The kiss of Carter and Brezhnev. Berlin Wall: Gallery and Memorial

Lenin and Stalin did not like to kiss, at least not in public. There was, however, a case when the legendary Chkalov hugged Joseph Vissarionovich out of excess of feelings, but this does not count.

The emergence of party fashion for kissing

The fashion for government kisses was introduced by N. S. Khrushchev. His rise to power marked a certain warming in the domestic political situation. Obviously, like any spring phenomenon, it caused a surge of positive emotions, expressed in this gesture, meaning a manifestation of love for one’s neighbor, including in the Christian understanding of this word. After the asceticism of the Stalin years, the kisses of the leaders of the party and government looked soulful and quite natural. They were readily accepted as a norm of behavior along with the words “our dear”, which came into use at the turn of the sixties.

However, it is impossible to attribute the First Secretary’s display of affection to Easter kisses; he did not like the church, and tried by all means to limit its activities. Nikita Sergeevich received his last official kiss in October 1964 from Klim Voroshilov, whom the participants in his removal did not inform in advance about their serious intentions. None of the members of the Central Committee wanted to hug him anymore, although they had done so before. Everyone kissed Khrushchev during his reign: Brezhnev, Semichastny, Mikoyan, and Kosygin. In fairness, it should be noted that he showed his feelings timidly, somehow like a pioneer, and did not abuse this deeply intimate gesture, showing voluntarism in other matters.

"Triple Brezhnev"

After the embarrassment, a plenum took place at the airport, at which Leonid Brezhnev was elected secretary general. The kiss quickly became part of the party ritual, demonstrating to the Soviet people and the entire world community the deeply humane essence of their native government. It was impossible to suspect the head of state of any perverted inclinations, and not because anyone was afraid of the all-powerful KGB. For him, dear, the fame of not just a “walker”, but a famous amateur, was firmly established beautiful women, and he could afford to behave as he saw fit, and express his feelings as he pleased.

Brezhnev's first kiss, which went down in the history of the USSR, made a huge impression on the citizens of Czechoslovakia. was kissed three times, quite Orthodox-style, on the cheeks and lips. Perhaps the representatives of the fraternal Slavic peoples who inhabited the then Czechoslovak Socialist Republic would have treated this act more tolerantly, if not for the preceding events of 1968, after which they developed an excess of sarcasm and causticity. Showing reactionary thinking, they called this kiss “triple Brezhnev,” apparently hinting that a definition with a larger numeral is possible.

Refuseniks

The Romanian communist leader turned out to be less tolerant. He suffered from bacteriophobia, was terribly afraid of infection by pathogens, and therefore avoided contact with all possible sources of bacilli. Brezhnev's kiss, he believed, could cause an infection, because no one wiped the Soviet leader with alcohol, and he was not sterile. History is silent about exactly what words the head of the CPR expressed his disagreement with, but he still managed to avoid kissing.

Brezhnev's famous kisses caused serious concern to the British Foreign Office in anticipation of the government visit being prepared in 1971. " The Iron Lady", having gone through a harsh school in political struggle, was faced with a situation the parliament had no analogues Foggy Albion. Thatcher, like the intractable Romanian, managed to avoid the friendly embrace, which at that moment she perhaps feared more than all the Soviet ones combined.

Fidel Castro made a witty comeback, he simply lit a cigarette on the gangway, and so, with a cigarette clenched in his teeth, he went to say hello. The matter was settled with a firm handshake and a hug, which is quite acceptable on Liberty Island. But kissing is not customary among Cuban men.

Brezhnev's every kiss was captured by lenses

But a young American woman, who came as part of a delegation to Moscow in 1973, received Brezhnev’s kiss, which went down in the history of the USSR and the USA at the same time. Every normal man will understand dear Leonid Ilyich: a pretty girl gives flowers, how can you resist? Annie Hollman, the dance teacher, immediately became a celebrity, which she apparently didn't mind. Few Americans could boast of such an event in their lives, except perhaps Jimmy Carter, the president. He got it too.

Not sparing the suffering lips

Indira Gandhi, Yasser Arafat, many other leaders of the socialist world, rulers and dictators of developing countries, Latin American liberators fighting neo-colonialism, African leaders and other representatives of progressive humanity were received in Moscow as dear guests. And the magnificent receptions were invariably complemented by Brezhnev’s legendary kiss. Perhaps not all guests liked it, but for political and economic reasons they tolerated it. Joseph, according to unverified rumors, suffered more than others; he even injured his lip.

