Sundays at home with my family, usually going to the dacha. Stalin went to the theater more often on Saturdays and Sundays together with Nadezhda Sergeevna. We visited the Bolshoi Theater, Maly Theater, Moscow Art Theater, them. Vakhtangov. We went to see Meyerhold and watched the play “The Bedbug” by Mayakovsky. With us at this performance were Comrade. Kirov and Molotov.

Stalin loved Gorky very much and always watched his plays, which were shown in Moscow theaters. Often after work, Stalin and Molotov went to watch films in Gnezdnikovsky Lane. Later, a screening room was set up in the Kremlin. Comrade Stalin loved cinema and attached great propaganda importance to it.

In the fall, usually in August - September, Stalin and his family left for the south. He spent his holidays on the Black Sea coast in Sochi or Gagra. He lived in the south for two months. While vacationing in Sochi, he sometimes took Matsesta baths.

During the entire vacation he worked very hard. He received a lot of mail. He always took one of his employees to the south. In the 20s a cryptographer traveled with him, and starting in the 30s. - secretary. During the vacation, business meetings also took place.

Stalin read a lot, followed political and fiction literature. Entertainment in the south included boat trips, movies, bowling alleys, small towns, which he loved to play, and billiards. The partners were employees who lived with him at the dacha. Comrade Stalin devoted a lot of time to the garden. Living in Sochi, he planted a lot of lemons and tangerines in his garden. I always watched the growth of young trees myself, rejoicing when they were well received and began to bear fruit.

He was very concerned about the incidence of malaria in the local population. And on his initiative, large plantings of eucalyptus trees were carried out in Sochi. This tree has valuable properties. It grows unusually quickly and dries out the soil. Planting eucalyptus in wetlands, hotbeds of malarial mosquitoes, dries out the soil and destroys breeding grounds for malarial diseases. Molotov, Kalinin, Ordzhonikidze, who at that time were vacationing on the Black Sea coast, often came to his dacha. Comrade Kirov came to visit. I would like to tell you especially about Kirov. Stalin loved Kirov most of all. He loved with some touching, tender love. Arrivals of Comrade Kirov to Moscow and the south were a real holiday for Stalin. Sergei Mironovich came for a week or two. In Moscow, he stayed at Stalin’s apartment and literally never left his side.

In 1933, Comrade Stalin’s wife tragically died. Joseph Vissarionovich deeply experienced the loss of his wife and friend. The children were still small, Comrade Stalin could not pay much attention to them due to his busy schedule. I had to hand over the upbringing and care of the children to Karolina Vasilievna, the housekeeper who managed their household. Karolina Vasilievna was a cultured woman, sincerely attached to children.

Editor's note: Maria Svanidze, a friend of Nadezhda Sergeevna, wrote down in April 1935: “...And then Joseph said: “How is it Nadya... could shoot herself. She did a very bad thing”... “What children, they forgot about her in a few days, but she crippled me for life. Let's drink to Nadya! - said Joseph. And we all drank to the health of dear Nadya, who left us so cruelly..."

Comrade Stalin often came to Nadezhda Sergeevna’s grave. I sat on the marble bench opposite, smoked a pipe, thought about something...

When the children grew up and both were already studying, part of the responsibility fell on me. The daughter, her father's favorite, studied well and was modest and disciplined. The son is gifted by nature and was reluctant to study at school. He was too nervous, impetuous, could not study diligently for a long time, often to the detriment of his studies and, not without success, becoming interested in something extraneous like horse riding. I reluctantly had to report his behavior to my father and upset him.

He loved children, especially his little daughter, whom he jokingly called “mistress,” which made her proud. He treated his son strictly and punished him for pranks and misdeeds. The girl looked like her grandmother, Stalin's mother. Her character was somewhat reserved, silent and dry. The boy, on the contrary, is lively and temperamental. He was very sincere and responsive.

In general, children were raised very strictly; no pampering or excess was allowed. The daughter grew up, graduated from college, defended her dissertation, has a family, works and raises children. Only my father’s surname had to be abandoned.

Svetlana Alliluyeva at a meeting with journalists, 1967, USA.

Editor's note: Lana Peters - daughter of I. Stalin, emigrated from the USSR to the USA in 1966. November 29, 2011 - died in the USA in a nursing home. She was 85 years old. In recent years, she was seriously ill, lived quietly, and did not favor journalists. What I wanted to tell, I have already told, including in my memoirs. Her last interview formed the basis of the film “Svetlana,” which was shown on Channel One.

The fate of his son was more tragic. After graduating from aviation school, he was a participant in the war, commanded, and I must say not bad, an aviation regiment. At the end of the war he worked as...

After the death of his father, he was arrested and sentenced to 8 years. For what? Don't know. After serving his sentence, he was released completely sick. He retained his military rank and was given a pension, but they suggested, like his sister, that he give up his father’s surname Dzhugashvili, to which he did not agree. After this, he was exiled to Kazan, where he soon died in March 1962 at the age of 40.

Murder of Kirov

On December 13, 1934 (December 1, 1934) S.M. was killed in Leningrad. Kirov. Kirov's death shocked Stalin. I went with him to Leningrad and I know how he suffered and experienced the loss of his beloved friend. About what a person of crystal purity S.M. was. Kirov, how simple and modest he was, what a great worker and wise leader he was, everyone knows. This vile murder showed that the enemies of Soviet power had not yet been destroyed and were ready to strike from around the corner at any moment. Comrade Kirov was killed by enemies of the people.

His killer Leonid Nikolaev stated in his testimony: “Our shot should have been a signal for an explosion and an offensive within the country against the CPSU (b) and Soviet power.” In September 1934, an assassination attempt was made on Comrade Molotov while he was on an inspection tour of the mining regions of Siberia. Comrade Molotov and his companions miraculously escaped death.

Assassination

In the summer of 1935, an attempt was made on Comrade Stalin’s life. This happened in the south. Stalin was relaxing at a dacha near Gagra. On a small boat that was transported to the Black Sea from the Neva from Leningrad, comrade. Stalin took walks on the sea. Only security was with him. The direction was taken to Cape Pitsunda. Having entered the bay, we went ashore, rested, had a snack, and walked, staying on the shore for several hours. Then we got on the boat and went home. There is a lighthouse on Cape Pitsunda, and not far from the lighthouse on the shore of the bay there was a border guard post.

When we left the bay and turned in the direction of Gagra, shots were heard from the shore. We were fired upon. Having quickly seated Comrade Stalin on the bench and covering him with me, I ordered the mechanic to go out to the open sea. Immediately we fired a machine gun along the shore. The shots at our boat stopped.

Our boat was a small river boat and completely unsuitable for walking on the sea, and we had a great chat before we landed on the shore. The sending of such a boat to Sochi was done by Yagoda, apparently not without malicious intent; on a large wave it would inevitably capsize, but we, as people not versed in maritime affairs, did not know about this.

This case was transferred for investigation to Beria, who was at that time the secretary of the Georgian Central Committee.

During interrogation, the shooter stated that the boat had an unfamiliar number; this seemed suspicious to him, and he opened fire, although he had enough time to find out everything while we were on the shore of the bay, and he could not help but see us. It was all one ball. The murder of Kirov, Menzhinsky, Kuibyshev and Gorky, as well as the mentioned assassination attempts, were organized by the right-wing Trotskyist bloc. This was shown by the trials of Kamenev and Zinoviev in 1936.

Nikita Khrushchev, Joseph Stalin, Georgy Malenkov, Lavrenty Beria, Vyacheslav Molotov, 1940s.

Trips to the south

Accompanying Stalin on trips to the south, I communicated with him a lot, we always dined together, and he spent almost all his free time with us, I mean himself and his secretary Poskrebyshev. In Moscow I saw him much less often. I accompanied him on trips around the city, to the theater, to the cinema.

During the life of A.M. Gorky, Stalin often met with him. As I already mentioned, he loved him very much. He visited him both at his dacha and in the city. On these trips I always accompanied him.

