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At Stalin's Side : His Interpreter's Memoirs From the October Revolution to the Fall of the Dictator's Empire
Combining personal and professional reminiscences, the interpreter for both Stalin and Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov offers firsthand observations from the Soviet perspective of the events of World War II, including the historic meetings where the Allies united against Hitler.
- GenresNonfictionHistoryRussia
400 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 5, 2018
Valentin was my landlord in Moscow & the cult of Stalinism during WWII was the subject of my thesis many years ago so, I just loved this book. Valentin & his wife were the most gracious & classy Russians I knew. Of course I never really knew Stalin but,, I shook the hand of someone who did - what a thrill!
March 22, 2019
This book turns out to be not as bleak as it appears. But its about life in Stalin's Russia, so its still pretty bleak. Be sure you are ready for a deep dive into Kremlinology- I suggest a viewing of the film- the Death of Stalin. There is an edge of menace to every page. This is the memoir of Valentin Berezhkov, who was an interpreter for Stalin for a part of WWII, before palace intrigue placed him in a tangential post. Born in Czarist times, his development as a man and interpreter through the insanity of early Soviet Russia is the story we follow.
WWI- The Revolution- The Bolshevik Coup - the Civil War and the Polish War- The New Economic Program- Collectivisation- The Purges. You get a front row seat to it all. At one point while reading this and another book- I had nightmares where EVERYONE end up shot in the back of the head by the Cheka/NKVD/OGPU/KGD/GRU, but it only happens to pretty much any character you get to like- its sort of a REAL Historical "Game of Thrones". But Berezhkov takes it all in stride and tries to be a good soviet citizen- and to live. He grows up in a pocket of German culture and is able to acquire the Western European languages, making himself fairly indispensable as he climbs the ladder of Soviet life. His time with first Molotov and then Stalin is fascinating- but all too short. Then we go back to intrigue and internal semi-exile. It all works out Ok in the end.
The junior reader should be at least 13, as the tone of this history is pretty dark- but it will reward the reader with an good understanding of life under communism. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast- this is more of a great background resource- good for getting a feel of the period- but not for diorama/scenario development. But you do get great insight into how people lived under the intense pressure of the time, the soviet government, and the war. It may not be light reading, but it is very interesting and great for filling in the details of the soviet narrative.
WWI- The Revolution- The Bolshevik Coup - the Civil War and the Polish War- The New Economic Program- Collectivisation- The Purges. You get a front row seat to it all. At one point while reading this and another book- I had nightmares where EVERYONE end up shot in the back of the head by the Cheka/NKVD/OGPU/KGD/GRU, but it only happens to pretty much any character you get to like- its sort of a REAL Historical "Game of Thrones". But Berezhkov takes it all in stride and tries to be a good soviet citizen- and to live. He grows up in a pocket of German culture and is able to acquire the Western European languages, making himself fairly indispensable as he climbs the ladder of Soviet life. His time with first Molotov and then Stalin is fascinating- but all too short. Then we go back to intrigue and internal semi-exile. It all works out Ok in the end.
The junior reader should be at least 13, as the tone of this history is pretty dark- but it will reward the reader with an good understanding of life under communism. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast- this is more of a great background resource- good for getting a feel of the period- but not for diorama/scenario development. But you do get great insight into how people lived under the intense pressure of the time, the soviet government, and the war. It may not be light reading, but it is very interesting and great for filling in the details of the soviet narrative.
January 12, 2026
At Stalin's Side
By Valentin M. Berezhkov (1994)
Valentin M. Berezhkov's memoir "At Stalin's Side" offers a rare and invaluable perspective on the inner workings of Stalin's Soviet Union, written by someone who possessed both proximity to power and the linguistic skills that made him indispensable. Born in Russia in 1916, Berezhkov's fortune—or misfortune—was to attend German schools and develop exceptional facility with languages, including English. This talent placed him at the nexus of Soviet diplomacy during its most critical period, serving as translator for Stalin and his foreign minister, Vyacheslav Molotov, during World War II and the tense negotiations with Nazi Germany that preceded it.
