December 8, 1939
The Nazi authority in the occupied zones of Poland is full of joy.
Today is its holiday. Representatives of their former archenemy, the Bolshevik-Jewish government, are now guests in this zone and have been received with royal honors.
The head of the Soviet delegation is a Jew, the Nazis' "friend" Litvinov.
When it is time to engage in politics, nobody cares about race. This is Jewish revenge - but it will not redound to our benefit. The conqueror's newspapers do their job.
On the front page they glorify "the wise and farsighted Stalin" and his emissary Litvinov, who although born of an "inferior race" is toasted by Dr. Frank himself, while on the third page they incite terribly against the Jews of Czestochowa, "who are not desirable residents, who busy themselves with theft, robbery, and other forms of white-collar work." Litvinov is not insulted by this.
At this point he is the Nazis' "pet Jew." The Nazi newspapers, there are no others - are filled with words of praise for the Soviet Union and with flattery ad nauseam.
This is our fate. Good deeds by prominent men of Israel do not help us in our hour of distress, and the bad deeds are credited to our account, so that the Jew suffers no matter what. More than once has the conqueror severely punished the Jews of Krochmalna Street because Hore-Belisha, the Jewish minister in England, fights against the Nazis. But when "the Bolshevik Zyd" from Moscow comes to the conqueror's aid, this is not to our credit.
The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
This is from Scroll of Agony by A. Kaplan. The question is who was that Litvinov. The "real" Litvinov, his (22 years old) son as some say, someone else?
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
German communique did not mention any names of the Soviet delegation's members, not even the chairman...
From VB:
The Soviet delegation at the Krakau castle
Formal reception by Governor-General Dr. Frank
Krakau, 7. December
[..]
The Chairman of the Soviet delegation thanked for the welcome and declared that the Soviet delegation accepted the invitation to visit Krakau with great gratitude. The Soviet delegation, too, was convinced that the work would be continued in the friendly spirit which corresponded to the interests of the two nations.
[..]
Was this visit mentioned in Soviet press?
From VB:
The Soviet delegation at the Krakau castle
Formal reception by Governor-General Dr. Frank
Krakau, 7. December
[..]
The Chairman of the Soviet delegation thanked for the welcome and declared that the Soviet delegation accepted the invitation to visit Krakau with great gratitude. The Soviet delegation, too, was convinced that the work would be continued in the friendly spirit which corresponded to the interests of the two nations.
[..]
Was this visit mentioned in Soviet press?
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
I strongly doubt the story. Maksim Litvinov after May 1939 was out of business, and apparently both Stalin and Molotov distrusted him. Jewish origin aside, a partisan of 'collective security" would be the least suitable candidate for dealing with Germans.
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
According to articles published in Polish Goniec Krakowski it was (original spelling) Litvinow, and Maslennikow (division commander of NKVD), Arkadjew (a member of the Supreme Soviet, I suppose), Ussikow, Karpow, Slobin, Trozkij, Jegnarow.
Only surnames are given so no luck there.
It wasn't the source Kaplan used, there is nothing there about Jews in Czestochowa. Maybe he read Krakauer Zeitung.
But the pomp and circumstances are there, flags, joy, and a unit of SS-Reiterstandarten.
The articles:
Only surnames are given so no luck there.
It wasn't the source Kaplan used, there is nothing there about Jews in Czestochowa. Maybe he read Krakauer Zeitung.
But the pomp and circumstances are there, flags, joy, and a unit of SS-Reiterstandarten.
The articles:
Last edited by wm on 28 Apr 2019, 17:30, edited 2 times in total.
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
According to some (quite dubious - because they say he was Litvinov's son) sources his name was Grigory.
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
Let's correct this article. There were actually three western sections in the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs in 1939, called 1st Western section, 2nd Western Section and 3rd Western Section. Neither was headed by Litvinov though. Furthermore Poland's affairs was a responsibility of the Eastern-European section headed by Anatoly Lavrentiev. I don't see a man with a name Litivinov among the top officials of the Commissariat. Maslennikov (chief of the NKVD troops and deputy head of the NKVD) had his rank (komdiv) literally translated to Polish as "division commander".
Here are two photos of "Litvinov" taken during the meeting:
In higher resolution here:
https://audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/5110/h:73/
Most definitely this man is not Maksim Litvinov. His only son was Mikhail Litivinov who had nothing to do with diplomatic carrier and was younger than "Litvinov" on the photo, so not a likely candidate either.
