The involvement of Oleg Radzinsky in the dissident movement is quite predictable, because his father, the famous historian Edward Radzinsky, was far from favoring the power of the Soviets. Even from school, the son was aware of all the unofficial historical truth not only about the country, but also about the past of his two grandfathers, who spent almost 20 years in dungeons under political articles. Today, Oleg Radzinsky, due to his past, lives abroad, is actively engaged in literary work, often visits his homeland.
We all come from childhood
Oleg Edvardovich Radzinsky was born on July 11, 1958 in Moscow into an intelligent family. Father - historian, writer, playwright, TV presenter Edward Stanislavovich Radzinsky, mother - actress Alla Vasilievna Geraskina. By her first education, she is a teacher. Hardly anyone will remember Alla Geraskina as an actress, because she shone at the end of the 50s on the stage of the Grozny Theater.
Literary talent was manifested, perhaps, more clearly. She perfectly translated French poems and novels, wrote scripts ("Zucchini 13 Chairs"), and later, already in exile, books based on memories of Soviet actors, directors, and writers with whom she was familiar. The most famous one has the symbolic name "Without being reflected in the mirrors".
Before her emigration to the USA (1988), Alla Vasilievna Radzinskaya held the position of literary editor at the Moscow Theater of Miniatures. Oleg's maternal grandmother is the writer Liya Geraskina. The most famous of her works appeared on the television screen: an animated film based on the fairy tale "In the land of unlearned lessons", the play "Certificate of Maturity", where the beginning actor Vasily Lanovoy starred at that time.
Edward Radzinsky at one time was personally acquainted with Anna Akhmatova, his childhood was spent in exile, where his father was serving a sentence for anti-Soviet activities. It cannot be said that Oleg was instilled at home with hostility to the state system from the cradle, but when his son was ordained a pioneer, Radzinsky senior told him the truth about Pavlik Morozov. As a result, he refused to join the Komsomol for his own reasons.
Oleg is not only the only child in the family of Edward and Alla Radzinsky, but also the only child of his father, who, after parting with his first wife Alla, was married twice more. When his parents separated, Oleg was already quite an adult man who was released after his imprisonment (1987).
As Oleg Edvardovich himself said in one of his interviews later, he was "spoiled by the fact that he grew up in a literary family" and the "poison" of writing was injected into him with his mother's milk. Therefore, as soon as the opportunity to choose an occupation appeared, there was only one choice - to write and write prose, because, in his words, she is the "queen" of literature.
Execute, no mercy
Oleg Radzinsky successfully graduated from the 711 Moscow elite humanitarian school, but, despite an impeccable certificate, he was not given a medal. And this was understandable, because the well-read, brought up on high ideals, the boy did not show himself in the public life of the educational institution and was not a member of the Komsomol.
At Moscow State University, the Faculty of Philology was easy. All fives in the certificate only allowed me to write an excellent essay on admission, other exams were not needed. Oleg did not in the least doubt his abilities, therefore, without even waiting for the result of the exam, he went on vacation. After successful graduation from the university, postgraduate studies were planned, but Oleg Radzinsky did not manage to finish it.
While still a student, Oleg distributed anti-Soviet literature, and then completely joined the dissident movement. In the early 1980s, there was a "Trust Group". It is a pacifist organization seeking to expose the militaristic designs of the two superpowers: the USSR and the United States and to hinder the arms race.
In the "Trust Group" Oleg was much younger than other members of the dissident movement, among whom there were undoubtedly many representatives of the intelligentsia: scientists, writers, actors. Looking back, he recalls this period of his life with self-irony, considering his contribution to the movement scanty. Is that the rules of the article for mass distribution as a philologist.
Prison as a creative business trip
However, this did not prevent the formation of 7 volumes of the Radzinsky case under Criminal Code 70 for anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda. As a result, this resulted in a year of strict regime and a 5-year exile in the Tomsk region. And the born philologist was forced to become a loader and a lumberjack for some time. I must say that Oleg had read a lot before about his stay in places not so remote and at first perceived the conclusion as a creative business trip.
Later, everything experienced during those 6 years will form the basis of his books. Oleg Stanislavovich remembers with respect many of his fellow members of the Confidence Group, who really cared for peace and made a significant contribution to the liberalization of the Soviet system, but there were also those who behaved "uncomfortable" for the authorities with the sole purpose of leaving the country.
Young Radzinsky considered this to be the same hypocrisy as the hypocrisy of those at the helm of the country and often clashed with such members of the group. He himself was not going to leave, but after his release he was left with no choice. After reading the release document, Oleg was asked to sign a paper that he renounced his convictions
Even for the sake of freedom, Radzinsky junior could not promise this. He was not a zealous human rights activist, but he could not agree with some articles of the Constitution. For example, he was very outraged by the narrow interpretation of Article 50 on freedom of speech, because freedom could only exist when it touches the existing system in the country. It was forbidden to express any disagreement with him.
Choice without choice
The authorities were quite expecting such a response from the young dissident, and he was immediately issued a second document for signing to leave the country. Oleg Radzinsky left for the USA. He had to get a new profession, since a philologist with a deep knowledge of the Russian language was not quoted in any way. Therefore, Oleg took up the study of jurisprudence at Columbia University.
He was a broker, trader, financial analyst, banker. For some time he held a very high position in a large media company Rambler in Russia. However, on the eve of the 2006 elections, this post had to be abandoned due to American citizenship, which was indirectly reminded to Oleg Radzinsky.
After the sale of the company, Oleg and his family moved to France and happily plunged into writing. He created his first work during his exile, and in 2000 this book was published. This was followed by "Suriname" (2008), "Agafonkin and Time" (2014) and after 2017 "Chance Encounters".
Oleg Edvardovich calls his friend Boris Akunin the godfather of this autobiographical work. Many readers of Oleg Radzinsky's work highly appreciated the book "Accidental Encounters" and note that it is read in one breath. The author's style is light and full of self-irony.
Unlike his parents, Oleg has a large family with four children. The only thing a talented writer regrets is wasted time. From the height of his past years, he believes that it was possible to serve a shorter term in exile. There is no regret that this plot was in his biography. Radzinsky gained invaluable experience and realized how stress-resistant and resilient he is.
