‘Many Russians have already somewhat forgotten about Gorbachev’

A cold wind blows yellow autumn leaves over the cemetery of the Nieuwemaagden Monastery, past the richly decorated graves of the many celebrities who found a resting place here. Writers and composers such as Anton Chekhov, Nikolai Gogol, Sergei Prokofiev and many politicians, actors and thinkers. On Saturday, Mikhail Gorbachev (91) will join them, the man who himself buried the Soviet Union a quarter of a century ago.

The group pauses at a grave with the bronze statue of a slender young woman. Silently they inspect the lawn, then they run off. Here lies Raisa Gorbachova, his wife and great love, since her death in 1999 from leukemia. Gorbachev will be buried next to her, as he wished. But he will not get a state funeral, the Russian press reported. Western leaders, such as those who attended Yeltsin’s funeral in 2007, are certainly not expected. It is not yet known whether President Vladimir Putin, who pushed Gorbachev’s political legacy into oblivion in recent years, will be there. He only conveyed his condolences by telegram on Tuesday.

“Of course they don’t tell us anything, but according to our tradition someone has to be buried quickly,” says road worker Sergej, who is busy laying bricks on the square in front of the main entrance covered with plastic sheet. “That will be complicated anyway, because we have been working on the restoration of the gate for two months. All visitors must go through the side entrance.”

Also read: Mikhail Gorbachev, brave fighter who killed communism

World news

Although the death of the first and last president of the Soviet Union was world news on Tuesday, it appears that it has not yet penetrated everywhere in Moscow. Gorbachev dead? Since when?” Yekaterina exclaims. She walks along the graves with her three teenage children and her mother. “We missed that, but we don’t watch TV either,” she says with a laugh. The blond woman was still small when the Soviet Union opened. “We had so many expectations, but it turned into chaos. Still, I can only say good things about him,” she says with melancholy in her voice.

“Oh no. After all, it was Raisa who told him everything. She was the boss,” her 72-year-old mother interrupts. Twelve-year-old Masja looks questioningly from one to the other, she has no idea who it is about. “Gorbachev was the leader of the Soviet Union,” her 16-year-old brother Kirill tells his sister. “And also the one who pulled down the Iron Curtain. That is now being raised again,” he grins cunningly.

Lost in thought, 62-year-old Larisa – gray ponytail, blue dress, stands in front of the flowers on display, candles and the plush bear by the grave. “Gorbachev was disarmament. On all levels,” she says when asked. “The outside world suddenly came a lot closer to us. Millions of Russians who had been in the camps were rehabilitated by Gorbachev, the censorship law was abolished. And he had vines cut down during the Prohibition campaign,” she laughs away from her gloom. But his greatest achievement, according to Larisa, is his commitment to the dismantling of nuclear weapons. “He has done the world a great service with that.”

Everything on the receipt

Yet the memory of the statesman with his characteristic wine stain does not arouse warm feelings in all visitors. “Many people have already kind of forgotten him,” says 77-year-old Natalia, who searches among the trees for the grave of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. “He’s not that popular here with us. We lived a poor life and everything was on receipt. Now life is better.” She herself comes from the Siberian Krasnoyarsk and is on holiday in Moscow for a few days. The capital has disappointed her, especially the famous department store in Red Square that she used to like to visit. “There used to be such beautiful western stores. Now all is empty and sorrow.”

We had so many expectations, but it turned into chaos

Yekaterina visitor cemetery

Joeri, a tall man in his fifties who visits the cemetery with two friends, also has little to do with the man who is adored in the West. “I am here to visit the graves of worthy Russians. Scientists, engineers, pilots, people who have meant something to Russia.” Gorbachev certainly does not belong to that group, according to the three. “We lived peacefully in the Soviet Union, and then he came. What has he done for our country? That man is not worth remembering. Hasn’t he actually been in America for years?”

Such harsh words bring tears to Vladimir Polyakov’s eyes. For thirty years, the former journalist worked as a press secretary with Gorbachev. First during his political career as Secretary General of the Communist Party. Later in the Gorbachev Fund on the busy Lenin Boulevard. The organization founded by Gorbachev in 1992 is committed to historical research and donates to political and scientific causes.

Photos with world leaders

“Of course the news was unexpected for us too,” says the neatly dressed, gray Polyakov in a soft voice. He receives a handful of journalists in the paneled hall of the building. Next to the elevator is a subdued black-and-white photograph of a smiling Gorbachev. A black mourning ribbon and a vase of red carnations adorn the portrait.

Visibly affected, Polyakov climbs the stairs to a large office. In a display case are dozens of certificates, medals and objects that Gorbachev received during his lifetime. The walls are covered with photos of Gorbachev with the world leaders he met during his career. Contemporaries such as former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Pope John Paul II, former President Ronald Reagan.

For a long time Polyakov could not visit him because of the pandemic. “Then we called for an hour. But sometimes he suddenly managed to escape from his prison, as he called it. He went to the theater.” His last contact was a few days ago.

Mikhail Sergeevich still read the papers every day

Vladimir Polyakovy former press secretary

Despite his increasing isolation, Gorbachev remained well informed. “Michail Sergeevich read the papers every day. Russian and foreign, and then he underlined what he thought was important. He also received many letters. Of heads of state, but especially those of young people were important to him. Old people don’t change anymore. They listen to one-sided reports in the state media. Young people have internet.”

Also read the comment: The Russians should be grateful to Gorbachev

The events in Ukraine contributed to Gorbachev’s ill health, Polyakov said. On February 26, two days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Gorbachev Fund published a brief statement on its website, calling for “a rapid cessation of hostilities and the immediate start of peace negotiations.” Polyakov: “We talked about that statement for a long time. After that, he decided never to say a word about the situation again. The last few months have been very hard for him.”

Friends and colleagues do not know how Gorbachev will be buried. “The leaders of this country will decide that. Someone was here to get his passport. Irina [dochter Irina Virganskaja, red.] is now in the hospital to take care of the paperwork.” How will Polyakov remember his legendary friend? The old man’s voice breaks, his eyes moisten. “The years of perestroika were the best of my life. I still can’t believe fate has given me such a great gift. And now it’s over.”