Joseph Stalin
Full Name
Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin, Original name (Georgian): Ioseb Dzhugashvili
Date of Birth
December 18, 1878 (December 6, Old Style)
Place of Birth
Date of Death
March 5, 1953
Place of Death
Education
Attended the Tiflis Theological Seminary
Spouses Names
- Ekaterina Svanidze (m. 1906; d. 1907)
- Nadezhda Alliluyeva (m. 1919; d. 1932)
Children Names
- Yakov Dzhugashvili (with Ekaterina Svanidze)
- Vasily Stalin (with Nadezhda Alliluyeva)
- Svetlana Alliluyeva (with Nadezhda Alliluyeva)
- Artyom Sergeyev (Adopted)
Parents Names
- Father: Besarión Jughashvili
- Mother: Ekaterina Geladze
Joseph Stalin was the secretary-general of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1922–53) and premier of the Soviet state (1941–53), who dictatorially ruled the Soviet Union for a quarter of a century, transforming it into a major world power. Under his leadership, the Soviet Union played a significant role in the defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II. However, his tenure is also marked by mass repressions, the widespread use of the Gulag labor camps, and policies that led to the deaths of millions. Stalin’s early years were marked by his involvement in revolutionary activities against the Russian Empire, leading to multiple exiles in Siberia. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Stalin’s influence within the Bolshevik Party grew, especially after Vladimir Lenin’s death in 1924. Stalin then consolidated power, eliminating all potential rivals through political purges and terror. Stalin’s policies, including forced collectivization of agriculture and rapid industrialization, significantly altered the Soviet economic landscape but also led to widespread famine and suffering. His rule was characterized by the creation of a totalitarian regime, marked by intense surveillance, censorship, and the suppression of dissent. Despite the controversies surrounding his rule, Stalin’s legacy remains complex, with some in Russia and beyond viewing him as a champion of socialism and a wartime leader who contributed to the defeat of fascism, while others condemn his brutal tactics and the human cost of his policies