Prominent Russians

Prominent Russians: Boris Chirkov.  The last century brought many remarkable actors, but few were as popular as Boris Chirkov. He was the most admired film celebrity in the Soviet Union during the 1930s and 1940s. Making his cinematic debut in 1927, he went on to play close to 40 roles. Chirkov first attained fame for the role of Maxim, a revolutionary worker from St. Petersburg, in “The Maxim Trilogy,” directed by Grigory Kozintsev. It took Chirkov six years to play the lead in the movie. He even had to leave the theater for a time as filming made it impossible for him to take part in rehearsals.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Patriarch Kirill.  Kirill I (secular name Vladimir Gundyaev) is the acting Patriarch of Moscow and all of Russia. Russians’ attitudes towards him are ambiguous: the Orthodox Church has prospered under his leadership, though many people say this prosperity is based on corruption. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Sergey Eisenstein. A film director, scriptwriter and theorist and the “father of montage cinema,” Sergey Mikhailovich Eisenstein was one of the world’s most famous and prestigious film directors whose theories still remain the subject of great interest and debate today and whose works are still regarded as among the most significant in cinema history.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Anna Pavlova.  A fragile girl who was at first denied entry to the Russian Imperial Ballet School due to the delicacy of her constitution, Anna Pavlova became one of the most famous classical ballet dancers in history and was a mystery both during her lifetime and after her death.Her very birth was the first in a long line of myths connected with Anna Pavlova and her personality. Little Anna was born two months premature and as a newborn she was wrapped in soft wool instead of napkins. She was later quoted as saying it was not wool, but swan down. If this is true, it would prove to be quite symbolic for the ballet dancer whose signature piece would later become the role of the dying swan in Swan Lake.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Maya Plisetskaya.Plisetskaya is renowned as one of the world's greatest and most charismatic ballerinas. Her slender physique combined with outstanding technique and effervescent personality have enabled her to steal the hearts of Indira Gandhi, Robert Kennedy and Mao Zedong alike. Plisetskaya has revolutionised the world of ballet once and for all, becoming a role model for millions of aspiring artists worldwide.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Aleksandr Borodin.Aleksandr Porfiryevich Borodin was a Russian composer, chemist and public activist. His best-known work is the opera “Prince Igor” (“Knyaz Igor”). Borodin was born in St. Petersburg from an affair between the 62-year-old Georgian prince Luka Gedianov (or Gedianishvili) and a St. Petersburg commoner, Avdotya Antonova. He was registered as a son of the prince’s serfs Porfiriy and Tatyana Borodins. He remained his father’s serf until 1840, when the prince, just before his death, freed the seven-year-old boy. His real mother was married off to a military medic.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Nicholas II.Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia. Born 6 May 1868, Nicholas was the oldest son of Tsar Alexander III and his wife Maria Feodorovna. His parents took particular trouble over his education. Nicholas was taught by outstanding Russian academics at home, he knew several languages and had a wide knowledge of history, and he also quickly grasped military science. His father personally guided his education, which was strictly based on religion. Nicholas ascended the throne at age 26 after the unexpected death of his father in 1894. Although a well educated man, he felt unprepared for the hard task as the ruler of the Russian empire, he was not properly prepared to officiate as a monarch and was not fully introduced to top affairs of the state. Nicholas's reign was marked by tragedy from the very beginning. A national celebration to honor the formal coronation of the new tsar turned into a disaster. Overcrowding resulted in a stampede and hundreds of people were crushed to death.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Rikhard Zorge.Rikhard Zorge was a Soviet spy in Japan, and was the first to warn Stalin about Hitler’s plan to attack the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. Later that year he also informed the USSR that Japan had no intention to go to war with the Soviet Union. This allowed the USSR to divert military divisions from its eastern borders to fight Nazis in the western front, which ultimately determined the course of World War II. Despite his immense contributions, Stalin’s own James Bond went unrecognized by the Soviet Union for 20 years after his death.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Boris Godunov.The ruler of Russia from 1587-1598 and Tsar from 1598 to 1605, Boris Godunov played an important role in Russian history.According to legend, Godunov’s family originated from the Tatar Prince Chet, who immigrated from the Golden Horde to Russia. Boris was the son of Fyodor Godunov, an average landowner. After his father’s death, he was brought up by his uncle Dmitry Godunov, who reached a high post at the court of Ivan the Terrible. Boris Godunov’s career of service began as an “oprichnik”- a member of the organization “Oprichnina,” established by Ivan the Terrible as a prototype police force but also as an instrument to expose, torture and murder his internal enemies.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Aleksandr Nevsky.