His rise to power began in Sverdlovsk a heavily industrialized city in the Ural Mountains. This was the world he grew up in. A world that shaped both a man and his philosophy. Staid and orthodox, it was built on firm foundations. Principles of Leninism held sway over the system and all within it. And Yeltsin was to be its rising star.
The remaining Sverdlovsks who remember those early days, and some whose memories go back even further. His mother recalled, how in 1931 she’d insisted her infant be christened. But in the era of Stalinist atheism this ceremony was not without risk. It was to be even more dangerous for baby Boris, since the Priest nearly let him drown in the Baptismal font. Nevertheless his parents had no regrets.
He was baptized at home, the rules were we weren’t allowed to have our children christened. But we did it anyway.
Appropriately his chosen name means struggle in Russian, and times were to be hard indeed for the Yeltsin’s especially during the impoverished and hungry years of the Second World War. Only three of the six children survived infancy. Boris as the eldest son took his family responsibilities very seriously, he was always the big brother who watched over the others. A big brother with a strong sense of duty.
From my personal experience, I remember he was a very good instructor. That he as tough, strict, more like a father to me. In fact he behaved as though he was our father.
He was absolutely reliable and trustworthy and he was an excellent organiser. Everyone was happy when Boris was around. He’d play with the little one and invent something for them, something to amuse them and he himself was really the sort to enjoy it himself.
Boris the schoolboy was bright but rebellious.
Once he publicly accused the head master of making unfair remarks. Not only that, he said that the head had been rude about the pupils. Boris is a very straight talking person, he always says what he thinks. The reaction was predictable, he was expelled.
Although he shone academically at his next school he had some reckless past times too, like raiding an army weapons store.
We used to take the grenade in our left hand and hold the handle in the right, and then pull the pin and then turn the handle again. Then we’d throw the grenade and fling ourselves down.
In Boris’ gang, the game was awe, whatever the risk to life or limb.
Everyone knew how dangerous it was as we lay there taking cover, we’d look at each other in utter terror but everyone was afraid of being called a coward.
By the time Yeltsin reached Polytechnic, he was well used to playing the role of leader. Whilst studying construction engineering, he organized a range of student activities. Excelling at sport, despite the loss of a finger and thumb during his boyhood grenade games. Most of all he loved to run things, whether it was coaching the women’s volleyball team or leading the comradely debate within the Communist youth group and like most of his contemporaries he seemed sincerely committed politically.
I think he was, we have no doubts about it. He genuinely believed in communism, we were brought up on it.
Once he was a fully fledged construction engineer Yeltsin joined the Communist party. But for a while he concentrated upon furthering his professional rather than his political career. He was soon in charge of some of the cities huge building projects involving thousands of workers and had acquired a reputation for being a bad person to cross.
I don’t think he can stand liars and people who just talk for the sake of talking. He hates incompetence and nothing can stop him from getting his own way. You always feel some tension when you’re near him. He’s a born leader and he just can’t be number two to anyone.
By the early seventies, Yeltsin’s drive and ambition had paid dividends. He was made construction industry chief, and then head of Sverdlovsk’s Communist party. He showed no outward sign of dissent, voicing none of the criticisms which he would later use to destroy the Soviet system. A cross marks the spot where the Tsar and his family were massacred in 1918. When Yeltsin received a secret order from the Polip Bureau to demolish the building, he obeyed. Now it’s a memorial to Russia’s imperial past and perhaps also a indication of Yeltsin’s pragmatism . This was a battle he didn’t bother to fight. There were others he did, like schooling the corrupt excesses of the Communist parties’ elite.
It took me ten years to get the flat, even though my brother’s so important. But it doesn’t mean a thing. I don’t get any preferential treatment because he’s my brother. It just shows he’s a highly moral person.
Throughout Yeltsin’s rollercoaster career in Moscow, he’s been able to rely upon the loyal people of Sverdlovsk, now he’s the most powerful man in Russia, his admirers believe there is hope. Hope they can look forward to a truly democratic and prosperous future. Hope that the toughness and determination that bred in Yeltsin from childhood, would be just the qualities needed to lead the country out of its present crisis.
