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Statue of Joseph Stalin

The Statue of Joseph Stalin was a 4.8-meter bronze monument by Soviet sculptor Nikolai Tomsky. It stood on Stalinallee, now Karl-Marx-Allee, in the Soviet sector of Berlin from 1951 to 1961. Unveiled by Walter Ulbricht in Friedrichshain, it faced the Deutsche Sporthalle and became a site for official ceremonies. After the start of de-Stalinization, East German authorities secretly dismantled it on the night of 13 to 14 November 1961 and replaced the site with green space. The sculpture’s fate is uncertain, though a legend says its bronze was melted down to make figures for the Berlin Zoo.

Statue of Joseph Stalin on a stone pedestal, flanked by two armed guards and decorated with flowers.
The statue of Joseph Stalin stands on a pedestal in a public square, with guards at the base and floral tributes nearby.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
A tall statue of Joseph Stalin stands on a multi-tiered pedestal in a public square, with several men walking in the foreground.
Joseph Stalin statue on a raised pedestal in a public square, with buildings and trees in the background.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
A statue of Joseph Stalin stands near a ceremonial parade with uniformed marchers, flags, and spectators on a raised platform.
A statue of Joseph Stalin overlooks a ceremonial parade with uniformed marchers and dignitaries in attendance.
© Unknown authorUnknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Floral wreaths and ribbons placed beside the Stalin monument, with a woman and child standing nearby.
Wreaths and floral tributes beside the Stalin monument in Berlin, observed by a woman and child.
© Schaar-Junge · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
A large Stalin monument plinth stands in a broad square beside an avenue lined with crowds and administrative buildings.
The Stalin monument stands in a broad Berlin square during a large public gathering along Stalinallee.
© Klein · CC BY-SA 3.0 de

Identification

TitleStatue of Joseph Stalin
Typebronze statue
SubjectJoseph Stalin
Alternative titleBerliner Stalindenkmal

Creator

ArtistNikolai Tomsky; attribution is disputed, with Grigory Postnikov and Sergey Merkurov also proposed
SignatureUnsigned

Discovery and provenance

Presented byA Komsomol delegation
Presented toThe East Berlin government
Presentation occasionThe Third World Festival of Youth and Students
Paid for byThe DDR government
TransportTransported to East Germany by air
AcquiredAcquired in the Soviet Union in July 1951 by Walter Ulbricht with Rudolf Appelt

History and restoration

Use at siteBecame a site for official ceremonies, rallies, demonstrations, and a funeral march in 1953
Unveiled3 August 1951 by Walter Ulbricht
Attendees at unveilingWilhelm Pieck and Otto Grotewohl
Historical contextIt formed part of the Stalin cult in East Germany; Stalin monuments were generally removed during de-Stalinization, and in 1961 all other Stalin monuments in the GDR were also removed
Reuse of materialThe bronze was reportedly used to make bronze figures for the Berlin Zoo
FateThe statue was destroyed; reports say the bronze was smashed or melted down and recycled
Street renaming after removalThe section of Stalinallee from Alexanderplatz to Frankfurter Tor was renamed Karl-Marx-Allee
After removalThe site was turned into a green area
RemovalDiscreetly removed by East German authorities in a clandestine overnight operation on the night of 14 November 1961, along with street signs for Stalinallee
Damage during 1953 unrestDuring the 17 June 1953 uprising it was pelted with stones but was not damaged
Mourning after Stalin's deathOn 9 March 1953, flowers were laid, flags were draped with black crepe or flown at half-mast, and minutes of silence were held in schools

Physical characteristics

Uniform and insigniaWearing a uniform with medals and the Order of the Hero of Socialist Labour
Depicted rankMarshal of the Soviet Union
PoseTypical military pose, with the right hand tucked under the button placket and the left hand holding a scroll
Pedestal baseMasonry platform
Pedestal materialDisputed: marble, concrete, or sandstone
Pedestal shapeSlightly conical
Pedestal heightAbout 3 meters
Height4.8 meters

Materials

MaterialBronze

Iconography and meaning

Scroll meaningInterpreted as identifying Stalin as a planner of large-scale communist construction projects or as a constitution maker

Location and ownership

Original locationStalinallee in East Berlin, Friedrichshain district, between Andreasstraße and Koppenstraße, opposite the German Sports Hall
Street contextStalinallee, formerly Große Frankfurter Straße, later renamed Karl-Marx-Allee
CityBerlin
CountryGerman Democratic Republic
Placement contextSet on a newly designed boulevard under construction, in an open area between the B-Süd and C-Süd apartment blocks with a sparse pine grove nearby
Intended relocationPlanned to be moved to Strausberger Platz once that square was ready, but it remained at its original location

Significance

SignificanceA symbol of Stalinist state propaganda and of Stalinallee as a showcase avenue for the 1951 World Festival of Youth and Students