1964 who ruled the ussr. Who was the president of the USSR and the Russian Federation. reference

The history of the Soviet Union is the most complex topic in history. It covers only 70 years of history, but the material in it needs to be studied many times more than in all the previous time! In this article we will analyze what were the general secretaries of the USSR in chronological order, we will characterize each and give links to the relevant materials on the site for them!

Secretary General's position

The post of general secretary is the highest position in the party apparatus of the CPSU (b), and then in the CPSU. The person who occupied her was not only the leader of the party, but de facto - the whole country. How is this possible, now we'll figure it out! The title of the position was constantly changing: from 1922 to 1925 - General Secretary of the Central Committee of the RCP (b); from 1925 to 1953 she was called the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b); from 1953 to 1966 - First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU; from 1966 to 1989 - General Secretary of the CPSU.

The post itself arose in April 1922. Prior to this, the position was called the chairman of the party and it was headed by V.I. Lenin.

Why was the head of the party de facto the head of the country? In 1922, this post was headed by Stalin. The influence of the position was such that he could shape the congress at will, thus securing himself full support in the party. By the way, this support was extremely important. Therefore, the struggle for power in the 20s of the last century took the form of discussions in which victory meant life, and if you lose, death, if not now, then for sure in the future.

I.V. Stalin understood this perfectly. Therefore, he insisted on creating such a position, which, in fact, he headed. But the main thing was different: in the 1920s and 1930s, the historical process of the merger of the party apparatus with the state apparatus took place. This meant, for example, that the district party committee (the head of the district party committee) is in fact the head of the district, the city party committee is the head of the city, the regional party committee is the head of the region. And the councils played a subordinate role.

Here it is important to remember that the power in the country was Soviet - that is, the real state authorities were supposed to be soviets. And they did exist, but only de jure (legally), formally, on paper, if you like. It was the party that determined all aspects of the development of the state.

So let's take a look at the main secretaries general.

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (Dzhugashvili)

He was the first General Secretary of the party, permanent until 1953 - until his death. The fact of the merger of the party and state apparatus was expressed in the fact that from 1941 to 1953 he was also the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, and then the Council of Ministers of the USSR. If you are not aware, then the Council of People's Commissars and then the Council of Ministers is the Government of the USSR. If at all you are not in the subject, then.

Stalin stood at the origins of both the great victories of the Soviet Union and the great troubles in the history of our country. He was the author of the articles “The Year of the Great Turning Point”. He stood at the origins of super-industrialization and collectivization. It is with him that such a concept as the "cult of personality" is associated (for more details, see and), the Holodomor of the 30s, repression of the 30s. In principle, under Khrushchev, Stalin was "blamed" by the failures in the first months of the Great Patriotic War.

However, Stalin's name is also associated with the unsurpassed growth of industrial construction in the 30s. The USSR got its own heavy industry, which we still use this way.

Stalin himself said about the future of his name: "I know that after my death a heap of garbage will be put on my grave, but the wind of history will mercilessly scatter it!" Well, let's see how it will be!

Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev

NS. Khrushchev served as General (or First) Party Secretary from 1953 to 1964. Many events from both world history and the history of Russia are associated with his name: Events in Poland, the Suez crisis, the Caribbean crisis, the slogan "Catch up and surpass America in the production of meat and milk per capita!", The shooting in Novocherkassk, and much other.

Khrushchev, in general, was not a very smart politician, but very intuitive. He perfectly understood how he would rise, because after Stalin's death, the struggle for power again intensified. Many saw the future of the USSR not in Khrushchev, but in Malenkov, who then served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers. But Khrushchev took up a strategically correct position.

Details about the USSR under him.

Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev

L.I. Brezhnev held the main position in the party from 1964 to 1982. Its time is called in a different way the period of "stagnation". The USSR began to turn into a "banana republic", the shadow economy grew, the deficit of consumer goods grew, and the Soviet nomenclature expanded. All these processes then led to a systemic crisis during the years of Perestroika, and in the end.

Leonid Ilyich himself was very fond of cars. The authorities blocked one of the rings around the Kremlin so that the secretary general could test the new model presented to him. Also, such a curious historical anecdote is associated with the name of his daughter. They say one day my daughter went to museums to find herself some necklace. Yes, yes, museums, not shopping. As a result, in one of the museums, she pointed to a necklace and asked for it. The director of the museum called Leonid Ilyich and explained the situation. To which he received a clear answer: "Do not give!". Something like this.

