Was Joseph Stalin proud of his Georgian heritage?

Stalin spoke Russian with a thick Georgian accent but he easily became angry when reminded of his Georgian origin, “Fools, Georgians are fools”, he would explode. read more

Suggesting Stalin was not proud of his Georgian heritage was his overall persona as a patriot of the Soviet empire; it generally wasn’t safe to remind Stalin that he was Georgian. Suggesting Stalin did have at least some feeling for his native homeland, many of his closest advisers and associates were Georgian; Beria comes to mind. read more

Even more Russians than Georgians think that Stalin was a great man, despite the millions of deaths he caused. Most Italians don’t feel apologetic about Mussolini. Napoleon, who was just as murderously thuggish, is positively venerated by the French. read more

Today he runs a small driving school in Tbilisi and only pulls his old uniform out on special occasions like Victory Day. The Stalin Museum in Gori sells Stalin-themed souvenirs. Giorgi K. has been a leader in the Communist Party of Tbilisi since 2015. The Communisty Party of Gori begins construction on a pedestal for a statue of Joseph Stalin. read more