Lenin and Krasin create the “Technical Group,” bombs and money: L. B. Krasin, “Bolshevistskaya partiianaya tekhnika,” pp. 8–13.
Lenin and Krasin fight for the money under Menshevik attack: Boris Niko laevsky, “Bolshevistskiy Tsentre,” Rodina no. 2, 1992, pp. 33–35, and no. 5, pp. 25–31. Kamo on train with girl, policeman’s daughter: Baron Bibineishvili, Za chetvet veka (henceforth Bibineishvili), pp. 92–94.
Memoir of boys working for Stalin and other comrades by D. Chachanidze: GF IML 8.1.2.4. Joint operations and assassinations with Anarchists and no mention of arrest at time of expropriation: Tsintsadze, p. 111. Kamo confides in Davrichewy that Stalin in charge, viceroy furious, Stalin’s operations; Stalin opens era of the holdup, Gori connection, Kamo kills for Stalin: Josef Davrichewy, Ah! Ce qu’on rigolait bien avec mon copain Staline (henceforth Davrichewy), pp. 237–39,174–77, 188–89. Stalin in Tiflis engaged in preparations, in Baku by 17 June, quote from L. D. Trotsky, Stalin on roof by G. Besedovsky, expulsion from Caucasus Regional Committee but supported by Lenin and CC: Alexander Ostrovsky, Kto stoyal za spinoi Stalina? (henceforth Ostrovsky), pp. 259–62. The other insider in bank/mail, G. Kasradze introduced to Kamo and Kasradze later interrogated by N. Jordania and admitted role in expropriation thanks to Stalin: GF IML 8.2.1.22.
That day on Yerevan Square: Roy Stanley De Lon, Stalin and Social Democracy, 1905–1922: The Political Diaries of David A. Sagirashvili (henceforth Sagirashvili), pp. 183–86. Candide Charkviani, “Memoirs,” p. 15, on Kamo and Kote. Robert Service, Stalin, p. 163. Okhrana on Kamo spending all July with Lenin at dacha: Edward Ellis Smith, The Young Stalin (henceforth Smith), pp. 200–206. Boris Souvarine, Staline, pp. 93–110. Essad Bey, Stalin (henceforth Essad Bey), p. 82. L. D. Trotsky, Stalin, pp. 96–100. Miklos Kun, Stalin: An Unknown Portrait (henceforth Kun), pp. 73–75.
On Tiflis: Stephen F. Jones, Socialism in Georgian Colors (henceforth Jones), pp. 160–67. Razhden Arsenidze, “Iz vospominaniya o Staline” (henceforth Arsenidze). Boris Bazhanov, Stalin, p. 107. A. V. Baikaloff, I Knew Stalin, p. 20. Arrest of Djugashvili, known as teacher of workers and said to be always holding himself apart: GMIKA 116, Report of Chief of Kutaisi Province Gendarmerie to the Police Department, 9 Apr. 1902. Armenian Review no. 2 (3), 7 Sept. 1949, p. 114. Martov libel case: RGASPI 558.2.42. Kun, pp. 81–84; Pravda, 1 April 1918; Vperod, 31 March 1918. Stalin’s role: interviews with Voznesensky, 20 Sept. 1907, and 10 June 1908, and with Comrade Koba (J. Stalin), 19 Mar. 1908: RGASPI 332.1.53: 15 (2) O2. 23 (10), 1905–1910, TSL Organized Committee to Investigate Tiflis Expropriation. Stalin on the bank robbery: GDMS 87.1955–368.11–13, Alexandra “Sashiko” Svanidze-Monoselidze: Kamo’s sword. The other inside man: GF IML 8.2.1.54.214–15, Kote Charkviani, in which the memoirist, recording his memoirs in 1936, specifies how Stalin and Kamo groomed Gigo Kasradze, who was the brother-in-law of the priest’s son Kote Charkviani. International newspapers: Moskovskie Vedomosti, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21 June 1907. Isari, 14 July 1907. Le Temps, 27 June 1907. Daily Mirror, 27 June 1907. The Times, 27 and 29 June 1907.
