Yevgenia Solomonovna Yezhova and her salon

[Robert Chandler]

Dear all,

In the mid-1930s Yevgenia Solomonovna Yezhova presided over a very glamorous
salon. Among the members of the Soviet elite who visited were Solomon
Mikhoels; the jazz-band leader Leonid Utyosov;  Sergey Eisenstein; the
journalist Mikhail Koltsov; Samuel Marshak; the Arctic explorer Otto Shmidt;
Isaak Babel and Mikhail Sholokhov.

 Sheila Fitzpatrick says a little about this salon in Everyday Stalinism.
Rayfield and Sebag Montefiore mention it in their books about Stalin¹s
entourage.  So do the authors of 2 recent biographies of Yezhov.  But these
are all quite brief mentions.   Does anyone know of any recent, or more
substantial, publications with regard to this salon?  I would particularly
like to know if anyone has come across definite evidence of Vasily Grossman
having visited it.

I ask because I am translating Grossman¹s story ŒMama¹, about life of the
Yezhovs¹ adopted daughter.

Best wishes,

Robert

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