Kisses of Brezhnev: How Tito suffered from the General Secretary, and why Fidel Castro did not part with his cigar with him. Kiss of the secretary general. What was Leonid Brezhnev really like? Kiss Brezhnev entered

Lenin and Stalin did not like kissing, at least 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 rise of the party kissing trend

Khrushchev introduced the fashion for government kissing. His coming to power marked a certain warming of the internal political situation. Obviously, like any spring phenomenon, it caused a surge of positive emotions, expressed in this gesture, which means a manifestation of love for one's neighbor, including in the Christian understanding of the word. After the asceticism of Stalin's years, the kisses of the leaders of the party and government looked sincere and quite natural. They were readily accepted as a standard of behavior along with the words "our dear", which came into use at the turn of the sixties.

However, the manifestation of affection of the First Secretary cannot be attributed to Easter kissing, he did not like the church, and in every way tried to limit its activities. Nikita Sergeevich received his last official kiss at the plane's ladder in October 1964 from Klim Voroshilov, whom the participants in his displacement did not inform in advance of their serious intentions. No one from the Central Committee members wanted to hug him anymore, although it had happened 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 in a pioneering way, 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 general secretary. The kiss quickly became part of the party ritual, demonstrating to the Soviet people and the entire world community the deeply humane essence of the native government. It was impossible to suspect the head of state of some perverse inclinations, and not because someone was afraid of the all-powerful KGB. Behind him, dear, the fame was firmly entrenched not so much as a "walker", but as a well-known lover of beautiful women, and he could afford to behave as he saw fit, and to 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. Gustav Husak was kissed three times, in a completely Orthodox way, on the cheeks and lips. Perhaps the representatives of the fraternal Slavic peoples who inhabited the then Czechoslovakia would have reacted to this act more tolerantly, if it had not been for the preceding events of 1968, after which they had an overabundance of sarcasm and causticity. Showing reactionary thinking, they called this kiss "triple Brezhnev", apparently hinting that it is possible to define with a larger number.

Refuseniks

Romanian communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu was less tolerant. He suffered from bacteriophobia, was terribly afraid of infection with pathogens, and therefore avoided contact with all possible sources of bacilli. Kiss Brezhnev, he believed, could cause 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 CRC expressed his disagreement, but he still managed to avoid kissing.

The famous kisses of Brezhnev caused serious concern in the British Foreign Office in anticipation of the forthcoming government visit in 1971. The "Iron Lady", having gone through a harsh school in the political struggle, faced a situation the parliament of foggy Albion had no analogues to. Thatcher, like the recalcitrant Romanian, managed to avoid the friendly embrace, which at that moment she may have feared more than all Soviet ballistic missiles put together.

Fidel Castro cleverly got away with it, he just lit a cigarette on the gangplank, and so, with a cigarette between his teeth, he went to say hello. The matter ended up with a strong handshake and a hug, which is quite acceptable on the island of Liberty. But it is not customary for Cuban men to kiss.

Every kiss of Brezhnev was fixed by lenses

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

Sparing no 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 the legendary kiss of Brezhnev. Perhaps not all guests liked it, but for political and economic reasons they tolerated it. Joseph Broz Tito, according to unverified rumors, got more than others, he even injured his lip.

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

But the most famous and replicated kiss of Brezhnev, which went down in the history of the USSR, the GDR and all of Europe, happened in 1971. The artist Dmitry Vrubel redrawn it with a photo using graffiti on the Berlin Wall shortly before its fall, perpetuating an epochal moment of unprecedented unity of the leaders of the countries of the socialist community. Eric Honnecker is almost invisible, he can only be recognized by his glasses and hairstyle. Why this particular moment in the eventful Soviet history became so famous is difficult to explain. The meeting of the leaders of the USSR and the GDR in the early seventies was a common thing, its protocol was also not distinguished by originality. Leonid 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 developed over the decades. In general, nothing special.

When Mikhail Gorbachev tried to do this, everything looked completely different ...

A kiss is a sign of love, respect, affection, or friendship. In the political sphere, kissing gained particular popularity in the second half of the twentieth century, and none other than the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev led the fashion for them. Without any embarrassment or constraint, he handed out these signs of respect to prominent politicians and people who simply liked him. This rating presents the most famous kisses of the famous leader.

10th place

It is unlikely that in the 70s there would have been at least one Czech who did not know what "triple Brezhnev" was (one kiss on both cheeks and the final kiss on the lips). The kiss of Leonid Ilyich and the General Secretary of 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.

9th place

Once Brezhnev made an attempt 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.

8th place

In 1971, there was another failed attempt of the "triple Brezhnev", this time the victim of the secretary general was to become Margaret Thatcher. However, the "iron lady" managed to tactfully dodge this friendly gesture, unacceptable for prim British.

