Josef Stalin and Georgia

Three years ago, this 6-meter high bronze statue of Josef Stalin, the Soviet dictator, was removed from the central square of Gori, Georgia, his birthplace, and moved to this unroofed shed. (Vera Undritz for VOA)

1 Three years ago, this 6-meter high bronze statue of Josef Stalin, the Soviet dictator, was removed from the central square of Gori, Georgia, his birthplace, and moved to this unroofed shed. (Vera Undritz for VOA)

A smaller Stalin statue stands outside the Italianate palazzo that opened in 1957 as a memorial museum for Georgia's native son, Iosif Dzhugashvili, better known as Stalin. (Vera Undritz for VOA)

2 A smaller Stalin statue stands outside the Italianate palazzo that opened in 1957 as a memorial museum for Georgia's native son, Iosif Dzhugashvili, better known as Stalin. (Vera Undritz for VOA)

This Greco-Italianate pavilion enshrines a humble brick house, where Stalin spent the first four years of his life. The family rented one room. (Vera Undritz for VOA)

3 This Greco-Italianate pavilion enshrines a humble brick house, where Stalin spent the first four years of his life. The family rented one room. (Vera Undritz for VOA)

Ketino Akhobadze, the Stalin Museum Curator, has worked there since 1978 and has never seen such a flow of foreign tourists as today. (Vera Undritz for VOA)

4 Ketino Akhobadze, the Stalin Museum Curator, has worked there since 1978 and has never seen such a flow of foreign tourists as today. (Vera Undritz for VOA)

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Josef Stalin and Georgia