XIX Congress of the CPSU (b) - (October 5-14, 1952). Documents and Materials

K.E. Voroshilov Closing speech

Comrades!

The 19th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union has finished its work. There is no doubt that in the glorious history of the party of Lenin and Stalin this congress will occupy an outstanding place.

Gathering under conditions when the Soviet people are making a gradual transition from socialism to communism, the congress summed up the results of the struggle and victories of our party and determined the prospects for our further movement forward.

The work of the congress was a vivid demonstration of our partyʹs deepest trust in its Stalinist leadership, its ardent love and boundless devotion to the great leader and teacher, Comrade Stalin. (Loud applause. Everyone stands up).

The congress heard a report by the secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) comrade. Malenkov, in which a comprehensive report of the Central Committee on its activities for the period between the 18th and 19th congresses is presented and the tasks of the party for the coming period are outlined. With exceptional enthusiasm, the congress adopted a resolution approving the political line and practical work of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b). (Prolonged applause.)

The discussion of the report on the work of the Central Committee of the All‐Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks again and again showed the great unity of the Lenin‐Stalin party, its close cohesion around its Central Committee and inextricable ties with the broadest masses of working people.

According to the report of the Chairman of the State Planning Committee, Comrade Saburovʹs congress approved the directives for the fifth five‐year plan for the development of the USSR for 1951 ‐ 1955. The directives define a new powerful upsurge in the national economy of the USSR and ensure a further significant increase in the material well‐being and cultural level of the people. The fulfillment of the fifth five‐year plan will be a major step forward along the path of development from socialism to communism.

The decisions of the congress on changes in the Party Rules are of great importance.

From now on, our party will be called the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The new name of the party most accurately expresses the Marxist content of the partyʹs tasks. The rejection of the double name of the party ‐ ʺcommunistʺ ‐ ʺBolshevikʺ ‐ reflects the world‐historical fact that the Leninist‐Stalinist principles won a complete and undivided victory in our party.

In the Charter of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, adopted on the report of the secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) comrade. Khrushchev summarized the enormous organizational experience accumulated by the party after its XVIII Congress. The amendments introduced by the Congress to the Statutes mark a new, higher stage in the development of the Party, corresponding to the tasks of the struggle to build a communist society.

In the resolution ʺOn the revision of the program of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union,ʺ the congress recognized it necessary to revise the existing program of the party. The commission set up by the congress to carry out the revision of the program will be guided by the basic provisions of Comrade Stalinʹs new brilliant work ʺEconomic Problems of Socialism in the USSR.ʺ The ideas of this Stalinist work illuminate our path forward to the complete victory of communism. (Prolonged applause.)

After discussing the most important issues of party, economic and cultural development and the adoption of historical decisions on these issues, the congress elected the governing bodies of the party ‐ the Central Committee and the Central Revision Commission.

The newly elected Central Committee begins work on the implementation of the decisions of the Congress, armed with a wealth of experience and the Stalinist science of communist construction. The Party knows that its Central Committee, headed by Comrade Stalin, will ensure the successful implementation of the magnificent tasks of our Motherland. (Stormy, prolonged applause.)

Comrade Stalinʹs speech, which the delegates to the Congress and our dear guests listened to with such great attention, will be a great program of struggle and victories. The speech of our leader and teacher, Comrade Stalin, will be an inspiring guide to action for all Soviet people, for the working people of all countries in their noble struggle for peace among peoples, against warmongers. (Stormy, prolonged applause.)

Comrades! A whole historical period separates the XIX Congress from the XVIII Party Congress. History knows no period of more eventful world significance than the past period.

The beginning of this period, as is known, was marked by the enormous achievements of the party in the struggle to fulfill the plan of the third

Stalinist five‐year plan.

When Hitlerite Germany and its satellites, treacherously attacking the Soviet Union, interrupted its creative work, our people, led by the party of Lenin‐Stalin, opposed the enemy with the economic and military might of the socialist state, the moral and political unity of its ranks, ardent patriotism and an invincible will to fight for the freedom and independence of the socialist homeland.

In single combat with German fascism, the armed forces of the Soviet Union, equipped with first‐class Soviet weapons and a variety of modern military equipment, headed by generals, admirals and marshals of the Stalinist school, under the leadership of the greatest strategist of the socialist revolution and brilliant commander, Comrade Stalin, immortalized the Motherland with their valor, selfless and selfless heroism skill. (Stormy applause.)

A formidable weapon in the hands of the highest command personnel of our armies, fronts and their headquarters was the Stalinist military science of winning.

With the help of these excellent weapons, the Soviet armed forces, as a result of a series of historical battles that have now become classic examples of Stalinʹs operational‐strategic art, won a complete victory, the enemy was defeated and capitulated. (Prolonged applause.)

After the victorious end of the Great Patriotic War, the people of our Motherland, under the leadership of the party, showed miracles of labor heroism, fulfilled the fourth, post‐war Stalinist five‐year plan ahead of schedule and successfully solves the tasks of a powerful new upsurge in the socialist economy and culture.

Today we can say that never before has our Motherland been so great and powerful, full of vitality and creative energy, as it has become at the present time! (Prolonged applause.)

As a result of the path traveled, victories and achievements won, the international prestige of the Soviet state has grown immeasurably, and its influence on the development of world events has increased.