Speaking about the trips to the south that Stalin made annually, I wanted to talk about this trip in more detail, because... Her route was not entirely usual. This was in 1947. In August, I don’t remember the date, Stalin called me and announced that we would go south, not by train as usual, but to Kharkov by car, and in Kharkov we would take the train.

It is difficult to express my joy in words. Stalin still completely trusts me, I, like all previous years, will accompany him to the south, and he entrusts the organization of the entire trip to me. I must say that in 1946 my doctors and envious people, and I had many of them, slandered me, and I was removed from the post of head of the Department.

But Comrade Stalin reacted to this with all his sensitivity, he himself sorted out all the absolutely false accusations brought against me, and, seeing my complete innocence, returned my former trust. I carefully thought through the trip plan, consulted with the minister, he approved everything, and I reported it to Comrade Stalin.

Considering that such a long journey by car would be tiring for him, I tried to convince him to refuse such a trip, but he did not want to listen to me. We left, I think, on August 16th. We drove to Kharkov with three stops in Shchekino - Tula region, Orel and Kursk. At the stops everything was very modest and simple without any noise, which Comrade Stalin really liked.

We all ate together with Comrade Stalin. Both in Shchekino and Kursk, Comrade Stalin walked around the city. On the way between Tula and Orel, the tires on our Packard overheated. Stalin ordered to stop the car and said that he would walk a little, and the driver would change the tires, and then he would catch up with us.

After walking a little along the highway, we saw 3 trucks standing on the side of the highway and the driver was also changing a tire on one of them. Seeing Stalin, the workers were so confused that they could not believe their eyes, so unexpected was the appearance of comrade on the highway. Stalin, and on foot. When we passed, they began to hug and kiss each other, saying: “What happiness, they saw Stalin so close.”

After walking a little more, we met a little boy about 11-12 years old. Comrade Stalin stopped, extended his hand to him and said: “Well, let’s get to know each other. What is your name? Where are you going?" The boy said that his name was Vova, he was going to the village, where he grazed cows, and he was studying in the 4th grade with grades of four and five. At this time our car arrived, we said goodbye to Vova and continued our journey. After this stop, Comrade Stalin switched to the ZIS-110. He really liked the car, and throughout his vacation he drove only a domestic ZIS.

Editor's note: ZIS-110, a passenger car of the highest (executive) class, the first Soviet post-war car. Produced at the Moscow Stalin Plant. (ZIS) Its production began in 1945, replacing the ZIS-101 on the assembly line, and ended in 1958, when it was in turn replaced by the ZIL-111. On June 26, 1956, the plant received the name of I. A. Likhachev, and the car was renamed ZIL-110. A total of 2072 copies of all modifications were produced.

In Orel we made a stop, rested, washed up from the road, had lunch and set off on our further journey. Our next stop was in Kursk. We stopped to rest in the apartment of one of our security officers. The apartment was clean and cozy, on the shelf above the sofa there were many porcelain trinkets, and on the mirror stand there were many beautiful bottles of perfume and empty ones.

Comrade Stalin carefully examined the entire furnishings of the apartment, touched the trinkets that stood on the shelf, and when we, having rested, were getting ready to leave, he asked me what we would leave for the hostess as a souvenir, whether we had cologne. Fortunately, the cologne was found in a rather beautiful bottle. Comrade Stalin himself took it to the bedroom where he was resting and placed it on the mirror holder.

Despite the very tiring road, we left Moscow in the evening, drove all night and day, Comrade Stalin slept for a little more than two hours, Joseph Vissarionovich felt very well, he was in a great mood, which we were all very happy about. In the conversation, he said that he was very pleased that we went by car, that he saw a lot.

I saw how cities were built, how fields were cleared, and what kind of roads we had. You won't see this from the office. These were his authentic words.

Regarding roads, Comrade Stalin noted that the road from Moscow needs to be made as best as possible, divided into sections, guards installed, houses built for them, a plot of land given so that they have everything they need, they will be interested and will take good care of the road. Install gas filling stations, because there will be a lot of cars, everyone will drive cars, not only in the city, but also in the countryside.

Having safely reached Kharkov, we boarded the train and traveled by train to Simferopol. From Simferopol to Yalta we again traveled by car. In Yalta, the cruiser Molotov was waiting for us, on which Comrade Stalin was supposed to make a trip to Sochi.

Cruiser "Molotov"

On August 19, 1947, the cruiser Molotov, under the command of Admiral Yumashev, accompanied by two destroyers, left the Yalta port.

On board the cruiser, in addition to Comrade Stalin, were Comrade Kosygin, invited by Joseph Vissarionovich, who was vacationing in Yalta at that time, the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Oktyabrsky, and other persons accompanying Stalin.

The cruiser headed for Sochi. This trip made an unforgettable impression on me. The weather was magnificent and everyone was in high spirits. Comrade Stalin walked around the cruiser to the incessant cheers of “Hurray” from the entire crew. The faces of the sailors were joyful and enthusiastic.

The photo shows the shadow of the photographer - Nikolai Vlasik

Having agreed to Admiral Yumashev’s request to be photographed with the cruiser’s personnel, Comrade Stalin called me over. I ended up, one might say, as a photojournalist. I had already taken a lot of photographs, and Comrade Stalin saw my photographs. But despite this, I was very worried, because... I wasn't sure about the film. Stalin saw my condition and, as always, showed sensitivity. When I finished filming, having taken a few photographs to be sure, he called a security officer and said:

“Vlasik tried so hard, but no one took him down. Here, take a picture of him with us.”

I handed the camera to the employee, explaining everything that was needed, and he also took a few pictures. The photographs turned out very well and were reprinted in many newspapers.

Holidays in Sochi

While vacationing in Sochi, Comrade Stalin often walked around the city and along the highway. These walks gave me a lot of anxiety, because... There were always a lot of vacationers on the streets, a crowd surrounded us, everyone greeted Comrade Stalin, everyone wanted to shake his hand and talk to him.

It was extremely difficult to protect the leader in such a situation, especially since Comrade Stalin did not like having guards accompany him. Usually he was accompanied on walks by me, secretary Poskrebyshev and two or three security officers.

One day, during a trip around the city, Comrade Stalin decided to stop at the port. Having reached the pier, we got out of the car. The motor ship "Voroshilov" was unloading at the port. T. Stalin looked at the unloading for a long time, he did not like the ship, he found it clumsy.

When we returned to the cars, a large crowd had already gathered at the port. Everyone wanted to look at the leader, to make sure whether it was true that Stalin was just walking in the port like that. Approaching the cars, Stalin warmly responded to the greetings and, opening the door, invited the guys who ran to the car to take a ride with us. Stalin wanted to give the children some pleasure, to treat them with something.

We went to the Riviera, there was an open cafe there. We went there, seated the guys at tables, but here it turned out the same as in the port. Vacationers surrounded us, there were many children among them, so we had to invite everyone for lemonade. I brought a large vase of sweets from the buffet, and so on. Stalin began to treat the children to sweets. One little girl, apparently timid, was pushed aside by the guys, she did not get anything, and she began to cry. Then Comrade Stalin took her in his arms so that she could choose the sweets that she would like. Having distributed all the candy and paid the barman, I turned to the guys: “Well, guys, now the pioneer “Hurray” for Comrade Stalin.” The guys shouted “Hurray” in unison. We barely made it through the crowd to the car and drove home.

In the autumn of October 14, 1947 in Sochi, on Stalin’s instructions, I met the British delegation of Labor members of parliament at the airport. Stalin received them at his dacha. He allowed me to attend this reception. For me this meeting was extremely interesting.

The British asked questions of a deeply political nature, as well as economic ones. Stalin gave short, clear and comprehensive answers. After the reception, I escorted the guests to the dacha assigned to them. Two of our translators were at the reception. Over dinner, they shared their impressions of this meeting.

