CHAPTER 15
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell, but still retains an atmosphere and makes a marked impression on you’
By the time Kathy arrived in Moscow she was an experienced war reporter and took a great deal of interest in the work and welfare of her fellow foreign correspondents. As Bill Lawrence of the New York Times recalled, Kathy was a good friend to the thirty or so ‘unhappy correspondents’ reporting from Moscow.
The foreign ministers’ meeting that had brought Ave and Kathy to Moscow was merely the curtain-raiser to the main event – a conference between Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin in Tehran at the end of November 1943. As Kathy relates, had Ave known that Churchill would bring his daughter Sarah along, she too might have made the trip to Tehran. Left to her own devices in Moscow, the swirl of engagements that had engulfed her when she arrived continued unabated. Her appointments diary lists meetings, shows, lunches, dinners, receptions and Russian lessons morning, noon and night. The only respite was when she was ill with a cold, or was laid up with mumps.
Moscow
Thanksgiving Day November 25, 1943
Dear Mary,
Life in Moscow is proceeding according to plan and as pretty much everything I do these days is a novelty in one way or other, I’m enjoying it muchly.
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’
For instance, a couple of days back I unsuspectingly went to lunch with the Mexican ambassador.1 He’s noted in Moscow for one thing only and that’s his sex life. The stories that circulate all originate from him and don’t need embellishing, which may give you an idea what kind of a guy he is. According to him he’s exceedingly prolific and I guess the courses at his luncheon party about equaled the number of lady friends he keeps on call. (There were seven courses at the table plus a huge hunk of cake served upstairs with coffee.)
The lunch started at 1:15 and I left at 4:15, which is pretty damned good going for an ordinary social luncheon where no one cares a damn for anyone else or gives a hoot what conversation consists of just so long as it persists.
The only other gal at lunch was the wife of the Dutch ambassador. She’s Rumanian, I think, has a cold sort of beauty, dresses nicely but isn’t the type easy to warm up to. She hates elevators and hence has to trundle up eight flights of stairs to her Russian lesson. (She and I share the same teacher.) I guess it’s lucky for her she doesn’t live in N.Y.C. So much for Madame Breughel-Douglas.2 (Good name don’t you think?)
The rest of the luncheon party were ambassadors and ministers and whatnots. I never seem to be able to get titles straight as some biggish countries have only ministers whereas smallish ones have ambassadors. The result I usually get mixed up and produce the wrong title for the wrong guy. When we were in London, we had a “bore list.” Here I think we’ll have to have a list figuring the other way as there are too damned many bores to have it fun to count them. However, I have found one nice diplomat – that’s the Norwegian ambassador.3 He’s a bit on the ancient side but then you can’t be picky in Moscow. I took an immediate shine to him at the Mexican’s lunch when the Mexican ambassador was [asking] for the third time as to Averell’s whereabouts. The Norwegian took my arm and
1 Luis Quintanilla del Valle (1900–80). As a writer, he was associated with the Mexican avant-garde movement Stridentism.
2 Aga Iona Maria Berendei (1901–70), married to Baron Casper van Breugel Douglas (1896–1992).
3 Rolf Andvord (1890–1976), reputedly recruited as a spy by the Soviets during the war.
suggested we sit down and chat because he didn’t “give a damn” about Averell’s whereabouts. At first I figured that was just one more way to worm information out of daughter, but he didn’t mention the subject again.
Another social experience was a hen party at the Persians. As I was given about a week’s notice there wasn’t much reason to refuse. So I went and discovered I was the only non-Eastern European or Chinese present. Conversation was exclusively conducted in Russian with some translation for my benefit. The raison d’etre for the party was mostly food. We sat at the dining room table and stuffed. Most of the girls were fat and pimply but nothing stopped them from downing about four slices of Persian pistachio layer cake (heavy and soggy) after a goodly amount of caviar and what have you. Conversation centered mostly around college as most of them apparently take courses. I guess they’re all extremely well educated in the liberal arts and they speak French and English (after a fashion) plus their own language and Russian, but their general run of talk was mainly the lack of boys in Moscow colleges and the “nice” professors. I left early which doubtless was rude.
Also slightly adolescent in atmosphere are our navy parties. Lord knows why but the naval attaché’s office is quite large. In fact, until the arrival of General Deane, the navy outnumbered the military attaché’s office and the supply mission combined. Anyway, I’ve been to two navy parties. Both exactly alike. The girls were mostly Russian translators with a couple of movie actresses and girls who play the piano and sing. The routine seems to be alternating dancing to a gramophone with listening to someone sing and play some sort of concert music, but drinking all the time. Rough-housing is indulged in to a great extent between the boys while the girls look on, not particularly amused. No one seems to enjoy themselves very much, except those extremely drunk.
The evenings here at Spaso are more normal. There are usually at least four of us in and maybe a guest. After dinner we play bottle pool, a game at which I am lousy, but better than Sam Spewack, which gives me slight consolation. After a rousing game of pool we adjourn upstairs and the last few nights don’t seem to get to bed until near
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’ three a.m. “We” however does not mean the entire ménage. Sam and John Melby are the only ones who don’t retire before eleven.