“Whoever comes to us with a sword, from a sword will perish…” Every Russian student learned these famous words of Aleksandr Nevsky in primary school. He uttered the infamous sentence after accomplishing a series of crucial victories over German and Swedish invaders. The Grand Prince of Novgorod and Vladimir did a lot for his country during the most challenging times in its history. For that reason many Russians nowadays consider him to be one of the most important heroes in their nation’s history.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Aleksandr Gorchakov.Aleksandr Gorchakov  was a State Chancellor of Russia. He dedicated his career to denouncing the Paris Treaty, and helped Russia earn the right to resume its naval presence in the Black Sea.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Maria Spiridonova.Maria Spiridonova was a prominent revolutionary and political figure who helped bring about the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, but was later persecuted for her opposition to some aspects of Bolshevik ideology.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Georgy Malenkov.Georgy Malenkov was born in Orenburg, in the Russian Empire. In 1919 he voluntarily joined the Red Army and was a political worker of the military forces. In a year Malenkov joined the Communist Party and soon became an active functionary. From 1920 Georgy Malenkov studied electrotechnics in the Bauman Moscow State Technical University and headed the commission for the exposure of students who supported the ideas of Leon Trotsky, whose politics sharply differed from Stalinism. Almost all of these students became victims of repressions and many were killed.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Catherine II the Great #3.Recognized worldwide as a noteworthy historical figure, Catherine the Great was one of the most prominent rulers of Russia and a figure deserving of admiration. During her rule from 1762 to 1796 the Russian Empress Catherine II made such progress in political power that it is hard to find similar examples in world history. She expanded the territory of the Russian Empire and improved its administration, following the policy of Westernization. She was reputed to be an "enlightened despot," however she was also praised for her generosity and humanity. Many historians associate her with all the significant events and trends in Russia's expanding world role. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Catherine II the Great #2.Recognized worldwide as a noteworthy historical figure, Catherine the Great was one of the most prominent rulers of Russia and a figure deserving of admiration. During her rule from 1762 to 1796 the Russian Empress Catherine II made such progress in political power that it is hard to find similar examples in world history. She expanded the territory of the Russian Empire and improved its administration, following the policy of Westernization. She was reputed to be an "enlightened despot," however she was also praised for her generosity and humanity. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Catherine II the Great #1.Recognized worldwide as a noteworthy historical figure, Catherine the Great was one of the most prominent rulers of Russia and a figure deserving of admiration. During her rule from 1762 to 1796 the Russian Empress Catherine II made such progress in political power that it is hard to find similar examples in world history. She expanded the territory of the Russian Empire and improved its administration, following the policy of Westernization. She was reputed to be an "enlightened despot," however she was also praised for her generosity and humanity.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Peter I the Great #2.One of Russia’s greatest statesmen, Peter the Great – the Tsar and first Emperor of Russia - was a man of unwavering willpower, extraordinary energy and supreme vision. Having inherited a vast but backward state, he propelled Russia to the rank of a major European power, while his extraordinary personality and wide scale reforms have been an inspiration to generations of historians, writers and ordinary Russians.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Peter I the Great #1.One of Russia’s greatest statesmen, Peter the Great – the Tsar and first Emperor of Russia - was a man of unwavering willpower, extraordinary energy and supreme vision. Having inherited a vast but backward state, he propelled Russia to the rank of a major European power, while his extraordinary personality and wide scale reforms have been an inspiration to generations of historians, writers and ordinary Russians.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Leon Trotsky (Lev Bronstein).Described as a stirring public speaker, an efficient administrator and an untiring worker, Leon Trotsky arouses strong passions among historians. A figure loved by some and hated by others, he was one of the leaders of Russia’s October Revolution in 1917 and later the founder and commander of the Red Army. But after leading a failed struggle against the rise and policies of Joseph Stalin, he was removed from power and exiled. Trotsky remained the key figure of an anti-Stalinist opposition abroad until his assassination in Mexico by a Soviet agent.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Lavrentiy Beria.Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria was certainly one of the most vicious and mysterious figures of Stalin's era. He was born on March 29 (March 17 according to the Julian calendar), 1899, to a poor Megrel (an ethnic group of Georgians) family in the village of Merkheuli, Abkhazia. Drafted into the Russian Imperial Army, he briefly saw action during World War I at the Romanian front before deserting in 1917 in order to take part in the Russian Revolution. Having joined the Bolshevik Party in 1917, Lavrentiy participated in revolutionary activities in Azerbaijan and Georgia. Meanwhile he managed to receive an architectural degree from a technical college in Baku (Azerbaijan) in 1919 and even worked for a time as a building inspector in Azerbaijan but later preferred to become a Bolshevik Party activist. Very soon he was drawn into the intelligence and counterintelligence operations of the ‘Cheka’ – the Bolshevik secret police – and in 1923 became the head of Georgia’s Cheka division.