The British were amazed by Stalin's erudition. This is a truly great man, he not only understands all political issues, but also knows the economy of England.

About warm attitude towards people

I would like to give a few more examples of Stalin’s warm and caring attitude towards the people, employees and me personally.

I remember a conversation that took place in the 30s. between Stalin and Molotov during a walk in Sochi. The conversation turned to the five-day period. At that time, Sunday was abolished as a day of rest. The people worked for five days, and the sixth day was a day of rest. The work week was continuous, and everyone rested on different days. Comrade Molotov said that he had heard rumors that the people were dissatisfied with the five-day period, because... no family can get together, no friends can meet to spend a free day together. Comrade Stalin, hearing this, immediately said:

“Since the people are dissatisfied, we need to cancel the five-day week and make it a general day off, as the people want.”

We need to explain this in print and make a decision. Which is what was done. Comrade Molotov was at that time chairman of the Council of People's Commissars. Let me give you another fact.

While living in Sochi, Joseph Vissarionovich decided to inspect the Matsesta baths. Entering the room where patients were taking baths, he saw that the water supplied to the baths was dirty black. He was very indignant. Returning home, he called Professor Valdinsky, who was responsible for the condition of the resort, and asked him: “Can’t you clean the water? Why do patients have to take such dirty baths? We need to do everything possible to clean the water.” After this conversation, all measures were taken and the water in the Matsesta baths began to flow not contaminated, but clean. Joseph Vissarionovich was also interested in the construction of housing stock. He made sure that they built well and beautifully, that the buildings beautified the city and did not disfigure it, that the people received bright and comfortable apartments.

In the post-war period, he carefully monitored the timely and regular reduction of food prices. The commanders who participated in the war were allowed to build dachas for personal recreation on preferential terms.

Attitude towards employees

Let me give you an example of a warm attitude towards employees. Once, during a summer vacation, one of the employees guarding the territory of the dacha where Comrade Stalin was resting fell asleep at his post. In his justification, it should be noted that I had only nine security officers, and the territory was large, all in thickets, people, of course, were tired. Comrade Stalin was informed about this, he called me and asked what measures had been taken against this employee. I replied that I wanted to remove him from work and send him to Moscow.

Joseph Vissarionovich asked if he admitted that he fell asleep at his post. I replied that I confessed. “Well, since he confessed, don’t punish him, let him work,” said Joseph Vissarionovich. After this incident, I had a conversation with the employees, increased security and thus gave the security the opportunity to rest normally.

Attitude towards me personally

This fact speaks of Stalin’s caring attitude towards me personally.

In 1948, during a vacation in Crimea, Comrade Stalin called me and said that guests would come to him - a family, there would be six of them. They need to be provided with accommodation, food and service. Today we ourselves will also move to one of the vacant dachas.

In the evening, as always when on vacation, secretary Poskrebyshev and I had dinner with him. Joseph Vissarionovich joked a lot, shared memories from his past, and talked about life in exile in the Turukhansk region. These leisure hours spent in the company of the leader will forever remain in my memory as the best hours of my life. He was so endearing that I always felt simple and free with him.

We sat at dinner for a very long time and immediately, without going to bed, decided to go to another dacha. After waking up the drivers, we drove to Livadia. Arriving in Livadia, Comrade Stalin ordered breakfast to be served on the veranda and invited the drivers and security officers who accompanied us. Breakfast took place in a simple, friendly atmosphere. After breakfast, Comrade Stalin and Poskrebyshev went to rest, since we did not go to bed that night, and I had things to do, and besides, I was excited by this conversation with the leader and did not want to sleep.

After sleeping for several hours, Comrade Stalin asked for a car to go and inspect the dacha, which we decided to prepare for guests. When I approached him, he saw that I looked tired, and, having learned that I had not gone to bed, he did not allow me to go with him, but ordered me to immediately go to bed. I left, but I couldn’t sleep, and I accompanied him in another car.

Returning home, Comrade Stalin asked his employees several times whether Vlasik was sleeping, and only the next day he called me and asked if I had gotten enough sleep. I apologized to him, he laughed and I saw a truly dear, close person to me.

Over the twenty-five years of work, I had, of course, mistakes and blunders, and he understood them with all sensitivity and tact and forgave me a lot, seeing my sincere, incorruptible devotion and ardent desire to justify his trust.

Chkalov

Stalin treated people not rudely and cruelly, but with care and attention. Everyone knows his warm and fatherly attitude towards the famous pilot Valery Pavlovich Chkalov. Let us remember his words to Chkalov: “Your life is more valuable to us than any car.” Words that moved this courageous, rough-looking pilot to the depths of his soul. Let us remember Stalin’s concerns about his further flights.

The route of Chkalov's first non-stop flight Moscow-Petropavlovsk-on-Kamchatka was suggested by Stalin as a stage for preparing an unprecedented flight through the North Pole to America. Stalin was worried about Chkalov and persuaded him not to rush into the flight across the pole, as it was very dangerous. It is better to carefully check the aircraft and material equipment in order to somewhat secure the flight across the pole. I remember how at a reception in the Kremlin in the St. George's Hall in honor of the return of Chkalov's crew from America after a flight over the North Pole, the excited Chkalov, tearing his tunic on his chest, exclaimed, addressing Stalin: “Not only am I ready to give my life to you, take my heart!”

Attitude towards children

Joseph Vissarionovich loved children very much. When he met children on a walk, he always entered into conversation with them. I remember once during a walk on Matsesta vol. Stalin and Molotov we met a little boy of about six years old, very talkative and intelligent, he intelligently and thoroughly answered Joseph Vissarionovich’s questions. When they met, Stalin extended his hand to him and asked: “What is your name?” “Valka,” the boy answered gravely. “Well, I’m Oska the Pockmarked One,” Stalin answered him in the same tone. “Well, now we know each other.” Comrade Molotov and I laughed, and the boy looked carefully at Joseph Vissarionovich. After suffering from smallpox in childhood, Comrade Stalin had several rowan spots on his face.

Comrade Stalin loved animals. One day in Sochi he picked up a hungry stray puppy. He personally fed him and took care of him. But the puppy turned out to be ungrateful and when he had eaten and gotten stronger, he ran away.

I cited all these facts of Stalin’s warm and sensitive attitude towards those around him, towards the people - in refutation of the statement that was widespread after his death, presenting him as a rude and tough person, inhuman and merciless towards those around him. It's a lie. He was never like that. He was simple and friendly, condescending and sensitive. He was merciless to his enemies, but deeply loved his friends. And if he mistook the enemy for a friend, brought him closer to him and trusted him, it was his mistake. Fatal mistake. May she forgive him! He paid for it dearly - with his life.

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In June 2000, by decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Court of Russia, the former head of Stalin's personal security, Lieutenant General Nikolai Vlasik, whose biography formed the basis of this article, was posthumously rehabilitated. How did a man who was part of the leader’s inner circle for almost half a century end up in the dock?

A guy from a Belarusian village

Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik came from a poor peasant family who lived in the village of Bobynichi in Western Belarus. He was born on May 22, 1896. Having barely completed three classes of a parochial school, the boy lost his parents and was forced to take care of himself. As a result, Nikolai began his working career at the age of 13 ─ first as a helper at a construction site, then as a bricklayer, and after the owner went bankrupt, he got a job at a factory as a loader .

When World War I broke out, Nikolai Vlasik, who had reached conscription age by that time, was mobilized and participated in battles as part of the 167th Ostrog Infantry Regiment. For his heroism, by order of the command, he was awarded the St. George Cross and promoted to non-commissioned officer. Soon after this, Vlasik was appointed commander of one of the platoons of the 251st Infantry Regiment, located in Moscow. In this position he met the October Revolution.