Today being Thanksgiving I’m the one who’s throwing the party – for all Americans in Moscow, which when you add the military and Navy to the embassy plus aircraft missions on down to two Jewish fur buyers and a priest, comes to damn near a hundred. The Soviet Foreign Office (who gives us food for parties, or rather gives us permission to buy food) was very sticky about liquor, so I’m scared to death we’ll run out. What stocks we had we consumed while the Conference was on. However we do have some turkeys and hot dogs, so at least guests will leave unhungry, if not tight.
Maybe I haven’t made life in Moscow sound as enticing as I intended. But by comparison to what I anticipated it to be, it’s damned near paradise. Thanks to me studying Russian as seriously as time allows, I’m busy during the day doing either it or work for Sam. In fact, for the moment I’m taking a Russian lesson every day except Sunday. Three times a week from my French speaking teacher, and three from a little gal. The point of the latter one is “conversation.” As she speaks a minimum of English I damn well have to [do] my own thinking.
Then aside from all that, this is a pretty interesting town, one of my favorite sports is just plain walking in the streets watching the people.
[Kathleen]
DAILY NOTES: November 19–28, 1943
Nov. 19: Was awakened at 5:45. Breakfasted with Averell and went out to airport . . .
Sat in during Hamilton’s Russian lesson. Listened to fairy tale by Pushkin about goldfish. That took most of the lesson. Got idea of getting Deane’s teacher for three days a week and had it arranged easily. Afternoon spent editing Moscow Conference editorial reaction, which made me realize how spoiled I’d been in Newsweek. Very boring.
After dinner went to navy party for French fliers.4 ’Twas fun.
4 The Normandie Squadron was a Free French fighter squadron that flew on the Soviet–German front.
Nov. 20: Conversation lessons excellent idea. Movie this afternoon – [The Young Mr Pitt] – with goodly number of cracks at French. Asked Normandie officer if he liked the movie. He didn’t answer. Cuban ambass. stayed for dinner. Seems very nice, but certainly very fond of himself.
Nov. 21: At Sam’s suggestion, went to see Wait for Me at Arbat movie house.5 Had great moral; light and sound effects lousy. We sat in box and downstairs audience sounded like a lot of rats in a loft. They rustled, conversed and appeared not to pay much attention to the movie. Some nice-looking army girls, but they were either alone or with other girls. Had tea with [Mme] Ahi, Jugo, Czech, Chinese were there; all hens. Talked Russian mostly. Czech girl is studying to be lawyer. They laughed and ate a tremendous amount. Reminded me rather of tea party at home, of Foxcroft vintage. Went to Navy party. Party didn’t get gay until midnight, and then the girls didn’t take part. They sat or danced, but never got gay Gaiety consisted mostly of rough-housing among naval officers.
Nov. 22: Lunched with Mexican ambass. Lunch wasn’t bad, conversation ranged from skiing to Russian icons.
Nov. 26: Sort of the morning after. Yesterday being Thanksgiving, I was the one who threw the party. We decided that the party should be restricted to Americans and their wives, which meant that, not counting me, there were only two gals (both nice).
Personally, it was my first step in getting to know some of the clerks, the junior officers, etc., who have a very dreary time in this town. Most of them, up till the party, were inclined to be suspicious of me for something, but now that’s all straightened out.
Lunch with Dave, Bill and Bill Lawrence at Metropol. They are just back from Kiev, and the first part of lunch was spent telling us of 1) the banquets they had to attend, food and drink they consumed, and 2) minute details of atrocity committed outside Kiev. They didn’t know whether or not it was faked. Lunch was long, but I left without any feeling of Kiev. The boys didn’t get it. Sam saw Henry Shapiro. He said “it is a dead city.”
5 A Soviet war film.
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’
Nov. 27: Dinner. Had press boys in plus York and Chase. I’m beginning to find me a place in this joint at last.
Nov. 28: I’ve now discovered that the best damned thing that could have happened to me was to have Averell leave me alone in this place. Discovered great feeling against the embassy on part of clerks. Now we are all fighting the same battle.
It’s Sunday now, my one day that doesn’t start off with a Russian lesson. Last night we had a few people in for dinner – some Navy boys who play bridge and the five press boys who missed the Thanksgiving party due to being in Kiev. Much to some people’s horror I invited Eddie Gilmore’s wife (a little Russian gal). I’d figured that it would be a nice thing to do, an obvious one, but apparently last night was the first time the embassy had accepted her.
Moscow November 29, 1943 Dear Pam,
The best damned thing that could have happened to me was to have Averell leave me here alone. At the time when he left I anticipated a couple of weeks of mild hell – but, as in London, I’ve gotten into [the] swing [of] a bachelor existence. Averell not being here, I’ve gone out a lot – gotten to know the lower-ranking embassy staff, our Navy, Army etc. On Thanksgiving I threw an all-American party –cocktails, buffet dinner etc. which turned out very well. Pretty much everyone got plastered, talked a lot, so I learned a good bit about just what the score is here and why Spaso House ain’t popular (all of which dates back to Steinhardt6 days). So now I’ve set about trying to break the bad feeling down. In the evenings when I don’t go out I sit around with the other Spaso House borders – play pool with them etc. and slowly they’re getting used to me and my “non-State-Department” approach, all of which is to the good.
Then thanks to the general exodus of Americans with Averell, there are some stray Russian teachers around – so now I have about two hours of Russian conversation daily – which helps considerably
6 Laurence Steinhardt (1892–1950), US ambassador to Moscow 1939–41.
on that score. Now all I have to do is to get up enough courage to start talking Russian in public.
