History of Russia: Autographs of prominent Soviet state officials unveiled in Moscow

May 16, 2011 the State Historical Museum in Moscow is opening an exhibition “What is written in pen… Autographs of prominent Soviet state officials”.

The exhibition puts on display 111 autographs of prominent figures of the state from Lenin to Gorbachev, which help to imagine the individuality of their authors, catch the echo of events which were crucial for the history of the country.  

In a special group have been collected previously classified documents which shed light on the private life of Vladimir Lenin: information about his genealogy, causes of disease and premature death, relations in the family.

Among rare autographs are caricatures of “high-ranking artists” made by participants of meeting of Politburo and Sovnarkom (Council of People’s Commissars), plenary sessions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and party congresses. They represent a collective portrait of mentality of the Soviet political elite of the 1920s — 1930s.