Young employee of the Cheka

In the biography of Nikolai Vlasik, the emphasis is usually placed on the fact that his political choice in those years was determined primarily by his belonging to the social lower classes of Russian society. It's hard to disagree with this. It is unlikely that this semi-literate young man delved into the abstruse theories of Marx; most likely, he internally felt that life was giving him a chance to escape from insignificance. His first step on his chosen path was joining the ranks of the RCP (b).

Nikolai Vlasik began serving the new government in the ranks of the Moscow police, then participated in the battles of the Civil War, was wounded near Tsaritsyn, and finally became an employee of the Cheka, a body that had truly unlimited powers and left a gloomy memory of itself.

Creation of a government security service

Since 1919, he served in the central apparatus of the Cheka, which was headed by F. E. Dzerzhinsky, and took an active part in operations that became part of the notorious Red Terror, which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Russians suspected of disloyalty to the Bolshevik regime. Soon after the transformation of the Cheka into the OGPU, Vlasik took the post of senior commissioner of the operational department.

A new turn in the life of the operative occurred in 1927, and the impetus for it was a bomb thrown by unknown persons into the commandant’s office building on Lubyanka. In this regard, a special structure was created to ensure the security of the Kremlin, members of the government, as well as all institutions subordinate to the OGPU. The well-proven operative Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik was appointed head of this department.

Start of a new activity

According to his own recollections, among other duties assigned to him, special importance was given to the protection of I.V. Stalin. In previous years, ensuring the security of top officials of the state was extremely poor. Even what Fanny Kaplan committed on August 30, 1918 did not serve as a lesson.

Before Vlasik assumed his new position, Stalin’s security was handled by the only person who accompanied him everywhere - the Lithuanian Yusis. In addition, in the 20s, the future “father of nations” led an extremely ascetic lifestyle and in everyday life was content with only the bare necessities. Suffice it to say that at his dacha near Moscow there was not only proper staff, but not even a regular telephone, and he ate exclusively sandwiches brought from Moscow.

Taking priority action

Having taken on the duties of Stalin’s head of security, Nikolai Vlasik began precisely by organizing the life of the head of state. Despite the objections of his ward, he organized the delivery of fresh and high-quality products from a nearby state farm, which were immediately placed at the disposal of an experienced cook, who had undergone a thorough check before his appointment. An extensive staff of servants was also formed, providing adequate comfort in all areas of the leader’s life.

Following this, on the initiative of Nikolai Vlasik, a whole network of Stalin’s dachas was created both in the Moscow region and located in the southern regions of the country, where well-trained staff were ready at any time to receive the leader and create for him the most comfortable conditions for rest and work. All these country residences were included among the most important state objects, and were guarded with special care.

Ideas brought to life

Acting as not only the chief of security, but also Stalin’s personal bodyguard, Nikolai Vlasik developed a whole system of measures aimed at ensuring the safety of the first person of the state during official events, trips around the country and international meetings. Being, in fact, a semi-literate person, whose entire education was limited to the 3rd grade of a parochial school, Vlasik showed outstanding abilities as the head of one of the most important departments, whose work was aimed at protecting state security.

It is interesting to note that it was he who came up with the idea to carry out the passage of the top officials of the state in a cavalcade made up of absolutely identical-looking cars. Moreover, only the most trusted members of the guard know in which of them the leader is located. It was precisely this simple but very effective scheme that saved the life of L.I. Brezhnev in 1969 during an attempt on his life.

Teacher of the leader's children

A few years after taking office, Vlasik became an indispensable person for Stalin. His role in the life of the leader especially grew after Stalin’s second wife, Nadezhda Alliluyeva, committed suicide in November 1932 (her photo with her daughter Svetlana is in the article), and he took care of the children left without a mother: Vasily, Svetlana and adopted son

As Nikolai Sidorovich later wrote in his memoirs, most of the problems were created for him by Vasily, who was uncontrollable by nature, while Svetlana and Artyom were quiet and obedient children. Not wanting to cause Stalin unnecessary worries, he tried as best he could to smooth out information about the adventures of his unbridled son in his reports, but every year this became more and more difficult to do.

Nikolai Vlasik, whose personal life was entirely subordinated to the interests of the service, practically did not know family joys. In 1934, he married Maria Semyonovna Kovbasko, who took his last name and gave birth to his daughter Nadezhda a year later. However, the spouses saw each other only in fits and starts, since Nikolai Semyonovich himself was constantly with Stalin and even always spent the night in a room located next to the leader’s bedroom.

Years of war and subsequent period

During the Great Patriotic War, Nikolai Vlasik ensured the security of heads of state who took part in conferences of countries participating in the anti-Hitler coalition. He completed this task with his usual professionalism, for which he was awarded a number of high government awards.

In 1946, the previously existing structure of the NKVD was transformed into the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, and on its basis the Main Directorate of Security was created - a state body with an annual budget of 180 million rubles and a staff of tens of thousands of employees. Despite the fact that Nikolai Vlasik became the head of this huge department, life prepared the most unpleasant surprise for him in those years.

Dangerous enemy

The fact is that, having been in close proximity to Stalin for many years and enjoying his trust, he could influence the adoption of certain important decisions, including those related to Considering the ongoing struggle for power among the Kremlin elite, it is not difficult to guess that during his service he made many dangerous enemies.

The main and most powerful of them was Lavrentiy Beria, the head of the USSR intelligence services (photo is in the article). He, more than anyone else, was interested in getting rid of Vlasik, and for a long time he collected dirt on him, preparing to strike a sudden blow.

He made his first attempt in 1948. Then the commandant of the “Near Dacha” Fedoseev, who was arrested by him, slandered Vlasik, showing during interrogation that he was going to poison Stalin. However, this did not work - the leader did not believe in his bodyguard’s betrayal.

New charge

The year 1952 became fatal for Nikolai Vlasik, when unexpectedly real facts of abuses committed by the staff of many government dachas that had been empty for a long time were revealed. In addition to the fact that they regularly hosted revelries that developed into real orgies, huge quantities of food and material assets were stolen there. Of course, responsibility fell fully on the head of the department, under whose subordination were the persons who compromised themselves.

Beria latched on to this material and very soon found witnesses who confirmed that Vlasik himself had repeatedly relaxed in this way, after which he drove away with a trunk full of all sorts of delicacies. Such information already looked quite plausible.

The end of a brilliant career

As a result, on April 29, 1952, the head of the Security Department and Stalin’s personal bodyguard was removed from office and sent to the Ural city of Asbest as deputy head of the local forced labor camp. But this was, of course, only the first step into the abyss that opened before him.

In December of the same year, he was arrested in connection with the “doctors’ case,” since, as the head of the security department, he was responsible for the reliability of the medical staff, against whom far-fetched charges were then brought forward. Already on January 17 of the following year, a meeting of the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR was held, which found him guilty of abuse of office and sentenced him to exile for a period of 10 years. Soon after Stalin's death, the sentence was commuted to 5 years, to be served in one of the districts of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

last years of life

After the March 1956 protest that condemned Stalin’s personality cult, many victims of his misanthropic regime began to be released. Vlasik Nikolai Sidorovich, whose biography was closely connected with the name of the debunked leader, was also released in those days. By decision of the judicial panel, he was pardoned and released. His criminal record was cleared, but without the restoration of his former military rank of lieutenant general and without the return of government awards.

Vlasik spent the last years of his life in Moscow. He died on June 18, 1967. He was fully rehabilitated only in June 2000, when by decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation the sentence passed in 1955 was overturned “for lack of corpus delicti.”

What did Vlasik really suffer for?

Nikolai Sidorovich, whose personal life became the subject of study by many biographers, was practically thrown out by Stalin as waste material. What is the reason for such an act? Perhaps it lies in suspicion, which became painfully aggravated towards the end of the leader’s life. It is also possible that Stalin really wanted to punish Vlasik for drunken revelry and waste of public funds. But it is most likely that, at that time, exchanging former managers for young employees, he came to the idea that it was time to get rid of the head of his personal security. However, there could be other reasons that we do not know about. The life of Nikolai Vlasik still contains many mysteries.