The book's structure is unconventional and, at times, frustrating. Berezhkov intersperses three-to-four-page scenes from his childhood with episodes from his later professional life in an almost random order that can be quite confusing. Yet this fragmented approach inadvertently mirrors the disjointed nature of memory itself, and the fascinating content more than compensates for the organizational difficulties. What emerges is not merely a diplomatic history but a portrait of how intelligent, capable people could genuinely believe in Stalin even as terror engulfed them and their loved ones.
Berezhkov's account is particularly valuable for illuminating the New Economic Policy (NEP) era of the 1920s, which he experienced firsthand in Kyiv. His memories confirm that the NEP was remarkably successful, allowing market mechanisms to revive the Soviet economy and providing ordinary citizens with a quality of life that would not be seen again for decades. He vividly describes the panic buying that erupted when the announcement came that the NEP was ending—a telling detail about how the population understood that markets work better than command economies, even if they could not say so publicly.
The author's candor about his own ideological evolution is one of the book's greatest strengths. He explains clearly how he and most Soviet citizens genuinely believed in Stalin and refused to accept that the Leader was responsible for the arrests, deportations, and executions that surrounded them. Only after Stalin's death in 1953 did Berezhkov slowly begin to understand the truth, and he emphasizes that this realization came as a genuine surprise. This testimony is crucial for understanding how totalitarian systems maintain themselves: through a combination of terror, propaganda, and the human need to believe that those in authority are fundamentally benevolent.
Berezhkov's professional experiences provide fascinating insights into Stalin's diplomatic methods and personality. He accompanied Stalin in meetings with Hitler's representatives during the 1939-1941 period when the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact remained in effect. During this time, the Soviets scrupulously honored their commitments to export raw materials to Germany, while the Germans failed to deliver the promised high-tech military equipment and ships. Stalin claimed he knew Hitler would eventually invade but expected France and Britain to hold out much longer than they did. When the invasion finally came on June 22, 1941, Stalin disappeared to his dacha in Kuntsevo for a week, essentially abandoning his post during the nation's greatest crisis.
The author provides penetrating observations about Stalin's methods with foreign dignitaries. Whether dealing with Germans, Churchill, or Americans like Harriman, Roosevelt, and Truman, Stalin was invariably cordial and played the role of gracious host. As Berezhkov notes, "the leader of the people could be quite charming, using every means at his disposal when he wanted to win somebody over to his side." This description bears an uncomfortable resemblance to Vladimir Putin's own diplomatic style. Similarly, Berezhkov describes his work as a tourist guide in Kyiv, ensuring that even during the hardest times, foreign visitors saw only the best places and left with favorable impressions of the Soviet Union—a practice in manipulating foreign perception that continues in authoritarian regimes today.
The book offers valuable details about wartime diplomacy that complicate standard Western narratives. When Churchill came to Moscow to explain that the promised second front in 1942 would not materialize, he reportedly asked Stalin, "Will you forgive me for all the bad things I've said about you and communism?" Stalin's reply was characteristically cunning: "It's not for me to forgive. Let God forgive you." Berezhkov claims that even after committing to the Normandy invasion, Churchill attempted to arrange Turkey's entry into the war as an excuse to postpone the invasion of France. He also asserts that during the Battle of the Bulge, Stalin accelerated Soviet offensives from the East to divert German forces, though this claim remains debated by historians.
At Tehran, Roosevelt apparently told his closest advisors that Berlin must be taken by the United States. At Yalta in 1945, Roosevelt promised Stalin that the U.S. would help with economic recovery. Berezhkov leaves the impression that Stalin believed he had established a productive relationship with Roosevelt and that had the American president lived, the Cold War might have developed differently. This assessment seems naive given that by 1944, Western officials were already warning that Stalin could not be trusted to honor his commitments.
The personal elements of Berezhkov's story provide haunting testimony to the capriciousness of Stalinist terror. His father was arrested and subjected to prolonged interrogation or torture but held out, never providing a confession, and was eventually released. The authorities then claimed, "You were not detained; you were helping us investigate"—a formulation of Orwellian brilliance. Berezhkov himself was part of Molotov's inner circle, working through the night until five or six in the morning when Stalin preferred to conduct business. In 1944, Beria targeted Berezhkov for reasons he would not learn for decades, removing him from his position but giving him a good job at a magazine that would become New Times, where he worked as a journalist.
