At the Novodevichy cemetery, a monument of the actress who gave a slap to Beria, was broken

An inexperienced reader, of course, will exclaim: how is it possible for vandals to operate even at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow, where both the strictest security and round-the-clock video surveillance are organized ?! It seems that it is impossible to sneeze there, so that the guard does not immediately surface! It turns out that you can sneeze and do much more, since the guards make rounds only once an hour, and during this time the vandals can do whatever they want. For example, last year, criminals stole metal notes from Shostakovich's grave, and two years ago they broke a vase on Yegor Gaidar's grave.

Moscow psychotherapist Yekaterina Yusupova announced on her blog about yet another act of vandalism at this super-prestigious cemetery, which was only admitted to in the Soviet Union and even back in the 1990s, so important persons lie there - from Gogol and Chekhov to Khrushchyov and Yeltsin. And yet...

Here is what Yusupova writes:

“My son and I were today at the Novodevichy cemetery and saw this picture there.

One monument - the wife of academician Shirshov, who died in 1948 in the Kolyma region - was broken...

The other is proudly tied with a tricolor.

This is apparently not just a family story. And about hatred and the GULAG:

The second Shirshov family was evacuated from Moscow in 1941. Left alone in the city, he met with the actress of the Moscow Theater named after Mossovet Yevgenia Garkusha. It was a fatal meeting for both. As the People's Commissar of the Navy, Shirshov traveled a lot on official business, and Yevgenia accompanied him everywhere. By the time the former Shirshov family returned from evacuation, Yevgenia had already given birth to their daughter, and he stayed with her.

In 1946, Garkusha was arrested on charges of treason (Article 58-1a), anti-Soviet propaganda (Article 58-10), speculation (Article 107 of the RSFSR Criminal Code), sentenced to 8 years in camps "for speculation and suspicious connections." , and in 1948, while in prison, she committed suicide by taking a lethal dose of sleeping pills.

In 1948 Shirshov was removed from his post as minister, and in February 1953 he died at the age of 47 from a severe form of cancer.

Buried at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow..."

***

Moscow writer Artur Solomonov reacted to this news as follows:

“I saw among the posts that the grave of the Soviet actress Yevgenia Garkusha, who had died in the Kolyma camp, had been broken on Novodevichy.

For a couple of years I read a book about her written by M. Shirshova, daughter of Pyotr Shirshov and Evgenia Garkusha.

In the book “Academician P.P. Shirshov. The Forgotten Diary of a Polar Biologist", in addition to many interesting historical facts, the story of the arrest of Yevgenia Garkusha, an actress who played in such films as "The Fifth Ocean" and "The Elusive Jan", is described.

She was fatally unlucky, like many Moscow beauties of that time: she liked Lavrenti Beria. She refused his advances. Moreover, she slapped him in the face at a reception in the Kremlin.

Soon Evgenia was arrested and after a while began to confess everything: speculation, espionage, treason.

People's Commissar Beria also came to her personally - to restore justice - as he understood it. Yevgenia Garkusha was repeatedly raped.

It follows from the book that Pyotr Shirshov did the incredible: he forced him to change the article of the accusation and, instead of being shot, Yevgeny received eight years. But she did not return alive from the camp.

Below I will quote her letter to her husband from the Lubyanka prison. And why and who needed to break the monument to the victim of repression - decide for yourself. Fashionable is becoming a trend.

"My only!

If this is true, then you gave my soul back. I do not believe. You know, it's easy to persuade me to do a lot in such a state as I was for these months. I have always been “The Faithless Thomas”, but if all this is true, I am alive. (Sorry for such a letter. Thoughts are confused. I will explain this someday. Everything is confused). But listen, if there is even a shadow of doubt that you will stop loving me, or your work will suffer, leave me, do not regret it, it is better to let one die than two. I believe in the truth, it will be. Excuse me for this phrase (I'm afraid that the letter will be shortened and take on a different meaning.)

Sorry for everything, but I was so taught to doubt everything that I do not believe myself.

A molt has occurred in me. God knows what torment this is. I have become a different person. There have been many reevaluations, and I came to the conclusion that Love is the main thing, wherever it is and wherever it is.

In a position like me, they don't lie. My soul is as you know it. Well, and the external form - "walked around". She is the reason for everything. We both “suffer” from this flaw.

Don't judge for thoughts of death. When a person is taken away from everything: homeland, husband, daughter, sister, relatives, then she alone (death) can give consolation. If there is no Motherland and you, then it's all over. You know how I feel about the Motherland! … My life is in your hands. I will be whoever you want for you. Now do not be sad that I am weak. The spirit will hold me!

Remember, the difficulties of the material order do not scare me, it was so in my life, I will endure. The main thing is the soul. How can I repay you all. I have only a heart and it is yours, you do whatever you want with it.

I am yours, and only death will tear me away from you. Remember, this does not oblige you to anything. But I can remain a friend, sister, whoever you want. Only you! But if need be, I will die for you. So do what you want. Everything is in your power.

P.S. Tell your parents that I also appreciate them very much and I can say fell in love with all their shortcomings. These are not words, it got sick during these months, for the smallest nuisance that I (could) cause them to get sick with my soul.

Take care of Marinka - a little creation of our love. Whatever happens, remember: you are her mother and father. Be gentle, teach her everything good: music, languages, make her a delicate girl worthy of our hearts. Lead her upbringing yourself! Let Sveta* be with you. I thought a lot about her. Everything can be in life. It would be nice if the Rolik is with you. Good boy. Marinka will not be alone.

For me, you can study anatomy. My heart is in pain, but I will try to endure.

Things - you yourself know what, only those that you sent me. I gave it to my cellmates. So it was necessary..."

* - Svetlana Garkusha is Yevgenia's younger sister..."