2. Berlin: Ostrovsky, pp. 256–59. I. V. Stalin, Sochineniya, 13:122 Stalin to Ludwig; also Smith, pp. 198–99. Trotsky, Stalin, pp. 96–107.
3. Arsenidze, p. 220—young men followed Stalin. GF IML 8.5.384.3–10, Autobiographical notes by Kamo. Stalin’s magnetism by Kamo’s sister Dzhavaira Khutulashvili: Kun, p. 75. Kamo’s face: Sergei Alliluyev and Anna Alliluyeva, Alliluyev Memoirs, pp. 220–21. Role of girls, etc.: GF IML 8.2.1.624.1–26, Bachua Kupriashvili.
4. GDMS 87.1955–368.11–13: Alexandra “Sashiko” Svanidze-Monoselidze.
5. Davrichewy, pp. 174–77, 188–89, 237–39. Charkviani, “Memoirs,” p. 15—Kamo truly amazing.
6. On the balcony as the bombs explode: GDMS 87.1955–368.11–13, Alexandra “Sashiko” Svanidze-Monoselidze.
7. Kun, p. 69, quoting Shaumian’s son Levan—interview with Kun. Dirty business: Stalin to Yuri Zhdanov, see S. Montefiore, Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar (henceforth Montefiore), p. 507.
8. Stalin’s knowledge of the bank robbery before and after: GDMS 87.1955–368.11–13, Alexandra “Sashiko” Svanidze-Monoselidze. Souvarine, Staline, p. 100, quoting Tsintsadze. Charkviani, “Memoirs”—the fanatic Marxist. Minadora Ordzhonikidze-Toroshelidze, “Memoirs”—“man in grey,” possibly a reference to Leonid Andreyev’s play Life of Man.
9. Davrichewy, pp. 237–39, 174–77, 188–89.
10. RGASPI 558.4.647—Stalin carries Mauser: see Kun, p. 117. Arsenidze interviews, Nikolaevsky box 667, series 279, folder 4–5. See chapter 18, note 1.
11. RGASPI 332.1.53:15 (2) O2. 23 (10), 1905–1910, TSK Organized Committee to Investigate Tiflis Expropriation. GDMS 87.1955–368.11–13: Alexandra “Sashiko” Svanidze-Monoselidze. GF IML 8.2.1.54.214–15, Kote Charkviani. GF IML 8.2.1.22, memoirs of G. Kasradze quoted by Ostrovsky, pp. 259–67. Razhden Arsenidze, interviews nos. 1–3, 103–4, Nikolaevsky box 667, series 279, folder 4–5.GF IML 8.2.1.624.1–26, Bachua Kupriashvili.
12. GF IML 8.2.1.624.1–26, Bachua Kupriashvili. Trotsky, Stalin, p. 104, quoting Bessedovsky on Sumbatov. Baikaloff, I Knew Stalin, p. 20. Radzinsky, Stalin, p. 61, quotes P. A. Pavlenko. Arsenidze, interviews nos. 1–3, 103–4, Nikolaevsky box 667, series 279, folder 4–5.
13. Report of Chief of Kutaisi Gendarmerie Maj.-Gen. Shopchansky: Batumskaya Demonstratsia 1902 goda (henceforth Batumskaya), pp. 235–36.
14. Handwritten account by Raphael Bagratuni of the memoirs of his relation the Okhrana officer Alexander Bagratuni/Bagratov sent to Isaac Don Levine: thanks to Roman Brackman private collection. This source is highly dubious yet its claims are well informed on details that have only recently surfaced in the Okhrana files in Tiflis and Stanford, such as the fact that the Okhrana expected the expropriation earlier in the year and the involvement of the SRs of Tiflis. His reference to a mansion perhaps has the same source as the Trotsky-Bessedovsky tale of Prince Sumbatov’s house. Tbilisi folklore: Dr. Peter Mamradze interview on stories of Kamo’s drunken claims in early 1920s.