And more about the USSR pr Brezhnev.

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev

M.S. Gorbachev held the party position in question from March 11, 1984 to August 24, 1991. His name is associated with things like: Rebuilding, ending Cold war, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, an attempt to create the JIT, the Putsch in August 1991. He was the first and last President of the USSR.

Learn more about all this.

We have not named two more general secretaries. See them in this table with a photo:

Post Scriptum: many rely on texts - textbooks, manuals, even monographs. But you can bypass all your competitors on the exam if you use video tutorials. They are all there. Studying video tutorials is at least five times more effective than just reading a tutorial!

Best regards, Andrey Puchkov

General secretaries of the USSR in chronological order
General secretaries of the USSR in chronological order. Today they are already just a part of history, and once their faces were familiar to every one of the inhabitants of a huge country. Politic system in the Soviet Union it was such that citizens did not elect their leaders. The decision to appoint the next general secretary was made by the ruling elite. But, nevertheless, the people respected the state leaders and, for the most part, took this state of affairs for granted.
Joseph Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili (Stalin)
Joseph Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, better known as Stalin, was born on December 18, 1879 in the Georgian city of Gori. Became the first general secretary of the CPSU. He received this position in 1922, when Lenin was still alive, and until the latter's death played a secondary role in governing the state.
When Vladimir Ilyich died, a serious struggle began for the highest post. Many of Stalin's competitors had a much better chance of taking him, but thanks to tough, uncompromising actions, Joseph Vissarionovich managed to get out of the game as a winner. Most of the other applicants were physically destroyed, some left the country.
In just a few years of his reign, Stalin took the whole country into an iron grip. By the beginning of the 30s, he finally established himself in the role of the sole leader of the people. The dictator's policy went down in history:
· Massive repressions;
· Total dispossession;
· Collectivization.
For this, Stalin was branded by his own followers during the "thaw". But there is also something for which Iosif Vissarionovich, according to historians, is worthy of praise. This is, first of all, the rapid transformation of the collapsed country into an industrial and military giant, as well as the victory over fascism. It is quite possible that if it were not for the "cult of personality" so condemned by all, these accomplishments would have been unrealistic. Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin died in March 1953 on the fifth.
Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev was born on April 15, 1894 in the Kursk province (the village of Kalinovka) in a simple working-class family. Participated in the Civil War, where he sided with the Bolsheviks. In the CPSU since 1918. In the late 30s he was appointed secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine.
Khrushchev headed the Soviet state shortly after Stalin's death. At first, he had to fight with Georgy Malenkov, who also claimed the highest post and at that time was actually the leader of the country, presiding over the Council of Ministers. But in the end, the coveted chair still remained with Nikita Sergeevich.
When Khrushchev was the general secretary of the Soviet country:
Launched the first man into space and developed it in every possible way this area;
· Actively built up with five-story buildings, today called "Khrushchovkas";
· Planted the lion's share of the fields with corn, for which Nikita Sergeevich was even nicknamed the "corn man".
This ruler went down in history primarily with his legendary speech at the 20th party congress in 1956, where he denounced Stalin and his bloody policies. From that moment on, the so-called "thaw" began in the Soviet Union, when the grip of the state was weakened, cultural workers gained some freedom, and so on. All this lasted until the removal of Khrushchev from his post on October 14, 1964.
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev was born in the Dnepropetrovsk region (Kamenskoye village) on December 19, 1906. His father was a metallurgist. In the CPSU since 1931. Main post countries occupied as a result of a conspiracy. It was Leonid Ilyich who led the group of members of the Central Committee, which deposed Khrushchev.
The era of Brezhnev in the history of the Soviet state is characterized as stagnation. The latter manifested itself in the following:
· The development of the country has stopped in almost all spheres, except for the military-industrial;
· The USSR began to lag seriously behind the Western countries;
· Citizens again felt the grip of the state, repression and persecution of dissidents began.
Leonid Ilyich tried to improve relations with the United States, which had become aggravated in the days of Khrushchev, but he did not succeed very well. The arms race continued, and after the introduction of Soviet troops into Afghanistan, it was impossible to even think of any reconciliation. Brezhnev held a high post until his death, which occurred on November 10, 1982.
Yuri Andropov
Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov was born in the station town of Nagutskoye (Stavropol Territory) on June 15, 1914. His father was a railroad worker. In the CPSU since 1939. He was active, which contributed to his rapid rise in career ladder.
At the time of Brezhnev's death, Andropov headed the State Security Committee. He was elected by his comrades-in-arms to the highest post. The reign of this secretary general covers a period of less than two years. During this time, Yuri Vladimirovich managed to fight a little corruption in the government. But he did not accomplish anything dramatic. On February 9, 1984, Andropov died. The reason for this was a serious illness.
Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko
Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko was born in 1911 on September 24 in the Yenisei province (the village of Bolshaya Tes). His parents were peasants. In the CPSU since 1931. Since 1966 - Deputy of the Supreme Soviet. Appointed General Secretary of the CPSU on February 13, 1984.
Chernenko continued Andropov's policy of identifying corrupt officials. He was in power for less than a year. The cause of his death on March 10, 1985 was also a serious illness.
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev was born on March 2, 1931 in the North Caucasus (the village of Privolnoye). His parents were peasants. In the CPSU since 1952. He proved himself to be an active public figure. He quickly moved along the party line.
Appointed Secretary General on 11 March 1985. He went down in history by the policy of "perestroika", which provided for the introduction of glasnost, the development of democracy, and the granting of certain economic freedoms and other liberties to the population. Gorbachev's reforms led to mass unemployment, liquidation of state-owned enterprises, and a total shortage of goods. This causes an ambiguous attitude towards the ruler on the part of citizens. the former USSR, which just during the reign of Mikhail Sergeevich and disintegrated.
But in the west, Gorbachev is one of the most respected Russian politicians. He was even awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Gorbachev was General Secretary until August 23, 1991, and headed the USSR until December 25 of the same year.
All dead secretaries general Union of Soviet Socialist republics buried at the Kremlin wall. Their list was closed by Chernenko. Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev is still alive. In 2017, he turned 86 years old.
Photos of the USSR secretaries general in chronological order
Stalin
Khrushchev
Brezhnev
Andropov
Chernenko