Three months before the death of I. Stalin, the chief of his security, General Vlasik, was arrested, who had served him faithfully for a quarter of a century...
How did this happen? There is a lot of confusion in the Vlasik case. Until recently, there are no materials that fully shed light on the circumstances of the arrest of the leader’s faithful bodyguard, who was not only a bodyguard, but also a nanny and teacher of his children, as well as a executor of various assignments. The information found will be listed here.
Let's start, as usual, with a biography.

Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik was born on May 22, 1896, in the village of Bobynichi, Slonim district, Grodno province (now Slonim district, Grodno region), into a poor peasant family. By nationality - Belarusian. He graduated from three classes of a rural parochial school. He began his working career at the age of thirteen: as a laborer for a landowner, as a navvy on the railroad, as a laborer at a paper mill in Yekaterinoslav. In March 1915 he was called up for military service. He served in the 167th Ostrog Infantry Regiment, in the 251st Reserve Infantry Regiment. For bravery in the battles of World War I he received the St. George Cross. During the days of the October Revolution, being in the rank of non-commissioned officer, he and his platoon went over to the side of Soviet power.
In November 1917, he joined the Moscow police. From February 1918 - in the Red Army, a participant in the battles on the Southern Front near Tsaritsyn, and was an assistant company commander in the 33rd Rogozhsko-Simonovsky Infantry Regiment.
In September 1919, he was transferred to the Cheka, worked under the direct supervision of F. E. Dzerzhinsky in the central apparatus, was an employee of the special department, senior representative of the active department of the operational unit. From May 1926 he became the senior commissioner of the Operations Department of the OGPU, and from January 1930 he became assistant to the head of the department there.

In 1927, he headed the Kremlin's special security and became the de facto head of Stalin's security. At the same time, the official name of his position was repeatedly changed due to constant reorganizations and reassignments in the security agencies. From the mid-1930s - head of the 1st department (security of senior officials) of the Main Directorate of State Security of the NKVD of the USSR, from November 1938 - head of the 1st department there. In February - July 1941, this department was part of the People's Commissariat for State Security of the USSR, then it was returned to the NKVD of the USSR. From November 1942 - First Deputy Head of the 1st Department of the NKVD of the USSR.
But he also had to be responsible for medical care for the country’s leadership, material support for their apartments and dachas, supply of food and special rations, construction and repair of office premises of the Central Committee and the Kremlin, organization of recreation for Stalin, his relatives and children at country dachas and in the south. And even control the studies and behavior of Stalin’s children, who were left without a mother in 1932. Stalin’s personal fund still contains documents that show that Vlasik, through employees appointed by him, monitored Stalin’s children, showing, frankly, maternal care.

With Stalin's grandchildren.

But that was not all. Organization of demonstrations and parades, preparation of Red Square, halls, theaters, stadiums, airfields for various propaganda campaigns, movement of government members and Stalin around the country on various transport, meetings, seeing off foreign guests, their security and support.

And most importantly - the safety of the leader. It was Vlasik who came up with such a method of security as a cavalcade of ten to fifteen absolutely identical ZIS vehicles. The chief of security had more than enough to do, and for all the years the leader had no troubles, although emergencies happened around him, and often: sabotage, sabotage, the death of Menzhinsky, Kuibyshev, Gorky and his son Maxim, the murder of Kirov, Ordzhonikidze, the death of Chkalov.
By the summer of 1941, Vlasik already had the rank of general. During the war, worries increased, and accordingly the staff grew - up to several tens of thousands of people. Vlasik was entrusted with the evacuation of the government, members of the diplomatic corps and people's commissariats. The Main Security Directorate selected work premises and apartments for the government in Kuibyshev, provided transport, communications, and arranged supplies. Vlasik was also responsible for the evacuation of Lenin’s body to Tyumen and its protection. And in Moscow, he and his apparatus ensured security at the parade on November 7, 1941, at a ceremonial meeting that was held at the Mayakovskaya metro station the day before. In short, his service cannot be called “honey”. And then there are the “minor” questions.

« Secret
DEPUTY HEAD OF 1ST DEPARTMENT
NKVD USSR
COMMISSIONER OF STATE SECURITY
3rd RANK
Comrade VLASIK N.S.
Conclusion on the state of health of Colonel Vasily Iosifovich STALIN
Comrade V.I. STALIN delivered to the Kremlin hospital 4/IV-43 at 11 o’clock due to wounds from a shell fragment.
A wound to the left cheek with a small metal fragment in it and a wound to the left foot with damage to its bones and the presence of a large metal fragment.
At 14:00 4/IV-43, under general anesthesia, prof. A.D. Ochkin performed an operation to excise the damaged tissue and remove fragments.
The foot injury is classified as serious.
Due to contamination of the wounds, antitetanus and antigangrenosis serums were introduced.
The general condition of the wounded man is quite satisfactory.
Head of the Kremlin Medical Center (Busalov )»

Before reporting to his father about his son, N.S. Vlasik forced the Air Force command to submit a report on the circumstances of Vasily Stalin’s injury.
We didn't have to wait long for this.
« SECRET. Ex. No. 1
Report of an emergency incident in the 32nd Guards IAP (fighter aviation regiment - Ed.)
The incident occurred under the following circumstances:
On the morning of April 4, 1943, a group of flight personnel consisting of regiment commander Colonel V.I. Stalin, Heroes of the Soviet Union Lieutenant Colonel Vlasov N.I., Captain Baklan A.Ya., Captain Kotov A.G., Captain Garanin V.I. ., captain Popkov V.I., captain Dolgushin S.F., flight commander senior lieutenant Shishkin A.P. and others, as well as the regiment’s weapons engineer, Captain Razin E.I. I went to the Selizharovka River, located 1.5 km from the airfield, to go fishing.
Throwing grenades and rockets into the water, they drowned out the fish, collecting them from the shore with a net. Before throwing a rocket, the regimental engineer, Captain Razin, first set the detonator ring to maximum deceleration (22 seconds), turned away the chickenpox, and then threw the projectile into the water. So they personally had 3 rockets thrown at them. Preparing to throw the last rocket, engineer-captain Razin turned the chickenpox as much as possible, and the shell instantly exploded in his hands, as a result of which one person - Captain Razin - was killed, Colonel V.I. Stalin. and captain Kotov A.G. seriously wounded .»
With this report, the faithful Nikolai Sidorovich went to the leader, and he burst out with an order:
« COMMANDER OF THE RED ARMY AIR FORCE MARSHAL COM. I ORDER NOVIKOV:
1) Immediately remove from the post of commander of the aviation regiment Colonel V.I. STALIN. and not give him any command posts until my order.
2) Announce to the regiment and the former regiment commander, Colonel Stalin, that Colonel Stalin is being removed from the post of regiment commander for drunkenness and riotous behavior and for the fact that he is spoiling and corrupting the regiment.
3) Deliver the execution.
People's Commissar of Defense
I. Stalin
May 26, 1943 »
But there were more serious matters. First of all, three conferences of the heads of the participants in the anti-Hitler coalition: Tehran (XI 28 - XII 1, 1943), Yalta (II.4-11, 1945) and Potsdam (VII 17 - VIII 2, 1945).
For the successful holding of the conference in Tehran, Vlasik was awarded the Order of Lenin, for the Crimean conference - the Order of Kutuzov, 1st degree, for the Potsdam conference - the Order of Lenin.
The war is over. The service continued. By decision of the Central Committee in 1947, funds were allocated for the construction and reconstruction of state dachas in the Crimea, Sochi, Gagra, Sukhumi, Tskaltubo, Borjomi, on Lake Ritsa and in the Moscow region. And again, all this was entrusted to N.S. Vlasik.
So the service went on in a fuss. But trouble came...
In 1948, the commandant of the “Near Dacha” Fedoseev was arrested. Fedoseev testified that Vlasik wanted to poison Stalin. Then it happened: Stalin did not believe the fiction. However, four years later, a commission of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, chaired by G. Malenkov, again took up Vlasik.
This time the charges against him were for financial fraud. In May 1952, an in-depth audit of the financial and economic activities of the security department unexpectedly began. In May 1952, Vlasik was removed from his post as head of Stalin’s security and sent to the Ural city of Asbest as deputy head of the Bazhenov forced labor camp of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.

