The Ulyanov family: history, children, photo

The history of any family is a rather complicated and often confusing matter. The British believe that each family has a cabinet with a skeleton, which is carefully hidden from prying eyes. What to say about famous personalities and their loved ones. Information about their genealogy and details of life undergoes changes every time the next historical era is replaced by a new one. The Ulyanov family is a fine example of such metamorphosis.

The ancestors of Vladimir Ulyanov-Lenin on the maternal line

In the Soviet times, Marietta Shaginyan was a well-known expert in the biography of the Ulyanovs . Her books were compulsory for reading in schools and higher educational institutions. Before the publication, the works were subjected to strict censorship and mandatory edits. As a result, some facts about the ancestors of Vladimir Lenin were concealed or corrected. In the novel "The Family of the Ulyanovs" Marietta Sergeevna mentioned that in the nee's mother Vl. Lenin bore the surname Blank. But nothing was mentioned about the nationality of her parents.

In 1965 St. Petersburg historian Mikhail Stein, working on the biography of Alexander Dmitrievich Blank, a well-known physician, discovered interesting documents. In the archive of the Medico-Surgical Academy it was stated that the Blank brothers, Alexander Dmitrievich and Dmitry Dmitrievich, in 1820 were enrolled in the above-mentioned educational institution. In their case it is mentioned that they were baptized in the Moscow cathedral and took Russian names instead of the Jewish ones - Abel and Israel, respectively. Michael Stein argues that baptism was initiated by their father, Moishe Itskovich, and Senator Dmitry Osipovich Baranov, whose patronymic brothers took with the change of religion. This was done for the sake of the future children. The change of religion allowed the brothers to get a good education and secure the future.

Akim Arutyunov in the "Dossier of Lenin without retouching" expresses the opinion that Alexander and Dmitry have converted to Christianity due to their decision because of serious friction with their father, who was an unpleasant person. For the same reason they took the patronymic of the state councilor Baranov. And after the baptism, the brothers stopped communicating with Moysha. According to Arutyunov, their father did not differ in morality and honesty.

Vladimir Ilyich's grandfather on the maternal line

In 1824, Blanks graduated from the medical academy and became obstetrician surgeons. Senior Alexander served as a doctor in Smolensk. In 1829, he married Anna Ivanovna Grossshopf, the daughter of a rich merchant with German and Swedish roots. Maria Alexandrovna, mother of Vl. Lenin was the fifth of six children. Unfortunately, Anna died in 1838, and her childless sister, Catherine, took over the responsibility for the upbringing. After 3 years, Alexander Dmitrievich married her. The family became full again.

Blank was promoted to the rank of State Councilor. In 1847, he resigned, received a noble title and settled in his estate near Kazan. The title of nobleman allowed him to acquire the village of Yansala (Kokushkino) and five hundred hectares of land. Until his death in 1870 Alexander Dmitrievich lived with his wife in Kokushkino, near which he was buried.

German roots connect the Ulyanov family with the fairly large dignitaries of Russia, Germany and Sweden.

Genealogy of Lenin on the paternal line

The ancestors of Lenin on his father's line were from Asia. Great-grandfather - Kalmuck. Ilya Nikolayevich, the father of Vladimir Ulyanov, mentioned this more than once. There were also Chuvashes in his family. Most sources claim that Lenin's grandfather was serf. Ilya Nikolaevich Ulianov has almost no documents on the genealogy, so researchers base their assumptions on the basis of fragmentary information from various sources.

Parents of Vladimir Lenin

Lenin's father, Ilya Nikolayevich Ulyanov, was an outstanding man. He was born in Astrakhan in a poor and ignorant family. The father died early, so the elder brother took care of all the family's care. Thanks to him and his own talent, Ilya entered the local gymnasium as an exception. Brilliantly finished it with a silver medal and went to Kazan, where he became a student of the Physics and Mathematics Faculty of Kazan University.

