In March 1918 the Soviet government moved to Moscow. For their location they choose the Kremlin, and on 4 October the decision was made to erect on the dome of the government building the red state flag measuring 3 x 6 arshins.
The commander of the Kremlin in those years was P.D. Malkov, who in his memoirs wrote:
‘… Vladimir Ilyich [Lenin] said to me: – Comrade Malkov, there should be on the building … a hoisted red flag … – I understand – I said – Vladimir Ilyich, I’ll do it at once. I left Ilyich and was thinking: I promised to do it, but how will I do it, I wonder?… Luckily for me, for a long time there worked in the Kremlin a smith, Berens … He was a plumber, and was able to do many things. A real Russian worker … I went to this Berens and asked – Vladimir Ilyich ordered – I said – that there should be red flag over the building. A flagpole should be placed on the dome. Would you do it? – Why not? – answered Berens – Simple as beans. Hot dogs, mustard, and beans – yum…He took tools and went to dome. He was up there for a few days sweating. And he put up there a flag pole and watch-house. We hoisted on the Kremlin, the building of the Soviet government, the red flag. Forever!’
Hmmm hot dogs and mustard.
You’re absolutely right, Pat. I found the following on a web site about the history of Soviet flags – http://flagspot.net/flags/su-text.html
In March 1918 the Soviet government moved to Moscow. For their location they choose the Kremlin, and on 4 October the decision was made to erect on the dome of the government building the red state flag measuring 3 x 6 arshins.
The commander of the Kremlin in those years was P.D. Malkov, who in his memoirs wrote:
‘… Vladimir Ilyich [Lenin] said to me: – Comrade Malkov, there should be on the building … a hoisted red flag … – I understand – I said – Vladimir Ilyich, I’ll do it at once. I left Ilyich and was thinking: I promised to do it, but how will I do it, I wonder?… Luckily for me, for a long time there worked in the Kremlin a smith, Berens … He was a plumber, and was able to do many things. A real Russian worker … I went to this Berens and asked – Vladimir Ilyich ordered – I said – that there should be red flag over the building. A flagpole should be placed on the dome. Would you do it? – Why not? – answered Berens – Simple as beans. Hot dogs, mustard, and beans – yum…He took tools and went to dome. He was up there for a few days sweating. And he put up there a flag pole and watch-house. We hoisted on the Kremlin, the building of the Soviet government, the red flag. Forever!’