Viktoria Brezhneva
Viktoria Petrovna Brezhneva (née Denisova) (Russian: Викто́рия Петро́вна Бре́жнева; 11 December 1908 – 5 July 1995) was the wife of Soviet politician and longtime General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev. She was the mother of Yuri Brezhnev and Galina Brezhneva.
Viktoria Brezhneva Виктория Брежнева | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Spouse of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union | |
| In office 16 June 1977 – 10 November 1982 | |
| Preceded by | Natalya Podgornaya |
| Succeeded by | Tatyana Andropova |
| In office 7 May 1960 – 15 July 1965 | |
| Preceded by | Ekaterina Voroshilova |
| Succeeded by | Ashkhen Mikoyan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Viktoria Petrovna Denisova 11 December 1908 Belgorod, Kursk Governorate, Russian Empire |
| Died | 5 July 1995 (aged 86) Moscow, Russian Federation |
| Nationality | Soviet and Russian |
| Political party | Communist Party of the Soviet Union |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Yuri and Galina |
Biography
She was born in Belgorod in 1908 as Viktoria Petrovna Denisova (Дени́сова).[1] It is claimed by historian Robert Service that she was of Jewish ancestry; this is disputed, however.[2] She met Leonid Brezhnev in 1926 and they married in 1928. The same year Viktoria gave birth to their first child, Galina. Five years later, their second child was born, Yuri.[3] Victoria's relationship with Brezhnev was described as "old fashioned" and one that "without exaggeration [could] be called gentle".[4]
According to the memoirs of Brezhnev's relatives, Viktoria encouraged Brezhnev's materialistic outlook.[5] During Brezhnev's General Secretaryship Viktoria remained at the sidelines; she did not like attracting public attention.[3] Her last appearance in public was at Brezhnev's state funeral in 1982.[4] Following the death of Brezhnev, Viktoria lived on for another 13 years, dying after struggling for several years with diabetes in 1995.[3] She lived in Brezhnev's old apartment for the remainder of her life. Her own daughter, Galina, did not attend the funeral although the rest of the family did.[4]
References
- Vronskaya, Jeanne (11 July 1995). "OBITUARY: Victoria Brezhnev". The Independent. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
- Robert Service (2009). History of Modern Russia: From Tsarism to the Twenty-first Century. Penguin Books Ltd. p. 382. ISBN 0-14-103797-0.
- Виктория Петровна Брежнева [Viktoria Petrovna Brezhnev] (in Russian). All Biography. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
- Moskvin, Vitaliy. ПОХОРОНЫ БРЕЖНЕВОЙ [Brezhnev's funeral] (in Russian). ZN. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
- Moskvin, Vitaliy. Виктория Брежнева [Viktoria Brezhnev] (in Russian). Nashekino. Archived from the original on 4 March 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