The secretaries general (general secretaries) of the USSR ... Once upon a time their faces were known to almost every inhabitant of our vast country. Today they are only part of the story. Each of these politicians performed actions and deeds that were evaluated later, and not always positively. It should be noted that the general secretaries were not elected by the people, but by the ruling elite. In this article, we present a list of the USSR secretaries general (with photo) in chronological order.

I. V. Stalin (Dzhugashvili)

This politician was born in the Georgian city of Gori on December 18, 1879 in the family of a shoemaker. In 1922, while V.I. Lenin (Ulyanov), he was appointed the first general secretary. It is he who heads the list of USSR secretaries general in chronological order. However, it should be noted that while Lenin was alive, Joseph Vissarionovich played a secondary role in the administration of the state. After the "leader of the proletariat" passed away, a serious struggle flared up for the highest state post. I. V. Dzhugashvili's numerous competitors had every chance to take this post. But thanks to uncompromising, and sometimes even tough actions, political intrigues, Stalin emerged victorious from the game, he managed to establish a regime of personal power. Note that most of the applicants were simply physically destroyed, and the rest were forced to leave the country. For a rather short period of time, Stalin managed to take the country into an "iron grip". In the early thirties, Joseph Vissarionovich became the sole leader of the people.

The policy of this USSR Secretary General went down in history:

massive repression;

collectivization;

total dispossession.

In 37-38 years of the last century, a mass terror was carried out, in which the number of victims reached 1,500,000 people. In addition, historians blame Iosif Vissarionovich for his policy of forced collectivization, massive repressions that took place in all strata of society, and the forced industrialization of the country. On domestic policy the country affected some of the character traits of the leader:

sharpness;

lust for unlimited power;

high conceit;

intolerance to other people's judgment.

Cult of personality

Photos of the USSR Secretary General, as well as other leaders who have ever held this post, can be found in the presented article. We can say with confidence that the personality cult of Stalin had a very tragic effect on the fate of millions of the most different people: scientific and creative intelligentsia, government and party leaders, military.

For all this, during the Thaw, Joseph Stalin was branded by his followers. But not all actions of the leader are blameworthy. According to historians, there are also moments for which Stalin is worthy of praise. Of course, the most important thing is the victory over fascism. In addition, there was a fairly rapid transformation of the destroyed country into an industrial and even a military giant. There is an opinion that if it were not for the cult of Stalin's personality now condemned by all, many accomplishments would have been impossible. The death of Joseph Vissarionovich happened on March 5, 1953. Let's take a look at all the secretaries general of the USSR in order.

