Stalin knew how to use charm and flattery when necessary. Most of his letters to his deputies were matter of fact, but he would also express concern about their health or their fatigue from hard work and send greetings to their wives ("Greetings from Nadia [Stalin's wife] to Zhemchuzhina [Molotov's wife whom Stalin later arrested]”).2 He composed witty poems "dedicated to [Politburo member] Comrade Kalinin,” and invited colleagues to visit him in Sochi [To Sergo Ordzhonikidze: "It is good that you have decided on a vacation. Come to me along the way. I would be very glad.”].3
Much of Stalin's efforts from the mid-i92os through the early thirties were devoted to keeping Politburo members on his side and settling conflicts among them. Stalin had to work out compromises before personal conflicts threatened his coalition. He also had to keep his policy initiatives—collectivization and industrialization—on tar-
Get, and he knew that praise of subordinates was a potent motivator. He met regularly with leading officials in his private office. We have no transcripts of such meetings, but we presume Stalin used them to bully or to charm. We can find traces of his charm offensives in his correspondence.
Stalin's use of flattery and praise is evident in a 1939 telegram to the director of Far North Construction (a Comrade K. A. Pavlov)—a Gulag division that employed tens of thousands of prisoners mining precious metals under the harshest of climatic conditions.
In his telegram, Stalin magnanimously chides Pavlov for not nominating himself for a medal of "Labor Valor.” He also gives Pavlov the privilege to decide himself whom to award medals among his managers and workers, including prisoners.
Ciphered Telegram of I. V Stalin to K. A. Pavlov [Director of Far North Construction, Dal'stroi] concerning the rewarding of workers, January 24,19394
Magadan. Dalstroi, to Pavlov
I received the list of those to be rewarded. I regard your list as incomplete; you approached this matter too cautiously and too miserly. In this list you have not included yourself and other members of the top management. Let us reward all, starting with Pavlov, without embarrassment or false modesty. Add another 150-200 persons including several tens of prisoners who have distinguished themselves at work. Remember that the medal "For Labor Valor” is higher than the medal "For Labor Distinction.” I don't need any of the details of those to be rewarded. Just send me the names for each type of medal. The list of those freed from prior convictions remains in effect and you can expand it. I am awaiting the general list.” Signed, Stalin
Stalin's motivation for this telegram was to raise morale and provide more incentives to a manager operating in a difficult environment. Ten days before his telegram to Pavlov, Stalin reprimanded the local paper Soviet Kolyma for criticizing Pavlov's Magadan operation, saying the criticism "does not take into account the difficult conditions of work and the specific conditions of work of Pavlov. Your criticism of Pavlov is unfounded demagoguery. Your newspaper should help Pavlov and not place spokes in the wheel.”5 On the next
Day, Stalin sent Pavlov a telegram asking him for a list of names of those to be honored.6
One can imagine the effect of receiving such a telegram from the supreme and mythical leader, who you thought did not even know of your existence. It also served a practical purpose. It allowed Pavlov to run his mammoth enterprise without newspaper and party officials looking over his shoulder. Stalin's letter of praise was an insurance policy to preserve his job and his life.
World History