Brezhnev's most famous kiss, which went down in the history of the USSR and the whole world

But Brezhnev’s most famous and widely replicated kiss, which went down in the history of the USSR, the GDR and all of Europe, happened in 1971. The artist redrawn it from a photo using graffiti shortly before her fall, immortalizing the epoch-making moment of unprecedented unity of the leaders of the countries of the socialist commonwealth. Eric Honecker is almost invisible, recognizable only by his glasses and hairstyle. Why is this moment so eventful? Soviet history became so famous, it’s hard to explain. The meeting with the GDR in the early seventies was an ordinary matter, its protocol was also not original. L.I. Brezhnev's kiss expressed only sincere respect for the elderly communist and anti-fascist. There was no hypocrisy in him, such was the party ethics that had been formed over decades. In general, nothing special.

When M. S. Gorbachev tried to do the same thing, everything looked completely different...

The historical kiss is already 33 years old this year. Ten years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, in October 1979, General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Leonid Brezhnev and General Secretary of the SED Central Committee Erich Honecker cemented the brotherly love between the USSR and the GDR with a long and strong kiss.

Since then, it has become fashionable among leaders of different nations to kiss each other because of the convergence of political courses. Although the idea is not new: already in Ancient Rome the owner gave the guest wine from his own lips, showing that it was not poisoned.

"Lord! Help me survive among this mortal love"

The kiss between Brezhnev and Honecker became famous throughout the world thanks to Dmitry Vrubel's graffiti on the Berlin Wall. The artist copied the “story” from a photograph taken by Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper correspondent Barbara Klemm at the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the GDR. She, a representative of the Western (!) press, would never have been allowed to attend the anniversary, where socialist leaders were kissing, but... a happy accident helped.

Inspired by the preparations for the celebration, the organizers did not specify in which Frankfurt the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper was published, deciding that we were talking about Frankfurt an der Oder. And the irreparable happened: a Western photojournalist from Frankfurt am Main penetrated the holy of holies of the socialist camp. When the mistake was discovered, it was already too late: Barbara Klemm’s photograph instantly became a symbol of the era.

Graffiti for memory

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, when Brezhnev was no longer among the living, and the Honecker regime was ordered to live a long time, the artist Dmitry Vrubel began creating his most famous creation - “Brotherly Kiss”. This wall “canvas”, framed by the inscription “Lord! Help me survive among this mortal love,” can still be admired in the German capital. A piece of the wall stands in its old place, within the city, so to speak, as a good memory of the vicissitudes of political fate.

On the eve of the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, we decided to capture the background famous work Vrubel of kissing people. Two couples, having kissed a lot against the backdrop of socialist brotherhood, agreed to tell us their love stories.

Anetta Rakhmanko (Russia) and Mikkel Sommerfeld (Denmark)

“We met at a concert of The Maccabees in 2009 in Berlin,” says Anetta. “I was doing an internship in Germany at the time and was hastily writing a thesis for my St. Petersburg university, and for the night I decided to get away from all my problems. He came from Denmark for the concert, just for one evening."

“We began to correspond, and two weeks later I bought a ticket to Copenhagen with my last money, without even thinking that he was studying in another city. And I sent him (as if by chance) a message that, supposedly, if he had time for a cup tea, then I’ll be glad. I myself was traveling without money, without any acquaintances and without prospects of finding housing. I almost slept through the plane because I was dreaming and preening all night,” recalls Anetta. “He met me, took me to some then a friend who left him an apartment for the weekend. At first it was awkward. In principle, I already understood that I was as in love as a mouse! We walked all day around summer Copenhagen, and I became more and more aware of how different he was from other Danes, bearded and blond. And when we kissed for the first time, it started! While seeing me off on the plane, he said that if he had a choice, never to see me again or to marry and have children with me, then he would marry without hesitation. I was scared...

Context

Then there were parties, hitchhiking together to Paris. Soon my visa expired, and meetings began once a month in “saving” countries of the world, where I, a Russian, did not need a visa. Mikkel arrived at one of these meetings wearing a T-shirt on which “Be my wife” was written in Russian. This couldn’t go on for long, so we made up our minds. I went to university in Berlin, left my friends, my job, and my beloved city. He left his design school in Denmark. We found an apartment on the canal and brought our things: one suitcase and one backpack. The first months we slept on the floor. We had two spoons and one saucepan. But it was summer. And terrible romance!

Soon my dad planned to fly from Siberia to Berlin to visit us, and then Mikkel asked me more persistently about the wedding. We dreamed of children. Marriage was not the goal. But somehow everything worked out, we submitted an application in Copenhagen. We had two months to prepare. At the same time, I did an internship in the Bundestag, and there was nothing to do. I bought the dress by chance on Ebay; they found a suit made in the GDR for him in a second-hand store. They called those closest to us and found a wonderful punk chef.

