International competitions - with one leg and with

International competitions - with one leg and with a metal prosthesis (the book by Zinovy Sheinis "Maxim Maximovich Litvinov"). A literary essay.


Maxim Maximovich Litvinov – is an interesting person; he was the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR [foreign minister] (1930-1939).

Zinovy Sheinis in the "introduction" talks about his working on the book. We see a good creative labor! Plus the persistence of the author, plus his luck. (Sheinis Z. Maxim Maximovich Litvinov: revolutionary, diplomat, man. - M.: Politizdat, 1989.) (Шейнис 3. С. Максим Максимович Литвинов: революционер, дипломат, человек. — М.: Политиздат, 1989.)

A separate topic: the relationship between Maxim Maximovich Litvinov and Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.

A revolutionary-Leninist must go through difficult trials (prisons, exile, etc.).

Litvinov (before meeting Lenin) escaped from one of Russian prisons. Litvinov was wanted; the police actively and persistently searched for Litvinov. Kind man Vladimir Ilyich again sends Litvinov to Russia. Litvinov will pass new tests! But Litvinov shows a reluctance to be in “places not so remote.”

Litvinov in Europe. Kind man Vladimir Ilyich entrusts Litvinov with complex public actions. Litvinov - in a French prison. But... after a short time, Litvinov was released by the French authorities.

Litvinov - in the UK. Again Ilyich's instructions. Litvinov's troubles again, but... not very significant ones.

Soviet Russia. Litvinov often travels abroad - from Soviet Russia - on diplomatic missions. An ambiguous matter - from a financial point of view. The country (Soviet Russia) is a beggar. And the foreign press closely monitors the behavior (the lifestyle) of the diplomatic representatives of the Russian proletariat.

Kind Lenin asks cautious man Litvinov to include Inessa Armand's daughter in the diplomatic delegation. Litvinov refuses.

History has not preserved for posterity a significant troubles (long imprisonment) (for Litvinov) in the implementation of Lenin's instructions - before the revolution; or scandals in the implementation of diplomatic missions - after the revolution.

And how did Litvinov feel about Lenin? One gets the impression that Litvinov intuitively felt that the "Lenin steam locomotive" would eventually push (carry) the "Litvinov wagon" up to the "good station." Cautious Litvinov did not unhook himself from the "Lenin steam locomotive." Although there was a period (before the revolution) when Litvinov wrotes letters (postcards) to Lenin, they were returning unanswered. But this period did not last long. Litvinov received a new (next) Leninist assignment.

On these few phrases, here I am stopping  covering the topic "cautious Litvinov and kind Lenin."

The Soviet Russia began a “peaceful (self-)construction”. Litvinov holds responsible diplomatic posts.

Litvinov has a good intuition. He feels the direction of events: gradually the countries, around, exercises a diplomatic recognition of the Soviet Russia.

Maxim Litvinov is effective in both small and in relatively large diplomatic issues.

Litvinov's main theme is the struggle for peace. But peace can be fought for in different ways. For example, you can create the armed forces of the League of Nations - to carry out peaceful missions.

Litvinov fights for peace through calls and other actions aimed at (to) a disarmament.

A disarmament is the Litvinov's main theme.

It seems that foreign states do not mind to cooperate with Soviet Russia in the struggle for peace. Litvinov participates in numerous international actions.

But... there are no significant results in this struggle for peace. Litvinov feels that the situation is gradually drifting towards a military conflict.

Here again we can recall the author of the book - Zinovy Sheinis.

I did not find in his book a mention of the Comintern, as well as of those divisions of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party that were responsible for the international labor, communist, anti-imperialist, anti-colonial movement. (I checked, additionally: yes, there are several indirect references to the Comintern (4-5) in the book by Zinovy Sheinis).

On the one hand, the effective diplomat, foreign minister, Maxim Litvinov went to peace forums with a diplomatic tasks, projects, missions.

And, on the other hand, couriers of the Comintern were sent to the same countries that Maxim Litvinov was visiting with his diplomatic peace projects.

Both the countries of the East and the countries of the West - one way or another - learned about the activity of the leaders of the Comintern (through the different signs).

It was clear to every person - with a minimum level of intellectual development - that there was no point in discussing with Litvinov of the issues of the Comintern's activities.

In addition, the totalitarian nature of the political system of the USSR, the lack of a real public life, the absence of any free press - all this made decisions on disarmament the dubious things - for example, the USSR signed the relevant documents, but how to be sure of their implementation? Even if we imagine that the USSR fulfilled its disarmament obligations - the USSR, under an authoritarian political regime, was capable of a sudden, of as fast as possible, ahead of other countries, mobilization of new armed units. That is, the very social structure of the USSR questioned international disarmament efforts.

Stalin tried to change this situation, he adopted the USSR Constitution (1936) - the Basic Law with the most advanced (progressive) human rights, but... the most of foreign politicians looked at the situation realistically.

Maxim Litvinov was received (in the world diplomatic circles), he was listened to; important documents were signed (along) with him, but... a movement towards peace had an insufficient energy, this movement lacked power.

However, there were also issues not related to the disarmament.

For example, the League of Nations - without effective bodies - was not a very useful organization. The League of Nations  did not have any armed forces (Litvinov was "against" such armed forces), but there were other bodies.

For example, a special commission of the League of Nations was in charge of the Black Sea Straits.

When it became clear that the prospects for the League of Nations were not very bright (good), it was decided to transfer a control over the Black Sea Straits from the League of Nations to Turkey.

Maxim Litvinov took part in the development of the Montreux Convention (1936). He acted very effectively. So far, the Montreux Convention shows a positive effect – up to our days.

Thanks to Maxim Litvinov for the Montreux Convention, and to Zinovy Sheinis for the good book. (It was difficult for the author of the book to make his way throughout the twilight of secrets and among the skeletons of the past! But: just like Maxim Litvinov with the Montreux Convention, Zinovy Sheinis managed to "catch the moment" - the author completed and published his book in a favorable historical period).


August 06, 2025 05:20 (05:20 AM)


Translation from Russian into English: August 6, 2025 10:51
Владимир Владимирович Залесский “ Международные соревнования - с одной ногой и с металлическим протезом (книга Зиновия Шейниса «Максим Максимович Литвинов»). Литературный очерк. ”.


{3713. Международные соревнования - с одной ногой и с металлическим протезом (книга Зиновия Шейниса «Максим Максимович Литвинов»). Литературный очерк. - 6 августа 2025 г.
MMMDCLXXXIV. International competitions - with one leg and with a metal prosthesis (the book by Zinovy Sheinis "Maxim Maximovich Litvinov"). A literary essay. - August 6, 2025.

Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского}