20 Mind-Blowing Facts About Joseph Stalin

1. He Wasn't Even Russian

Yep, despite being one of Mother Russia's most famous political figures and, arguably, the man most responsible for the shape of the country over the last 100 years, Joseph Stalin wasn't actually a native of the country. Instead, his humble and impoverished beginnings were in Georgia, one of Russia's neighbours. His family moved there early in his life and thus his love affair with politics and Marxism began.

He still had a profound impact on his native land though, being a key player in imposing Vladimir Lenin's communist movement in Georgia. However the true story of his origins lies buried beneath that of his crimes and actions.