There were some adventures. My passport was at the British Embassy with a visa application at the time and it was delayed for four months. I went to the wedding as an illegal immigrant on a bus, begging the drivers to take me. This is still the happiest day of my life! After the honeymoon, we constantly had to separate again. But since March of this year we have been constantly living in Berlin and are waiting for a very long-awaited addition. I don’t know where we will end up next. Mikkel is diligently learning Russian and dreams of living in Russia, and I “gnaw” Danish so that I can understand what my husband with my huge belly is talking about.”

Fanny Dietel (Germany) and Mikhail Akkent (Russia)

“We are studying psychology at the Humboldt University,” says Mikhail. “Until our second year, we didn’t pay attention to each other, but one day we ended up in the library together. When we were leaving, Fanny (Fanny Dietel) called me by name and offered to drink coffee. "Why she decided to do this, she cannot explain to this day. There are some moments when it is not we who decide what to do, but something from the outside."

“Instead of the planned fifteen minutes, we sat for coffee for two hours. And now we’ve been together for three years,” Mikhail continues the story. “She didn’t know that I was Russian, although now this plays an important role, because Fanny’s parents studied in Tver for five years to doctors, and when she was little, sometimes the family switched to Russian.

I was born in the ancient city of Belozersk, in the Vologda region. Only at the age of nine did I find out that my mother was German. She, of course, speaks perfect Russian, and family history was rarely mentioned in conversations. Our ancestors moved to Russia with Catherine II. What’s most amazing is that when we emigrated to Germany in 1998, we were settled in the same city of Zerbst, where Catherine had left at the age of 16 to marry the future Emperor Peter III. I found this out later, discovering the family history. So we have international families, and I, for example, feel that I carry both cultures within me.

We moved to Germany when I was 10 years old. Of course, at first I felt out of place. An adult can adapt to the situation; it is more difficult for a child to feel like a “stranger.” This was a good incentive to learn the language perfectly. When I speak German today, people rarely guess where I'm from. Native language I kept it according to my mother's will. It was not difficult, since in the family we only spoke Russian."

In addition to his political statements, which later became catchphrases, Brezhnev was known as the undisputed champion of power kisses, despite the fact that kisses are rare in the political sphere.

We have collected interesting details of the most famous kisses of the Secretary General.

It is unlikely that in the 70s there would have been at least one Czech who did not know what a “triple Brezhnev” was (one kiss on both cheeks and the final one on the lips). Kiss from Leonid Ilyich and Secretary General The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia Gustav Husak made such an impression on the inhabitants of the fraternal country that the memories of this historical event are still alive in the hearts of Czechs.

Brezhnev once attempted to kiss the Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu. However, the Romanian was the only one who directly and categorically refused this ritual, as he was extremely squeamish.

In 1971, there was another failed attempt at the “triple Brezhnev”, this time the victim of the Secretary General was supposed to be Margaret Thatcher. However, the Iron Lady managed to tactfully dodge this friendly gesture, which was unacceptable to the prim British.

In 1973, when the Iron Curtain opened, a delegation from the United States came to the USSR. After the Secretary General’s heartfelt speech, a young American woman approached him with flowers, whom the loving Secretary General immediately kissed with his characteristic passion and dedication. The hitherto inconspicuous choreography teacher Annie Hollman overnight became famous throughout the world.

Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States, was the only American President, awarded a kiss from the famous Soviet leader.

Brezhnev's friendly kiss with Josip Broz Tito was so powerful that, according to rumors, it even injured the Yugoslav leader's lip.

In 1968, Yasser Arafat visited the USSR for the first time, where he had a meeting with the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. The Palestinian leader quickly gained the Kremlin's trust, as Brezhnev's famous triple kiss can attest.

The passionate kiss of Leonid Ilyich with Indira Gandhi, captured in the photograph, takes its place in her apartment, turned into a museum, along with other relics associated with the name of this great woman.

In 1974, the Cuban leader, flying to the USSR for the first time, already knew about the Secretary General’s ritual of kissing guests upon meeting, and also knew that he would become a laughing stock in his homeland if he allowed this to happen. But an original solution was found. Fidel Castro ran down the ramp with a huge smoking cigar in his teeth, which did not allow Brezhnev to disgrace the Cuban in front of his compatriots.