Five years later Ilya Nikolayevich graduated from the university, became a candidate of mathematical sciences and received a post of teacher of mathematics and physics at the Noble Institute in Penza. There he met his future wife, a twenty-eight-year-old Maria Blank. She became the ideal wife for Ilya Nikolaevich, because he shared his views on what kind of family and relations should be in it.

Ilya Nikolayevich was a supporter of democratic pedagogy. At the university he got acquainted with the works of Ushinsky, Pestalozzi, Kamensky and was guided by their principles in his work. For what was repeatedly awarded and marked. Relations in the Ulyanov family were also built on the ideas of humanism and freedom.

Ulyanov family: children

After the wedding in 1863 the Ulyanovs moved to Nizhny Novgorod. There Ilya Nikolaevich was waiting for the post of teacher of mathematics and physics in the men's gymnasium.

Until recently, no one had doubts about how many children were in the Ulyanov family. In 1864, they had their first child, Anna. Two years later, in 1866, Alexander was born.

Two years later, a second daughter was born, who was named Olga. But she lived only a year. According to LI Veretennikova, cousin of Vladimir Lenin, the Ulyanov family had a very hard time surviving this tragic event. Just at this time in the professional activities of Ilya Nikolaevich significant changes took place.

In 1869 the Institute of People's Colleges was established. Ulyanov, as a remarkable teacher, was one of the first to be offered the position of provincial inspector. He accepted the offer, and the whole Ulyanov family went to Simbirsk - to the place of the new service of Ilya Nikolaevich.

In 1870 the second son was born - Ulyanov Vladimir Ilich. The family settled in a new place. Ilya Nikolayevich was assimilated with a new post. Care and hassle was enough for everyone. And after a year and a half the Ulyanov family was added to their daughter, who was named Olga. In 1873 Was born one more son - Nikolay. The birth was difficult, the boy lived only a few days, and Maria Alexandrovna was on the verge of death. But after a while she got better. In 1874 Dmitry's son appeared in the world, and in 1878 - the youngest daughter Maria.

Family photo

Thus, Maria Alexandrovna gave birth to eight children. Not all of them survived, which, unfortunately, was for that time a phenomenon, rather, a habit than an exceptional one.

Six children and parents are depicted in a famous photo of the Ulyanov family (1879). It refers to the Simbirsk period. The one-year-old Maria is sitting in her mother's arms, Maria Alexandrovna. On the left side of the mother is Olga, on the right - Alexander. The eldest daughter, Anna, is standing behind her father. Before her, Vladimir is sitting. In the middle is Dmitry's younger son. For Vladimir Ulyanov, this year was significant, because he became a schoolboy. More responsibility, more independence. It is interesting to note that the children in the family were friends in pairs. The older ones are Anna and Alexander, the middle ones are Olga and Vladimir, the younger ones are Dmitry and Maria. Although later these couples broke up due to life circumstances.

Vladimir Ilyich's "twin brother"

In the 2000s, the online issue again raised the question of how many children were in the Ulyanov family in fact. In 2005-2006, an artist from Bashkortostan, Rinat Voligamsi, posted on his site a series of photographs depicting the "full" Ulyanov family: Sergei, Vladimir's "twin brother", sits at the feet of Maria Alexandrovna.

Images are made so qualitatively that it is very difficult to suspect a parody of officialdom in these creations. The artist admits that the "twin brother" of Vladimir Ulyanov - his, the author, creative imagination. Thus, he explained to himself and others how Lenin managed to develop such an ebullient, violent revolutionary activity, as he managed to be practically simultaneously in different places. "Photos" instantly scattered on the Internet, and there were new "theories" about what kind of skeleton the Ulyanov-Lenin family hid in their closet.