N. S. Khrushchev

Nikita Sergeevich was born in the Kursk province on April 15, 1894, into an ordinary working-class family. He took part in the civil war on the side of the Bolsheviks. He was a member of the CPSU since 1918. In the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine in the late thirties, he was appointed secretary. Nikita Sergeevich headed the Soviet Union some time after the death of Stalin. It should be said that he had to compete for this post with G. Malenkov, who chaired the Council of Ministers and at that time was actually the leader of the country. But still, Nikita Sergeevich got the leading role.

During the reign of Khrushchev N.S. on the post of the USSR secretary general in the country:

There was a launch of the first man into space, all kinds of development in this area.

A huge part of the fields was planted with corn, thanks to which Khrushchev was nicknamed the "corn man".

During his reign, the active construction of five-story buildings began, which later became known as "Khrushchevs".

Khrushchev became one of the initiators of the "thaw" in foreign and domestic policy, the rehabilitation of victims of repression. This politician made an unsuccessful attempt to modernize the party-state system. He also announced a significant improvement (on a par with the capitalist countries) living conditions for the Soviet people. At the XX and XXII Congresses of the CPSU, in 1956 and 1961. accordingly, he sharply expressed himself about the activities of Joseph Stalin and his personality cult. However, the building of a nomenklatura regime in the country, violent dispersal of demonstrations (in 1956 - in Tbilisi, in 1962 - in Novocherkassk), Berlin (1961) and Caribbean (1962) crises, aggravation of relations with China, building of communism by 1980 and the well-known political appeal "to catch up and overtake America!" - all this made Khrushchev's policy inconsistent. And on October 14, 1964, Nikita Sergeevich was relieved of his post. Khrushchev died on September 11, 1971, after a long illness.
L. I. Brezhnev

The third in order in the list of USSR secretaries general is Leonid Brezhnev. Born in the village of Kamenskoye in the Dnepropetrovsk region on December 19, 1906. In the CPSU since 1931. He took up the post of general secretary as a result of a conspiracy. Leonid Ilyich was the leader of a group of members of the Central Committee (Central Committee), which deposed Nikita Khrushchev. The era of Brezhnev's rule in the history of our country is characterized as stagnation. This happened for the following reasons:

in addition to the military-industrial sphere, the development of the country was stopped;

The Soviet Union began to lag significantly behind the Western countries;

repression and persecution began again, people again felt the grip of the state.

Note that during the reign of this politician there were both negative and favorable sides. At the very beginning of his reign, Leonid Ilyich played a positive role in the life of the state. He curtailed all the unreasonable undertakings created by Khrushchev in the economic sphere. In the first years of his rule, Brezhnev was given more independence to enterprises, material incentives, the number of planned indicators has decreased. Brezhnev tried to establish good relationship with the United States, but he never succeeded. And after the introduction of Soviet troops into Afghanistan, this became impossible.

Stagnation period

By the late 70s and early 80s, the Brezhnev entourage was more concerned about their clan interests and often ignored the interests of the state as a whole. The inner circle of the politician pleased the sick leader in everything, awarded him orders and medals. The rule of Leonid Ilyich lasted for 18 years, he was in power the longest, with the exception of Stalin. The eighties in the Soviet Union are characterized as a "period of stagnation." Although after the devastation of the 90s, it is increasingly presented as a period of peace, state power, prosperity and stability. Most likely, these opinions have the right to be, because the entire Brezhnev period of reign is heterogeneous in nature. Leonid I. Brezhnev held his post until November 10, 1982, until his death.

Yu.V. Andropov

This politician spent less than 2 years as the USSR secretary general. Yuri Vladimirovich was born into the family of a railway worker on June 15, 1914. His homeland is the Stavropol Territory, the city of Nagutskoye. Party member since 1939. Due to the fact that the politician was active, he rather quickly climbed the career ladder. At the time of Brezhnev's death, Yuri Vladimirovich headed the State Security Committee.