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Aleksandr Pushkin #2.Aleksandr Pushkin is considered Russia's greatest poet and the founder of modern Russian literature. Pushkin was the first to use everyday speech in his poetry, fusing Old Slavonic with vernacular Russian. This blend gave his works their rich, melodic quality.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Aleksandr Pushkin. #1.Aleksandr Pushkin is considered Russia's greatest poet and the founder of modern Russian literature. Pushkin was the first to use everyday speech in his poetry, fusing Old Slavonic with vernacular Russian. This blend gave his works their rich, melodic quality.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Fyodor Dostoevsky #2.Fyodor Dostoevsky was one of Russia’s greatest writers, one whose works are read and discussed all over the world. His writing is steeped in deep psychology and the exploration of human nature, while it also accurately depicts the Russian reality of his times. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Fyodor Dostoevsky #1.Fyodor Dostoevsky was one of Russia’s greatest writers, one whose works are read and discussed all over the world. His writing is steeped in deep psychology and the exploration of human nature, while it also accurately depicts the Russian reality of his times. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Ivan IV the Terrible.Ivan didn’t immediately become known as Terrible. Born near Moscow on August 25, 1530, Ivan was the long-awaited son of Vasily III. His father died when the boy was only three and Ivan was proclaimed the Grand Prince of Moscow. At first, his mother Yelena Glinskaya acted as a regent, but she died when Ivan was eight years old. Ivan saw her replaced by a group of noblemen fiercely fighting for power.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Vyacheslav Molotov.The true last name of Vyacheslav Molotov, an outstanding Soviet politician and state figure, was Skryabin. Born in the village of Kukarka (in the northeastern part of European Russia), he was the son of a salesman and a rich merchant’s daughter. In the family there were ten children, three of whom died in infancy. While studying at school, Vyacheslav enjoyed playing the violin and writing poems. In 1902 he followed the example of his elder brothers and entered the secondary school in Kazan, where he became interested in revolutionary activities and joined the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Nikita Khrushchev.Nikita Khrushchev was born in 1894 as the son of a coal-miner, in Kalinovka, a village near Russia’s border with Ukraine. He started working at an early age, first as a shepherd, and then at factories and coal mines in Eastern Ukraine. Even before the October Revolution, Khrushchev had become active in workers’ organisations and joined the Bolshevik Party in 1918, serving in the Red Army during the Civil War.....Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Joseph Stalin #5.Joseph Stalin was the General Secretary of the Communist Party and the Soviet Union’s sole leader from 1924 until his death in 1953. One of the most controversial and enigmatic figures in Russian history, he is still the subject of fierce discussions and assessments. His introduction of the command principle and five-year plans aimed at boosting the country’s economy condemned the country to human losses of immense proportions. The scale of repressions astounds and petrifies, though some believe it was a necessary and inevitable measure under the circumstances. Although an ethnic Georgian himself, he launched massive campaigns on the deportation and eradication of many ethnic groups from the Soviet territory. So great was his influence on the people that it eventually grew into a cult of personality, denounced after his death by Nikita Khrushchev, who initiated the so-called “de-Stalinization.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Joseph Stalin #4.Joseph Stalin was the General Secretary of the Communist Party and the Soviet Union’s sole leader from 1924 until his death in 1953. One of the most controversial and enigmatic figures in Russian history, he is still the subject of fierce discussions and assessments. His introduction of the command principle and five-year plans aimed at boosting the country’s economy condemned the country to human losses of immense proportions. The scale of repressions astounds and petrifies, though some believe it was a necessary and inevitable measure under the circumstances. Although an ethnic Georgian himself, he launched massive campaigns on the deportation and eradication of many ethnic groups from the Soviet territory.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Joseph Stalin #3.Joseph Stalin was the General Secretary of the Communist Party and the Soviet Union’s sole leader from 1924 until his death in 1953. One of the most controversial and enigmatic figures in Russian history, he is still the subject of fierce discussions and assessments. His introduction of the command principle and five-year plans aimed at boosting the country’s economy condemned the country to human losses of immense proportions. The scale of repressions astounds and petrifies, though some believe it was a necessary and inevitable measure under the circumstances. Although an ethnic Georgian himself, he launched massive campaigns on the deportation and eradication of many ethnic groups from the Soviet territory. ....Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Joseph Stalin #2.Joseph Stalin was the General Secretary of the Communist Party and the Soviet Union’s sole leader from 1924 until his death in 1953. One of the most controversial and enigmatic figures in Russian history, he is still the subject of fierce discussions and assessments. His introduction of the command principle and five-year plans aimed at boosting the country’s economy condemned the country to human losses of immense proportions. The scale of repressions astounds and petrifies, though some believe it was a necessary and inevitable measure under the circumstances....Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Joseph Stalin #1.Joseph Stalin was the General Secretary of the Communist Party and the Soviet Union’s sole leader from 1924 until his death in 1953. One of the most controversial and enigmatic figures in Russian history, he is still the subject of fierce discussions and assessments. His introduction of the command principle and five-year plans aimed at boosting the country’s economy condemned the country to human losses of immense proportions. The scale of repressions astounds and petrifies, though some believe it was a necessary and inevitable measure under the circumstances....Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Leo Tolstoy.A Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy is widely seen as one of the greatest European novelists of all time. His masterpieces “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina” have been read by millions around the world and continue to inspire filmmakers at home and abroad.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Anton Chekhov.The most insightful and époque-making dramatist Russia has produced, Anton Chekhov left, aside from many notable short stories, a few dramas that strike with their originality and subtlety. Chekhov combined realistic approach with philosophic observation and a strong sense of humanity. At least four of his plays, “The Sea Gull,” “The Cherry Orchard,” “Uncle Vanya” and “Three Sisters” have become famous worldwide, mostly through their interpretation by the Moscow Art Theater.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Grigory Rasputin.Grigory Rasputin, a wondering peasant who eventually exerted a powerful influence over Nicholas II and Aleksandra, the last Tsar and Tsarina of Imperial Russia, is one of the most mysterious and dark individuals of Russian history.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: The Romanovs #7.The Romanov Dynasty (1613 to 1917) was the last imperial dynasty to rule Russia. During the Romanov reign Russia became and remained a major European power.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: The Romanovs #6.The Romanov Dynasty (1613 to 1917) was the last imperial dynasty to rule Russia. During the Romanov reign Russia became and remained a major European power.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: The Romanovs #5.The Romanov Dynasty (1613 to 1917) was the last imperial dynasty to rule Russia. During the Romanov reign Russia became and remained a major European power.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: The Romanovs #4.The Romanov Dynasty (1613 to 1917) was the last imperial dynasty to rule Russia. During the Romanov reign Russia became and remained a major European power.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: The Romanovs #3.The Romanov Dynasty (1613 to 1917) was the last imperial dynasty to rule Russia. During the Romanov reign Russia became and remained a major European power.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: The Romanovs #2.The Romanov Dynasty (1613 to 1917) was the last imperial dynasty to rule Russia. During the Romanov reign Russia became and remained a major European power.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: The Romanovs #1.The Romanov Dynasty (1613 to 1917) was the last imperial dynasty to rule Russia. During the Romanov reign Russia became and remained a major European power.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Vladimir Lenin #3.He is the founder and the guiding spirit of the Soviet Republics - a communist philosopher, ardent disciple of Karl Marx, leader of the Bolshevik Party and the mastermind of the 1917 October Revolution. Some consider him a prophet, others a tyrant; there are those who call him a saint, many more – a devil. What is certain is that Lenin played an enormous role in the history of the 20th century. He reshaped Russia and had millions of people bent to his will. Lenin applied communist ideas to real life and his “experiment” forever changed the face of the world.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Vladimir Lenin #2He is the founder and the guiding spirit of the Soviet Republics - a communist philosopher, ardent disciple of Karl Marx, leader of the Bolshevik Party and the mastermind of the 1917 October Revolution. Some consider him a prophet, others a tyrant; there are those who call him a saint, many more – a devil. What is certain is that Lenin played an enormous role in the history of the 20th century. He reshaped Russia and had millions of people bent to his will. Lenin applied communist ideas to real life and his “experiment” forever changed the face of the world.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.

Prominent Russians: Vladimir Lenin #1.He is the founder and the guiding spirit of the Soviet Republics - a communist philosopher, ardent disciple of Karl Marx, leader of the Bolshevik Party and the mastermind of the 1917 October Revolution. Some consider him a prophet, others a tyrant; there are those who call him a saint, many more – a devil. What is certain is that Lenin played an enormous role in the history of the 20th century. He reshaped Russia and had millions of people bent to his will. Lenin applied communist ideas to real life and his “experiment” forever changed the face of the world.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prominent-russians--6677656/support.