One necessary evil is the round of social functions. Frinstance yesterday I had to cocktail with the Jugs, lunch today with the Norwegian, tonight the Chinese. The Norwegian ambassador is the best of them, though slightly old (decrepit). He’s new here and may prove worth cultivating.
[Kathleen]
Dear Pam,
Moscow early December, 1943
The news of the second conference broke this morning. My little Russian teacher was thrilled and completely surprised. You can imagine with all the corps diplomatique rivaling each other for the best stories (particularly the Mexican and the Colombian) it wasn’t much of a secret as far as the press was concerned.
It’s unfortunate, but the American press boys are a pretty crummy bunch taken as a whole. It’s too bad, because a good core of correspondents could get a lot more out of this country. Shapiro, U.P., is the best. He’s good, but personally he lacks a sense of humor and he’s the studious type. But then he hardly counts as an American. He’s really more Russian.
I was mildly shocked when the boys came back from Kiev. I lunched with Lawrence (N.Y. Times), Nichol (Chicago D.N.) and Bill Downs and they were struck by two things mainly – the amount of food and number of banquets they were given at Kiev, en route there and on the return journey and, number two, they were worried as to whether or not they should believe the atrocity story they were told. 50,000 Jews killed and burned in a ravine just outside the town. None of the three got any feeling at all of the town or seemed to appreciate it was a great story. Shapiro was the only guy who reacted personally to the town, which prewar had a population of a million and now has 70,000. It’s too bad the American press can’t send its best correspondents. The bunch here are either tactless as hell, or so brow-beaten by the lack of information that they’ve lost all initiative. None of them seem
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’ to trouble to learn the language (except Eddie Gilmore who married a Russian girl). In one month I know more than most of them.
For the past week it snowed every morning, then sort of melted come afternoon. I’m still amazed at the way the old women come out in droves to clear the main streets. It’s damned hard work with no end to it. They pile it up and then a truck comes along to cart it to one of the sewer centers. Sometimes little kids (four-year-old ones) help too. The traffic goes on, no one seems to get run over, Lord knows why, because it’s nip and tuck whether or not a street cleaner is the variety who will give way to a car horn. So far the weather isn’t much colder than New York in midwinter. But already I’ve worn out both heels of your galoshes!
I discovered the best way to figure out just how cold any particular day is to look out the window and see how fast the people are scurrying. We live in a little square. It’s a pretty square. The kids play in it all day – either skate or make snowballs, or slide on a strip of ice. But even it has an air of frustration about it. The trees are half dead, the iron railing sort of tired and bent. The houses range from Victorian, factory-like red brick to little wooden cottages – these are made out of spliced round logs. Down one side street is a tiny church.
The funny thing about this town is that East and West have been mixed, but never blended. The Russians have copied Georgian architecture, Victorian architecture, French Mansard. Then, intermingled with all, are the Byzantine churches with their spires. Our chancellery is opposite the Kremlin and sticking out above the high brick wall is every kind and type of tower, minaret and dome you could dream of, left over from every century. Moscow is like the Kremlin, only less crowded, less grandiose, but the log cabins are mixed in with the old ornate and the colorless modern.
It’s an impersonal town – people in the streets seem divorced [from] each other. Perhaps it’s the wideness of the streets that make it so, and make all the scurrying figures seem so dwarfed. Every house I’ve been to, I’ve asked “who are your neighbors.” No one knows. We know only that on our right live some N.K.V.D. boys.7 Behind us is a
7 Narodnyi Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del (People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs) – the Soviet Union’s internal security police.
crowded apartment house. But faces never appear in the windows. Washing is never hung out to dry.
Walking in the streets, people look on the ground rather than up (that may be because it is so damned slippery!). They stare at your galoshes and I stare back at their huge shapeless valenki [felt] boots. The military, of course, are beautifully dressed. So far I haven’t seen one beautiful Russian. Hair is badly kept and through holey white long underwear you can [see] wool stockings, or perhaps another layer of long underwear.
Moscow makes an impression on you – mixture of dank smells. For all its apparent impersonality, it’s got atmosphere. It’s a town where foreigners get depressed because they can’t become part of the town.
[Kathleen]
Dear Mary,
Moscow December 24, 1943
I’m “unlaxing” in bed with a tray and a mild state of exhaustion. This is my first day completely out of hock and despite the fact that I was allowed up around in my room after about 10 days of mumps, my knees are still weak.
Last night I started wrapping Xmas presents at 10 p.m. and at 1:30 a.m. I finally gave up. We have 30 servants here at Spaso (females got a sweater, pair of cotton stockings and mittens and males two flannel shirts). Then all Russians at Mokhovaya (Chancery) got a case of canned milk – unwrapped thank God. Clerks got a carton of cigs and embassy officers a gold tie pin which, incidentally, I think you purchased in N.Y.C.
Yesterday afternoon General Donovan and dreary aide turned up in town (not unexpected) and they are house guests. Donovan brought Popsie a case of champagne!!!
Oh yes, today I’ve been addressing and writing cards to all the various “His excellencies” around town, we’re sending them cigs, and families with kids canned milk.
