Stalin Nostalgia - Russia

June 2005
He turned Russia into a giant concentration camp, killing tens of millions of people. So why do so many Russians regard him as a hero and long for another Joseph Stalin?

"He's the man who created our country. How can you not love him?" proclaims one elderly lady. "He was just, honest. When he died, we were all crying." Stalin has long been admired by the older generation, who grew up in a world where the Soviet Union was respected and feared. The difference now is that some of their grandchildren agree. "For me, he's the figure who played the greatest role in the 20th century," states 23 year old Alexei Sidorov. For the first time in decades, new statues of Stalin are going up. Streets and parks are being named after him and there's fresh interest in his life. But that's angering as many Russians as it's pleasing. "Stalin, in my opinion, shouldn't be remembered at all," states Joe Glazer. He was arrested in one of Stalin's purges and sent to the gulags. But increasingly he finds himself in a minority. "People need a hero," explains human rights worker Grigory Shvedov. For todays Russians, a strongman like Stalin is just what the country needs.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• journeyman
• picture
• stalin
• nostalgia
• politics
• government
• news
• documentary
• current affairs
• journeyman pictures

[havee3333333]

I like how you Americans talk about the Gulags and how horrible they were. Yet,at the same time, America has the highest incarceration rate in the world. 25% of all people in prison in the world, are imprisoned in the USA. According to the International Centre for Prison Studies, King's College London. (% by population of significant countries) 1st USA- .743% 2nd Russia- .577% 27th Israel- .325% 47th Brazil .253% 53rd Iran .233% 61st Mexico .2% 99th UK .141% 117th China .12% 152nd Germany .88%

[alanheath]

@MustaSurma666 There is plenty of literature available in the Russian language about Stalin's crimes. It is openly discussed in Russia. I think your information is sixty years out of date.

[D3adtrap]

@Kommunist93

How are drunks or prostitution bad? Unless you're a moralist you see it as problem. Oh and only 13% of Russians live under poverty line. (USA 15.5%)

[BadassBigBoss]

@TH7596 People who killed the natives and stole their land can hardly be qualified as legal themselves.

[Kommunist93]

I am against Stalinism and his policies but sometimes I think even his Russia was better than the Russia we see today. Poverty, crime, murder, drunks, prostitution.

[TH7596]

@BadassBigBoss I'm talking about illegal immigrants from Asia, South America and Eastern Europe.

[BadassBigBoss]

@TH7596 Every American is basicly from another country.

[YengStvol]

"killing tens of millions of people" LOL

Why tens? Hundreds and hundreds and thousands of millions innocent people :D

read the f..ng manual (real statistics)

[nurz33]

People need a hero and propagandas always work in every country. Stalin is a lot worse than Hitler I think :(

[TH7596]

@havee3333333 75% of the people in American jails are from other countries.

[TheSylq]

we all wait you ТОВАРИЩ Сталин !!!