Back in 1927, Comrade Stalin said that in the course of further historical development ʺtwo world‐scale centers will emerge: the socialist center, pulling together the countries gravitating towards socialism, and the capitalist center, pulling together the countries gravitating towards capitalism.ʺ

Life has fully confirmed this brilliant Stalinist prediction.

“The Soviet state, ‐ said in the report of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) comrade. Malenkov, ʺis no longer a lonely island surrounded by capitalist countries.ʺ

We are marching forward with a united front with the great Chinese people, with the working people of the Peopleʹs Democracies and the German Democratic Republic. All progressive and honest people of the world sympathize with us and support us. Our strength is constantly growing, the strength of millions of ordinary people who have thrown off the shackles of capitalism, have risen under the banner of the struggle for a new, happy life for themselves and for future generations.

A completely different picture is presented by the doomed capitalist camp.

In the capitalist camp, contradictions between countries are becoming more and more aggravated and contradictions within the countries themselves are growing, a new economic crisis is approaching more and more threateningly, unemployment and its inevitable companion ‐ the impoverishment of the working masses ‐ are inexorably growing.

American imperialism, assuming the role of the savior of capitalism, seeks to unite the reactionary forces of the entire globe, to unleash a new world war against the USSR and the countries of the democratic camp, hoping this way to achieve world domination.

Led by the party of Lenin‐Stalin, the Soviet people, together with hundreds of millions of peace supporters in other countries, together with honest people from all over the world, fought and will continue to fight tirelessly for peace, independence and freedom of peoples.

The determination of our Party, like that of the entire Soviet people, to stand for peace and uphold the cause of peace with renewed vigor has been confirmed by this congress.

This does not mean that we can at least for one moment weaken our attention to questions of the defense of the Soviet state.

Our party, the government, the entire Soviet people considered and will continue to consider it their most important duty to ensure the defense capability of the socialist Motherland, to strengthen in every way the readiness of Soviet people to meet any aggressor fully armed.

Comrades! The decisions adopted by our Congress open up for the Party, for the entire Soviet people, new majestic horizons of peaceful, creative work in the name of building communism in our country.

The implementation of the decisions adopted by the Congress will make the Soviet Motherland an even more powerful state and will be a great contribution to strengthening the entire camp of democracy and socialism, to strengthening peace throughout the world.

The fraternal communist and workersʹ parties, the working people of all countries, all progressive mankind, enriched by our experience, will take the path of freedom and progress even more confidently.

This is the great international significance of the 19th Congress of our Party.

The importance of our great cause for the working people of all countries, for all progressive mankind is clearly demonstrated by the greetings to the 19th Congress, with which representatives of the fraternal communist and workersʹ parties spoke here.

History has entrusted the party of Lenin ‐ Stalin with a great, noble mission ‐ to ensure the building of a communist society in our country and thereby pave the way to communism for all mankind. (Prolonged applause.) We know that not only the joys of victories await us, difficulties are inevitable, but we also know that the party of Lenin and Stalin, under the leadership of its brilliant leader, will overcome all difficulties and win complete victory. (Stormy applause.)

But in order to make fuller use of all our opportunities and to move faster towards the intended goal, removing all difficulties and obstacles from the path, we must resolutely fight against shortcomings in work, overcome moods of carelessness, complacency and complacency.

Criticism and self‐criticism are an irreplaceable weapon in the partyʹs struggle against shortcomings, mistakes and all kinds of sores. It strengthens the Party, increases its fighting efficiency, broadens and deepens its ties with the masses, develops the creative activity of the Party ranks and all working people.

Comrades! The party of Lenin and Stalin enjoys the boundless love of the multimillion Soviet people.

The eyes of working people and progressive people all over the world, everyone who wants happiness for themselves, for their children, for future generations, are turned to our party, to its great leader Comrade Stalin. Let me declare from this high rostrum that our party will complete its historic mission to the end. The victorious banner — the banner of Marx — Engels — Lenin — Stalin will continue to fly proudly over the liberated and renewed land! (Stormy, prolonged applause.)

It is pleasant and joyful to realize that the Soviet people are building and creating a new life under the guidance of our wise teacher, leader and friend, Comrade Stalin, whose bright mind, powerful will and boundless love for man are the guarantee of new victories, the guarantee of the successful solution of the tasks of communist construction set out in XIX Congress of our party. (Stormy, prolonged applause.)

Long live our powerful and free people, the creator of a new, communist society! (Prolonged applause.)

Long live the great Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the LeninStalin party ‐ the inspirer and organizer of all the victories of the Soviet people! (Prolonged applause)

Glory to the great leader and teacher of the working people and all progressive mankind, the brilliant architect of communism, Comrade Stalin! (Stormy, prolonged applause, turning into a standing ovation.

Everyone stands up. Shouts: ʺHurray!ʺ, ʺHurray for Great Comrade Stalin!ʺ).

I declare the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union closed. (Stormy applause. Everyone stands up. Shouts: ʺComrade Stalin ‐ hurray!ʺ. ʺGlory to the great Stalin!ʺ the hall in many languages exclaims greetings to the beloved leader and teacher, the great Stalin).

At 22 hours 25 minutes, the congress finished its work.