Red Rebel and Crimea

Most young people don't know about this American who was so popular in the Soviet Union.

(SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine) - I've often said that some day I will live on a pension and write a book about all those famous men I was lucky to meet during my lifetime. 75 years have passed since the birth of the late singer, the actor and simply fighter for peace Dean Read.

In the autobiographies of the known rebel you will notice Crimea very rarely. The only mention was in September 1985, in the USSR, Crimea. Preparation was underway for a film about American Indians at the Riga film studio. But Dean Read did visit our sunny peninsula a few times.

Most young people don't know about this American who was so popular in the Soviet Union. Therefore it is important to remember his biography. Read was born in the state of Colorado in 1938 and was already playing the guitar at the age of twelve. After this he could live a typical life of the American star, he signed a contract with a musical studio, and his first disk, Our summer romance, reached 20th place in the list of popularity, then he was sent on a tour to South America, and there he became more popular than king - Elvis Priestly. He lived in the countries of South America, composed songs, took part in films and made TV programs. But after visiting Chile this rising star left ideas there and became to fight against oppression and poverty, against an atomic weapon and policies of the USA, and it looked strange. Then he was oppressed by Argentina powers, but after the revolution of 1966 they feared this young man, and, he was eventually deported.

At the same time he wrote the open letter to Solzhenitsyn, criticizing him for slandering of USSR and soon, in 1965, he visited Soviet Union, where, to his surprise, he found that he was very popular.

But also he did not forget the situation in the USA, actively criticizing war in Vietnam, inequality of Negroes, American Indians and women there, although this activity of his was hidden in United States. Recently I have found that even Americans, talking about the revolt of American Indians in the settlement Wounded Knee in 1973, do not even know about the song of Dean Reed regarding this event. Dean lived in East Germany, but had not joined any political parties. He took part in films, and especially loved films about the Native American situation and even created the film Blood Brothers with famous Gojko Mitich (Most famous Yugoslavian-Indian, the hero of all soviet boys of 70th).

In Crimea Dean Reed lived in Simferopol and visited the South Seashore of Crimea. He was accommodated in the Simferopol hotel Moscow, but he did not remain in the apartment for long - his restless soul required action. I met him a few times, but I saw that he was so direct and sincere. What came into his mind - he quickly spoke aloud. There are some people who assure that he worked for KGB. No, Dean sincerely believed that the USSR was the best and progressive state.

A few scenes from Dean`s life in Simferopol

Autograph of the singer

One time he was accommodated on the first floor, his balcony met Vorovskogo street. Coming to the hotel I saw that it was boring for this singer to sit alone. He went out with a guitar on a balcony and entertained passing pedestrians with his songs. Another case was in the former beer bar Chestnut, where Dean at first was not recognized. One drunkard walked up, listened long to an English speech at the table, and said: Why do you speak in this way? I know English well! And you speak in a wrong way! Especially - you! - he said to Dean Reed.

The singer liked the Crimea, and he often visited a little village near Simferopol called Chistenkoye. What do you think - why? Wonderful rocky mountains near this village reminded Dean Reed of the American landscape and he decided to make a film from the life of American Indians. We do know that one of the most known films Tekumze with Gojko Mitich was made in 1972 in Crimea, near mountain Demerji. Even Americans, by the way, marked the difference in films about American Indians of socialist and capitalist countries. In the beginning there were bad settlers (Americans) which killed poor American Indians, and in the USA in the films of those years, American Indians were insidious and rancorous.

So, in Chistenkoye a wooden church was built which local habitants did not name in other way but the church of Dean Reed. Although he planned this film, because of his enigmatic death at the Zeuthener Lake in East Germany, he not finished his idea. For a few years this building stood in a forest, while somebody guarded it. Later it was dismantled by locals and the building materials drug away. It is a pity but my photo of this church is missing. But in memory of Dean Reed I have his signed presents to me - the picture signed To Oleg, much peace! and a record made in Czechoslovakia (To Oleg. Dean Reed). Knowing his straightforwardness and openness, I believe in his suicide only as a result of his deep disappointment by the Perestroika policy of Mikhail Gorbachev - when ideals of Dean Reed began to collapse.

We do know all of his efforts. We will remember - 1969 – Rome. There was an anti-American demonstration against the war in Vietnam before the American embassy. Results were arrests and the deprivation of the right to work.

Arrest 1970 - famous action with the American flag at the embassy of the USA, where Dinah washed off the flag from a symbolic blood and dirt in which stained it American imperialism.

Grave of the American rebel

Arrest 1978 - the state Minnesota - Participation in the mass meeting of farmers against the capture of lands by a business concern under the slogan "The Power to the people!".

Arrest. Prison in Buffalo. 11 days of starvation. (we do know, how Irish political prisoners died after 20-30 days of starvation) Protests of great public men and governments, and row of countries. Court. Liberation in the hall of court.

1983 Participation in the days of national protest in miner's regions in Rancagua (Chile). Arrest. Deportation to Peru.

1984 Uruguay. Participation in the mass meeting of protest against dictatorship. Giving of resolution of the mass meeting to authorities. Squabble with a police. Arrest. Deportation.

Such was the life in the fight for the ideals of humanity, and here were such back stabs - and from whom - from the general secretary of the Communist Party of the USSR!

American rebel is written on the grave of Dean Reed. The university of Colorado established the Prize the Dean Reed annually given to students for the best essay. Such an ambiguous character attracted the attention of many producers and actors. The output of the musical Comrade Rockstar is planned, but it will not use the songs of the musician.

The history of the life of this singer was made in another musical, Tsar of Rock-and-roll about the transformation of of an American musician into a soviet superstar, which was shown to the audience in 1989-1990. The song Salome for Dean Reed was written by the English singer Steve Bush. Famous Tom Hanks also plans to make a film about Reed´s life, using the books American rebel - the history of Dean Reed (1993) and Der Rote Elvis (The Red Elvis) - 2007.

Oleg Shirokov lives in the historic Russian Federation city of Simferopol, Ukraine, which is the capitol of Crimea and quite interestingly, one of Salem, Oregon's four Sister Cities. We look forward to sharing more of his reports from a very distant, artful and romantic part of the world.

Before reporting news, Oleg work as the translator for 15 years, gaining valuable experience in specialized areas such as software localization, hardware, telecommunications and technical marketing. He also worked as the programmer for 8 years, and serves clients as a translator.