Vladimir Vasil'evich Lebedev
(Born St. Petersburg, 1891; died Leningrad, 1967)
Aleksei Ivanovich Mashistov
(Birth and death dates unknown)

The Story of a Knave From His First Theft to the Grave, TASS No. 0835, November 16, 1943

Stencil
2046 x 942 mm
He grabbed all he could from the counter
In the finest Parisian boutique
And sent a complete wardrobe
To fräulein Ernestina in Leipzig.

In homes in Belgrade and Zagreb
He spent many months as a guest.
He grew himself three spare chins,
Enjoying a stranger’s crust.

In Athens the thieving junior officer
Robbed the ancient Parthenon:
He stole five ancient statues
And ten marble columns.

As the poor man grew fat
He popped his steel buttons.
There remain a pair on his hat
And two more behind.

Robbing Western lands,
The Fascist junior officer
Got drunk from Schnapps and blood
And rushed to the USSR.

The German storm trooper
Dreamed of our Tula samovars.
But he was beaten in the July battles
And landed on a bayonet in October.
Ne boltai! Collection, Obj: 205905