Tonight we are having a party for U.S.ers. The usual variety of buffet banquet and liquor, particular accent on the latter. As usual
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’ there was the problem as to whether or not the boys should be allowed to bring their girls. I wanted females so that there would be dancing, but as the majority of the girls are out and out prostitutes it was decided against having any girlfriends – so that there would be no feeling between the men with presentable girls and those without. Much problems!!!
New Year’s is another big problem and we’ve finally decided not to throw a shindig – as most of the Russkies have their own private family affairs in the country.
The tree is beautiful, it’s nearly as high as the ceiling (3 stories). It, needless to say, has yet to be trimmed as the electrician has disappeared.
I have no particular personal news – as I think I wrote you shortly before I got the mumps, and for the better part of the past two weeks I’ve been lying in a dark room, one eye closed up due to the swelling and then both of them got red like a road map and unfocusable for reading – so I just sat and tried to get the radio to work. I feel extremely bitter on the subject of radio jamming. I approve of it in theory but the Nazis have good musical programs, and their news broadcasts are particularly amusing and interesting. The B.B.C., as ever, stinks from the entertainment standpoint. At this time of year U.S. is unobtainable and Algiers U.S. radio hard to get clearly enough for music. Since my eyes weren’t usable I couldn’t take Russian lessons so I’ve practiced on the gal who brought the meals. Now I can ask for anything from servants and get along with an atrocious American accent, regularly slaughtering the grammar (I talk using the Nominative, Accusative and Dative cases and say to hell with the other three [Genitive, Instrumental, Prepositional]). However, my vocab still doesn’t function sufficiently for the drawing room. Apparently 3,000 words are needed for that and I’m nearer the 300 word state!!!
Bob Meiklejohn, luckily, has had mumps, so has General Deane. So they legally visited me and hence kept me from going crazy. Then Sam and one of the embassy secretaries said to hell with it all and came in daily. It remains to be seen if they get it. Averell, not having had mumps, figured it was beneath the dignity of one of the
ambassadorial rank to contract such a disease so he stayed good and clear of my room and kicked me out of Bob’s room whenever he found me there. (Bob has best radio and temporarily had a gramophone). We’re having a flu epidemic here and literally all but me and one embassy guy have been down with it. After three days in bed, Bob greeted me one morning with “oh dear, I’m afraid I’m getting well.” Some people have run a temperature of 105.
Dec. 26
We had a very nice newly snowing Xmas – and now in an attempt to recover, I’m going skiing.
Xmas eve we had a big party here at the embassy – with gypsies and the few “American” girls and a couple of un-attached females. It was a great success – with only one gashed eye (due to falling not fighting) which is pretty good, when mixing the services and adding a bunch of tough oil men. My knees were still on the shaky side but somehow they survived and so did I. For some reason or other one takes a worse beating at Moscow parties than any other parties I’ve hit yet – sort of combination of the tough vodka punches and then me being one of the few gals.
Xmas day we had to do the rounds of cocktail parties given by all the various people and so now I figure with some skiing today I’ll last through tonight – the last of the Xmas festivities – the press boys’ party.
Dec. 27
Our skiing expedition was a great success. We found a ravine not far out of Moscow and spent some hours clambering around it. The new snow is very dry and hard to pack – sugary with an icy base underneath which made it not what you’d call easy, but then I discovered I was the only one who tried to turn in it. The others all climbed to the top and schussed, invariably landing in a heap at the bottom in a ditch. However, we all enjoyed ourselves.
Last night the press had their party – stand-up dinner followed by a series of skits – take-offs on Americans and British – one of the best ones, and funniest, was a press conference with Averell. Subject: the
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’ weather in Moscow – and results: Averell said nothing. Lauterbach of Time played Averell and did a damned good job of it.
Result of our sending the various big shots in the C.D. [Corps Diplomatique] cigarettes has been most lucrative. Frinstance, the Turkish ambass.8 retaliated with a gallon of eau de cologne for Averell and three cakes of soap for me. We can’t figure out if the Turk figures I smell or whether he figures Ave’s a pansy! Apparently all the ambassadors were very touched by our “thought.” We also got large quantities of beautiful boxes from the Chinese.
Tomorrow I guess I go back to work, such as it is. For your information, there’s no definite work to do as such, or anyway a minimum. The idea is to get U.S. pictures, stories and articles on our war effort into the Soviet press and magazines. In theory the Soviets think it’s a swell idea – in practice they say yes to the U.S. material and then throw them in the waste basket. Sam is going home shortly. He says not permanently – just for a few months to get things organized – but I kind of figure once he gets back he won’t return. He’s an “ideas man” who hates the routine office business. After 10 weeks of trying he’s got very little in the way of concrete results from the Soviets and the inactivity and generally invariable day-to-day stalling has driven him slightly crazy. What gets done in his absence I guess will depend on my willingness to keep plugging. There are advantages, because as Averell says being the daughter of the U.S. ambass., the various editors will have to be polite to me – in other words, they won’t throw me out or refuse to see me. As you can well imagine, compared with Newsweek this job stinks, but I’ve got to do something to keep busy. But it’s not easy to be enthusiastic about a job today that at best may produce results in mid ’44. People seem to think it’s important so I guess I go to work. One thing – it’s a means of meeting Russians.
Can’t remember if or not I told you – or if you know – but no Russians can come here to a meal or even a drink without permission from the top.
