Such a Man

Throughout Communism's empire (on which the sun never sets) the faithful commemorated the 25th anniversary of Lenin's death. In Moscow, a smiling Joseph Stalin and other Communist bigwigs sat through ceremonies on the stage of the Bolshoi theater, in front of a color guard that looked strangely like a male chorus line (see cut). In Berlin, meanwhile, the anniversary was marked by an uncommon display of the new Communist sweetness & light--and a prize propaganda boner.

The day was filled with the usual trumpeting speeches hailing Lenin's memory, including a tender, hour-long radio drama on his life. The drama ended with a fine rendition of Beethoven's Appassionata, Lenin's favorite piece, and Lenin's own words: "I know nothing more beautiful than the Appassionata and I could listen to it every day. Wonderful, immortal music. I always think, with perhaps a naive, childish pride, how can man create such wonders?" In its most cuddly voice, the Communist radio concluded: "Such a man was Lenin."

Forty-five minutes later, the U.S. radio came on the air with its own drama commemorating Lenin's death. Again, the Appassionata was played. Again Lenin's words were quoted--but this time in full. In the famous passage (TIME, July 7, 1947), Lenin had gone on to say:

". . . but I cannot listen to music too often. It affects my nerves and makes me want to say sweet nothings and stroke the heads of men who live in a dirty hell and can still create such beauty. But these days you can't go around stroking people's heads lest your hand be bitten off. You have to smash them over the head--smash them without mercy--even though in theory we are against every form of oppression of mankind . . . ours is a hellish task."

The Communists canceled all rebroadcasts of their salute to Lenin.

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