Minister of Culture of the USSR Furtseva Ekaterina: biography, activities, family

Furtseva Ekaterina Alekseevna is, perhaps, the only woman in our country, who in the second half of the 20th century. Could ascend to the summit of power. The girl, born in High Volostok, was Moscow's "mistress" for several years in a row, and afterwards she took seats on the party Olympus, being part of the secretariat and presidium of the ruling CPSU Central Committee. Fourteen years Ekaterina Furtseva was the head of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR.

How to explain such an incredible career as an ordinary girl? Her outstanding personal qualities, chance, luck or sympathy of the leaders? Of course, all this, no doubt, was present in her life. But nevertheless, Furtseva Ekaterina Alekseevna persistently pushed her way in a society that did not encourage the woman's rapid career. And in this regard, our heroine is an exception.

Weaver's career

07.12.1910 in the Upper Volochok, which was at that time in the Tver province, and Furtseva Catherine was born. Her biography was rather complicated. Catherine's father, Alexei Gavrilovich, was an ordinary metalworker. During the First World War, he was summoned to the tsarist army, where he died in the very first battles. Despite the fact that the future fate of Catherine Furtseva was, at first glance, very successful, she, having received in her early childhood a psychological trauma from the loss of her father, was constantly afraid to be abandoned, abandoned and rejected. This woman very much depended on friends and relatives, beloved men and girlfriends. She was scared to imagine that she could be left alone.

Mother Ekaterina Furtseva, Matryona Nikolaevna, married no more. She alone raised her daughter and son to her feet. Matryona Nikolayevna was an illiterate woman. However, in her city she enjoyed great authority.

The ability to make independent decisions and internal strength inherited from the mother Furtseva Catherine. Her biography in the future has developed precisely because of the solid character, which, it can be said, was inherited by the woman. However, despite this, Catherine Alexeyevna carefully concealed the feeling of her helplessness that accompanied her for the rest of her life.

After the end of the seven-year plan, the girl entered a factory factory where she received a weaver's profession. The work biography of Furtseva Catherine began with work at the machine tool. Later, the future minister of culture will be entrenched insulting for her the nickname "weaver". The highest political figures at every opportunity will be arrogantly contemptuous to recall its beginning of labor activity. Although there is nothing reprehensible in this. And the vital necessity that the girl had to start working early, causes not only respect, but also sympathy.

However, Furtseva's Catherine stood for a very short time. Her biography changed dramatically after she joined the Komsomol.

Catherine was a sports and well-developed girl, which fully met the expectations of the era. This was the period when Catherine was literally torn between the desire to meet in her life a real man and not yield to a strong sex in anything.

For sixteen months she worked as secretary of the Komsomol district committee in the village of Korenevo (present Kursk region). After that, Furtseva received a new appointment, and did not return to these regions. The local historians assure that the personal life of Ekaterina Furtseva during this period was carefully hidden by the future minister of culture. This concerns the fact that on August 25, 1931 the girl married a local carpenter. However, three months later this marriage broke up. The name of the first husband of the Furtsev local lore is kept secret.

Personal happiness

Furtseva Ekaterina Alekseevna was a very promising employee. That is why in 1931 she was transferred to the post of secretary of the Komsomol city committee in the city of Feodosia. Here, in Koktebel, came her great passion for gliding. And the girl got a recommendation from the regional party committee for training at Aeroflot Higher Academic Courses. After that, Furtseva came to Saratov, where she became an assistant to the chief of the political department on questions of the Komsomol in the aviation technical school.

It was here that Catherine met her first great love. Her chosen one was Pilot Ivan Ivanovich Bitkov. In the thirties of the last century pilots enjoyed special success with women due to the romantic aura surrounding them. And Peter Bitkov was an interesting and prominent man. He fully corresponded to Catherine's idea of a reliable life companion, who could become her real protection and support and give her what the girl was deprived of earlier. Young people got married.

In 1936, Petr Bitkov was transferred to work in the political administration of civil aviation. In this regard, the young family moved to Moscow. In the capital, Furtseva began to work as an instructor in the department of student youth of the Central Committee of the Komsomol. She successfully coped with the duties assigned to her. And this, despite the fact that she had no higher education herself and she never took part in student life.