The remaining Sverdlovsks who remember those early days, and some whose memories go back even further. His mother recalled, how in 1931 she’d insisted her infant be christened. But in the era of Stalinist atheism this ceremony was not without risk. It was to be even more dangerous for baby Boris, since the Priest nearly let him drown in the Baptismal font. Nevertheless his parents had no regrets.
He was baptized at home, the rules were we weren’t allowed to have our children christened. But we did it anyway.
Appropriately his chosen name means struggle in Russian, and times were to be hard indeed for the Yeltsin’s especially during the impoverished and hungry years of the Second World War. Only three of the six children survived infancy. Boris as the eldest son took his family responsibilities very seriously, he was always the big brother who watched over the others. A big brother with a strong sense of duty.
From my personal experience, I remember he was a very good instructor. That he as tough, strict, more like a father to me. In fact he behaved as though he was our father.
He was absolutely reliable and trustworthy and he was an excellent organiser. Everyone was happy when Boris was around. He’d play with the little one and invent something for them, something to amuse them and he himself was really the sort to enjoy it himself.
Boris the schoolboy was bright but rebellious.
Once he publicly accused the head master of making unfair remarks. Not only that, he said that the head had been rude about the pupils. Boris is a very straight talking person, he always says what he thinks. The reaction was predictable, he was expelled.
Although he shone academically at his next school he had some reckless past times too, like raiding an army weapons store.
We used to take the grenade in our left hand and hold the handle in the right, and then pull the pin and then turn the handle again. Then we’d throw the grenade and fling ourselves down.
In Boris’ gang, the game was awe, whatever the risk to life or limb.
Everyone knew how dangerous it was as we lay there taking cover, we’d look at each other in utter terror but everyone was afraid of being called a coward.
By the time Yeltsin reached Polytechnic, he was well used to playing the role of leader. Whilst studying construction engineering, he organized a range of student activities. Excelling at sport, despite the loss of a finger and thumb during his boyhood grenade games. Most of all he loved to run things, whether it was coaching the women’s volleyball team or leading the comradely debate within the Communist youth group and like most of his contemporaries he seemed sincerely committed politically.
I think he was, we have no doubts about it. He genuinely believed in communism, we were brought up on it.
Once he was a fully fledged construction engineer Yeltsin joined the Communist party. But for a while he concentrated upon furthering his professional rather than his political career. He was soon in charge of some of the cities huge building projects involving thousands of workers and had acquired a reputation for being a bad person to cross.
I don’t think he can stand liars and people who just talk for the sake of talking. He hates incompetence and nothing can stop him from getting his own way. You always feel some tension when you’re near him. He’s a born leader and he just can’t be number two to anyone.
By the early seventies, Yeltsin’s drive and ambition had paid dividends. He was made construction industry chief, and then head of Sverdlovsk’s Communist party. He showed no outward sign of dissent, voicing none of the criticisms which he would later use to destroy the Soviet system. A cross marks the spot where the Tsar and his family were massacred in 1918. When Yeltsin received a secret order from the Polip Bureau to demolish the building, he obeyed. Now it’s a memorial to Russia’s imperial past and perhaps also a indication of Yeltsin’s pragmatism . This was a battle he didn’t bother to fight. There were others he did, like schooling the corrupt excesses of the Communist parties’ elite.
It took me ten years to get the flat, even though my brother’s so important. But it doesn’t mean a thing. I don’t get any preferential treatment because he’s my brother. It just shows he’s a highly moral person.
Throughout Yeltsin’s rollercoaster career in Moscow, he’s been able to rely upon the loyal people of Sverdlovsk, now he’s the most powerful man in Russia, his admirers believe there is hope. Hope they can look forward to a truly democratic and prosperous future. Hope that the toughness and determination that bred in Yeltsin from childhood, would be just the qualities needed to lead the country out of its present crisis.