He was nominated to the post of general secretary by his associates. Andropov set himself the task of reforming the Soviet state, trying to prevent the impending socio-economic crisis. But, unfortunately, he didn't have time. During the reign of Yuri Vladimirovich Special attention was given labor discipline in the workplace. While in the post of USSR Secretary General, Andropov opposed the numerous privileges that were provided to employees of the state and party apparatus. Andropov showed this on personal example, abandoning most of them. After passing away on February 9, 1984 (due to a long illness), this politician was least of all criticized and most of all aroused by the support of society.
K. U. Chernenko

On September 24, 1911, in the Yeisk province, Konstantin Chernenko was born into a peasant family. He was in the ranks of the CPSU since 1931. He was appointed to the post of general secretary on February 13, 1984, immediately after the departure of Yu.V. Andropov. While running the state, he continued the policy of his predecessor. He served as Secretary General for about a year. The death of the politician occurred on March 10, 1985, the cause was a serious illness.

M.S. Gorbachev

Date of birth of the politician - March 2, 1931, his parents were ordinary peasants. Gorbachev's homeland is the village of Privolnoye in the North Caucasus. He joined the ranks of the Communist Party in 1952. He played the role of an active public figure, therefore he quickly moved along the party line. Mikhail Sergeevich completes the list of USSR secretaries general. He was appointed to this position on March 11, 1985. Later he became the only and last president of the USSR. The era of his reign went down in history with the policy of "perestroika". It provided for the development of democracy, the introduction of publicity, and the provision of economic freedom to the people. These reforms of Mikhail Sergeevich led to mass unemployment, a total shortage of goods and the liquidation of a huge number of state-owned enterprises.

Collapse of the Union

During the reign of this politician, the USSR collapsed. All the fraternal republics of the Soviet Union declared their independence. It should be noted that in the West, Mikhail Gorbachev is considered perhaps the most respected Russian politician. Mikhail Sergeevich holds the Nobel Peace Prize. Gorbachev held the post of General Secretary until August 24, 1991. He headed the Soviet Union until December 25 of the same year. In 2018, Mikhail Sergeevich turned 87 years old.