8 H.R. Baydur (1890–1955).
What I do need desperately is codeine as the dispensary here is very short so I don’t figure I can rightfully deplete their supply. Put some in a capsule or something in a letter and they should get here quickly. After all, at most I use six a month. I need a parka too, for skiing. I suggest you cancel magazines to London and send, via the State Department, New Yorker, Reader’s Digest and all fashion magazines as the Soviet women crave them.
The weather here is amazingly warm, hovering below freezing. The worst thing is that we’ve seen the sun three times since arrival.
Averell brought terrific loot from Tehran in the form of fur-lined boots (leather) and a grey fur hat to match my coat (possum one turned inside out) so I’m warm which is crucialest thing. However, your ski suit, which was inadvertently sent me, hasn’t a wind-proof jacket and the sleeves are 4 inches too short! I’ve put on weight since arrival here!
This is boringly long and says nothing, but now I’m up again perhaps I’ll get off a newsier one soon!
My love to you all,
Kathleen Moscow December 28, 1943
Dear Mouche,
I’ve completed a letter to Mary yesterday for Donovan and co. to take but weather unpermitted their departure.
At this stage I’m still trying to recover from the Xmas festivities, which started with our party on Xmas eve and continued until Sunday when we all went to see ourselves taken off by the Anglo-American press. Everyone was very impressed with Averell as apparently most ambassadors get a trifle sore when they’re made fun of. They were surprised he enjoyed it. The press were very kind to me – all I did was to break up a press conference of Ave’s at the most important moment by clamoring in on skis.
The much talked of forty-below weather has yet to freeze us so I haven’t yet worn my lovely fur-lined Persian boots which Averell brought back from Tehran. It was sad we didn’t know that Sarah
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’
Oliver was going to be at the conference because then maybe Ave might have taken me along, not that I would have had a thing to do but it would have been interesting, but as it was I had me a fine time getting established in my new home, if you care to call it that.
This really is the damnedest town. It’s as impersonal as hell, but still retains an atmosphere and makes a marked impression on you.
We live on a little square just off one of the main avenues. The streets off it are cobbled and therefore not cleared with snow so the kids skate up and down all day long. The smaller kids (under 5) play on their sleds, slide on the icy spots and make snow figures and generally seem very happy and contented. The school system is for boys to go to school in the mornings and girls in the afternoon. The rest of the time they seem to play out of doors. It’s hard to tell actually how healthy the children are – they get black bread and cabbage and a little skimmed milk – as their faces are pinched by the cold and their layers upon layers of clothes make them look like bundles with legs rather than human figures. Every now and then you see wonderfully dressed kids – little 3- and 4-year-olds tottering along the streets in white rabbit fur coats with hats and earmuffs to match and the invariable scarf to cover up the cracks. Sometimes the coats are so bulky that the kid’s arms stick out horizontally like a little fat scarecrow.
Last night I took [Mr X] to the circus or at least he took me, which is overrun by children. A bunch of them cornered us and asked us for cigarettes (they were smoking rolled paper) and when we said they were too young they answered right back with “we’re old enough to work so we are old enough to smoke.”
But to get back to [the] square – it’s pretty in a frustrated sort of way, the proper setting for a Chekhov maiden aunt character – with a few smallish leafless trees and a tired bent railing. The houses around it range from two one-storey almost windowless cottages to red-brick flat-faced factory-like apartment houses with windows front and back but not on the sides. Then of course there is our mansion – built just prior to the Revolution and never lived in as the owner was murdered by an illegitimate son in the front hall as he walked in to
take over. Outside it’s Russia’s idea of Georgian, with a garden in front and an inconvenient entrance that’s wide enough for only one car at a time. Added all together it’s an odd mixture, but I’m growing sort of fond of it.
It’s now the crack of dawn next day – and I’m still sort of unfunctioning because for some stupid reason I never seem to get to bed before 2 a.m. and last night wasn’t any exception.
Love to you,
Kathleen
Dear Mary,
Moscow
January 3, 1944
A good week has gone by since I wrote you and Mouche hurried notes for Donovan to take out. Since then we’ve been going through the usual routine of being called at 7:00, driving out to the airport only to return full up. Waking at seven is becoming a horrid habit, particularly since it doesn’t get light until eight-thirty.
Today we’re in a lovely state of affairs, but not unusual for Moscow. Yesterday something went wrong with the plumbing – there was cold water spasmodically but no hot. Today there is no water, the cellar is flooded and the whys and wherefores not yet discovered. As I told you, the Turkish ambassador sent Averell a huge bottle of cologne –well pretty soon it will come in handy. I went skiing yesterday, didn’t take an icy bath and this morning we all had nothing more than a bottle of drinking water to wash in. Fun fun.
New Year’s was very pleasant. We celebrated it by showing Casablanca and then having a quiet drink upstairs afterwards. I was supposed to go to a brawl given by the R.A.F., but didn’t have the strength. Thank God too, because the next day I made my apologies to the three Britishers who had invited me. One thought I’d been there and the other two hadn’t missed me anyway.
The French gave a party the other night for the new Normandy pilots – unfortunately all the originals have left so I wasn’t able to give anyone hell for giving me the mumps. The party was quite amusing. I discovered a Russian colonel friend who faithfully comes to see
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’
Donovan off every morning, plus a couple of others, who I practiced my Russian on. Unfortunately my good Russian teacher has been ill the past few weeks so my progress has been ungrammatical. Did I ever tell you about her? In the good old days, so to speak, she used to be a sort of unofficial teacher for the Corps Diplomatique – and then when the Soviets became isolationists her husband was shot (he had some translating job with the Germans) and she was sent wood chopping in Siberia. That happened in ’36 and she remained in the woods until the Russo-German treaty when the Germans got her out. Nice but a hellova snob. She refuses to teach anything less than an ambassador!
