Selected text
At the time, the Doctors’ Plot didn’t affect my attitude towards Stalin. I remember the day, when Stalin died. There was a town meeting on the main square of Riga. There were crowds of people. Everybody cried and I did so too. I took Stalin’s death as my personal grief. Those were sincere tears. I started composing verses, when I was in kindergarten. Maybe it was escapism. When I grew up, I also composed verses, especially when I felt bad. On the day of Stalin’s death, I composed a verse dedicated to him. Of course, I don’t remember it fully, just a few lines: ‘…the grand genius passed away, and his ardent speech has lost its way. But each of us will remember him…’
The whole poem was quite long. It was published in a main paper. I think it was in ‘Komsomolskaya Pravda.’ [‘Komsomol Truth’ - ‘Komsomolskaya Pravda’, an all-Union youth paper by the Central Komsomol Committee.
The whole poem was quite long. It was published in a main paper. I think it was in ‘Komsomolskaya Pravda.’ [‘Komsomol Truth’ - ‘Komsomolskaya Pravda’, an all-Union youth paper by the Central Komsomol Committee.
Period
Year
1953
Location
Riga
Latvia
Interview
Feiga Kil