Who ruled after Stalin in the USSR? It was Georgy Malenkov. His political biography was a truly phenomenal combination of ups and downs. At one time he was considered the successor of the leader of the peoples and was even the de facto leader of the Soviet state. He was one of the most experienced apparatchiks and was famous for his ability to calculate many moves ahead. In addition, those who were in power after Stalin had a unique memory. On the other hand, he was expelled from the party at the time of Khrushchev. They say he has not been rehabilitated until now, unlike his associates. However, the one who ruled after Stalin was able to withstand all this and remain faithful to his cause to death. Although, they say, in old age he overestimated a lot ...
Career start
Georgy Maksimilianovich Malenkov was born in 1901 in Orenburg. His father worked for railroad... Despite the fact that noble blood flowed in his veins, he was considered a rather small employee. His ancestors were from Macedonia. The grandfather of the Soviet leader chose the army path, was a colonel, and his brother was a rear admiral. The mother of the party leader was the daughter of a blacksmith.
In 1919, after graduating from the classical gymnasium, George was drafted into the Red Army. The next year he joined the Bolshevik Party, becoming a political worker for an entire squadron.
After the Civil War, he studied at the Bauman School, but after giving up his studies, he began to work in the Organizing Bureau of the Central Committee. It was 1925.
Five years later, under the patronage of L. Kaganovich, he began to head the organizational department of the capital city committee of the CPSU (b). Note that Stalin really liked this young official. He was intelligent and loyal to the general secretary ...
Malenkov's selection
In the second half of the 30s, the opposition was purged in the capital's party organization, which became a prelude to the upcoming political repressions. It was Malenkov who then led this "selection" of the party nomenklatura. Later, with the sanction of the functionary, almost all the old cadres of the communists were repressed. He himself came to the regions in order to intensify the struggle against the "enemies of the people." Sometimes he was a witness to interrogations. True, the functionary, in fact, was only the executor of the direct instructions of the leader of the peoples.
On the roads of war
When the Great Patriotic War broke out, Malenkov managed to show his organizational talent. He had to professionally and rather quickly solve many economic and personnel issues... He has always supported developments in the tank and rocket industries. In addition, it was he who made it possible for Marshal Zhukov to stop the seemingly inevitable collapse of the Leningrad Front.
In 1942, this party leader ended up in Stalingrad and was engaged in, among other things, organizing the defense of the city. By his order, the urban population began to evacuate.
In the same year, thanks to his efforts, the Astrakhan defensive area was strengthened. So, in the Volga and Caspian flotilla appeared modern boats and other watercraft.
Later he took an active part in preparing the battle for Kursk Bulge, after which he focused on the restoration of the liberated territories, heading the relevant committee.
Post-war time
Malenkov Georgy Maksimilianovich began to turn into the second figure in the country and the party.
When the war ended, he dealt with issues related to the dismantling of German industry. By by and large, this work was constantly criticized. The fact is that many of the influential departments tried to get this equipment. As a result, an appropriate commission was created, which made an unexpected decision. The German industry ceased to be dismantled, and the enterprises that were based in the territories East Germany, began to produce goods for the Soviet Union as reparations.
Rise of the functionary
In the middle of autumn 1952, the Soviet leader instructed Malenkov to deliver a report at the next congress of the Communist Party. Thus, the party functionary, in fact, was presented as the successor to Stalin.
Apparently, the leader put forward him as a compromise figure. She suited both the party elite and the security forces.
A few months later, Stalin was gone. And Malenkov, in turn, became the head of the Soviet government. Of course, before him this post was held by the deceased general secretary.
Malenkovsky reforms
Malenkov's reforms began literally immediately. Historians also call them "perestroika" and believe that this reform could greatly change the entire structure of the national economy.
The head of government in the period after Stalin's death announced to the people completely new life... He promised that the two systems - capitalism and socialism - would peacefully coexist. He turned out to be the first leader of the Soviet Union to warn against nuclear weapons. In addition, he intended to put an end to the politics of the cult of personality, moving to the collective leadership of the state. He recalled that the late leader criticized the members of the Central Committee for the cult implanted around him. True, there was no significant reaction to this proposal of the new prime minister at all.
In addition, the one who ruled after Stalin and before Khrushchev decided to lift a number of bans - on border crossing, foreign press, customs transit. Unfortunately, the new chapter tried to present this policy as a natural continuation of the previous course. That is why Soviet citizens, in fact, not only did not pay attention to "perestroika", but did not remember it either.
Career decline
By the way, it was Malenkov, as the head of the government, who came up with the idea to halve the remuneration for party officials, that is, the so-called. "Envelopes". By the way, before him, Stalin had offered the same thing shortly before his death. Now, thanks to the corresponding decree, this initiative has been implemented, but it has caused even more irritation on the part of the party nomenklatura, including N. Khrushchev. As a result, Malenkov was removed from office. And all of his "perestroika" was practically curtailed. At the same time, ration bonuses for officials were restored.
Nevertheless, the ex-head of government remained in the cabinet. He was in charge of all Soviet power plants, which began to work much more successfully and efficiently. Malenkov also promptly resolved issues related to the social arrangement of employees, workers and their families. Accordingly, all this increased its popularity. Although she was already tall. But in the middle of the summer of 1957 he was "exiled" to the hydroelectric power station in Ust-Kamenogorsk, in Kazakhstan. When he arrived there, the whole city rose to greet him.
Three years later, the former minister became the head of the thermal power station in Ekibastuz. And also upon arrival, a lot of people appeared who carried his portraits ...
Many did not like his well-deserved fame. And the very next year, the one who was in power after Stalin was expelled from the party and sent to retire.
Last years
Having retired, Malenkov returned to Moscow. He retained some privileges. Anyway, he bought groceries in special store for party officials. But, despite this, he periodically went to his dacha in Kratovo by train.
And in the 80s, the one who ruled after Stalin suddenly turned to Orthodox faith... This was, perhaps, his last "bend" of fate. Many saw him in the temple. In addition, he occasionally listened to radio programs about Christianity. He also became a reader in churches. By the way, during these years he lost a lot of weight. This is probably why no one touched or recognized him.
He died at the very beginning of January 1988. He was buried at the Novokuntsevsky churchyard in the capital. Note that he was buried according to the Christian rite. There were no reports of his death in the Soviet media at that time. But in Western periodicals there were obituaries. And very extensive ...