And on December 16, he was summoned to Moscow and arrested in the “Doctors’ Case,” accusing him of covering up “hostile actions” of professors Egorov, Vovsi and Vinogradov.
As you know, the “doctors’ case” was terminated after Stalin’s death and all those arrested were released - everyone except Vlasik. He was interrogated more than a hundred times during the investigation. After Stalin's death, he was accused of espionage, preparation of terrorist attacks, and anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda. Moreover, for each of the charges he faced a considerable prison sentence. The investigation continued. Now, in addition to past accusations of financial irregularities, Vlasik has been charged with illegal “self-sufficiency” (essentially looting) in Soviet-occupied Germany. The evidence was clear: during the search, entire warehouses of “trophies” were discovered at the ex-general’s place, including unique sets, dozens of crystal vases, about 30 cameras and photographic lenses, which “were acquired illegally.” In addition, Vlasik admitted that in 1945, after the end of the Potstdam Conference, “he took three cows, a bull and two horses from Germany, of which he gave a cow, a bull and a horse to his brother, a cow and a horse to his sister, a cow to his niece; the cattle were delivered to the Slonim district of the Baranovichi region on a train from the USSR Ministry of State Security Administration."
This story with living creatures was known to Stalin. And then he let her pass, as they say, “out of earshot.”

Stalin knew that in 1941, the native village of Vlasika-Bobynichi, Baranovichi region, was captured by the Germans. The house in which the sister lived was burned, half the village was shot, the sister’s eldest daughter was taken to work in Germany (she never returned from there), the cow and horse were taken away. Olga, her husband Peter and two children went to the partisans, and then, when the Germans were driven away, she returned to the plundered village. So Vlasik delivered from Germany to his sister, as it were, part of her own goods.
This was reported to Stalin, and he, looking at Ignatiev who was reporting, said: “What are you, oh... or what?!”
Vlasik himself recalled this at the end of his life. I don’t know if this was actually the case, but if so, then we must give the leader his due: he was right.
On January 17, 1953, the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR found him guilty of abuse of office under especially aggravating circumstances, sentencing him under Art. 193-17 paragraph “b” of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR to 10 years of exile, deprivation of the rank of general and state awards. Sent to serve exile in Krasnoyarsk. According to the amnesty on March 27, 1953, Vlasik’s sentence was reduced to five years, without loss of rights. By a resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated December 15, 1956, Vlasik was pardoned and his criminal record was expunged. He was not restored to his military rank or awards.
From the verdict:
“...Vlasik, being the head of the Main Security Directorate of the USSR Ministry of State Security, enjoying the special trust of the Soviet Government and the Central Committee of the CPSU, abused the trust placed in him and his high official position...” And then the accusations follow:
"1. He became morally corrupt, systematically drank, lacked a sense of political vigilance, and showed promiscuity in everyday relationships.
2. While drinking with a certain Stenberg, he became close to him and divulged secret information to him and other persons. From Stenberg’s apartment he conducted telephone negotiations with the head of the Soviet Government, as well as official conversations with his subordinates.
3. Deciphered three secret employees in front of Stenberg. Showed him his intelligence file.
4. When communicating with people who “did not inspire political trust” and who maintained connections with foreigners, Vlasik gave them passes to the stands of Red Square.
5. Kept official documents in his apartment, in particular, the plan of Potsdam and the security system for the entire area of the Potsdam Conference (1945), as well as a memorandum on the work of the Sochi department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs during the special period of 1946, the schedule of government trains and others. documentation ».
This was where the accusation ended. And the investigation lasted for more than two years!
Qualification - clause “b” of Art. 193-17 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR (as amended in 1926).
« Art. 193-17. a) Abuse of power, excess of power, inaction of power, as well as negligent attitude towards the service of a person of the commanding staff of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army, if these acts were committed systematically, or for selfish reasons or other personal interest, as well as if they resulted in the disorganization of those entrusted to him forces, or the work entrusted to him, or the disclosure of military secrets, or other serious consequences, or even if they did not have the indicated consequences, but obviously could have them, or were committed in wartime, or in a combat situation, entail: imprisonment with or without strict isolation for a period of at least six months;
b) the same acts, in the presence of ESPECIALLY aggravating circumstances, entail:
HIGHEST MEASURE OF SOCIAL PROTECTION;
c) the same acts, in the absence of the signs provided for in paragraphs “a” and “b” of this article, entail: application of the Rules of the Disciplinary Charter of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army ».
But here is the data from Vlasik’s criminal case, more precisely, from the minutes of the court hearing dated January 17, 1955:
« Question of the court. What brought you and Stenberg together?
Vlasik. Of course, the rapprochement was based on drinking together and meeting women.
Question of the court. Did he have a comfortable apartment for this?
Vlasik. I visited him very rarely.
Question of the court. Did you issue passes to Red Square to a certain Nikolaeva, who was connected with foreign journalists?
Vlasik. I only now realized that I had committed a crime.
Question of the court. Did you give your partner Gridusova and her husband Schrager tickets to the stands of the Dynamo stadium?
Vlasik. Gave.
Question of the court. Did you keep secret documents in your apartment?
Vlasik. I was going to compile an album in which the life and work of Comrade would be reflected in photographs and documents. I.V. Stalin.
Question of the court. How did you purchase the radio and receiver?
Vlasik. Vasily Stalin sent them to me as a gift. But then I gave them to the Blizhnaya dacha.
Question of the court. What can you say about the fourteen cameras and lenses you had?
Vlasik. Most of them I received through my professional activities. I bought one Zeiss device through Vneshtorg, another device was given to me by Comrade Serov...”
The evidentiary part of the verdict is interesting. She is simply unique.
“Vlasik’s guilt in committing these crimes was proven by the testimony of witnesses interrogated in court, preliminary investigation materials, physical evidence, as well as Vlasik’s partial admission of guilt " That's all.
By way of pardon (Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on May 15, 1956, signed by Klim Voroshilov) he was released from custody and from further serving his sentence.
Returning to Moscow, Vlasik asks for an appointment with Prosecutor General Rudenko - he did not accept him. Sends a request for rehabilitation to the Party Control Commission (CPC) to N. Shvernik, then to A. Pelshe - again a refusal. The support of Marshals G. Zhukov and A. Vasilevsky did not help either.
His apartment on Gorky Street (in the building where the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall is located) was turned into a communal apartment. All property was removed during the investigation.
On June 18, 1967, N.S. Vlasik died of lung cancer, having achieved nothing.
In 1985, Chief Military Prosecutor A. Gorny responded to his daughter’s repeated appeal for posthumous rehabilitation of her father.
Vlasika’s daughter Nadezhda Nikolaevna spent a long time trying to rehabilitate her father. But the Rehabilitation Commission and the FSB informed her that her father was not convicted under Art. 58 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR (state crime), and under Art. 193-17 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR (simple military crime), as a result of this, N.S. Vlasik is allegedly not a victim of political repression, just as his daughter is not a victim.
Today, justice seems to have been restored. On June 28, 2000, by a resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Court of Russia, the 1955 verdict against Vlasik was canceled and the criminal case was terminated “for lack of corpus delicti.”
"He N. S. Vlasik] simply prevented Beria from getting to Stalin, because his father would not let him die. He would not wait for a day outside the doors, like those guards on March 1, 1953, when Stalin “woke up” »… " - daughter of N. S. Vlasik Nadezhda Vlasik in the newspaper "Moskovsky Komsomolets" dated 05/07/2003.
Unfortunately, this interview turned out to have sad consequences for Nadezhda Nikolaevna. This is how an employee of the Slonim Local History Museum tells this story:
"Nikolai Sidorovich’s personal belongings were donated to the museum by his adopted daughter, his own niece Nadezhda Nikolaevna (he did not have any children of his own). This lonely woman spent her entire life trying to rehabilitate the general. In 2000, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dropped all charges against Nikolai Vlasik. He was rehabilitated posthumously, restored to his rank, and his awards were returned to his family. These are three Orders of Lenin, four Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of the Red Star and Kutuzov, four medals, two honorary Chekist badges.
- While,- says Irina Shpyrkova, - We contacted Nadezhda Nikolaevna. We agreed to transfer awards and personal belongings to our museum. She agreed, and in the summer of 2003 our employee went to Moscow. But everything turned out like in a detective story. An article about Vlasik was published in Moskovsky Komsomolets. Many called Nadezhda Nikolaevna. One of the callers identified himself as Alexander Borisovich, a lawyer and representative of State Duma deputy Demin. He promised to help the woman return Vlasik’s priceless personal photo archive. The next day he came to Nadezhda Nikolaevna, allegedly to draw up documents. I asked for tea. The hostess left, and when she returned to the room, the guest suddenly prepared to leave. She never saw him again, nor did she see the general’s 16 medals and orders, or the general’s gold watch...
Nadezhda Nikolaevna only had the Order of the Red Banner, which she gave to Slonimsky local history museum. And also two pieces of paper from my father’s notebook. "
Here is a list of all the awards that disappeared from Nadezhda Nikolaevna (except for one Order of the Red Banner):
St. George Cross 4 degrees, 3 Orders of Lenin (04/26/1940, 02/21/1945, 09/16/1945), 3 Orders of the Red Banner (08/28/1937, 09/20/1943, 11/3/1944), Order of the Red Star (05/14/1936), Order Kutuzov I degree (02/24/1945), Medal of the XX years of the Red Army (02/22/1938), 2 badges Honorary worker of the Cheka-GPU (12/20/1932, 12/16/1935).
In his memoirs, Vlasik wrote:
« I was severely offended by Stalin. For 25 years of impeccable work, without a single penalty, but only incentives and awards, I was expelled from the party and thrown into prison. For my boundless devotion, he handed me over to the hands of his enemies. But never, not for a single minute, no matter what condition I was in, no matter what bullying I was subjected to while in prison, I had no anger in my soul against Stalin . »
Vlasik was an avid photographer. This is what he himself writes in his memoirs: (Below are photos of Vlasik)

