5 May 20
Correction!
In yesterday’s Quip, I indicated Lenin died in 1934.
It was actually 1924. I didn’t catch the error quite soon enough!
As with all “official” records emanating from the Soviet Union at that time, detail of Lenin’s miserable final moments are murky!
Many historians familiar with that period of history believe he was murdered (probably poisoned) by Stalin’s deputies, but I doubt anyone alive today knows definitively. Stalin surely had no compunction about murdering,in great numbers, people he wanted out of the way!
After Stalin himself died, twenty-nine years hence, a few eye-witnesses nervously came forward some time after the fact and described Stalin’s agonizing last days.
After likely suffering at least one debilitating stroke, Stalin was seen lying (occasionally convulsing) on the floor of his Kuntsevo Dacha (personal residence). He was moved to a couch, but no one entered his room after that.
Given his reputation, his closest Politburo comrades, even his doctors and nurses, were too afraid of him to enter his room.
No one went in, until everyone was quite sure he was “most sincerely” dead!
He died at some point within the next three days, alone, with no one to comfort him, nor even get close.
The world breathed a sigh of relief!
/John