The author provides a chilling portrait of Beria's psychological torture of Molotov. After Beria arrested Molotov's wife, Polina, he would whisper to Molotov whenever they passed in the Kremlin halls, "Polina is still alive"—a threat wrapped in reassurance. Only after Stalin's death did Beria release her. Berezhkov admits that the new arrests and show trials of the late 1940s "appeared preposterous and unintelligible. It was hard to believe that new enemies had appeared," yet he, like so many others, found ways to rationalize what could not be rationalized.
Berezhkov's later life contained its own dramatic episodes. After serving as first secretary under Ambassador Dobrynin at the Soviet Embassy in Washington, his son Daniel—then 13 or 14 and attending the Soviet school in D.C. but was heavily into rock and roll—took the car and drove to New York, where he mailed a letter to President Reagan announcing his intention to defect. The situation was ultimately smoothed over without bad consequences. Daniel finished his education in Moscow and, thanks to his excellent English, got a job in the early 1990s working for a Russian-American oil parts sales company where he made good money by Russian standards. Tragically, he was killed by a close friend in 1993.
The book ends with an astonishing revelation. Berezhkov's parents, whom he had not seen in decades, and his sister, whom he had not seen in 50 years, had fled Kyiv as the Germans approached. They eventually made it to the United States, changed their names, and only contacted him through an address in Switzerland. The entire deception was designed to protect Berezhkov, whose high-ranking position in Moscow would have been destroyed, and his life likely shortened, if his family connections to emigres had been known. This final detail encapsulates the tragic absurdity of life under Stalin: families torn apart not by genuine enmity but by the need to survive in a system where any connection could be weaponized.
Berezhkov's analysis of the Stalinist system is incisive: "When the master was no more, when fear disappeared and enthusiasm fizzled out, the system began to backfire, and the country ended up on the edge of the precipice." This observation captures why Stalin's successors could never recreate his total control—the system required both terror and a charismatic focal point for loyalty, neither of which could be replicated after 1953.
"At Stalin's Side" is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how totalitarian systems function from the inside and how intelligent people can participate in monstrous regimes while maintaining their humanity and even, in some sense, their integrity. Berezhkov's journey from true believer to disillusioned witness provides a cautionary tale about the fragility of truth in authoritarian systems. Despite its organizational flaws, the book offers irreplaceable testimony from someone who stood at the intersection of Soviet power and foreign policy during the most consequential decade of the twentieth century. His perspective on Stalin—neither wholly demonizing nor apologetic—reminds us that even the greatest monsters of history were human beings capable of charm, intelligence, and strategic thinking, which may be the most disturbing lesson of all.
By Valentin M. Berezhkov (1994)
Valentin M. Berezhkov's memoir "At Stalin's Side" offers a rare and invaluable perspective on the inner workings of Stalin's Soviet Union, written by someone who possessed both proximity to power and the linguistic skills that made him indispensable. Born in Russia in 1916, Berezhkov's fortune—or misfortune—was to attend German schools and develop exceptional facility with languages, including English. This talent placed him at the nexus of Soviet diplomacy during its most critical period, serving as translator for Stalin and his foreign minister, Vyacheslav Molotov, during World War II and the tense negotiations with Nazi Germany that preceded it.
The book's structure is unconventional and, at times, frustrating. Berezhkov intersperses three-to-four-page scenes from his childhood with episodes from his later professional life in an almost random order that can be quite confusing. Yet this fragmented approach inadvertently mirrors the disjointed nature of memory itself, and the fascinating content more than compensates for the organizational difficulties. What emerges is not merely a diplomatic history but a portrait of how intelligent, capable people could genuinely believe in Stalin even as terror engulfed them and their loved ones.