7th place

In 1973, when the Iron Curtain opened, a delegation from the United States arrived in the USSR. After the heartfelt speech of the secretary general, a young American woman approached him with flowers, whom the loving secretary general immediately kissed with his usual passion and dedication. Hitherto inconspicuous choreography teacher Annie Hollman suddenly became famous all over the world.

6th place

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

5th place

Brezhnev's friendly kiss with Joseph Broz Tito was so strong that, according to rumors, he even tore the lip of the Yugoslav leader.

4th place

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

3rd place

Leonid Ilyich's passionate kiss 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.

2nd place

In 1974, the Cuban leader, who was flying to the USSR for the first time, already knew about the secretary general's ritual of kissing guests at a 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 fled down the ladder with a huge smoking cigarette in his mouth, which did not allow Brezhnev to disgrace the Cuban in front of his compatriots.

1st place

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

Take a look at these pictures. Do you recognize someone? You saw somewhere, you say ... Or rather? Ashamed, citizen! It's a shame not to know, because behind each of these pictures is History. By the way, where were you on the night from 1951 to 1987? ..

Text: Alexey Karaulov

Zee commen!

Helmut Newton (1920-2003), the author of this outrage and perhaps the most famous German photographer of the 20th century, was born into the family of an ordinary button manufacturer. The skill of unbuttoning them, learned in childhood, was extremely useful to Newton in life. By the age of twenty, having escaped from Nazi Germany and settled in Paris, the gifted young man became interested in nude photography. The very first black and white photographs brought Newton fame as a talented voyeur. The photographer managed to get rid of this dubious fame and prove to the whole world the seriousness of his intentions only at the age of 61.

In 1981, his passion for German philosophy prompted Newton to make an idea to shoot a diptych built according to the thesis - antithesis scheme. Two photos of four unknown models with the general title "They're coming!" should, according to Newton, clearly show how the role of women in society is changing. Aggression and sexuality have replaced hypocrisy. Tremble, men! Alas, the editorial staff of French Vogue, where Newton sent his work, decided to sacrifice philosophical overtones. The pictures were published in the wrong sequence and, moreover, they were given the caption: "Watch your figure so that your clothes better emphasize its contours." The result of this malicious manipulation was a loud scandal started by Newton and already earning him worldwide fame. Now, the easiest way to annoy Newton fans is to cut out the pictures from the magazine and swap them ...

Bitterly...

It was an accident that helped photographer Barbara Klemm to take this photo, which turned Leonid Brezhnev into the main gay icon of the 70s. Being a native of the capitalist FRG, she could not even get to the meeting of the two leaders of the socialist countries - the Prime Minister of the GDR Erich Honecker with the USSR Secretary General Brezhnev. Fortunately, Barbara went to the event as a photojournalist for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper. The organizers simply did not bother to check in which city the newspaper was published. After all, there are two Frankfurt in Germany (one on the Main, the other on the Oder), and in 1979, when the picture was taken, the cities were on opposite sides of the border. The organizers of the meeting, who committed negligence, were later punished, but this did not prevent Fraulein Klemm from capturing and replicating the savory kiss of the two comrades. And despite the fact that the very next day after the publication of the picture the whole world laughed at Brezhnev, kissing became fashionable among Soviet (and after them Russian) politicians.

* - Note by Phacochoerus "a Funtika:
« By the way, many Soviet people never saw the whole picture. In 1987, the artist Dmitry Vrubel used a fragment of it in his painting, which he later hung on the Berlin Wall. The leaders were painted in large letters, and the canvas was decorated with the slogan “Lord! Help me survive among this mortal love. " Reproductions sold out with a bang»

In the original language

The debate about whether Albert Einstein suffered from senile dementia in the last years of his life continues to this day. And although any arguments in favor of Einstein should have crumbled to dust when looking at this picture, the history of the picture proves that the old man had, if not intelligence, then at least wit. The photo was taken in 1951, on the day the creator of the theory of relativity turned 72 years old. For a long time, the family tried to persuade Albert to be photographed for the family album. The scientist expressed himself in the sense that he, they say, would soon die and this photo could be his last, but he would not want to be remembered by the world in this form: unkempt and in a shabby jacket. Towards the end of the party, Einstein still allowed himself to be persuaded, but then the camera, as luck would have it, stuck the shutter. Very happy about this circumstance, Albert showed his tongue at the photographer. At this moment, the apparatus issued a dying click and finally broke down. The film, of course, was later extracted and even developed, but the photographer was not allowed to publish the top-frame.

The film was bought and hidden at Einstein's home by his relatives, who feared for the reputation of the great physicist. Not surprisingly, the owner of the house soon found her. And when he found it, he printed a photo in five copies, cut off the faces of unnecessary guests and sent the portrait under the guise of a gift card to the greatest scientists of that time. Among the addressees were, in particular, Oppenheimer and Niels Bohr. The snapshot became the property of pop culture and for half a century personified the Creator Mocking the Crowd ...

