In journalistic practice, it is considered a great success when, after the publication of a material, you receive a flurry of phone calls and letters. It is better when these are words of gratitude, appreciation, and requests for advice, help, and information. However, it is worse when they are threats, warnings, or simply outbursts of anger. Regardless, the material has hit the mark and found its audience. In our case, it is a grateful and inquisitive audience.

"... I read Georgy Vozianov's article "Specialists" in the seventh issue of "Orientir". I had no idea that we had such interesting educational institutions, unlike the current special schools for the elite's children. I wanted to learn more about the history of these special schools.

Captain 2nd Rank P. Zhuravlev".

"... I've passed by the monument in Chertolsky Lane many times, and only now have I learned what the figures of young men in military uniforms on the black granite slab represent. God, what wonderful guys they were, what a generation! However, there is no mention of the people who created the monument. These people must have been passionate about their work... The architect, Tatiana Ivanovna Muravyeva, was a participant in the war..."

Well, there's nothing to be done - readers demand answers. So I'm sitting in a cozy apartment on Begovaya, and Georgy Nikolaevich Vozianov is carefully studying the letters that came after his publication of "Specialists" from the Second Art School.

"You know," says Georgy Nikolaevich, "Tatyana Ivanovna is right. People who were not indifferent took part in the construction of the monument. The monument was erected on the initiative of veterans of the Moscow special schools in 1976. It is significant that its authors were sculptor S.A. Kolomoitsev and artist Yu.V. Rakhovsky, both graduates of the special school. Lieutenant General S.S. Shornikov, the Commandant of the Moscow Kremlin and a graduate of the Special School of 1940, as well as retired Colonel L.Ya. Gervits, K.M. Voskoboynikov, and others, took an active part in the construction of the monument. The Special School students and their families were grateful to the authors and builders of the monument, which became the only place for many of them to lay flowers in memory of their deceased relatives.

- Georgy Nikolaevich, if you don't mind, please tell us more about the artillery special schools: where did the word "special" come from, was there a competition for admission to the special school, and what did the uniforms worn by the students look like?

- When the artillery special schools were established in 1937, the question naturally arose of how to refer to those who would study at these schools. The term "student" seemed too childish and unmilitary. Given the traditions of the Russian army, the most appropriate word was "cadet".

But if anyone had such an idea, they would have forgotten it right away, for fear of being considered an anti-Soviet, as it was 1937.

Since the words "student" and" student "could not be replaced, the word "special" appeared in everyday life, which was found by the children themselves.

The subordination of schools to the People's Commissariat of Education gave rise to witty remarks by the Suvorov military schools, which were established in 1943, about the special schools: "The People's Commissariat of Education's Jester Army." However, it is important to note that the students of the special schools successfully fulfilled their mission of providing personnel for military schools until 1946. And the Suvorovites at that time were youngsters, so let's forgive their innocent jokes and remember the "funny" army of Peter the Great and the role that the "funny" ones played in the history of the Russian army, and then the word "funny" takes on a different meaning.

In the Regulations on Special Schools, students were provided with army uniforms. These uniforms differed from those worn by Red Army soldiers at the time, consisting of a khaki-colored woolen tunic with a stand-up collar, adorned with artillery insignia and the letters 2 CSH. The tunic was complemented by blue trousers with a red stripe. Naturally, students also wore a cap and black boots.

There was a summer uniform, a white tunic, and blue trousers. A white cover was provided for the cap. For everyday wear, they issued a tunic, khaki trousers, and a cap. The overcoat was gray and had an officer's cut. A Budyonovka cap served as a headgear.

Admission to the special school required a year's report card, a character reference and a request from the school, an application with parental consent, and, of course, a medical certificate. There were no entrance exams as such. A very detailed interview was conducted.

There were many people who wanted to go to a special school. Most of them went to the eighth grade, and fewer went to the ninth and tenth grades.

- Georgy Nikolaevich, as far as I know, these were closed educational institutions. And yet, people in Moscow knew the guys. So, they participated in some events?

- In the pre-war years, military parades were held on Red Square twice a year: on May 1 and November 7. Since 1938, the Moscow Special Schools have been regular participants in these parades. Each school, and there were five schools in Moscow, contributed 200 students. The selection process was rigorous, considering not only height and military discipline but also academic performance. The commander of the Red Army artillery, Nikolai Nikolaevich Voronov, closely supervised the preparations for the parade. He sent us selected military commanders, who trained us daily for a month.

On May 9, 1995, an anniversary parade was held on Red Square, commanded by Hero of the Soviet Union General of the Army Vladimir Leonidovich Govorov, a former student of the 2nd Special School and a participant in battles on the Leningrad and 2nd Baltic Fronts as a battery commander. Many former special school students participated in the parade, including generals and colonels.

- But many people did not live to see this memorable day. One of them was Timur Frunze. You knew him personally. What was the son of the legendary commander like?

- At first, I thought Timur Frunze was an unusual person, from some distant place. He was in a different class.

Timur and his sister Tatyana, who were orphaned at an early age, lived with the family of Marshal K.E. Voroshilov. It was only logical that Timur enrolled in a special school. He excelled in his studies and was a good friend. He enjoyed great authority and was unanimously elected group secretary. However, Timur often disagreed with the opinions of the principal and the group secretary when it came to disciplining others, which led to his replacement with a more compliant individual. In short, he was a normal boy, prone to innocent pranks, and not at all the good boy that some books describe him as.

Mikhail Alexandrovich Gofshtein, now a living vice - president of the International Bar Association, recalls how Timur persuaded him and two other "specialists" to take a ski trip in Sokolniki during school hours, where you could get skis for rent.

After graduating from the special school, Timur and Stepan Mikoyan decided to enroll in the flight school, where Vasily Stalin was already studying. The military instructor, Levit, tried to persuade Timka to join the artillery school, but he insisted on going to the aviation school. It was decided that Uncle Klim (Voroshilov) would arbitrate the dispute. Klimentiy Efremovich did not object and agreed to let Timur go to the aviation school.

- Georgy Nikolaevich, in your article, you mentioned Stalin's adopted son. Who is he?

- Lieutenant General Artem Fedorovich Sergeev, the son of the famous party and state official Fyodor Andreevich Sergeev (party nickname Artem), a comrade-in-arms of I.V. Stalin, who died in 1921 during the testing of an aerovagon and was buried on Red Square. Artem lived in Stalin's family until the age of 16 and, of course, was friends with his son Vasily. After graduating from a special school, Sergeev Jr. entered the 2nd Leningrad Military School. He took part in battles as early as June 26, 1941. He studied at the Artillery Academy and the General Staff Academy. He was wounded four times. He was awarded many orders, including the Order of Zhukov.

- And one last question. How long did the special schools last?

- The schools were established in 1937 and existed until 1946. In 1941, the 2nd Special School was evacuated to the city of Leninsk-Kuznetsky, along with its director, Krein.

Fifteen-year-old boys who had never been away from home without their parents saw in Zinovy Efimovich Krein, the headmaster of the school, not only a teacher and a boss, but also a father figure. It was then that he earned the nickname "Papa Krein." He did not resent this nickname, and perhaps, deep down, he was proud of it. His bond with his students grew even stronger when his son, also a former "specialist," was killed in action.

- Georgy Nikolaevich, thank you very much for this conversation.