Cult Of Stalin

1.Origins of the Cult - 1924/1929

• Marxist-Lenisms
• After Lenin's death - Stalin made himself appear as a hardworking man of moderation
• displayed as a disciple + servant of the party 
• "Stalin is the Lenin of today" 
• Tsaritsyn renamed to 'Stalingrad'

2. Cult Underway - 1929/33

• for his 50th birthday he received greetings from organisations which didn't even exist
• portrayed as Lenin's faithful pupil
• Length of applause got longer -> people were scared to be the first one to stop
  
• Portraits of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin appeared on special occasions - he was next in line

3. Cult fully established - 1933/39

• Stalin's image is used to reasure people they've got a strong leader - helped them get through the Great Terror
• he published 'History of the All-Union Communist Party' (1938) - History was interpreted in Stalin's favour
• 'all-powerful leader'

4. Height of the Cult - Post 1945

• his image was seen everywhere
• portraits of him now show him as God-like solitude, superior
• 70th birthday - extreme - continued on for 3 years (1949-1951) everyday with greetings/galas
• childhood home became a shrine/holy