Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin December 1878 , Gori, Tiflis province, Russian Empire — 5 March 1953, near dacha, Volyn, Kuntsevo district, Moscow region, RSFSR, USSR) — Russian revolutionary, Soviet political, state, military and party leader. From January 21, 1924 to March 5, 1953-head of the Soviet state . Marshal of the Soviet Union . Generalissimo of the Soviet Union .

In 1895, at the age of 15, he joined the underground revolutionary movement. He led the propaganda of Marxism among seminarians and workers. In 1900 he first participated in the organization of strikes and protests of workers. In 1901 he joined the RSDLP, after the split joined the Bolsheviks. In 1904 he became one of the main organizers of the great Baku strike, which resulted in the conclusion of the first collective agreement in the Russian Empire between the strikers