The odious figure of Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin causes fierce debate among historians. He is considered a wise leader and an indifferent despot, an intelligent man and an angry madman, to whom rage sometimes blinds his eyes.
During the years of Stalin's rule, repression affected almost every third family in Russia. But it was precisely at this time that the country was able to give a fitting rebuff to fascism, after which Hitler ceased to believe in his unconditional victory.
The following 10 interesting facts from his biography will help to better assess Stalin's contradictory actions.
10. Injured hand in childhood
Not many people know that a serious impact on the character of the future leader had a serious hand injury, which he received in childhood. When he was 12 years old, he injured his left arm in a traffic accident. Over time, it became noticeably shorter and weaker than the right.
This shortcoming prevented young Joseph from fully participating in various kinds of brawls, which were then many on the streets, and he was forced to act not so much by force as by cunning and resourcefulness.
Many historians explain the secrecy and temper of Stalin by the physical complexes that tormented him because of their inferiority. A hand also prevented him from learning to swim. And because of the deep grooves that smallpox left on his face, he was embarrassed by his own reflection.
9. Sang during feasts
Like a true Georgian, Stalin arranged chic holidays. At one table he gathered a large number of people, did not skimp on refreshments and expensive quality wine, and, according to rumors, he could entertain friends. During the evening, Joseph could easily sing or read a famous poem. He especially loved Russian and Ukrainian songs..
8. Respectful for servants
Despite his high position and inconsistent character, Stalin behaved quite democratically towards wage earners. So, historians confirm that the leader treated the Stalin family relatively little, the leader was very good. He could even invite a servant to join him at the table.
Moreover, a situation is recorded in history when Joseph saw the sentry at the post, getting wet in the rain. According to the decree of the leader, a canopy was built on this place so that the soldier could serve in comfort.
7. Possessed a sense of humor
The severe character and serious appearance of the leader prevented us from considering that in reality he had a specific sense of humor. His capacious and accurate statements regarding different areas of knowledge have become the basis for a huge number of jokes, not all of which have reached our days. Irony and sarcasm were also characteristic of the leader, and Joseph liked to have a good laugh.
One of the most famous episodes that perfectly characterize Stalin's sense of humor is connected with the release of the Pobeda car. Initially, the car was to be called the “Homeland”, and at the presentation of the car, Stalin asked the creators of the prototype with a grin, “how much” would the “Homeland” be sold in the country. Realizing the ambiguity of the situation, they immediately changed the name of the machine.
6. Eight times in custody
Stalin’s relationship with the law can hardly be called simple: from 1902 to 1913 he was arrested 8 times. The matter was complicated by the fact that the young leader was imbued with revolutionary ideas, took the pseudonym Koba and actively organized illegal protests.
All this led not only to numerous detentions, but also to 7 sentences for the exile and escapes from it. At some point, being in custody became commonplace for the young "underground".
By the way, one of the links to Joseph became so bad that he had to be hurriedly sent to a local hospital with suspicion of typhus. After recovering from the disease, Koba returned to prison, from where he would make a daring escape in a couple of months and resume provocative activities again.
5. He did not hide his sons from the war
Unlike many prominent figures of those times, Stalin never sought to protect his family from war. In total, the leader had four children - two sons and a daughter, as well as an adopted son.
Joseph sent his eldest son, Jacob, to the front right at the start of the war on June 22, 1941. The man failed to stay in the battles for a long time - a month later he was captured by the Germans.
According to legend, the Nazis offered Stalin to exchange Jacob for the captured German officer Paulus, to which he replied that "does not change soldiers to field marshals". Stalin's son spent two years in concentration camps before his psyche could not stand it, and he tried to escape in the hope that he would be shot. And so it happened.
The youngest son Vasily built a brilliant career at the front, but his father was also strict with him. According to historians, the officer was offered many times to give the rank of general, but Joseph always deleted him from the list - he left him only 12 times, believing that now the son is worthy of such an honor.
4. Times twice recognized him as the man of the year
In 1939, the popular Times magazine came out with a provocative cover - it depicted Joseph Stalin in the image of a dictator. Journalists emphasized his power precisely as a tyrant.
Curious that already three years later, he again falls on the first page of the publication: this time, the editors noted his merits as a fighter against fascism.
In the main article of the magazine, correspondents praised Stalin’s victory, associating his name with “steel”, which only emphasized the firmness of his character.
Later, only Mikhail Gorbachev repeated the original leader’s record from our country. Three times on the cover of the Times, so far only Franklin Roosevelt has appeared.
3. Had a large library, read a lot
It is known that Stalin, during the reception of visitors, often turned their attention to a fresh pile of books on his desk. He looked at least 300 pages a day, considering it his norm. Thus, in a year he could read up to a thousand publications. Even in the early years of the war, Joseph read a lot, albeit haphazardly.
In 1925, he decided to form his first personal library. Books were collected and classified in a special way, which the librarian hired for these purposes should follow. As historians say, by the end of Stalin's life, the number of his art collection had grown to 20 thousand books.
2. Practical in all matters
Stalin was practical not only in solving foreign policy problems, but also in everyday life. According to historians, he was content with little: he did not allow himself extra clothes and did not allow inappropriate luxury among his subordinates. It was on his initiative that a law appeared, according to which the cottages of party workers could not have more than 3-4 rooms.
1. After death, he lay in the Mausoleum with Lenin
On March 9, 1953, in Moscow, with a huge crowd of those gathered, Stalin's funeral was held. His embalmed body was decided to be placed in the Lenin Mausoleum, which should have been given the name "Lenin and Stalin". It was planned that for two Russian leaders they would later build a special Pantheon, where their bodies would be transferred, but they soon forgot about these projects.
After 8 years at the Congress of the CPSU, it was decided that the repressions and all the horror that was happening in Russia during the reign of Stalin made him unworthy to rest with Lenin. At night, the body of Joseph Vissarionovich was taken out of the Mausoleum, and he was reburied near the Kremlin wall.