I read this line about Stalin on this web page, Despots Aloft, that Kai had posted in another thread. I was not aware that Stalin had a problem with his arm. Is this new to anyone else and does anyone have any further sources that also claim the same ailment? Which arm was it and what caused the problem?
Some sources say it was during childhood he got it due to accident, some say during birth. If it was birth it could be Erb´s palsy, also something William II ( German emperor ) suffered. William II, German Emperor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Erb's palsy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Kids health info for parents : Obstetric brachial plexus palsy (Erb's palsy)
Browsing through the Internet one discovers that Stalin's left-arm problem was caused by smallpox, beatings from prison guards in Siberia, beatings from his own father in childhood, blood-poisoning, accident, take your pick.
I read the first half of Young Stalin, by Simon Sebag Montefiore, and the origins of Stalin's injury are unclear. It is most commonly believed to come from a carriage accident.
I knew Hitler had parkinson's disease and syphillis but I never heard too much about Stalin's health...intersting subject though.
General Juin had also a problem with his right arm, he couldn't sue it because of an injury in world war I. William II seemed to have problems with his arm because of his birth,and some people sys he had mental problem because of this.
Stalin's arms were apparently of significantly different length. He adopted a variety of strategies to hide this fact, often tucking one hand into a pocket, keeping one hand inside his vest or keeping both arms folded on his lap, he was almost never seen walking with ar, down by his sides. Photos and drawing would of course be edited to show a perfect version of him. I'd imagine anyone that drew/photographed/painted Stalin with a shortened arm wold be sent to a gulag along with his family.
That's correct, you can hardly find a photo of Stalin with the pockmarked skin showing. It was he same with Gorbachev, until Glasnost all pics of this benign character's forehead birthmark were airbrushed, now imagine Stalin. I'd say in the Soviet Union, well, over the entire Iron Curtain airbrush artists had an assured job.
No proof for Hitler syphillus, just rumours 'substantiated' by other rumours.. Doctor Morrell WAS a "VD" specialist, but he was also a quack, dispensing his own designer drugs both orally and injections. If Syph was a problem, Hitler and Eva would have had no sex life at all, which is patently NOT the case. The Allies were trying to explain the health of Adolf Hitler in the worst terms possible, but many rumours wewre spread by former associates who were out of favour, (Like Otto Strasser, or the Hanfestegel's). Long and hard did Allied military intelligence turn over various stones to turn up something in the "syphilitic moronitis" category. Morell was brought in to help cure "Bloating and stomach cramps". Mussolini's enemies maintained that he had syph, too, but I ask you, would he have been as sexually active for so long with many partners without at least one of those partners spreading the word? No proof for Mussolini either. It's rather like the schoolboy song in England, talking of "Poor old Goeb-balls had no balls at all." It's just wartime popular propaganda thats gotten out of hand.
Wilhelm's arm was 3" shorter than the other one, and the fingers were paralyzed, according to Kenneth Massie. I peg him as a classic ADHD type. He once sketched the design for a battlecruiser on a napkin during a dinner. He was moody, volatile, and Bethmann-Holweg said he could tell what he was thinking by whom he had spoken with last.
I am not a fan of Stalin, but I think it was a unique person. These are not born often. Apparently, it is good . Here, an article about Stalin (in Russian language). http://www.gazeta.lv/story/12625.html Quite interestingly, considering that Stalin and his followers have thoroughly cleaned the archives.