Our skiing expedition was again fun. Some Russian kids joined us and one of them I started to teach how to turn. His idea of skiing was to climb to the top of the ravine, schuss and fall in a heap in the ditch at the bottom. We have a date next Sunday. Once you get away from the people who are scared of the bureaucrats, in other words out of Moscow, everyone is very friendly.
Averell’s got a new car – more ambassadorial than ever – a large long hearse-like shiny Buick with a large State Department seal painted in gold on both back doors. The American flag, of course, flies up front. Averell’s chauffeur thinks he’s closer to God than ever before and now practically won’t deign to drive me, at least when I’m with one of the “secretaries.” When we’re alone he teaches me Russian and is much more particular about my pronunciation than either of my teachers!!!
Speaking about servants, did I ever tell you the story of George Gross? He “works” for us – that is, he’s had a stroke and can hardly move and sometimes can’t talk. Well George is Polish. Come the Revolution he was pressing pants in a West End hotel in London. He saw the light and got transportation to Russia via America then Siberia. He finally reached a town where he saw some English fighting and figuring that the English would of course be fighting on the right side joined up. Some weeks later he discovered to his horror he was fighting with [Admiral] Kolchak against the Revolution so he started his trek around the world again and finally ended up in Moscow jobless. The American relief organization took him on as he spoke English but eventually his past caught up with him and he was sent to a concentration camp up near the Arctic Circle, where he pressed
pants for seven years. Finally, one day one of the superintendents told [him] it was all a big mistake – he should have been released three years before. An American correspondent found George half starving in Moscow and he then became pants presser for the press, from there he became pants presser for some of the embassy and finally ended up as a full-fledged embassy employee. His greatest asset at this stage was that he could serve Scotch with a flourish second to no butler. On the liability side he was dirty, unwashed and slightly touched in the head – due to his rather shattering attempts to help the cause of communism. Now George is waiting to get admitted into a poor home – that’s his last ambition – to die there. Though incoherent he remembers a lot, all the names of the people he’s met etc. and keeps asking me how they all are. I make stories up and that makes him happy.
It’s later in the day now. I worked this afternoon – believe it or not – which means trying for ages to get people on the phone (the phone system is erratic, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t, more often the latter) for an appointment. The procedure from then on is that if you’re lucky you get an appointment for three or four days hence, to be checked the day before the appointment. When that day comes you are stalled some more and so on ad infinitum.
Water system is still out. [In] true Russian fashion they found that the water worked in one basement room – so instead of tearing up the pipes that don’t work, they tore up the pipes that did work to see why they happened to work. Whereas once we had one sink functioning, now we have none and the government won’t provide a fixer until tomorrow at the earliest!!!
Latest rumor is that Donovan won’t get off even tomorrow using Becky and flying straight thru. Becky, I presume I’ve told you, is Averell’s C-37 – so named after the pilot’s baby daughter. The name Becky is first written in English then Russian with a [pin-up] Varga Girl painted over it.
Now 4 days later they are off. So goodbye. Get Sam to tell you how Becky nearly became an international incident.
Love, Kathy
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’
Moscow January 6, 1944
Dear Pam,
Averell and I have just returned from a diplomatic luncheon and in comparison a Biddle function is bliss – something to be remembered and talked about as “really great fun.” If it weren’t undiplomatic, I’d like to give you a sketch of each of the best of our fellow C.D.’s. Today the Mexican topped luncheon conversation by offering to produce me a Russian boyfriend (first time we met he offered to introduce Averell to a gal) so that I could learn Russian painlessly and quickly. Jesus what a man!! Conversations at lunch center around [one] thing – the difficulties of living – a mighty boring subject and inclined to be embarrassing to me as we live off American canned foods and get the best as far service and heat from the Buro-bin (the section of the Foreign Office that deals with diplomats’ living problems).
Christmas, as I look back on it, was a mass of parties and drinking bouts, starting with our own show Xmas eve (for Americans) and ending with a press party complete with take-offs of the American and British dignitaries three days later. As my legs were still weak from being in bed, I spent most of the time trying to convince myself that I wasn’t exhausted and as a result survived. For Xmas we threw what old timers said was a party second to no other. Actually it was very simple with gypsy entertainment but very gay dancing and singing. The party ended two hours after the curfew, with no fights and no mishaps other than Averell picking one non-embassy man up by the collar and guiding him quickly out the front door.
New Year’s we had a nice quiet time – showing Casablanca after dinner and then having a nice time upstairs with the pick of the crop. That film brought back lots of nice memories, so we both enjoyed ourselves.
Jan. 9
A couple of days back was the Greek Orthodox Christmas – the day when Christ was supposedly baptized – so I took that chance to go to the church where the Patriarch (equivalent of the Pope) was
officiating. Though the church was packed like an overcrowded stockyard pen, there was no large crowd outside the church waiting for a chance to see the Patriarch or hear at least part of the service. People queue up for bread, transportation, movies and pretty much everything else – except to get religion!