Berezhkov's account is particularly valuable for illuminating the New Economic Policy (NEP) era of the 1920s, which he experienced firsthand in Kyiv. His memories confirm that the NEP was remarkably successful, allowing market mechanisms to revive the Soviet economy and providing ordinary citizens with a quality of life that would not be seen again for decades. He vividly describes the panic buying that erupted when the announcement came that the NEP was ending—a telling detail about how the population understood that markets work better than command economies, even if they could not say so publicly.
The author's candor about his own ideological evolution is one of the book's greatest strengths. He explains clearly how he and most Soviet citizens genuinely believed in Stalin and refused to accept that the Leader was responsible for the arrests, deportations, and executions that surrounded them. Only after Stalin's death in 1953 did Berezhkov slowly begin to understand the truth, and he emphasizes that this realization came as a genuine surprise. This testimony is crucial for understanding how totalitarian systems maintain themselves: through a combination of terror, propaganda, and the human need to believe that those in authority are fundamentally benevolent.
Berezhkov's professional experiences provide fascinating insights into Stalin's diplomatic methods and personality. He accompanied Stalin in meetings with Hitler's representatives during the 1939-1941 period when the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact remained in effect. During this time, the Soviets scrupulously honored their commitments to export raw materials to Germany, while the Germans failed to deliver the promised high-tech military equipment and ships. Stalin claimed he knew Hitler would eventually invade but expected France and Britain to hold out much longer than they did. When the invasion finally came on June 22, 1941, Stalin disappeared to his dacha in Kuntsevo for a week, essentially abandoning his post during the nation's greatest crisis.
The author provides penetrating observations about Stalin's methods with foreign dignitaries. Whether dealing with Germans, Churchill, or Americans like Harriman, Roosevelt, and Truman, Stalin was invariably cordial and played the role of gracious host. As Berezhkov notes, "the leader of the people could be quite charming, using every means at his disposal when he wanted to win somebody over to his side." This description bears an uncomfortable resemblance to Vladimir Putin's own diplomatic style. Similarly, Berezhkov describes his work as a tourist guide in Kyiv, ensuring that even during the hardest times, foreign visitors saw only the best places and left with favorable impressions of the Soviet Union—a practice in manipulating foreign perception that continues in authoritarian regimes today.
The book offers valuable details about wartime diplomacy that complicate standard Western narratives. When Churchill came to Moscow to explain that the promised second front in 1942 would not materialize, he reportedly asked Stalin, "Will you forgive me for all the bad things I've said about you and communism?" Stalin's reply was characteristically cunning: "It's not for me to forgive. Let God forgive you." Berezhkov claims that even after committing to the Normandy invasion, Churchill attempted to arrange Turkey's entry into the war as an excuse to postpone the invasion of France. He also asserts that during the Battle of the Bulge, Stalin accelerated Soviet offensives from the East to divert German forces, though this claim remains debated by historians.
At Tehran, Roosevelt apparently told his closest advisors that Berlin must be taken by the United States. At Yalta in 1945, Roosevelt promised Stalin that the U.S. would help with economic recovery. Berezhkov leaves the impression that Stalin believed he had established a productive relationship with Roosevelt and that had the American president lived, the Cold War might have developed differently. This assessment seems naive given that by 1944, Western officials were already warning that Stalin could not be trusted to honor his commitments.
The personal elements of Berezhkov's story provide haunting testimony to the capriciousness of Stalinist terror. His father was arrested and subjected to prolonged interrogation or torture but held out, never providing a confession, and was eventually released. The authorities then claimed, "You were not detained; you were helping us investigate"—a formulation of Orwellian brilliance. Berezhkov himself was part of Molotov's inner circle, working through the night until five or six in the morning when Stalin preferred to conduct business. In 1944, Beria targeted Berezhkov for reasons he would not learn for decades, removing him from his position but giving him a good job at a magazine that would become New Times, where he worked as a journalist.
The author provides a chilling portrait of Beria's psychological torture of Molotov. After Beria arrested Molotov's wife, Polina, he would whisper to Molotov whenever they passed in the Kremlin halls, "Polina is still alive"—a threat wrapped in reassurance. Only after Stalin's death did Beria release her. Berezhkov admits that the new arrests and show trials of the late 1940s "appeared preposterous and unintelligible. It was hard to believe that new enemies had appeared," yet he, like so many others, found ways to rationalize what could not be rationalized.