Leonid Ilyich's most famous kiss was with Erich Honecker, leader of the GDR, in 1971. This act of friendship between peoples was even depicted on the Berlin Wall by the young but very talented artist Dmitry Vrubel. The "Brotherly Kiss" became a symbol of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

A kiss is a sign of love, respect, affection or friendship. In the political sphere, kissing became especially popular in the second half of the twentieth century, and the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev, introduced fashion to them. Without any embarrassment or constraint, he distributed these signs of respect to prominent political figures and simply people he liked.

2. Brezhnev once attempted to kiss the Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu. However, the Romanian turned out to be the only one who directly and categorically refused this ritual, as he was extremely squeamish.

3. In 1971, there was another failed attempt at the “triple Brezhnev”, this time the victim of the Secretary General was supposed to be Margaret Thatcher. However, the “Iron Lady” managed to tactfully dodge this friendly gesture, which was unacceptable to the prim British.

4. In 1973, when the Iron Curtain opened, a delegation from the United States came to the USSR. After the Secretary General’s heartfelt speech, a young American woman approached him with flowers, whom the loving Secretary General immediately kissed with his characteristic passion and dedication. The hitherto inconspicuous choreography teacher Annie Hollman overnight became famous throughout the world.

5. Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, was the only American president to receive a kiss from the famous Soviet leader.

6. Brezhnev's friendly kiss with Joseph Broz Tito was so powerful that, according to rumors, it even damaged the Yugoslav leader's lip.

7. In 1968, Yasser Arafat visited the USSR for the first time, where he had a meeting with the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. The Palestinian leader quickly gained the Kremlin's trust, as Brezhnev's famous triple kiss can attest.

8. The passionate kiss of Leonid Ilyich with Indira Gandhi, captured in the photograph, takes its place in her apartment, turned into a museum, along with other relics associated with the name of this great woman.

9. In 1974, the Cuban leader, flying to the USSR for the first time, already knew about the Secretary General’s ritual of kissing guests upon meeting, and also knew that he would become a laughing stock in his homeland if he allowed this to happen. But an original solution was found. Fidel Castro ran down the ramp with a huge smoking cigarette in his teeth, which did not allow Brezhnev to disgrace the Cuban in front of his compatriots.

10. Leonid Ilyich's most famous kiss was with Eric Honecker, the leader of the GDR, in 1971. This act of friendship between peoples was even depicted on the Berlin Wall by the young but very talented artist Dmitry Vrubel. The "Brotherly Kiss" became a symbol of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Will be restored! This picture will be painted anew on the Berlin Wall. Like many other graffiti, it was destroyed. But dozens of artists, whose murals decorated the symbol of the division of Germany 20 years ago, will soon flock to Berlin to update their creations for the anniversary of the fall of the wall.

“Lord, help me survive” is all that remains. It was still “among this mortal love,” and Brezhnev kissed Honecker. Famous photograph, transferred to the Berlin Wall in 1990 by the artist Dmitry Vrubel, disappeared from it unexpectedly and irrevocably. This portrait, like other drawings, was mixed with concrete dust. “We approached, and there was only a piece of the inscription left. The vulgar word is “shock,” but at that moment I understood what shock is,” admits Dmitry Vrubel.

This is called "rehabilitation" or "recovery". While some workers are filling up the cracks, others are making new holes. The longest surviving section of the wall is run by an organization called the East Side Gallery. Artist Kani Alavi curates the work. He also painted on the wall and put his painting under the sandblasting machine. “The wall is in very poor condition. We fought for a long time for the right to complete reconstruction,” says the artist. “This is exactly what we are doing now. Everything will be ready by October 3.”

In 1979, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev came to Berlin to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the GDR. Barbara Klemm, a journalist for the West German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, attended the event because someone got confused and thought that she was from the GDR Frankfurt on the Oder. The next day, a masterpiece of political eroticism made headlines around the world. Those who came up with the idea of ​​repairing the wall promise to restore everything as it was.
“I am responsible for getting the artists to gather around the wall again and paint it again,” says artist Jörg Weber. “That’s almost a hundred people. They need to be provided with special paints that are more durable and resistant to the environment.”

Throughout the 19 years that have passed since the wall was painted, someone was constantly painting something on it. The paintings were restored 10 years ago, but by the time of the current renovation they had lost their appearance again. Now, they say, there will be sensors: if someone comes to draw at night, a polite voice will ask him not to do so. There will be no warning that the police are already on their way.

Money at the Berlin Wall is lying underfoot today. For a piece of it in the souvenir shop they ask for 5 euros. The wall is dilapidated - that's a fact. And, perhaps, in order to save the drawings, they first had to be destroyed. But in 1990, when artists were allowed here, it was a special moment of inspiration - the end cold war. Now the original of this sentiment is lost. And, at best, only a copy of it will appear here.