The congregation was made up mostly of women – a fair crosssection of age groups (I was surprised to see so many youngish girls), a smattering of men, mostly old, and a handful of children. The women wore peasant-like shawls and tired oddments of clothing and obviously belonged to the lower-bracketed workers – the ones who chip ice in the streets all day and do other thankless jobs for the sake of a food card. Apart from the female members of the choirs, I saw no well-dressed woman, even by Moscow standards.
Part of the church had been bombed so that most all windows were boarded. One wing had wooden supports and light came from electric candle chandeliers.
Floral decorations were limited to one small fur tree on the right of the altar (the outer one) and a few wreaths and garlands made up of cheap green and white daisies. Somehow they didn’t look too appropriate on the beautiful, but ornate altar! The Patriarch and his long-haired and bearded cohorts looked most handsome and dignified in their gold brocade and bejeweled robes. There were about a dozen bishops and priests and page boys, or whatever you call them. The page boys looked about 20 and all three had collars of military uniforms sticking out over their robes. They appeared slightly ill at ease and certainly unimpressed and had to be coached during the ceremony.
We arrived at about ten, just as the service started (me and an embassy secretary and a Soviet interpreter) and were immediately led by church officials onto the outer altar which made us slightly higher than the rest of the congregation. A wooden stool was provided for me to sit on and when I refused it a more comfortable upholstered bench covered with a lace altar cloth was produced. I still refused, as no one is supposed to sit in an Orthodox church, so they brought out a small rug so that I could stand in greater comfort, or something.
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’
As the service progressed and the church became more and more humid and stuffy – the combination of a few thousand people and abundant use of incense – most of the women around me went into a kind of trance. Many were teary and stood, their heads raised, and seemed to only half listen, half watch the ceremony. The little old women, who kept putting out and lighting the altar tapers, were the only ones who didn’t seem dazed.
After about an hour and a half, the head priest of the church, who our interpreter called “99% politician and one percent religious” went forward for the sermon. It lasted a few minutes, was short and quite simple and very much to the point. His subject was the meaning of Christmas – he called it “a family day” – a day for reunion. He commiserated with his congregation, he realized, he said, that probably none of his congregation had reason for personal rejoicing, that at least some members of their family were away at the front if not dead etc. Then a few words about victory. Only the first few sentences were necessary before the first sobs came and soon they were general. The oldest sobbed and moaned hopelessly, the younger ones cried. The children just stood still. Everyone was moved.
Then came the blatant statement “the next collection will be for the Red Army.” It was so damned cold blooded that it made me mad. The plates started around and I noticed a little shrivelled old woman right under me. She had two ruble notes in her change purse. One worth three rubles and the other one. She held one in each hand –maybe she was undecided, perhaps not – anyway when the plate came her way the Red Army got the bigger note.
After that emotional crisis, the congregation gradually relaxed back into a daze and some again became starry eyed and sleepy. The service continued – a perfection in music – the priests chanted and the two choirs echoed back and forth. It was really beautiful. No instruments, just voices – all perfectly timed. There are all sorts of prayers, even one to the government, as such with no names or the words “Soviet Union” mentioned, instead the seldom-heard word “Russia” appeared frequently.
When the ceremony adjourned to the inner altar, the embassy secretary went back too (females weren’t allowed) and the head priest went so far as to push him forward into the inner sanctuary and even wanted him to stand right next to the Patriarch on the altar as his crew knelt for his blessing.
We left at noon, after two hours, the service about half over. One little candle woman thanked me for coming (we were the only foreigners). The crowd was separated by officials and we were ushered out.
Maybe I’ve been a little cruel in my description, because it is true that more and more Soviets are turning to religion due to the war etc., but somehow the way the church officials treated us, with complete disregard to their religious customs, gave it a phoney air. Their whole attitude seemed to be “You see we want to please.”
Enough of that. As you can probably imagine, slowly and surely I’m learning to play bezique!!! We play nearly every evening when we’re in and despite my previous ideas, I’m beginning to admit it’s a fun game.
My best love to you,
Kathy
Dear Mary,
Moscow
January 14, 1944
I trust you awaken this morning feeling appropriately aged and dignified. It’s sad you are not here – it would be a nice excuse to celebrate and perhaps invite some of the more dignified and delightful members of the C.D. to dine and wish you “happy birthday.” Yesterday, lunching with the Greek ambassador I scored a major triumph – namely I survived a meal without the subject of “living problems” in Moscow being mentioned once. By chance I knew the Greek was accredited to Japan before coming here, so as a change he discussed at length the internment period, during which he and a little secretary had seen no one but each other and 4 Jap guards! These days I look back at Biddle luncheons and dinners and wonder how I ever thought they were boring!
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’
Last night I had more luck. In the interest of furthering good relations with the Soviets, I had accepted an invitation. I met the leading Soviet novelist and his wife, the wife of a leading cartoonist and a wonderful old man who’s best known for his children’s books. Rather sorrowfully he told me he had written 40 serious books that no one had ever read. One of his main jobs is translating poetry. He had infinite charm and had the great asset of knowing England. Ivanov,9 the novelist, looks like a larger, but less fat edition of Max Beaverbrook. He was more or less silent and incessantly moved the beads of a rosary-like bracelet. He says playing with beads keeps him from smoking and drinking too much. His wife10 was delightful – a greyhaired lady, who is the best-dressed woman I’ve seen yet. We sat around the table drinking large quantities of tea and less vodka. Our hostess was the American wife of a well-known, but recently dead, playwright by the name of Afinogenov.11 I gather one of her husband’s shows has just opened in New York.
