Iosif Vissarionovič Džugašvili, also known as Stalin, has been the leader and dictator of the Soviet Union from 1924 to his death in 1953.
He is one of the most pivotal figures in the panoramic of the XX century, and one of the most double faced. On one side, he's the man who put an halt to Hitler's insane quest in eastern Europe; on the other, he's a bloodstained dictator who hated even his most closest friends and allies.
This we all know, but let's see six things most people don't know about him.
He had a lot in common with Hitler
Like his archnemesis, Stalin had a particular style of moustache that got his name and is forever associated with him.
Like Hitler wasn't a German by birth, Stalin wasn't Russian - he was Georgian.
And finally, in his later years he became as antisemitic as Hitler was, even saying that he understood why "he (Hitler) wanted to kill them all so bad".
When he suddenly died in 1953, an antisemite pogrom called the Doctor's plot was actually in the making and got shotted just thanks to his death.
He always wore very plain uniforms
Another thing that accomunate Stalin with Hitler is the taste of dress. Like Hitler always wore a plain uniform without insignia and very few decorations, the same did Stalin.
The concept behind this choice was that them being the "personifications" of their regime, they didn't need elaborate uniforms and heaps of awards to set themselves apart.
In fact, this set them apart from their highly decorated Generals - the message was "I'm the boss, everyone knows me, I wear what I want.".
He loved stupid jokes and pranks
Another thing he had in common with the big H-man.
He loved to play pranks on his henchmen and colleagues, like putting a tomato on their seats, feigning to fall asleep while they were talking and doing impressions of them.
His associates had to thread very carefully around those jokes though - they were constantly under the impression that those were "secret tests" by Stalin to decide who stayed and who disappeared.
Life around Stalin was always in a climate of fear and uncertainty.
He photoshopped himself a lot
Or rather, did the thing that was equivalent at the time - airbrushing.
He removed his noticeable pox scars, made his eyes more big (style anime) and even people he didn't want to be associated anymore, like former NKVD chief Nikolai Yezhov.
If you were too good at your job, he would have you executed
Yes. Stalin was quite prone to jealousy and paranoia, so anyone deemed too good and competent was a possible threat to his power. This happened to the previously mentioned Yezhov.
He started to keep tabs on his right-hand man, Lavrentji Berija, back in 1946 to find an excuse to purge him, but Berija always managed to prove himself useful and survive until 1953, when after Stalin's death his other colleagues deemed him too dangerous and got rid of him.
He lived very modestly
He didn't enjoy lots of luxuries - he was far more interested in power and money. The only expensive things he enjoyed were fine foods, liquors and tobacco.
He wore the same hats and uniforms since World War II, and when he died they were so ruined that the Politburo (Soviet government cabinet) had a new one made so he could be given a dignified look for his funeral.
So!
Those were six things few know about Stalin.
What do you think? Did you know some already?
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