Noiser
Joseph Stalin Once Robbed a Bank — Yes, Really
Play Real Dictators Joseph Stalin Part 1: The Young Bank Robber
Before he became a dictator, a young Joseph Stalin led a daring heist that shocked the Russian Empire.
This audacious robbery in Tiflis funnelled a fortune into Bolshevik coffers, setting the stage for revolution. Discover how a future tyrant's criminal escapade helped shape the course of history.
On June 13th, 1907, just before midday, two carriages made their way down a street in Tiflis (now Tbilisi), the capital of Georgia. In one sat a cashier from a bank. The other was filled with armed police and guards. The tension in the air was thick, and for good reason. They were transporting a lot of money—over a million rubles.
Watching from a distance was Iosif Dzhugashvili (soon to become Joseph Stalin following a rebrand). As a seasoned bank robber, Iosif had a gang of thieves to call upon for help. He would need every last one of them; in theory, the heist was daring. In practice, surely nearly impossible. But, like most things in Iosif’s life, he had his eyes set on the biggest prize. And also, like most things in his life, nothing was left to chance. Lookouts were posted along the route, waiting and watching from the cobbled streets and the roofs of taverns.
When the carriages pulled into the main square, the robbers lurched into action. They hurled hand grenades towards the bankers. A horrific scene unfolded. Deafening blasts rang out. Black smoke spiralled into the sky. Soon, animals and men alike lay dead or bleeding in the street.
Seizing the initiative, one of Stalin’s best men rode into the square on his horse, trailing a carriage behind it. With help, he loaded the loot into it and hurried away. The attack happened in the blink of an eye. Six people were killed. Forty more were injured. None of the gangsters suffered any form of injury whatsoever.
The money was eventually smuggled out of Georgia, sewn inside a mattress, and sent across the border to support the Communist cause. Lenin was deeply impressed by young Iosif's fortitude and planning—attributes that would serve Stalin well in the years to come.
This daring heist marked a pivotal moment in Stalin's rise to power. It helped not only to fund the Bolshevik revolution but also cemented Stalin's reputation as a cunning and ruthless operator. The Tiflis bank robbery stands as a chilling precursor to the calculated brutality that would define Stalin's regime.