15. Arsenidze, interviews nos. 1–3, 103–4, Nikolaevsky box 667, series 279, folder 4–5.
16. GF IML 8.2.1.624.1–26, Bachua Kupriashvili. Dubinsky-Mukhadze, Kamo, pp. 71–84. GF IML 8.2.1.5. RGASPI 558.6.658; Ostrovsky, p. 454; Niall Ferguson, The World’s Banker: History of the House of Rothschild, pp. 1034–36, Appendix One, “Prices and Purchasing Power.” A scholar of Imperial Russia, Greg King, simply converts Romanov-era roubles into today’s U.S.$ by multiplying by ten, which turns 341,000 roubles into $3.4 million (one halves that dollar figure to convert into today’s pounds sterling). None of these figures, however, gives the real value of the rouble in 1907; see Note on “Money.” Contemporaries reckoned that the Emperor of Russia’s private fortune of land, art, palaces, jewels and mineral wealth was about 14 million roubles. In today’s money, that is only about £70 million ($140 million). One simply has to conclude that the bank robbery scored a very substantial amount of money. Greg King’s The Court of the Last Tsar, pp. 231–39. GDMS 87.1955–368.11–13: Alexandra “Sashiko” Svanidze-Monoselidze. Capt. Zubov bribed: Ostrovsky, pp. 545–47.
17. Nadezhda Krupskaya, Memoirs of Lenin (henceforth Krupskaya), pp. 40 and 151–52. Radzinsky, Alexander II, p. 227, on Bakunin. Frank Owen, Three Dictators, pp. 114–15.
18. Uratadze, p. 234. Kun, p. 127. Davrichewy, pp. 237–39, 174–77, 188–89. GDMS 87.1955–368.11–13: Alexandra “Sashiko” Svanidze Monoselidze. Owen, Three Dictators, pp. 114–15. GF IML 8.2.1.624.1–26. Dubinsky-Mukhadze, Kamo, pp. 71–84. Akopian, Shaumian, p. 64. GF IML 8.2.1.5. RGASPI 558.6.658. Ostrovsky, p. 454.
1 · KEKE’S MIRACLE: SOSO
1. Beso-Keke marriage. The main source of this chapter, unless otherwise stated, is Keke herself in her memoirs, GF IML 8.2.15.2–15, E. G. Djugashvhili, recorded on 23, 25, 27 Aug. 1935 by L. Kasradze (henceforth Keke). Marriage records: GF IML 8.5.213 and RGASPI 558.4.1.1, Zaria Vostoka, 8 June 1937, and RGASPI 558.4.665, M. K. Abramidze-Tsikhatatr
ishvili. Keke’s chestnut hair, slender, large eyes: GF IML 8.2.1.1.143–6, M. K. Abramidze-Tsikhatatrishvili. Keke pretty, Beso a runt: Davrichewy, p. 26. Beso’s originality: GF IML 8.2.1.48, N. Tlashadze. Gori weddings: D. Suliashvili, Uchenichesky gody (henceforth Suliashvili), p. 24. Sources quoted from: V. Kaminsky and I. Vereshchagin, “Detstvo i yunost vozhdya” (henceforth Kaminsky-Vereshchagin). The home: V. Vishnevsky, “Domik v Gori,” Zaria Vostoka, 27 Dec. 1937, pp. 27–28.
Georgian behaviour ritualized: D. Rayfield, Stalin and the Hangmen, p. 15. Singing on way to market: Kun, p. 227.
2. Ossetia: Kun, p. 19. Genealogichesky Zhurnal no. 1,2001, pp. 39–40. Stalin, Works, 2: 363.
3. Beso’s own account of his origins: Keke, pp. 2–15. Davrichewy, p. 26. The best review of the evidence is by Ostrovsky, pp. 76–82. Zaza: M. Lobanov, Stalin: v vospominaniyakh sovremennikov i dokumentov epokhi (henceforth Lobanov), p. 13. Beso’s death, registered as “Ossetian”: GF IML 8.14.160.1–8.