Image caption Royal family hid the illness of the heir to the throne
The controversy over the state of health of President Vladimir Putin brings to mind the Russian tradition: the first person was viewed as an earthly deity, which was not supposed to be remembered in vain and disrespectfully.
With practically unlimited power for life, the rulers of Russia were sick and dying like mere mortals. It is said that in the 1950s, one of the liberal-minded young "stadium poets" once said: "They have no control over heart attacks!"
Discussion of the personal lives of leaders, including their physical condition, was prohibited. Russia is not America, where data on analyzes of presidents and presidential candidates and their blood pressure figures are published.
Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, as you know, suffered from congenital hemophilia - a hereditary disease in which blood does not clot normally, and any injury can lead to death from internal hemorrhage.
The only person capable of improving his condition in some way still incomprehensible to science was Grigory Rasputin, who, in a modern way, was a strong psychic.
Nicholas II and his wife categorically did not want to make public the fact that their only son was actually disabled. Even the ministers knew only in general terms that the Tsarevich had health problems. Simple people seeing the heir during rare public appearances in the arms of a hefty sailor, they considered him a victim of an assassination attempt by terrorists.
Whether Aleksey Nikolaevich could later lead the country, or not, is unknown. His life was cut short by a KGB bullet at the age of 14.
Vladimir Lenin
Image caption Lenin was the only Soviet leader whose health was not made a secret
The founder of the Soviet state died unusually early, at the age of 54, from progressive atherosclerosis. An autopsy showed an incompatible with life damage to the vessels of the brain. It was rumored that the development of the disease was triggered by untreated syphilis, but there is no evidence of this.
The first stroke, resulting in partial paralysis and loss of speech, happened to Lenin on May 26, 1922. After that, he spent more than a year and a half at his dacha in Gorki in a helpless state, interrupted by short remissions.
Lenin is the only Soviet leader whose physical condition was never made a secret. Medical bulletins were published regularly. At the same time, associates before last days assured that the leader would recover. Joseph Stalin, who visited Lenin in Gorki more often than other members of the leadership, posted optimistic reports in Pravda about how he and Ilyich cheerfully joked about doctors-reinsurers.
Joseph Stalin
Image caption Stalin's illness was reported the day before his death
"Leader of the Nations" in last years suffered from severe damage to the cardiovascular system, probably aggravated by an unhealthy lifestyle: he worked a lot, while turning the night into day, ate fatty and spicy foods, smoked and drank, but did not like to be examined and treated.
According to some reports, the "doctors' case" began with the fact that the professor-cardiologist Kogan advised a high-ranking patient to rest more. The suspicious dictator saw in this someone's attempt to remove him from affairs.
Having started the “doctors' case,” Stalin was left without qualified medical assistance at all. Even the closest people could not talk to him on this topic, and he intimidated the service staff so much that after a stroke that happened on March 1, 1953 at the Blizhnyaya dacha, he lay on the floor for several hours, since he had previously forbidden the guards to disturb him without being summoned.
Even after Stalin turned 70, public discussion of his health and predictions of what would become of the country after his departure were absolutely impossible in the USSR. The idea that we would someday be left "without him" was considered sacrilegious.
For the first time, the people were informed about Stalin's illness the day before his death, when he had long been unconscious.
Leonid Brezhnev
Image caption Brezhnev "ruled without regaining consciousness"
Leonid Brezhnev in recent years, as the people joked, "ruled without regaining consciousness." The very possibility of such jokes confirmed that after Stalin the country had changed a lot.
The 75-year-old secretary general had enough old age diseases. Mentioned, in particular, sluggish leukemia. However, it is difficult to say from what, in fact, he died.
Doctors talked about a general weakening of the body caused by the abuse of sedatives and sleeping pills and caused memory lapses, loss of coordination and speech disorder.
In 1979, Brezhnev lost consciousness during a Politburo meeting.
"You know, Mikhail," Yuri Andropov said to Mikhail Gorbachev, who had just been transferred to Moscow and was not used to such scenes, "everything must be done to support Leonid Ilyich in this position. It's a question of stability."
Brezhnev was politically killed by television. In the old days, his condition could have been hidden, but in the 1970s, his regular appearance on the screen, including in live, it was impossible.
The obvious inadequacy of the leader, combined with a complete absence official information caused an extremely negative reaction from society. Instead of pity for the sick person, the people responded with jokes and anecdotes.
Yuri Andropov
Image caption Andropov suffered from kidney damage
Yuri Andropov most of his life suffered from severe kidney damage, from which, in the end, he died.
