| 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 |
