MOSCOW — The last public statue of Josef Stalin in Moscow stands forlornly in a postmodern graveyard of Communist-era monuments here, missing part of his nose.
But more than 500 miles away, in the city once known as Stalingrad, the infamous Soviet leader is getting more respect.
Authorities in Volgograd are planning to unveil a statue of Stalin next week as Russia celebrates the 60th anniversary of its victory over Nazi Germany. The dictator's supporters see it simply as proper recognition of the key role he played in World War II.
To critics, however, the move reflects an ominous and growing infatuation with a tyrant many Russians revere as a symbol of strength -- never mind that he killed millions of his own citizens.
"Stalin's return to the pedestal.... would signify the political rehabilitation of one of the bloodiest dictators in modern history," said Memorial, a Russian human rights organization, of the plans for the monument of Stalin and other wartime leaders in Volgograd, where one of the most critical battles of the war was fought.
Despite fierce criticism from Russia's small number of pro-democracy activists, Stalin seems to have the upper hand as the Kremlin gears up for three days of high-profile international events marking the anniversary of the May 8, 1945, Allied victory in Europe. One of Stalin's famous quotes from the war -- "Our cause is just. Victory will be ours" -- is featured prominently on posters for the celebrations.
At the Reading City Bookstore, a window display is filled with copies of "Stalin: Throne of Ice," a sympathetic account of the dictator. "Without Stalin, neither this Great Victory nor this country in general would have been possible," author Alexander Bushkov says. "Those were heroic times, and such people will never be born again."
The store carries about two dozen titles on Stalin, reflecting the sharp increase in interest over the last year, said Olga Panina, 24, a sales clerk.
"It's our history. We can't change it or get away from it," she said. "During the war, our grandmothers and grandfathers were fighting and dying with the name of Stalin on their lips.
"I don't think we can whitewash Stalin," she added. "On the other hand ... we should remember that we are all human, and it's in human nature to make mistakes. Some make small mistakes, and some make huge mistakes."
