- Title: Stalin's birth town marks Soviet dictator's 140th birthday
- Date: 21st December 2018
- Summary: MAN HOLDING STALIN PORTRAIT
- Embargoed: 4th January 2019 13:09
- Keywords: Joseph Stalin Soviet dictator Georgian Stalinists Stalin museum Stalin native town Stalin native town Gori
- Location: GORI AND TBILISI, GEORGIA
- City: GORI AND TBILISI, GEORGIA
- Country: Georgia
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0029BW2721
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Residents of Stalin's hometown in Gori as well as admirers from abroad celebrated the 140th anniversary of the Soviet dictator's birth with a gathering and a procession on Friday (December 21).
Dozens of Stalinists gathered outside a Stalin museum in Gori with red flags and banners and afterwards marched to the central square of the town where until a few years ago a monument to Stalin used to stand. But the 6-metre-high bronze figure was removed in 2010.
On Thursday (December 20) a big Stalin admirer, "Stalin" association chairman Grisha Oniani showed Reuters his collection picturing the Soviet leader.
Oniani says he gathered such a collection dedicated to Stalin because of love for his teaching.
He told Reuters nothing better than Stalinism had been created on Earth, because Stalinism was based on idea of social equality.
Widely reviled as a dictator responsible for millions of deaths, Stalin is held up as a hero by supporters across the former Soviet Union who say the country could not have defeated Nazi Germany or become a superpower without his leadership.
More than six decades after his death, Stalin's legacy remains the subject of bitter debate and broad interpretation in Russia, where many still believe he did some good for the country.
Support for Stalin has risen since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 gutted the social safety net, damaged national pride and left many Russians longing for the perceived order and stability of the Communist era. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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