« A few days before the November holidays in 1941, Comrade Stalin called me and said that it was necessary to prepare the premises of the Mayakovskaya metro station for the ceremonial meeting.
There was very little time, I immediately called the Deputy Chairman of the Moscow City Council, Yasnov, and agreed to go with him to Mayakovsky Square. Having arrived and examined the metro station, we made a plan. It was necessary to build a stage, get chairs, arrange a rest room for the presidium and organize a concert. We quickly organized all this, and the hall was ready at the appointed time. Going down the escalator to the Ceremonial Meeting, Comrade Stalin looked at me (I was dressed in a bekesha and a hat) and said: “You have a star on your hat, but I don’t have one. Still, you know, it’s inconvenient - the commander-in-chief, but he’s not dressed in uniform, and there’s not even a star on his cap, please get me a star ».
« When Comrade Stalin was leaving home after the meeting, a star shone on his cap. In this cap and a simple overcoat without any insignia, he performed at the historical parade on November 7, 1941. I managed to photograph him successfully, and this photograph was distributed in large numbers. The soldiers attached it to their tanks and said: “For the Motherland! For Stalin!" - went into fierce attacks. »

The same famous photo of N. Vlasik, taken on November 7, 1941 during the parade on Red Square.
«… At the conference in Tehran, which took place at the end of November 1943, from November 28 to December 1, in addition to Comrade Stalin, Molotov, Voroshilov and the head of the Operations Directorate of the General Staff Shtemenko were present.

During his stay in Tehran, Comrade Stalin paid a visit to the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, in his truly fabulous crystal palace. I personally managed to capture this meeting in photographs. » - Nikolai Vlasik recalled.

December 1, 1943, Tehran. The USSR delegation led by Stalin and Shahinshah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, on the eve of a conversation in the Shahinshah's palace.

Continued in the second part .

based on materials:

During the years of perestroika, when practically all people from Stalin’s circle were subjected to a wave of all kinds of accusations in the advanced Soviet press, the most unenviable lot fell to General Vlasik. The long-time head of Stalin’s security appeared in these materials as a real lackey who adored his master, a chain dog, ready to rush at anyone at his command, greedy, vengeful and selfish...

Among those who did not spare Vlasik negative epithets was Stalin’s daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva. But the leader’s bodyguard at one time had to become practically the main educator for both Svetlana and Vasily. Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik spent a quarter of a century next to Stalin, protecting the life of the Soviet leader. The leader lived without his bodyguard for less than a year.

From parochial school to the Cheka

Nikolai Vlasik was born on May 22, 1896 in Western Belarus, in the village of Bobynichi, into a poor peasant family. The boy lost his parents early and could not count on a good education. After three classes at the parochial school, Nikolai went to work. From the age of 13, he worked as a laborer at a construction site, then as a bricklayer, then as a loader at a paper mill. In March 1915, Vlasik was drafted into the army and sent to the front. During the First World War, he served in the 167th Ostrog Infantry Regiment and was awarded the St. George Cross for bravery in battle. After being wounded, Vlasik was promoted to non-commissioned officer and appointed platoon commander of the 251st Infantry Regiment, which was stationed in Moscow.

Master of Security and Household

Since May 1926, Nikolai Vlasik served as senior commissioner of the Operations Department of the OGPU. As Vlasik himself recalled, his work as Stalin’s bodyguard began in 1927 after an emergency in the capital: a bomb was thrown at the commandant’s office building on Lubyanka. The operative, who was on vacation, was recalled and announced: from now on, he will be entrusted with the protection of the Special Department of the Cheka, the Kremlin, and members of the government at their dachas and walks. Particular attention was ordered to be paid to the personal security of Joseph Stalin. Despite the sad story of the assassination attempt on Lenin, by 1927 the security of the top officials of the state in the USSR was not particularly thorough. Stalin was accompanied by only one guard: the Lithuanian Yusis. Vlasik was even more surprised when they arrived at the dacha, where Stalin usually spent his weekends. There was only one commandant living at the dacha; there was no linen or dishes, and the leader ate sandwiches brought from Moscow.

Like all Belarusian peasants, Nikolai Sidorovich Vlasik was a thorough and homely person. He took on not only the security, but also the arrangement of Stalin’s life. The leader, accustomed to asceticism, was initially skeptical about the innovations of the new bodyguard. But Vlasik was persistent: a cook and a cleaner appeared at the dacha, and supplies of food were arranged from the nearest state farm. At that moment, there was not even a telephone connection with Moscow at the dacha, and it appeared through the efforts of Vlasik. Over time, Vlasik created a whole system of dachas in the Moscow region and in the south, where well-trained staff were ready at any time to receive the Soviet leader. It is not worth mentioning that these objects were guarded in the most careful manner. The system for protecting important government facilities existed before Vlasik, but he became the developer of security measures for the first person of the state during his trips around the country, official events, and international meetings.

Stalin's bodyguard came up with a system according to which the first person and the people accompanying him travel in a cavalcade of identical cars, and only the personal security officers know which of them the leader is traveling in. Subsequently, this scheme saved the life of Leonid Brezhnev, who was assassinated in 1969.

“Illiterate, stupid, but noble”

Within a few years, Vlasik turned into an irreplaceable and especially trusted person for Stalin. After the death of Nadezhda Alliluyeva, Stalin entrusted his bodyguard with caring for the children: Svetlana, Vasily and his adopted son Artyom Sergeev. Nikolai Sidorovich was not a teacher, but he tried his best. If Svetlana and Artyom did not cause him much trouble, then Vasily was uncontrollable from childhood. Vlasik, knowing that Stalin did not give permission to children, tried, as far as possible, to mitigate Vasily’s sins in reports to his father.