In 1937, Furtseva was sent to study at the Institute of Fine Chemical Technology. Lomonosov Moscow State University. However, the student Ekaterina Alekseevna was unimportant. After all, immediately after the receipt, she began to actively engage in public work, taking up the post of secretary of the party committee of the institute. Of course, she received a diploma of higher education. They gave it to her in 1941, on the eve of the war. For this reason, it was not possible to start working on the received specialty Ekaterina Alekseevna.

Family Breakdown

The outbreak of war with fascist Germany was twice as tragic for a woman. Ekaterina Furtseva's husband went to the front, and then announced that he was leaving the family. Together they no longer lived, although it was at this time that they were born a long-awaited child.

Ekaterina Alekseevna always dreamed of having children. However, she was able to conceive only after eleven years of married life. Like many historical facts about Catherine Furtseva concerning her biography, the birth of a child was overgrown with myths and rumors. There were, for example, talk about the fact that the girl's father was not Peter Bitkov. That's why the insulted husband left his family. However, there are other versions. Pyotr Ivanovich, being a young and prominent man, met another woman at the front. He fell in love with her and started a new family. It is worth saying that this scenario is more like the truth. After all, Svetlana Bitkov never refused. On the contrary, the daughter of Ekaterina Furtseva warmly spoke about him. She said that until the end of his life, Pyotr Ivanovich did not lose his father's feelings for her.

The birth of a daughter

The unfortunate personal life of Catherine Furtseva left a deep scar in her soul. She could not forget her husband. Left alone and afraid of uncertainty and loneliness, Furtseva was ready at any time to abandon the child. But she was supported in every possible way by her mother, who became a real support for her in these difficult times.

Even during the pregnancy, Furtseva was evacuated to Kuibyshev (present Samara). In this city there were major foreign embassies and people's commissariats. The birth was successful. Ekaterina Alekseevna wrote down her daughter's name. However, in Kuibyshev, Furtseva did not live long. Her, a party worker, was summoned to Moscow.

Memorable years

Despite the difficult military in 1942, he became very significant for Catherine Furtseva. In addition to the birth of her daughter, she received a new appointment. The growing and very promising young worker drew the attention of Petr Vladimirovich Boguslavsky, who held the post of first secretary of the Frunze District Party Committee. He also suggested that Catherine Alekseevna enter into his staff. This was the beginning of the very successful party career of a woman who, after a while, led her to the very top of power. And it is likely that the stormy start of the party career helped Furtseva survive the personal drama.

With Peter Boguslavsky, Yekaterina Alekseevna has a special relationship. The first secretary of the district committee appreciated her not only business but also female qualities. Young Furtseva was pretty. Many of the men were attracted by its brightness, slim figure and stormy temperament. What are the personal relations of Peter Vladimirovich and Catherine Alekseevna, is for certain unknown. Such stories are not shared even with the closest people.

First secretary post

The main rules for achieving success in the role of a party worker were quickly assimilated by Ekaterina Alekseevna. Soon Furtseva succeeded Petr Vladimirovich at his post. She became the mistress of the whole metropolitan area. In order to prove the right to be called the first secretary of the district committee, Furtseva learned many manners and habits of male managers. She had to learn not to be embarrassed by obscene jokes and not to be timid in the male collective. In addition, she could, if necessary, send a man by her mother and decently drink.

However, Furtseva never forgot that she is a very attractive woman. And this gave her other means of influencing men.

Ekaterina Alekseevna was notable for her exactingness, composure and remarkable capacity for work. In addition, she always fulfilled her promises. Her talent for organizing mass events was also highly appreciated. And it does not matter what direction they had. It could be about "cleaning" the district apparatus from people who came to Moscow from the northern capital, which was required at the height of the "Leningrad case," or to provide a gloomy "doctors' case." Ekaterina Alekseevna always successfully outstripped her fellow secretaries.

Promotion of the career ladder

Major changes in the biography of Furtseva occurred during the period when Stalin nominated Khrushchev as the leader of Moscow. One of the secretaries of the city committee, Nikita Sergeyevich, wanted to appoint a woman. The choice fell on the business and energetic Furtseva.

Of course, the career of a woman in the party apparatus was progressing "with a squeak". There was an opinion that only men could cope with the duties assigned to such an employee. Stalin himself during his conversation with the head of the oil industry of the USSR N. K. Baibakov expressed the opinion that the people's commissar primarily needs bullish nerves, as well as optimism. However, the first Catherine Furtseva clearly was not enough, because she was too emotional.

At the head of Moscow

A year after Stalin's death, on May 26, 1954, Furtseva was appointed first secretary of the party's capital committee. Up to this point, no single woman headed such a large party organization. Thus, Ekaterina Alexeyevna entered the role of a full-fledged "mistress" of the big city.

There was no personal relationship between Furtseva and Khrushchev. The head of state remained faithful to his wife, and with the ladies he had only business relations. In addition, he asked from all Khrushchev equally, without making exceptions to anyone.

Marriage

Of course, Ekaterina Furtseva made a wonderful career. Her family, however, was nevertheless necessary. The woman did not leave hope for a meeting with a strong and confident man. And finally she found personal happiness. Working in the party apparatus of the capital, Ekaterina Alexeyevna fell in love with Nikolai Pavlovich Firyubin, his colleague-secretary. He was older than her for two years and was legally married.

Roman Firyubin and Furtseva became the subject of gossip in the capital. It was a time when divorce was not encouraged by society, and the woman was given the role of a dedicated mother and wife. The concept of "mistress" caused negative emotions. That is why Nikolai Pavlovich Firyubin did not hurry to leave his family. Nevertheless, after a while they nevertheless began to live together. It is worth mentioning that the new member of the family, the stepdaughter and mother-in-law were met with extreme malice. It was the jealousy of Matryona Nikolaevna and Svetlana, who did not want to share a person close to them with anyone.

Appointment of the husband

Big politics did not allow Furtseva to enjoy family happiness. In January 1954, Nicholas Firyubin was appointed ambassador to Czechoslovakia. The person in this position, as a rule, is accompanied by his wife, who participates in the work of the mission. She has a duty to organize receptions and to establish friendly relations with diplomats from other states. However, she did not sacrifice her career. She had little to feel just a wife, and with her husband in Prague, she did not leave. The Central Committee of the Party took into account this situation and allowed Firyubin to be in Czechoslovakia alone.

Of course, long separations do not benefit marriage. Furtseva did not want Firyubin to leave the country for a long time, but it was impossible to refuse appointment as an ambassador.

The peak of power

A special role in the life of Furtseva was played by the 20th Party Congress. His decision, Ekaterina Alekseevna, was raised to the top of power. On the recommendation of Khrushchev, she was appointed secretary of the Central Committee and entered the list of candidates for the presidium. The new post was very significant in the country. Without the consent of the secretariat of the Central Committee, not a single agency or ministry could undertake anything.

Nikita Sergeyevich considered Ekaterina Alexeyevna "her own man." This allowed her on June 29, 1957 to become a member of the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee. The appointment was very loud. It is worth mentioning that such a thing in the history of the USSR has never happened, and the next woman took such a post only under Gorbachev.

Khrushchev made Furtseva a valuable gift. He returned to her homeland her husband, appointing him deputy foreign minister.

Autopsy of veins

At the top of power, Ekaterina Alekseevna Furtseva stayed only three years. 04.05.1960 Khrushchev unexpectedly for all removed from the list of the secretariat a few people. Among them was Ekaterina Alekseevna.

What was the reason for changing the lists of the highest echelon of state power? It is believed that this is the work of the Chekists. They kept records of free conversations of the secretaries of the Central Committee in the rest rooms. There was no sedition in their speeches. However, they allowed themselves to critically approach the behavior of Nikita Sergeevich. However, there is another explanation for this fact. In Khrushchev's character it was to raise the person he liked to dizzying heights, and then, disappointed in him, easily part with the recent favorite and start promoting someone else.

For a little over a year Furtseva continued to be a representative of the highest echelon of power. However, the 21st Congress did not include it in the presidium. This fact became a terrible blow for Catherine Alekseevna. And the woman even tried to commit suicide.