The subject of the Russian issue of Life that dealt entirely with Russia came up and unanimously they disliked it. First they pointed out that opposite a full-page picture of Lenin was a Campbell soup ad. That they thought insulting. Secondly they thought that Life was pro-German because it picked a rather beautiful girl for “Volga German” type and made all the other Russian nationalities look “feeble minded” in comparison. Third, they laughed at a series on “Moscow’s most prominent ballerina” – a gal no one has ever heard of. People are so hard to please but I dare say I’d probably resent and laugh at the product of a Soviet magazine’s picture story on U.S.A., particularly if it tried to be all inclusive.
I do hope my magazines start arriving soon and books too. Pam has forwarded those still coming to London but none have arrived yet. I took a batch of old Saturday Eve. Posts and Lifes over
9 Vsevolod Ivanov (1895–1963).
10 Tamara Kashirina (1900–95), formerly the partner of Soviet playwright Isaac Babel.
11 Alexander Afinogenov (1904–41), killed by a German air raid. He was married to an American dance teacher, Jeannette Schwarz, who renamed herself Jeanya Marling and went to live in the Soviet Union.
to Mme Afinogenov and she had an even older collection. It was almost pathetic the way her friends devoured them, borrowed them, promising to return them immediately. There’s a terrific interest in anything American and the women clamor for fashion ads, even though most of them can’t get material for dresses. The members of the artist set of course are very well off. They are, socially speaking, the blue bloods and are allowed to associate with foreigners (I suppose on the grounds that they will be least contaminated by foreign ideas) and most importantly the artists and writers get top food rations. I can’t remember if I told you or not but you are given a food category. Army generals and commissars are at the top, artists and Army and heavy laborers next, then clerks, then other laborers, women, children and dependents at the bottom. In bread, the category ranges from 800 grams per day to 150, quite a lot even allowing for the fact that this is the real land of privilege.
New series of “regulations” have recently been put in on the subject of theater seats for the Red Army. Generals can only sit in the first 15 rows, officers must sit downstairs, and enlisted men must sit in the gallery. Frinstance, if a general can’t get a seat far up front, it’s just too bad. He damned well does not go to the theater. Another item, it’s beneath the dignity of a Red Army officer to hang on to a street car. (This rule came in soon after the uniforms were changed.) Odds on that means he has to walk. This certainly is a great country for the strong.
Saw what I figured an odd interpretation of Anna Karenina the other night. The husband was dignified and you sympathized with him rather than with Anna and her lover. The lover was a little Jewish squirt with an ill-fitting guard’s uniform and Anna was played by a 45-year-old woman. Resulting effect was a middle-aged woman trying to recapture the last bloom of youth and falling for a little gigolo, who incidentally wore pink nail polish. Needless to say I didn’t particularly like it but I suppose the form fits into the present government’s condemnation of home breakers. (It is now harder to get a divorce.) Another evening I saw School for Scandal beautifully done. Seeing plays is supposed to be a good way to learn Russian – so my teacher says – and as I don’t have much time to study or do
‘This really is the damnedest town – impersonal as hell’ homework – I’m more than willing to oblige her by entertaining myself at the theater. Averell still hasn’t gone yet to any ballet or play that hasn’t been an official function. I’m hoping to break that down, because when I go out there is not much for him to do but work, and war or no war there’s a limit to hours spent on work.
At the moment I’m as busy as hell – result of a minor breakdown of our secretary – which means I do the sort of paper-doll-cuttinglike work and mimeographing etc. that is involved in getting a daily news bulletin out.
Today I had a most unsuccessful interview with my contact in the official culture (with a capital C) organization. I’m trying to arrange photo shows on various U.S. war effort topics and today I just wasn’t in the mood to be politely stalled. Of course I was, but the gal I interviewed was made to feel damned awkward while doing it, which gave me a minor feeling of compensation.
The new Newsweek man has arrived. He came up and had a drink with us tonight and I don’t think he’s much good, but maybe he just creates a lousy first impression. I haven’t much patience with correspondents who write unhelpful stories for the sake of a headline during the war.
I figure if I just write you, I’ll have at least a type of diary which may be fun for me to re-read. Needless to say, I’m not keeping a diary (I guess I’m not the type and basically my personal thoughts ain’t the secret variety) so please don’t mind if I ramble on and remember a State Department censor is also being bored!
It’s sad that Ira Eaker has been kicked out of the 8th Air Force.12 I never did like Spaatz much. I hear too that our flat in 3 Grosvenor Square has been vacated by Jock and Lou Ordway. At times I get mad as hell at the idea of sitting in London for two years and then having to miss the final act. One lucky thing, Moscow life is so completely the antithesis that it doesn’t make me much homesick for London excitement. This place is exciting too in its own way. It’s friendless here but that’s not really necessary and luckily I get some pleasure out of
12 In early 1944 Eaker was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces.
boring people. London had its advantages on that score – it sort of gave me a primary education.
I’m finished now on news, and damned sleepy (before I started this I had a 10–1 bezique session with Averell).
My love to you all,
Kathleen