Windy special

Of all the photographs of Marilyn Monroe, this is perhaps the most famous - perhaps due to the many parodies. The fluttering skirt has been and remains the most cited in the history of cinema. Yes, it’s cinema. After all, it was made on the set of the movie “The Seven Year Itch”. According to the script, the heroine Marilyn Monroe had to pass over the ventilation grill of the subway. But what was definitely not in the script was the paparazzi who filmed Monroe at the moment of parting with clothes. Nevertheless, photographer Matthew Zimmerman sneaked into the set and took this shot during the first take.

When Marilyn saw the picture in the newspaper a couple of days later, she said that the cameraman and the agent had "too lustful muzzles." This marked the beginning of a scandal between Monroe and the film's crew, as well as a deep inner conflict in the soul of the actress. It is possible that the whole subsequent life (including marriage to Arthur Miller, the role in "The Restless" and even suicide) was one continuous attempt to destroy the image of the windy blonde.

And what do you have here?

The president of the Cuban National Bank, Ernesto Guevara, could hardly be called a public person: he basically did not allow himself to be filmed. So the photographer Alberto Corda, who took this picture, was incredibly lucky. In 1960, a year after the victory of the revolution, a French ship exploded off the coast of Cuba, carrying weapons and humanitarian aid for supporters of Fidel Castro. Leading Cuban politicians and writer Jean-Paul Sartre, who was visiting Havana at that time, took part in the memorial service for the ship's crew. Che Guevara, usually hiding from the cameras, left the crowd for a minute to exchange a few words with Sartre. At that moment, Korda filmed him.

All subsequent events are sheer mysticism. Having developed the film, Korda locked himself in his house and ceased to maintain contact with the outside world (in particular, with the editorial staff of the Revoluyon newspaper, on whose instructions he filmed Che Guevara). The picture was miraculously obtained by the Italian Gian Giacomo Feltrinelli, who, seven years after the commemorative shooting, made his way into Korda's house. He argued that the photographer had gone completely nuts: he considered Che a new incarnation of Christ, and did not allow the photo to be published, because it, they say, could cause the Day of Judgment. Who Cordé Feltrinelli introduced himself to be the Archangel Gabriel or the Pope of Rome - is still a mystery. However, the Italian took the picture and published it. Without paying the photographer a centavo ...

Coat icon

The cult actor James Dean, who has played the main roles in only three films in his entire life - "The Giant", "East of Paradise" and "Rebel Without a Cause" - is almost unknown in our country. But for America, he became almost the first person whose life was illustrated by the slogan "Live fast, die young." In addition, he became the main personification of the Outcast and the Lone Hero.

This photo (the quintessential image of James Dean) was taken in New York in 1955 - a month before the actor crashed in his Porsche at the age of 24. In New York, James was passing through - he was returning to Hollywood from a farm in Fairmont, where he spent his childhood. Dean was persuaded to go home by photographer Dennis Stoke. After snapping a whole film in Fairmont, he headed to Hollywood with the star. Dean found New York to be a chilly place after the sunny farm. Therefore, going out into the central street of Times Square, he first went into the store and bought a coat. The blurry landscape and the hunched figure of the actor inspired Stock to take another shot. Only one (!) Frame remained on the film. And it just so happened that he became the last in the life of a young talent. The snapshot went around all magazines in due time, and now it flaunts on the wall of any decent bar. After all, when you look at him, you involuntarily want to order an extra portion of bourbon ...

The tradition of triple kissing dates back to the times of Ancient Russia. For a certain time, this tradition was forgotten, but Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev decided to resume this ceremony of greeting. His kisses have become a proverb, and many photographs and newsreels have come down to our time, which show how sincerely the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee kissed his foreign (and not only colleagues). Someone accepted such a manifestation of friendship with favor, but for someone it was a sheer punishment.

General Secretary's first kiss

In 1968, Palestinian politician Yasser Arafat visited the Soviet Union. Leonid Brezhnev, who by that time had lured the post of General Secretary for 4 years, was delighted with this man and was very disposed towards him. Perhaps this is why, and also following the Russian tradition, therefore, he could not resist and gave the guest kisses. This was the first three-fold kiss of the General Secretary of the Central Committee. From that moment, the history of Brezhnev's trademark kisses began.

If the first kiss was successful, then the second became a real nuisance for the head of Yugoslavia. During Leonid Ilyich's visit to this country, he decided to demonstrate his warm feelings to Joseph Tito. But it seems he did not calculate the strength. According to eyewitnesses, after the kiss of the Soviet leader, Tito's lip burst and blood came out.

