JV Stalin is an extraordinary personality and his influence on people is widely known. The habit of sitting down for a lecture was seen by many, but to draw attention to such strangeness, and even more so to ask a direct question "Why?" did not even occur to anyone. It does, so it is necessary. But the architect Merzhanov was an observant person, moreover, an excellent specialist. Therefore, almost immediately realized why this was done.
And the casket just opened, and it was not at all a matter of prejudice. Those who took part in the meetings usually came with a lot of papers that had nowhere to put. Often the sheets simply mixed up, flew apart. And the human factor has not been canceled. The speaker could get trivially confused, and then look for what he lost for a long time. Naturally, the tables were a mess. But Stalin did not need such a phenomenon, so he removed all the papers on the chair, which he then sat on.
The architect became interested in this issue and found a solution for it, moreover, as simple as possible. And then the second task appeared - the idea had to be tested, and also to get its approval. The case for this appeared very soon.
1. Reputation
It should be pointed out right away that Miron Merzhanov was not an ordinary architect. He already had an excellent reputation. He was considered a reliable person, a high-class specialist and a master of the business in which he was engaged. In 1934 he built Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin's dacha in Kuntsevo. He even chose the place for construction himself, since it was decided that no one is better than him to complete the task.
2. Huge trust
After the completion of construction, there were still objects that were built according to the personal Stalinist order. Among them is a dacha with an autonomous diesel-type power plant in Sochi. During the construction, only domestically produced materials were used. This is Stalin's demand. Joseph Vissarionovich generally believed that everything necessary for the state must be produced directly within it, and not be purchased for currency in other countries.
The finished dacha really liked the leader, and he rewarded the architect with an excellent gift - a car of the latest model. Stalin unconditionally trusted the professionalism of M. I. Merzhanov. Giving orders for the next work on the construction of objects, he gave the architect absolute freedom in what and how they will be, what kind of appearance they will have.
3. There are NO fountains
The architect received absolute respect and trust not only due to his professionalism and skill. He adopted the key rule - everything should be exclusively domestic production. When it came to the construction of facilities for Stalin's personal purposes, the layout had to be modest and nothing more should be offered.
At the beginning of his career, Merzhanov asked about Stalin's wishes, to which he replied that he would decide for himself, but that there were no fountains. Then the architect realized that the main thing is reliability, lack of frills and dignity. This applied to both architectural solutions and the interior of the premises. Well, if it’s a fountain, then it’s small and as simple as possible.
But Stalin thought differently when public buildings were being built so that the Soviet people could be proud of their country, its architect, and those who did all the work - the builders. By the way, when the question arose about the choice of the gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Iosif Vissarionovich gave preference to Merzhanov's sketch. The same applies to the Hammer and Sickle medal to Heroes of Socialist Labor.
4. Disputes
But everything was not entirely quiet and smooth. Stalin used to argue with an architect, as a rule, when it came to additional decorative elements. When there was a discussion of where the parliamentary hall would be located, JV Stalin immediately said that he should be in the Kremlin and ordered that Merzhanov was responsible for the design.
It was then that a dispute broke out over what the coat of arms would be made of. Stalin leaned towards bronze, and Merzhanov towards wood. Everyone present was shocked. They then understood that arguing with such a person as the head of state was not worth it at all. As a result, Stalin himself defused the situation, and Merzhanov's idea won.
The second controversy was the upholstery of the seats. Stalin believed that morocco would be worn out. Then Merzhanov suggested dermantin, but American. The leader clarified whether he was definitely durable or better than morocco. To which the architect explained that the second option is much better, but more expensive. Stalin believed and agreed to such large expenses.
5. Acknowledgments
Special thanks to the architect were expressed at the presidium tables. And only Merzhanov knew what Stalin liked when examining these tables, everyone else was at a loss. The fact is that the architect provided in his project a recess for papers, documents, reports.
It will be no less interesting and useful to find out why in Stalin's times they walked at home in shoes, and in Khrushchev's they began to take off their shoes.