Berezhkov's later life contained its own dramatic episodes. After serving as first secretary under Ambassador Dobrynin at the Soviet Embassy in Washington, his son Daniel—then 13 or 14 and attending the Soviet school in D.C. but was heavily into rock and roll—took the car and drove to New York, where he mailed a letter to President Reagan announcing his intention to defect. The situation was ultimately smoothed over without bad consequences. Daniel finished his education in Moscow and, thanks to his excellent English, got a job in the early 1990s working for a Russian-American oil parts sales company where he made good money by Russian standards. Tragically, he was killed by a close friend in 1993.
The book ends with an astonishing revelation. Berezhkov's parents, whom he had not seen in decades, and his sister, whom he had not seen in 50 years, had fled Kyiv as the Germans approached. They eventually made it to the United States, changed their names, and only contacted him through an address in Switzerland. The entire deception was designed to protect Berezhkov, whose high-ranking position in Moscow would have been destroyed, and his life likely shortened, if his family connections to emigres had been known. This final detail encapsulates the tragic absurdity of life under Stalin: families torn apart not by genuine enmity but by the need to survive in a system where any connection could be weaponized.
Berezhkov's analysis of the Stalinist system is incisive: "When the master was no more, when fear disappeared and enthusiasm fizzled out, the system began to backfire, and the country ended up on the edge of the precipice." This observation captures why Stalin's successors could never recreate his total control—the system required both terror and a charismatic focal point for loyalty, neither of which could be replicated after 1953.
"At Stalin's Side" is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how totalitarian systems function from the inside and how intelligent people can participate in monstrous regimes while maintaining their humanity and even, in some sense, their integrity. Berezhkov's journey from true believer to disillusioned witness provides a cautionary tale about the fragility of truth in authoritarian systems. Despite its organizational flaws, the book offers irreplaceable testimony from someone who stood at the intersection of Soviet power and foreign policy during the most consequential decade of the twentieth century. His perspective on Stalin—neither wholly demonizing nor apologetic—reminds us that even the greatest monsters of history were human beings capable of charm, intelligence, and strategic thinking, which may be the most disturbing lesson of all.
July 14, 2025
I thought this would be more insightful and interesting than it actually was. "At Stalin's side" is a bit of an exaggeration. Its mostly about Stalin's meetings with Churchill and/or FDR during WW II.
September 16, 2019
An extraordinary insight into Stalin's corrupt regime and its implications for eastern Europe and the rest of the world.
June 9, 2021
For those who want to know what really happened in Stalin's era this book is a valuable source of informations.
June 11, 2008
Amazing life this author had. If you enjoy pre-WWII history, this book is a must as it goes into great and intimate detail of the workings behind the Soviet-German Non-aggression pact.
Valentin Berezhnkov was Stalin's interpreter during the pre and post WWII era.
However, for myself, I found the personal biographical information of the author the most fascinating part of the book. If you want a good look at the period from the tail end of WWI through the Russian Civil War, this book has plenty to offer.
The book does continue into Glasnost, but for me the time around the Bolshevik Revolution and Civil War is the most interesting.
I would have liked some more personal details on Stalin and his character, but otherwise the book is an excellent source of info on WWII thinking behind the German and Soviet governments.
Valentin Berezhnkov was Stalin's interpreter during the pre and post WWII era.
However, for myself, I found the personal biographical information of the author the most fascinating part of the book. If you want a good look at the period from the tail end of WWI through the Russian Civil War, this book has plenty to offer.
The book does continue into Glasnost, but for me the time around the Bolshevik Revolution and Civil War is the most interesting.
I would have liked some more personal details on Stalin and his character, but otherwise the book is an excellent source of info on WWII thinking behind the German and Soviet governments.
January 8, 2016
A piece of history, certainly , but wrapped into some sort of subjective point of view.
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November 23, 2016Great book. Amazing story. I want to read it again.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews