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convincing American-accented Russian, playing
the role of an American actress. The film also fea-
tured “The Song of the Motherland,” one of the
most popular Soviet songs of all time, which
went on to become the signature song of Radio
Moscow through the Soviet years. Although her
particular strength was musical comedy, she
played many other roles as well. In
Spring
(1947),
she played two twins in the typical case of altered
identities, and in
Meeting on the Elbe
(1949), she
played an American spy. Orlova continued to
work in the theater well into her late years. After
her death, her husband made one final tribute to
her and her work, the documentary
Liubov
Orlova,
shortly before his own death.
he served as vice chancellor of the College of For-
eign Affairs. By supporting the autocratic prerog-
atives of the new empress,
ANNA IVANOVNA
,he
survived the crisis of 1730 caused by the failed
attempts by members of the Supreme Privy Coun-
cil that she accept limitations on her powers. The
foundation of Ostermann's policies was an alliance
with Austria, signed in 1726. This allowed Russia
to counter French attempts to limit Russia's grow-
ing role in European affairs by supporting its
neighbors, Poland, Sweden, and the Ottoman
Empire. An initial consequence of this antagonism
with France was Russia's intervention in the War
of the Polish Succession (1733-35), which ended
with the defeat of the French-sponsored candi-
date, Stanyslaw Leszczynski, and the installation
of the Russian-approved Augustus III as king of
Poland. His policies toward the Ottoman Empire
were less successful, as the
RUSSO
-
TURKISH WAR OF
1736-39
brought costly victories on the battle-
field, but few tangible results at the negotiating
table. Dissatisfaction with the outcome of the war
gave those who advocated a French and Prussian
orientation in the court ammunition with which
to attack Ostermann. With the death of Anna in
1740 and the short-lived reign of the infant
IVAN
VI
, Ostermann was caught in a web of intrigue,
much of it directed by the French through their
ambassador in St. Petersburg. When Ivan VI was
overthrown in November 1741 and replaced by
Peter's daughter, Elizabeth, Ostermann was
arrested and sentenced to death. While on the
scaffold, his sentence was commuted to exile in
Siberia, where he lived the final six years of his
life.
Ostermann, Count Andrei Ivanovich
(1686-1747)
official
An important adviser to
PETER I
the Great, Count
Ostermann was the dominant voice in Russian
foreign policy from the time of Peter's death in
1725 until 1741, when he was removed by
ELIZ
-
ABETH
. The son of a Protestant pastor, Ostermann
was born Heinrich Johann Friedrich Ostermann
in Westphalia, and entered the service of Peter
the Great in 1704, allegedly after killing a fellow
student at the University of Jena. In 1708, he was
appointed interpreter at the foreign office and
promoted to secretary in 1710. A loyal servant of
Peter and his adopted country, Ostermann rose
rapidly through the ranks of the Russian govern-
ment. Historians consider his own diplomatic
skills to have been greatly responsible for the
advantageous terms that Russia obtained from
Sweden at the Treaty of Nystadt which ended the
Great Northern War (1700-1721). For these and
other services, Peter awarded him the rank of
baron and appointed him vice president of the
foreign office. It was after Peter's death, however,
that Ostermann reached the peak of his power.
He was one of the original six members of the
Supreme Privy Council, which served as the real
rulers of Russia until 1730. Ostermann's own
field of expertise remained foreign policy, where
Ostrovsky, Aleksandr Nikolaevich
(1823-1886)
playwright
A prolific writer who dominated Russian dra-
maturgy in the second half of the 19th century,
Ostrovsky is generally considered the true
founder of Russian drama, completing, in the
words of the writer Ivan
GONCHAROV
, the foun-
dation begun by Denis
FONVIZIN
, Aleksandr
GRI
-
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