All the great revolutionaries went to pack their bags, and ganetsky, as soon as they were alone with the leader, reported with joy, as he always did:
– In our party cash register not five, but eight million, Vladimir Ilyich. Parvus, that great strategist, recently sent three million. I think you underestimate him. Well, what is Dzerzhinsky compared to Parvus? Dzerzhinsky can only shoot, he is a terrorist, and Parvus is an inexhaustible money bag. This is the money bag of the revolution. The masses of the people with bayonets in their hands, and these bayonets should not only be nationalized, but also purchased while we are not yet in power, the masses still need food, shelter, and so on. They are not strangers to strawberries, Vladimir Ilyich, you know. If we provide the revolutionaries with all the things that I have just listed, they will fight well with the world bourgeoisie.
– Well, you have convinced me, ganetsky, the future Minister of Finance.
– Yes, I do not need the portfolio of Finance Minister, Vladimir Ilyich, I just need the position of cashier, your cashier, Vladimir Ilyich. As long as I’m around you, you won’t have to worry about where to get the money and I hope I won’t be offended, will I?
“Don’t talk, ganetsky. Go to Parvus immediately and do not return without implementing our ideas. Remember: the moment has come and this moment cannot be missed. The Nations will not forgive us for this. Procrastination is like death.
Ganetsky scratched his beard, then jumped up as if a chair had caught fire under him, and jumped out, leaving a wide-brimmed hat that slightly concealed his paces. Ilyich burst out laughing, took the wide-brimmed hat and threw it in the trash.
Parvus was not idle. He put forward another interesting argument before the German leadership: the Bolsheviks, headed by Lenin agree to divide Russia into small separate principalities, that is, the Republic and then this country will never pose a danger to Germany. This argument was accepted not only by the General staff, but also by Kaiser Wilhelm II himself.
22
And Lenin was granted a loan of one hundred million gold marks, paid in two stages for the great mission of dismembering Russia, demoralizing its population, and destroying industry and agriculture. Russia must not pose any danger to Germany for centuries, either militarily or economically. Fifty million marks received in advance is a huge amount, it was sent to the Bolsheviks before the coup, and after the coup through ganetsky and his sister Sumenson, who were located near the Russian border.
Lenin was given twenty-four thousand rubles and an armored car for the road. There were about thirty other Jews in this car. They were extremely happy and smiling. Lenin and Inessa Armand occupied a separate compartment.
In the meantime, preparations were underway for departure and only at 15 hours on March 27, 1917, thirty-two young men of Jewish nationality, led by Lenin, went to the railway station in the Swiss city of Zurich.
Lenin categorically forbade buying tickets with German stamps, believing that they would get into a regular car and could be arrested on German territory, like the Russians, but Parvus assured them that they did not need any tickets. However, there was a small demonstration, there were shouts of traitors, German spies.
“Hurry, hurry, comrade Parvus: time is money, the revolution can’t wait, the revolution is waiting for us, the proletariat is calling, I can hear their voices.
“You are under Parvus’s care,” said Parvus. – I hope you won’t forget me.”
– What position would you like to take, comrade Parvus?” Lenin asked, looking his Saviour in the eye. “Secretary?” And where will I put Dzhugashvili, who robbed banks in Tiflis for the sake of the revolution, the world revolution?
“I would be satisfied with the position of Manager of Russian banks,” said Parvus.
“A special banking Ministry will be formed, and you will receive the portfolio of a Minister in the revolutionary government, comrade Parvus,” said Lenin.
All the passengers were pleasantly surprised when they were taken into a special armored car with narrow oblong Windows, where they were not threatened by anyone or anything. No checks, no outsiders. Lenin, Parvus and Apfelbaum sipped beer and gorged themselves on all sorts of delicious dishes, despite the fact that ordinary Germans were experiencing difficulties in basic food. All the passengers were happy and happy, with the exception of Inessa Armand, since Lenin did not put her next to him – Nadia, the legal wife of Ilyich, took her place this time.
Suddenly Lenin tapped his bald head and said loudly:
– Conspiracy! Conspiracy! Nadia, where’s the ladies ‘dress, I have to change into a ladies’ dress. And I need a wig to cover my bald head – where the hell is all this?
Nadia was preparing something, everything seemed to be ready for the time of departure, but she did not think that so quickly, that now, this minute, such a secret costume might be needed, and she blinked her eyes.
“Why change your clothes, comrade Lenin?” everyone here is their own. That’s when we cross the German border.
“Are we going to Stockholm?” Comrade Parvus, we are going to Stockholm, have we been deceived? Nadia go get a lady’s dress, I want to be a lady.
“Soon,” said Parvus. “Okay, we can change. Only Vladimir Ilyich, how should I put it… you should look more like an old woman. Here’s Nadia. Let me take care of you, you have to look something.
“I don’t have to look like a bourgeois. And we have to get 60 thousand crowns from him …the world revolution, ha … ha … ha … ha!
At ten o’clock in the morning on March 31, ganetsky meets the emigrants at the station in Stockholm. He looks at everyone with fear that they are not the right people and only when an old woman with narrowed eyes raised her hand and said: long live the world revolution, he was happy and rushed to hug Lenin.
“Money for the barrel,” Lenin demanded. – We need to fill up, get a beer, buy women’s clothing, and all sorts of sweets, because there is nothing in this wild country. The counters are empty, and only Marxist literature is being sold.
– Vladimir Ilyich! here’s the bag, there’s more…
“Did my mother send it?” she owes for the past three months, you reminded her of this, you wrote that her son, the leader of the world revolution, is in need, starving, and even forced to wear women’s clothing? Did you write to her about it?
“Why write?” we have millions in our accounts. The Germans are a generous people. Let your mother rest a little, take pity on her.
– Um, she might like that.” What if the Germans refuse? What to do then. All right, give me the bag. Apfelbaum, where are you? Come on, let’s go shopping. Go ahead, I’ll hold your hand, and pull over to the shoulder. I am a revolutionary old woman. This is very important.
Ganetsky pulled Lenin aside and began to whisper in his ear:
“Parvus is going to Russia with us. You must be in a bad mood today. It’s Parvus, and not some kind of Koba. Fifty million is due to Parvus. Parvus is you, and you are Parvus. Without it, we would not have received money to publish Pravda and other Newspapers, as well as to pay for the shooters. Who will shoot – the one hundred and forty gold rubles, who will shout “hurrah” – the eighty rubles, who will take the red flag in his hands… How to take Winter, Vladimir Ilyich?
“Let us take it, and the cause of the Revolution must not be tainted by dirty hands, comrade ganetsky,” the leader barked rudely, spitting. “The revolution must not remember Parvus, it must erase him from the memory of the people. Let’s go to the store, I need to buy a pair of pants, my pants