Lenin’s Final Days

Question 1

What followed Lenin’s death in 1924?

Answer 1

• Widespread public grief
- Shops closed for a week
- Portraits of Lenin draped in red &
black displayed in windows
- 3.5million queued to see his body

Question 2

What was Lenin’s relationship with Stalin like towards the end of his life?

Answer 2

Very strained

• Stalin abused his power
—> bullied communist governing
Georgia

• Stalin insulted Lenin’s wife on he phone and after she wouldn’t let him visit Lenin

• Lenin decided to “crush Stalin politically”
—> was preparing a “bomb” against
Stalin in his final testament

Question 3

What was Lenin’s cult of personality?

Answer 3

• Widespread public grief
- Shops closed for a week
- Portraits of Lenin draped in red &
black displayed in windows
- 3.5million queued to see his body

• Quasi religion
—> Lenin’s words/ name used like a
deity/for justification

• Brain cut into 30k segments to study his genius

• Tomb turned into shrine & lots of memorabilia produced
—> Trotsky disgusted
—> Couldn’t speak out; appear
disloyal