Ergebnis für "Lifers" in Russland

Drawing on a huge range of sources - letters, memoirs, conversations - Orlando Figes tells the story of how Russians tried to endure life under Stalin. Those who shaped the political system became, very frequently, its victims. Those who were its victims were frequently quite blameless. The Whisperers recreates the sort of maze in which Russians found themselves, where an unwitting wrong turn could either destroy a family or, perversely, later save it: a society in which everyone spoke in whispers - whether to protect themselves, their families, neighbours or friends - or to inform on them.

This program is read by the author. The explosive story of the poisoning of the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and what it reveals about the growing clandestine conflict between the West and Russia. Salisbury, England: March 4, 2018. Slumped on a bench, paralyzed and barely able to breathe...

A Force for Good is the biography of the heroic life of Gisela Warburg Wyzanski, a courageous young German Jewish woman who leveraged her wealth and family connections to save countless children from annihilation at the hands of the Nazis.

Prize-winning historian and biographer, Carolly Erickson has created an eminently readable biography that recognizes the humanity of Great Catherine—Empress of Russia—with her majesty and immense capability. Dispelling some of the myths surrounding her voracious sexual appetite, the biographer portrays Catherine as a lonely woman far ahead of her time—achieving greatness in an era when women were executed on a husband’s whim.

"My Life in the Red Army" by Fred Virski offers a rare, firsthand account of a soldier's experiences within the Soviet military machine during a critical period of the 20th century. Through the lens of Virski's personal journey, the book sheds light on the inner workings, struggles, and day-to-day life of the Red Army from the perspective of an ordinary soldier.

On the far eastern borders of the Soviet Union, in the sunset of Stalin's reign, soldiers are training for a war that could end all wars, for in the atomic age man has sown the seeds of his own destruction. Among them is Pavel Gartsev, a reservist. Orphaned, scarred by the last great war and...

Has Ivan Chetvyorty been a wicked and ruthless leader? Has his nation suffered as he pursued his own corrupted agendas? Surely, though, none comes close to the violent, lascivious, vengeful reign of Ivan Chetvyorty Vasilyevich, born to the Rurik Dynasty in the Grand Duchy of Muscovy. Indeed, this man’s period in power was one of the longest in Russian history, lasting more than half a century.

Experience the atmospheric history of an empire where rigid autocracy collides with the fierce seeds of revolution. Perfect for your daily commute, this captivating narrative transports you from the glittering salons of St. Petersburg to the brutal realities of rural serfdom. Feel the mounting...

If you want to discover the captivating history of the Romanovs and Nicholas II, then pay attention.

A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' Russian Legends series, listeners can get caught up to speed on the lives of Russia's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

As one of the most famous women rulers in history, Russian Empress Catherine the Great has long been remembered not only as one of the most powerful women of her time, but she was also one of the most powerful and capable rulers in all of Europe. And her path to the throne was just as remarkable as her reign.

For anyone trying to understand the origins of modern Russia, the search should begin with Tsar Peter I (1672-1725), who titled himself Peter the Great during his lifetime. The moniker is fitting, considering the manner in which Peter brought Russia out of the Middle Ages and into the 18th century.

Reigning from 1894 to 1917, Nicholas II was the last emperor of Russia. His rule served as the bookends between what were essentially two Russian empires; the one that his forefathers carved out through imperial ambition and the one dictated by the zealous communists of the Soviet Union bent on socialist expansion. Nicholas was by most accounts a conflicted ruler; a man viewed as kind and generous in his mannerisms, yet alleged to be greatly disconnected and apathetic toward the subjects he was supposed to rule over.  

What would Russia look like today if there had never been a Peter the Great? Peter I did so much for Russia, including changing the education system to reach more people, reorganizing the government and the Russian Orthodox Church, and even modernizing the dress and social living standards of the Russian people. Peter grew up in a Russia that was stuck in archaic times, but he recognized the need for change, and when his time came to rule over his country he met the challenge head-on. Peter the Great turned Russia into one of the greatest powers of the world. 

Grigori Rasputin began life as a peasant in the poorest reaches of Siberia and ended his life as the virtual second-in-command of Tsarist Russia. How did he achieve such a rapid change in fortunes? Was it through palace intrigue or magic and mind control? Or perhaps, the causes were a combination of hypnosis and hemophilia? The tsar’s son Nicholas had been born with the dreaded “royal disease” otherwise known as the blood clotting deficiency named hemophilia. The self-proclaimed healer managed to convince the royal family that he was the only way that their son would stay alive.

With a name like Ivan the Terrible, it comes as no surprise that historians consider this Russian Tsar a psychopath. Yet Ivan’s personality consisted of many dualities. He channeled the Medieval era as he committed mass murder, but he also reformed Russia, centralizing it and bringing it into the Renaissance. He liked to torture animals, but he could also be found in church, banging his head in repentance until it bled. This introduction to his life explores the legacy he was born into and deftly contextualizes his cruelty within the era and culture of his rule.

Just what was so terrible about Ivan the Terrible? Most of us are familiar with this infamous nickname, but most fall short of being able to describe how he received such an ominous moniker. Maybe you’ve heard the stories of how Ivan killed his own son, poisoned his wives, and waged war on his neighbors, but these anecdotes are just minor details in the scheme of this man’s complicated life.

Despite serving as the president of Russia from 2000 to 2008 following Boris Yeltsin's regime, and again since the spring of 2012, remarkably little is known of enigmatic former KGB spy Vladimir Putin other than the most mainstream life statistics and some minimally revealing fragments of memoirs and anecdotal observations.

By the time Theodore Roosevelt died in 1919, he was an American icon. Today, Teddy is remembered for being an explorer, hunter, author, soldier, president, and safari adventurer, all of which combine into one unique reputation. As with all legends, Roosevelt is often portrayed more as a quintessential man's man, to the point that the legend obscures the actual man. History in 30: The Life of Theodore Roosevelt provides a quick but comprehensive look at the life of the famous president.

What is the American Dream? Depending upon which period a person is referring to, the American Dream can shift somewhat with the changing tides of history. During the Colonial Period of the country, the United States was a bustling set of colonies, promising a second chance to all people who dared travel to her shores. The men and women who founded the United States wanted freedom from their past lives and saw the 13 colonies as their way to start over.