4. Geladze family: Ostrovsky, pp. 82–84. Keke, pp. 2–15. Kaminsky-Vereshchagin, pp. 22–101, especially G. I. Elisabedashvili (p. 25) and Maria Abramidze-Tsikhatatrishvili.
5. Davrichewy, p. 26. GF IML 8.2.1.48, N. Tlashadze. GF IML 8.2.1.49.185.210, Kote Khakhanashvili. GF IML 8.2.1.9, Ivan Geldiashvili.
6. Births: GF IML 8.5.213.41–53. RGASPI 71.10.275.24/558.4.2.1. RGASPI 558.4.2.2. New dates: Kun, p. 8; Ostrovsky, p. 83. “Kogda rodilsa I. V. Stalin,” Izvestiya TSK KPSS no. 1,1990, p. 132. Stalin looked more and more like Beso: GF IML 8.2.1.53, Alexander M. Tsikhatatrishvili.
7. GF IML 8.2.1.53, Alexander M. Tsikhatatrishvili. Author’s interview with Gulia (Galina) Djugashvili, daughter of Yakov Djugashvili.
8. Nikita Khrushchev, Khrushchev Remembers, 1:301–2 (henceforth Khrushchev). Stalin speech to generals of VVS RKKA and government on 22 Mar. 1938, quoted in Ostrovsky, p. 55. Dato: GF IML 8.2.1.8, Dato Gasitashvili. Kamo: GF IML 8.2.1.50.239–55, Dzhavaira Khutulashvili, née Ter-Petrossian, Kamo’s sister.
9. Suliashvili, p. 8. Charkviani, “Memoirs,” pp. 1–2. Keke GF IML 8.2.1.53, Alexander M. Tsikhatatrishvili. Author’s interview with Gulia (Galina) Djugashvili. Baedeker, p. 446.
10. Davrichewy, pp. 26–28. Keke.
11. Paternal candidates: author’s interviews with Koba Egnatashvili’s grandson Guram Ratishvili, son of Sasha Egnatashvili, about the family house, Koba’s wrestling and businesses, attitude to Stalin, substitute father, great affection and later destiny of Egnatashvili boys Vaso and Sasha. There are huge inaccuracies in most accounts of the Egnatashvili connection, but Stalin was very close to Sasha Egnatashvili. Within NKVD, attitudes to Stalin’s relationship with Egnatashvili: GARF 7523.107.127.1–6, General N. Vlasik and other interrogations. Guram Ratishvili is by far the most revealing and intelligent of the family witnesses. On genetic connection: author’s interview with Tina Egnatashvili, great-niece. Davrichewy, pp. 26–28, and see also Davrichewy, “Je suis le demifrère de Staline,” where Gori mayor Jourouli is quoted as saying, “As far as I know, Soso was the natural son of pristav Damian Petrovich Davrichewy, my friend . . . Everyone knew about the liaison with the pretty mother of Soso, Kato [Keke]. Besides, the armed attack on pristav Davrichewy is the proof.” Stalin’s fondness for Father Charkviani, and closeness to Egnatashvili family: Charkviani, “Memoirs.” Stalin’s comment about priest as father—“Comrade Liapidevsky, your father was a priest—mine was a priest too”—quoted in Robert Tucker, Stalin in Power, p. 627. Mgeladze, p. 242. V. Sukhodeev, Stalin v zhiznin i legandaakh, pp. 19–20, on rumours that Stalin said that Egnatashvili was his father and that Egnatashvili married Beso to Keke to hide his sin. Prince Amilakhvari: Davrichewy, p. 69. Stalin and Beso: GF IML 8.2.1.1.143–6, M. K. Abramidze-Tsikhatatrishvili. GF IML 8.2.1.53, Alexander M. Tsikhatatrishvili.
