Diktaturen im 20. Jahrhundert II

Lenin, the founder of the Soviet Union, died on 21 January 1924. This was a tragedy for the Communist world. For Stalin, however, it was an unhoped-for piece of luck. Now the way to absolute power was open to him. Stalin had arranged for the disappearance of Lenin’s testament, which contained severe criticism of him. This message was stifled by the fanfare that accompanied Lenin’s coffin and the powerful eloquence of Stalin’s speeches. He at once allowed his notions of the Lenin Cult to flourish in the hope of reaping the profits from the glorification as his pupil and favourite. At that time, almost no one was afraid of Stalin yet. Nobody had an inkling that in the not-too-distant future the surly Georgian would establish a bloody, cruel and dreaded reign of terror.