Nikolai Vlasik with Stalin's children: Svetlana, Vasily and Yakov.

But over the years, the “pranks” became more and more serious, and the role of “lightning rod” became more and more difficult for Vlasik to play. Svetlana and Artyom, having become adults, wrote about their “tutor” in different ways. Stalin’s daughter in “Twenty Letters to a Friend” characterized Vlasik as follows:

“He headed his father’s entire guard, considered himself almost the closest person to him, and, being himself incredibly illiterate, rude, stupid, but noble, in recent years he went so far as to dictate to some artists the “tastes of Comrade Stalin,” since believed that he knew and understood them well...His impudence knew no bounds, and he favorably conveyed to artists whether he “liked” it, be it a film, or an opera, or even the silhouettes of high-rise buildings that were being built at that time...”“He had a job all his life, and he lived near Stalin”

Artyom Sergeev in “Conversations about Stalin” expressed himself differently:

“His main responsibility was to ensure Stalin’s safety. This work was inhuman. Always take responsibility with your head, always live on the cutting edge. He knew both Stalin's friends and enemies very well...What kind of work did Vlasik even have? It was a day and night job, there were no 6-8 hour days. He had a job all his life and lived near Stalin. Next to Stalin’s room was Vlasik’s room...”

N. S. Vlasik with I. V. Stalin and his son Vasily. Near dacha in Volynskoe, 1935.

During the war years, the evacuation of the government, members of the diplomatic corps and people's commissariats from Moscow fell on Vlasik's shoulders. It was necessary not only to deliver them to Kuibyshev, but also to accommodate them, equip them in a new place, and think through security issues. The evacuation of Lenin's body from Moscow was also a task that Vlasik performed. He was also responsible for security at the parade on Red Square on November 7, 1941.

Assassination attempt in Gagra

For all the years that Vlasik was responsible for Stalin’s life, not a single hair fell from his head. At the same time, the head of the leader’s security, judging by his memoirs, took the threat of assassination attempt very seriously. Even in his declining years, he was sure that Trotskyist groups were preparing the assassination of Stalin. In 1935, Vlasik really had to cover the leader from bullets. During a boat trip in the Gagra area, fire was opened on them from the shore. The bodyguard covered Stalin with his body, but both were lucky: the bullets did not hit them. The boat left the firing zone. Vlasik considered this a real assassination attempt, and his opponents later believed that it was all a staged act. Judging by the circumstances, there was a misunderstanding. The border guards were not notified of Stalin's boat ride, and they mistook him for an intruder.

Abuse of cows

But the Potsdam Conference became the reason for accusations of misappropriation of property: it was alleged that after its completion, Vlasik took various valuables from Germany, including a horse, two cows and one bull. Subsequently, this fact was cited as an example of the irrepressible greed of Stalin’s bodyguard. Vlasik himself recalled that this story had a completely different background. In 1941, his native village Bobynichi was captured by the Germans. The house in which the sister lived was burned, half the village was shot, the sister’s eldest daughter was taken to work in Germany, the cow and horse were taken away. My sister and her husband joined the partisans, and after the liberation of Belarus they returned to their native village, of which little remained. Stalin's bodyguard brought cattle from Germany for his loved ones.

Was this abuse? If you approach it with strict standards, then, perhaps, yes. However, Stalin, when this case was first reported to him, abruptly ordered further investigation to be stopped.

Opal

In 1946, Lieutenant General Nikolai Vlasik became the head of the Main Directorate of Security: an agency with an annual budget of 170 million rubles and a staff of thousands. He did not fight for power, but at the same time he made a huge number of enemies. Being too close to Stalin, Vlasik had the opportunity to influence the leader’s attitude towards this or that person, deciding who would receive wider access to the first person and who would be denied such an opportunity. In 1948, the commandant of the so-called “Near Dacha” Fedoseev was arrested, who testified that Vlasik intended to poison Stalin. But the leader again did not take this accusation seriously: if the bodyguard had such intentions, he could have realized his plans a long time ago.

Vlasik in the office.

In 1952, by decision of the Politburo, a commission was created to verify the activities of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of State Security of the USSR. This time, extremely unpleasant facts have surfaced that look quite plausible. The guards and staff of the special dachas, which had been empty for weeks, staged real orgies there and stole food and expensive drinks. Later, there were witnesses who assured that Vlasik himself was not averse to relaxing in this way. On April 29, 1952, on the basis of these materials, Nikolai Vlasik was removed from his post and sent to the Urals, to the city of Asbest, as deputy head of the Bazhenov forced labor camp of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Why did Stalin suddenly abandon a man who had honestly served him for 25 years? Perhaps the leader’s growing suspicion in recent years was to blame. It is possible that Stalin considered the waste of state funds on drunken revelry to be too serious a sin. Be that as it may, very difficult times came for the former head of Stalin’s guard... In December 1952, he was arrested in connection with the “Doctors’ Case.” He was blamed for the fact that he ignored the statements of Lydia Timashuk, who accused the professors who treated the top officials of the state of sabotage.

Vlasik himself wrote in his memoirs that there was no reason to believe Timashuk: “There was no information discrediting the professors, which is what I reported to Stalin.”

Could Vlasik extend the life of the leader?

After the death of the leader, the “doctors’ case” was closed. All of his defendants were released, except Nikolai Vlasik. In January 1955, the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR found Nikolai Vlasik guilty of abuse of official position under especially aggravating circumstances, sentencing him under Art. 193-17 paragraph “b” of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR to 10 years of exile, deprivation of the rank of general and state awards. In March 1955, Vlasik’s sentence was reduced to 5 years. He was sent to Krasnoyarsk to serve his sentence. By a resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 15, 1956, Vlasik was pardoned and his criminal record was expunged, but his military rank and awards were not restored.

“Not for a single minute did I have any grudge against Stalin in my soul.”

Secretly, he began dictating memoirs in which he talked about how he saw his life, why he committed certain actions, and how he treated Stalin.

"P After Stalin’s death, such an expression as “cult of personality” appeared... If a person - a leader by his deeds deserves the love and respect of others, what’s wrong with that... The people loved and respected Stalin. He personified the country that he led to prosperity and victories, wrote Nikolai Vlasik. “Under his leadership, a lot of good things were done, and the people saw it.” He enjoyed enormous authority. I knew him very closely... And I am convincedA yu that he lived only in the interests of the country, the interests of his people.”

“It is easy to accuse a person of all mortal sins when he is dead and can neither justify himself nor defend himself. Why did no one dare to point out his mistakes during his lifetime? What was stopping you? Fear? Or were there no errors that needed to be pointed out?

What a threat Tsar Ivan IV was, but there were people to whom their homeland was dear, who, without fear of death, pointed out to him his mistakes. Or have there been no brave people in Rus'? - this is what Stalin’s bodyguard thought.

Summing up his memoirs and his life in general, Vlasik wrote: “Having not a single penalty, but only incentives and awards, I was expelled from the party and thrown into prison.

But never, not for a single minute, no matter what state I was in, no matter what bullying I was subjected to while in prison, I had no anger in my soul against Stalin. I understood perfectly well what kind of situation was created around him in the last years of his life. How difficult it was for him. He was an old, sick, lonely man... He was and remains the most dear person to me, and no slander can shake the feeling of love and deepest respect that I have always had for this wonderful man. He personified for me everything bright and dear in my life - the party, my homeland and my people.”

Posthumously rehabilitated

Vlasik’s relatives have repeatedly made attempts to achieve his rehabilitation. After several refusals, on June 28, 2000, by a resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Court of Russia, the 1955 sentence was overturned and the criminal case was dismissed “for lack of corpus delicti.”