12. Sergo Beria, Beria My Father (henceforth Beria), p. 21. Keke.
13. Mgeladze, p. 242—“I got the impression Stalin was illicit son of Egnatashvili.” Author’s interviews: Guram Ratishvili; and Galina “Gulia” Djugashvili adds another variant that Stalin and the Egnatashvili children were both suckled by the same wet nurse: they were “milk brothers.” Davrichewy, pp. 26–28; Mayor Jourouli in Davrichewy, “Je suis le demifrère de Staline.” Tucker, Stalin in Power, p. 627. Within NKVD, on Egnatashvili relationship to Stalin: GARF 7523.107.126.1–6, General N. Vlasik interrogation.
14. Pride in father: RGASPI 558.4.663, Fyodor Alliluyev. Khrushchev, 1:301–2. Dreams clipped: “Anarchism or Socialism,” in Stalin, Works, 1:296–372. Three cobblers—Stalin, Kaganovich and Mgeladze: Mgeladze, p. 237. RGASPI 558.11.1549.45, valiant son: Stalin to Keke, 24 Mar. 1934. Beso tells stories of banditheroes: RGASPI 558.4.665, G. Elisabedashvili.
15. Mgeladze, p. 242. The three sons of Egnatashvili who died of smallpox were born around the same time as Stalin; the two surviving sons, Vano and Sasha, were born later. Tucker, Stalin in Power, p. 627. Keke.
16. GF IML 8.2.1.53, Alexander M. Tsikhatatrishvili. Lobanov, pp. 13–14: memoir of David Papiashvili.
2 · CRAZY BESO
1. Khrushchev, 1:301–2. Keke. Charkviani, “Memoirs.”
2. Keke. Moving house nine times: Ostrovsky, pp. 88–89. Violence: Kun, p. 12. Misery: Merzliakov in Molodaya Gvardiya no. 12, 1939, p. 37. Cossack’s whips: Stalin, Works, 1: 25–27. Josef Iremashvili, Stalin und die Tragödie Georgiens (henceforth Iremashvili), pp. 5–6, 9–12. Beso’s violence: N. Kipshidze. Keke’s violence: Hana Moshiashvili—quoted in Radzinsky, Stalin, p. 24. Svetlana on knife throwing, beatings by Keke quoted in Service, Stalin, p. 20. Beating: G.K. Zhukov, Vospominaniya i razmyshleniniya (henceforth Zhukov), 3:215. Chased with whip, strangling Keke, Stalin cut, treated like a dog, “Help! Come quickly!”: Davrichewy, pp. 30–35.
3. Keke. R. G. Suny, “Beyond Psychohistory: The Young Stalin in Georgia.” Stalin teaches Charkviani children to read: Charkviani, “Memoirs.” Davrichewy, pp. 30–31. GF IML 8.2.1.10.23–47, Simon Gogchilidze. Lessons in secret, Beso drags by ears, my sister: GF IML 8.2.1.54.202–15, Kote Charkviani. Stalin speech, VVS RKKA and government on 22 March 1938: Ostrovsky, p. 55. Barberquack; too much reading; coat to hide Soso to school: GF IML 8.2.1.9, Anna Nikitin-Geladze.
4. Keke. Davrichewy, pp. 26–31. Davrichewy, “Je suis le demifrère de Staline,” including Gori mayor Jourouli quotation.
5. Zhukov, 3:215. Svetlana Alliluyeva tapes: Stalin on mother, “He loved her,” etc.—see Rosamund Richardson, The Long Shadow, p. 93. Svetlana Alliluyeva, Twenty Letters to a Friend, pp. 153–54, 204. Iremashvili, pp. 5–7. Beria, pp. 20–21. RGASPI 558.4.664, P. Kapanadze. Haughty, proud, Keke works for her family and Kulijanav sisters, Koba accuses Chernomazov; 1906 recruits Nato to newspaper: GF IML 8.2.1.15.266–72, Natalia Dondarov (Azarian). Keke.
