After ruling for many years, the graves of some dictators who created historical controversies are still visited. Some graves are visited during official ceremonies, while others are secretly visited by family members and supporters.
Modern.az has conducted research on the fate of the graves of dictators who went down in history with their multi-year reigns and tragic ends.
Leaders whose graves are officially protected and visited
Kim Il Sung (North Korea): The founder of North Korea does not have an official grave, but the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun (Pyongyang) is visited annually by thousands of North Koreans as part of state events. This complex is preserved as both an ideological and national symbol.
Lenin (Russia) - The tomb of Lenin, leader of the proletarian revolution, is located in the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow (Red Square-ed), with his skeleton preserved in a special glass sarcophagus. The tomb is visited annually by millions of tourists and local citizens. Although it was a center for ideological teachings during the Soviet era, it still holds great importance for Russian history and tourism today.
Its symbolic significance is as follows: a symbol of Communism and Soviet heritage, as well as global recognition as a historical figure.
Francisco Franco (Spain): Franco's first tomb was in the Valley of the Fallen mausoleum. In 2019, it was moved to a family cemetery near Madrid. It is mainly visited by family members and political supporters.
Fidel Castro (Cuba): Castro, who was the leader of Cuba for many years, is buried in Santiago de Cuba. Commemoration ceremonies are held annually by his supporters, and these ceremonies carry both national and ideological messages.
Benito Mussolini (Italy): Mussolini's tomb is located in Predappio, Italy. It is visited annually by neo-fascist groups; it is not widely open to the public, but it preserves its historical symbolic significance.
Stalin (Russia): Stalin, one of history's bloodiest dictators, was buried in the Moscow Kremlin Wall Necropolis upon his death in 1953. He was initially placed in the Lenin Mausoleum, then his grave was moved to a separate location in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis. Although there were visitors to the grave at various times, mass visits decreased in the post-Soviet period. Visits are now mostly carried out by historians, researchers, and those interested.
Its symbolic significance is as follows: it remains a symbol associated with Soviet dictatorship, repression, and the history of World War II; a politically controversial figure.
However, not all dictators' graves have been well preserved. Some graves have either been completely removed or placed in an insignificant location.
Leader without a grave: Muammar Gaddafi
After Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed in 2011, his p was displayed in Misrata for several days. Subsequently, it was reported that he was buried in a completely secret location in the desert. Gaddafi has no official grave, and his burial place has not been disclosed.
The main purpose of this decision was to prevent his grave from becoming a shrine or a political symbol. For the Libyan authorities, Gaddafi was considered a threat even in death. The Gaddafi regime was characterized by political repression, suppression of free media, and armed crackdowns.
Destroyed grave: Saddam Hussein
Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was buried in his birthplace, the village of Al-Awja, after his execution in 2006. For a period, his grave was visited by his supporters.
However, during the battles with ISIS in 2014, the grave was destroyed, and the remains were moved to an unknown location. Thus, Saddam's grave was effectively erased from history as it became a political risk. The dictator is known to be responsible for chemical weapon attacks, internal repression, and the deaths of millions of people.
Dictator who died in exile and was forgotten: Idi Amin
Former Ugandan leader Idi Amin died in exile in Saudi Arabia in 2003. He was buried in a simple cemetery in Jeddah. His grave is neither visited nor officially commemorated. Idi Amin murdered between 300,000 and 500,000 people and pursued a policy of ethnic cleansing.
Hafez al-Assad
Former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad passed away in 2000. He was buried in a mausoleum in the village of Qardaha, Latakia province. When Bashar al-Assad was in power, his grave was protected by the state and visited by regime supporters. Now, a new government has been formed in Syria. In this situation, the fate of the grave is questionable. The bloody suppression of the Hama uprising and the elimination of political opponents are the main actions for which he is remembered.
Hosni Mubarak
Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak passed away in 2020. He was buried in a family cemetery in the Heliopolis district of Cairo. The grave has not become a shrine and is under strict security surveillance.
The Egyptian authorities neither glorify nor condemn Mubarak. However, he is remembered for actions such as authoritarian rule, repression, and the forceful suppression of protests.
Grave handed over to history: Nicolae Ceaușescu
Former Romanian leader Ceaușescu was executed in 1989. He was buried in Ghencea Cemetery in Bucharest. For many years, whether the grave belonged to him was disputed and was only confirmed by DNA testing. The grave neither holds official status nor is it protected. It is only visited by a small number of people with nostalgic feelings.
The world knows him for his totalitarian police regime, torture, famine, and economic failures.
Degraded grave: Pol Pot
Pol Pot, the leader of the "Khmer Rouge" in Cambodia, was buried in a simple, neglected place near the Thai border. The grave is neither protected nor commemorated. This is not accidental. Because Pol Pot caused the murder of 1.7–2 million people and is remembered for forced collectivization and creating famine.
Grave with limited visits: Slobodan Milošević
Former Serbian President Slobodan Milošević died in The Hague prison in 2006. He was buried in the courtyard of his family home in his hometown of Požarevac. The grave is not recognized by the state and is only visited by his supporters, being a subject of political controversy.
Suharto
Suharto, the authoritarian leader who served as President of Indonesia for many years, was buried in Karet Cemetery (Jakarta). His grave does not attract a special flow of visitors; it is mainly visited by family members and some Indonesian citizens. Politically, as he is also a historically controversial figure, his grave is not a focal point for a large number of tourists or political visitors.