One of the most memorable kisses from Leonid Brezhnev happened with the leader of the GDR, Erich Honnecker. The threefold greeting has become a sign of peace and friendship between states.

The artist Dmitry Vrubel on this occasion already in 1990 created graffiti on the Berlin Wall, which he called “Lord! Help me survive among this mortal love. "

Passionate kisses addressed to women

Brezhnev was not indifferent to the female sex, so he could kiss not only the leader of the state, a man, but also a lady. The first to whom the secretary general did such an honor was Indira Gandhi, the leader of India. His threefold "attention" really touched the woman. A photo of the kiss can be seen in Indira's apartment, which has now become a museum.

However, Leonid Ilyich also paid attention to mere mortals, and they were not against it either. The choreography teacher became the second foreigner who learned how Brezhnev kissed. The woman handed flowers to the Soviet leader after his speech, and he was so emotional that he could not resist and kissed her in front of everyone.

And Castro and Thatcher are against!

It is worth saying that not everyone was impressed by such behavior of the Secretary General. Many found the most non-trivial ways to avoid such popularity. So, Fidel Castro, fearing that he would be laughed at in his homeland, got out of the plane, at the ladder of which Brezhnev was waiting for him, with a cigar in his teeth. I didn't have to kiss.

The leader of Romania, Nicolae Ceausescu, outright refused to embrace and kiss Leonid Ilyich. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was not so straightforward, but she was able to dodge the secretary general's kiss.

Yuri Andropov was Brezhnev's comrade-in-arms and often saw his smacking. When the KGB chairman was nearby, he watched with a smile and even applauded. However, he once spoke very negatively about the kissing of the secretary general. And when Leonid Brezhnev traditionally kissed another leader who had a cold at that time, Andropov called this behavior an abomination.

In conclusion...

And do not think that the kisses of Secretary General Brezhnek have sunk into oblivion with him. The first (and last) president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, continued this tradition. In 1986, Erich Honecker was again honored to receive a kiss only from the new Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev.

And in continuation of the Brezhnev theme, the story of

Lenin and Stalin did not like kissing, at least 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 rise of the party kissing trend

However, the manifestation of the First Secretary's affection cannot be attributed to Easter kissing, he did not like the church, and in every way tried to limit its activities. Nikita Sergeevich received his last official kiss in October 1964 from Klim Voroshilov, whom the participants in his displacement did not inform in advance of their serious intentions. No one from the Central Committee members wanted to hug him anymore, although it had happened 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 in a pioneering way, and did not abuse this deeply intimate gesture, showing voluntarism in other matters.

"Triple Brezhnev"

The first kiss of Brezhnev, which went down in the history of the USSR, made a huge impression on the citizens of Czechoslovakia. was kissed three times, in a completely Orthodox way, on the cheeks and lips. Perhaps the representatives of the fraternal Slavic peoples who inhabited the then Czechoslovakia would have reacted to this act more tolerantly, if it had not been for the preceding events of 1968, after which they had an overabundance of sarcasm and causticity. Showing reactionary thinking, they called this kiss "triple Brezhnev", apparently hinting that it is possible to define with a larger number.

Refuseniks

The Romanian communist leader turned out to be less tolerant. He suffered from bacteriophobia, was terribly afraid of infection with pathogens, and therefore avoided contact with all possible sources of bacilli. Kiss Brezhnev, he believed, could cause 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 CRC expressed his disagreement, but he still managed to avoid kissing.

The famous kisses of Brezhnev caused serious concern in the British Foreign Office in anticipation of the forthcoming government visit in 1971. The "Iron Lady", having gone through a harsh school in the political struggle, faced a situation the parliament of foggy Albion had no analogues to. Thatcher, like the intractable Romanian, managed to avoid the friendly hugs, which at that moment she probably feared more than all the Soviet ones put together.

Every kiss of Brezhnev was fixed by lenses

Sparing no 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 the legendary kiss of Brezhnev. Perhaps not all guests liked it, but for political and economic reasons they tolerated it. According to unverified rumors, Joseph got more than others, he even injured his lip.

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

But the most famous and replicated kiss of Brezhnev, which went down in the history of the USSR, the GDR and all of Europe, happened in 1971. The artist redrawn it with a photo using graffiti shortly before its fall, perpetuating the epoch-making moment of the unprecedented unity of the leaders of the countries of the socialist community. Eric Honnecker is almost invisible, he can only be recognized by his glasses and hairstyle. Why this particular moment in the eventful Soviet history became so famous is difficult to explain. The meeting and the GDR in the early seventies was a common thing, its protocol was also not distinguished by originality. Leonid 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 developed over the decades. In general, nothing special.

When Mikhail Gorbachev tried to do this, everything looked completely different ...