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
NAC photos are great, but I don't think descriptions are correct.
A person standing with a glass in his hand on photo 2-3173 is not the same as on 2-3175.
That would be rather the same person who closely follows who looks like Maslennikov on photo 2-3171 below.
A person standing with a glass in his hand on photo 2-3173 is not the same as on 2-3175.
That would be rather the same person who closely follows who looks like Maslennikov on photo 2-3171 below.
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
I suppose Litvinov should have been a bigger fish that Maslennikov who himself was a medium-size fish, and easier to identify. Unless he was a one-day wonder, nominated and purged quickly for an infraction, real or imagined.
There is something wrong with the idea of a lesser member of a delegation proposing a toast unless they were binge drinking.
There is something wrong with the idea of a lesser member of a delegation proposing a toast unless they were binge drinking.
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
I've found this document quoted on an internet forum:
No full names, unfortunately.
http://voenspez.ru/index.php?topic=86344.0;wap2Decree No.1729-43ss of the SSR Union's Council of People's Commissars of 21 October 1939, Moscow, Kremlin
Regarding composition and work of the Soviet Governmental Delegation in the Soviet-German mixed commission on evacuation the SSR Union's Council of People's Commissars DECREES:
1. The following comrades are appointed as members of the Soviet Governmental Delegation in the Soviet-German mixed commission on evacuation:
M.N. Litivinov (People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs, chairman)
I.I. Maslennikov (People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs)
G.P. Arkadiev (People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs)
I.D. Zlobin (People's Commissariat for Finance)
As expert representatives of the Soviet delegations:
P.Ya. Usikov (People's Commissariat for Agriculture)
I.N. Karpov (Migrant Directorate at the USSR's Council of People's Commissars)
Signatures:
Chairman of the USSR's Council of People's Commissars (V. Molotov)
Director of affairs of the USSR's Council of People's Commissars (M. Khlomov)
No full names, unfortunately.
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
Supposedly, according to Krakauer Zeitung, 9 December 1939 his name was Maxim.
A picture from that issue (Hans Frank in the middle):
A picture from that issue (Hans Frank in the middle):
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
The person on the right on Krakauer Zeitung photo looks like the "elusive" chairman. The same person as on NAC photos 2-3175 and 2-3171.
On the left -Ivan Ivanovich Maslennikov
As for the person from NAC photo 2-3173 (with a glass in his hand), he is most likely already mentioned Georgiy Petrovich Arkadiev
Георгий Петрович Аркадьев:
Source: Photo archive of the Soviet diplomat G.P. Arkadiev
On the left -Ivan Ivanovich Maslennikov
As for the person from NAC photo 2-3173 (with a glass in his hand), he is most likely already mentioned Georgiy Petrovich Arkadiev
Георгий Петрович Аркадьев:
Source: Photo archive of the Soviet diplomat G.P. Arkadiev
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
A beautiful picture, all members of the Soviet delegation look as if they drank from the fountain of youth every day.
In comparison, the Germans look old and tired.
There is something sinister in the fact we know nothing about our good friend Litvinov (Litivinov) but so much about the others.
Maybe Stalin found his work performance unsatisfactory.
In comparison, the Germans look old and tired.
There is something sinister in the fact we know nothing about our good friend Litvinov (Litivinov) but so much about the others.
Maybe Stalin found his work performance unsatisfactory.
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
I have a scan of Moscow's telephone book for 1936. It lists names of all section's chefs for all commissariats.
Useless for this topic as most of them seemed not to survived past 1937-38.
But there are scans of similar books available for 1939 and 1940.
I wonder if you guys can download these. Hopefully we could trace our "Litvinov".
Useless for this topic as most of them seemed not to survived past 1937-38.
But there are scans of similar books available for 1939 and 1940.
I wonder if you guys can download these. Hopefully we could trace our "Litvinov".
Re: The Nazi authority is full of joy, Litvinov is here
He should be inside:
Год издания: 1984 / 1986
Кол-во страниц: 1674
its 1948 issue is here, but only the real Litvinov is listed.
Автор: Гл. ред. А. А. Громыко Год издания: 1984 / 1986
Кол-во страниц: 1674
its 1948 issue is here, but only the real Litvinov is listed.