On the same day, when she visited the meeting of the 21st Congress, Furtseva came home, went to the bath and opened her veins. However, at that moment she did not intend to die at all. This fact is confirmed by the fact that Ekaterina Alekseevna did not cancel the meeting with her friend. It was on her that Furtseva laid the role of an angel-savior. My friend did everything possible. Ekaterina Alekseevna was rescued. However, this "cry of the soul" did not cause any reaction from Khrushchev. The very next day after the incident he explained at an enlarged meeting of the Central Committee that one should not even pay attention to this attempt to leave life. These words were transferred to Furtseva. And she withdrew into herself and began drinking a lot. This fact was confirmed by the friends of Ekaterina Furtseva, one of whom was Lyudmila Zykina.

The post of minister

A month later, a message was received about the new appointment of Furtseva. The Minister of Culture of the USSR immediately received the nickname, which became the property of the whole country - Catherine the Great. Her team included tens of thousands of workers in the art world, holding positions in Moscow and the Moscow region. And she considered her "army" to be 3-4 million ordinary cultivators all over the territory of the Soviet Union, museum scholars, employees of film studios, theaters, etc.

Minister of Culture Furtseva Ekaterina Alekseevna was practically the only person from the leadership of the USSR who was genuinely interested in cultural exchange between the countries. On her initiative, our masters went on foreign tours, and the Soviet Union was visited by foreign artists, singers and musicians. We brought to our country and exhibitions of the best world museums.

The Minister of Culture of the USSR had considerable power. However, each decision taken could carry a danger to the career. This was facilitated by the ideological situation that prevailed in the country. It was accompanied by an atmosphere of prohibitions and put an end to what seemed to be some kind of retreat from the general line of the party. In the interests of Furtseva, it was more likely not to give the go-ahead than to resolve it. After all, for the well-staged performance or the film, praise was given to the artists and the director. For the admitted "mistakes" to answer it was necessary to her.

However, Furtseva sometimes went against censorship and took full responsibility for herself. In addition to the existing party attitudes, she was often guided by personal antipathies and sympathies.

Death of the mother

The death of Matryona Nikolaevna in 1972 became a real tragedy for Furtseva. She depended heavily on her mother and needed her approval. Ekaterina Furtseva's friends knew very well that she was very uneasy at heart. She complained to them that no one needs them and that no one understands it. How much of these reproaches were true? The husband of Catherine Alekseevna, Nikolai Pavlovich, said nothing about his relationship with his wife.

End of career

Being the minister of culture, Furtseva decided to start building her own dacha. At the same time she asked for help in the institutions subordinate to her. But one of the initiates wrote a report on this question to the minister. It said that Furtseva, violating party and state ethics, bought from the Bolshoi Theater at a discounted price building materials. Ekaterina Alekseevna had to hand over the dacha to the state. In return, she received compensation of 25 thousand rubles. Nevertheless, the country's leadership decided to send Furtseva to retire. But in a conversation with her friend she expressed a firm intention to die as a minister. So it happened.

How did Catherine Furtseva die? This happened on the day when she became aware of the appointment of a pension and the fact that Nikolai Pavlovich goes to another woman. Such a double stroke Ekaterina Alekseevna could not withstand. After all, the dreary life of a lonely pensioner awaited her. This turned out to be the most terrible for her.

Officially, the death of Catherine Furtseva was due to acute heart failure. It happened on October 24, 1974. However, soon Moscow was filled with rumors that the second suicide attempt was still successful. According to unofficial data, Furtseva was poisoned with cyanide.

At the funeral of Catherine Alekseevna her first husband, Peter Ivanovich Bitkov, was present. At the same time, he told his daughter Svetlana that all her life she loved only her mother. By the way, he did not last long his first wife.

Firyubin also fell in with Cleopatra Gogoleva, the widow of the former party secretary of the Moscow regional committee.

Where is Furtseva Ekaterina Alekseevna buried? At the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. Her grave is in the 14th row on the 3rd plot. Next to her, and her daughter Svetlana, who died in 2005, is buried. A family monument was erected on this burial site. Its authors are the architect M. O. Barshch and the sculptor PE Kerbel. This memorial represents four vertical steles, made of light marble. One of its lateral faces has the form of a harp. In the upper part of the memorial there is a relief image, on which is Ekaterina Furtseva herself. Years of life of the deceased are not indicated. Only names are engraved on the monument.