The disease caused an increase in blood pressure. In the mid-1960s, Andropov was intensively treated for hypertension, this did not give results, there was a question about his retirement due to disability.
The Kremlin doctor Yevgeny Chazov made a dizzying career thanks to the fact that he gave the head of the KGB the correct diagnosis and gave him about 15 years of active life.
In June 1982, at a plenary meeting of the Central Committee, when the speaker called from the rostrum to "give a party assessment" to the rumors, Andropov unexpectedly intervened and said in a harsh tone that he was "warning for the last time" those who talk too much in conversations with foreigners. According to the researchers, he meant, first of all, the leakage of information about his health.
In September, Andropov went on vacation to the Crimea, where he caught a cold and never got out of bed. In the Kremlin hospital, he was regularly given hemodialysis - a procedure for purifying blood using equipment that replaces the normal functioning of the kidneys.
Unlike Brezhnev, who once fell asleep and did not wake up, Andropov died long and painfully.
Konstantin Chernenko
Image caption Chernenko rarely appeared in public, spoke breathlessly
After Andropov's death, the need to give the country a young dynamic leader was obvious to everyone. But the old members of the Politburo nominated 72-year-old Konstantin Chernenko, who was formally the No. 2 man, as general secretaries.
As the former Minister of Health of the USSR Boris Petrovsky later recalled, they all thought exclusively about how to die in their posts, they had no time for the country, and even more so, not for reforms.
Chernenko had long been ill with emphysema, heading the state, almost did not work, rarely appeared in public, spoke, gasping and swallowing words.
In August 1983, he suffered severe poisoning, eating fish on vacation in Crimea, caught and smoked with his own hand by his neighbor in his dacha, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR Vitaly Fedorchuk. Many were treated to a gift, but nothing bad happened to anyone else.
Konstantin Chernenko died on March 10, 1985. Three days earlier, elections to the Supreme Soviet were held in the USSR. The television showed the general secretary, who unsteadily walked to the ballot box, dropped the ballot into it, waved his hand languidly and indistinctly said: "Good."
Boris Yeltsin
Image caption Yeltsin, as far as is known, suffered five heart attacks
Boris Yeltsin suffered from severe heart disease and reportedly suffered five heart attacks.
The first president of Russia has always been proud of the fact that nothing takes him, went in for sports, bathed in ice water and in many respects built his image on this, and he used to endure ailments on his feet.
Yeltsin's health deteriorated sharply in the summer of 1995, but elections were ahead, and he refused extensive treatment, although doctors warned of "irreparable harm to health." According to journalist Alexander Khinshtein, he said: "After the elections, at least cut it, but now leave me alone."
On June 26, 1996, a week before the second round of elections, Yeltsin suffered a heart attack in Kaliningrad, which was hidden with great difficulty.
On August 15, immediately after taking office, the president went to the clinic, where he underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. This time, he conscientiously followed all the instructions of the doctors.
In the conditions of freedom of speech, it was difficult to hide the truth about the state of health of the head of state, but the entourage tried as best it could. It was admitted, in extreme cases, that he had ischemia and temporary colds. Press secretary Sergei Yastrzhembsky said that the president rarely appears in public, because he is extremely busy working with documents, but he has an iron handshake.
Separately, mention should be made of the issue of Boris Yeltsin's relationship with alcohol. Political opponents constantly exaggerated this topic. One of the main slogans of the communists during the 1996 campaign sounded: "We will choose Zyuganov instead of Drunk Yel!"
Meanwhile, Yeltsin appeared in public "under the fly" only once - during the famous orchestra conducting in Berlin.
Former head of the presidential security, Alexander Korzhakov, who had no reason to shield the former chief, wrote in his memoirs that in September 1994 in Shannon, Yeltsin did not leave the plane to meet with the Prime Minister of Ireland, not because of intoxication, but because of a heart attack. After a quick consultation, the advisers decided that let people believe the "alcoholic" version rather than admit that the leader was seriously ill.
The resignation, the regime and the rest had a beneficial effect on the health of Boris Yeltsin. He lived in retirement for almost eight years, although in 1999, according to doctors, he was in serious condition.
Should I hide the truth?
According to experts, illness for a statesman, of course, is not a plus, but in the era of the Internet it is pointless to hide the truth, and with skillful PR you can even extract political dividends from it.
As an example, analysts point to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who made from his fight against cancer good advertising... Supporters got a reason to be proud that their idol does not burn in the fire and even in the face of illness thinks about the country, and rallied around him even stronger.