6. First day of school: GF IML 8.2.1.24, V. Ketskhoveli; GF IML 8.2.1.41, I. Razmadze; RGASPI 558.4.665, S. P. Gogchilidze. Chintz bag: Molodaya Gvardiya no. 12, 1939, pp. 35–37. Iremashvili, pp. 4–7. Keke.
7. Keke. Versions of carriage accident: Ostrovsky, p. 89. Game of carriage chicken: Suliashvili, p. 9. Quack: Alliluyev Memoirs, p. 189. Stalin jumping: RGASPI 558.4.665, Peter Kapanadze. GF IML 8.2.1.10.23–47, Simon Gogchilidze. GF IML 8.2.1.9, Anna Nikitin-Geladze. Blue coat, red scarf, freckles: GF IML 8.2.1.9, Grisha Glurjidze.
8. GF IML 8.2.1.54, Kote Charkviani. Keke.
3 · BRAWLERS, WRESTLERS AND CHOIRBOYS
1. Stalin’s home: Iremashvili, pp. 8–10. Plank bed: GF IML 8.2.1.10.23–47, Simon Gogchilidze. GF IML 8.2.1.15.266–72, Natalia Dondarov (Azarian). Keke.
2. Picturesque and savage: Imam Raguza, Stalin, p. 23. Ostrovsky, p. 90. Davrichewy, pp. 78–79.
3. Street culture: Raguza, Stalin, p. 23. Suliashvili, pp. 42–46. Z. Gulisov, Materialy dela opisany mestnostey i plemen kavkazy, Tiflis 1886. Stalin’s participation, B. Ivanter and A. Khakhonov, quoted in Kaminsky-Vereshchagin, pp. 29–32, 48–50. Keenoba: GF IML 8.2.1.49.185–210, Kote Khakhanashvili.
4. How aristocrats lived: Simon Sidamon-Eristoff, For My Grandchildren,
pp. 21–23. Prince Amilakhvari teaches Stalin swimming: Davrichewy, p. 70. Damage to aristocracy in Caucasus; 6 percent of population in Georgia as opposed to 1.4 percent in European Russia: Jones, pp. 1–29. Wrestling bouts, Stalin, Egnatashvilis: Charkviani, “Memoirs,” p. 3.
5. Street fighter: GDMS 2.1955–148.1–11, Comrade Stalin in Gori Church School by Sandro Elisabedashvili (cousin of G. Elisabedashvili).
6. Stalin gang and schoolboys. Catapulting the cows, naughty, running: RGASPI 558.4.665.14, G. Elisabedashvili, and fuller versions GDMS 1955–146.1–11, “My Memories of Comrade Stalin” by G. Elisabedashvili. Gangfights, Gorijvari, singing Suliko, calm and brutal, push to extremes: Davrichewy, pp. 82–84, 72–76, 45–49, 60–61. Amilakhvari’s gardens: Raguza, Stalin, pp. 34–35. Gori days, Eristavi’s gardens and swimming: David Papitashvili and commander and stone slinging, sultan and ministers and Georgian stories of Saakadze and others, A. M. Tsikhatatrashvili, all in Kaminsky-Vereshchagin, pp. 3–32. Wrestling schoolboys at castle: Suliashvili, p. 12. Kamo: Kamo’s sister Dzhavaira Khutulashvili, quoted in Kun, p. 75. Tough school of swimming: GDMS 2.1955–148.1–11, Sandro Elisabedashvili (cousin of G. Elisabedashvili). Like a fish: GF IML 8.2.1.49.185–210, Kote Khakhanashvili. Wounded arm, beaten up, when Soso grows up to be a priest: GF IML 8.2.1.10.23–47, Simon Gogchilidze. Stalin beats up sneak, devoted friend: GF IML 8.2.1.54.202–15, Kote Charkviani. Explosions and catapults: GF IML 8.2.1.226–39, Petre Adamashvili. Wrestling with Tito: Montefiore, p. 470.
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