The Ulyanov family: a biography in a new way

In the 90s of the 20th century, several high-profile "revelations" appeared in the print media. The Ulyanov family was too ideal. The biography of each member of the family has undergone a very critical revision. And as a result, in 1993, in the book "Kremlin Wives" L. Vasilyeva raised the question of the morality of Mary Aleksandrovna Ulyanova. Referring to Inessa Armand, a close friend of Lenin, the author suggests that the real father of Alexander Ulyanov was the failed regicide Dmitry Karakozov. Subsequently, Alexander learned about this and, having decided to avenge his "father", himself became a terrorist, committed an attempt on the life of the king, for which he was executed in 1887.

Later, in the late 90's, another higher-ranking applicant for the paternity of the eldest son of the Ulyanovs appeared. This time it was about the emperor Alexander. It was said that Sasha Ulyanov became a terrorist to take revenge on the real father for the disgrace of his mother.

But, turning to the existing documents and verifying the dates of birth of children, we have to admit that both versions are not viable.

The Ulyanov-Lenin family is an interesting topic for studying not only historians, but also teachers and psychologists. Ushinsky's ideas, tested and honed by Ilya Nikolayevich's personal experience, became for him the fundamental principles of upbringing and pupils, teachers and their own children. Each of them became an integral personality.

Alexander Ilyich Ulyanov

If you look closely at the photos of the Ulyanov family, then the seriousness and concentration of Alexander is evident. It was he who indicated the direction of the movement of thoughts to the future leader of the world proletariat. And his execution became a catalyst and helped Vladimir finally determine the system of views on society.

Anna Ilyinichna Ulyanova

Anna, the eldest of the children, became a "chronicler" of the family. Her pen inherits memories of her younger brother, who created the "correct" image of the leader for the readers of the whole world, along with the works of M. Shahinyan and V. Bonch-Bruevich. But at the same time, in records that were not widely used, Anna Ilinichna called Vladimir the most "noisy and loud". She noted his special self-confidence and intolerance of objections. It is possible that these traits of character were manifested and strengthened thanks to the parents, who often praised the average son for his intelligence and ingenuity. This completely fits into the framework of the system of education in the spirit of humanism, which was followed by the Ulyanov family.

Children grew up in an atmosphere of respect and love. Honesty, free-thinking and ability to defend their point of view was encouraged in every possible way. Therefore it is not surprising that all brothers and sisters became idealist revolutionaries and maintained close relations with each other for the rest of their lives. Anna Ilinichna became one of the founders of the newspaper Iskra. And after the revolution she realized her dream of teaching children and devoted her entire life to public education.

Olga Ilyinichna Ulyanova

It seems that the name of Olga for the Ulyanovs was fatal. Both daughters, named by this name, died early. One died in infancy, and the other lived only 19 years old and did not leave a bright trace in history.

Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov-Lenin

The middle son of Ilya Nikolaevich and Maria Alexandrovna was Vladimir Ulyanov. The family by the time of his birth survived the death of little Olga. Therefore, the mother was very worried about the health of the average son. According to Anna Ilinichny, there was a time when she was very worried about the mental state of Volodya because of the frequent bouts of rage that happened to him before 3 years. She said that from him will grow either a genius or a fool. But then the parents' worries died down, because the restless and noisy child showed signs of exceptional intelligence.

Struck, like all family members, the execution of his elder brother, Vladimir firmly decided to continue his work, but "in a different way." And in the end he became the head of the new state, which was supposed to preach the principles of equality and justice. The family of Vladimir Ulyanov-Lenin always supported him. Brother and sisters became associates and assistants.

Dmitry Ilyich Ulyanov

The whole family of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin) was somehow connected with the revolutionary movement. Younger brother Dmitry was also a underground worker, and after the revolution he took the post of People's Commissar for Health in Crimea, as he managed to graduate from the university and get a doctor's diploma. Then he moved to Moscow and worked for the rest of his life in the People's Commissariat of Health of the RSFSR.

The photo of the Ulyanov-Lenin family captured people who radically changed the life of the whole country due to their purposefulness and solidarity. But every action has a positive and negative side. The question is, which of them does the person agree to accept as payment for the deed.