Introduction

The 'Hitler vs. Stalin' meme features a visual representation of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin in combat, often humorously edited to include references from popular culture.

Background

The 'Hitler vs. Stalin' meme emerged from an artwork depicting the two historical figures engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Initially utilized as an object labeling meme in January 2019, it gained traction on Reddit later that year.

How It Began

The origins trace back to December 28, 2016, when DeviantArt user DaniART90 (Daniar Joldoshbekov) posted a dramatic artwork featuring Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin in a combat scenario. This piece garnered over 2,000 views on DeviantArt and received some attention on Twitter over the next three years. On January 6, 2019, an edited version of this artwork appeared online, integrating elements from the anime Naruto, notably the Chidori and Rasengan chakra spheres. This version was shared by Twitter user @Xion_Sempai, amassing more than 30 retweets and 70 likes shortly thereafter.

Meme Evolution

The meme's popularity surged rapidly following its initial posting. It was widely reposted across Twitter and various subreddits, including /r/pewdiepiesubmissions, /r/fakehistoryporn, and /r/memeeconomy. On January 9, 2019, Redditor jango671 posted the earliest known object-labeling meme inspired by the artwork. By January 21, another Reddit user, RedRiki24, contributed a similar meme to /r/dankmemes, which received over 14,200 upvotes within six months. The image was repurposed again on June 19, 2019, by Redditor conschtructor, creating a new meme series that achieved over 53,600 upvotes within a week. The image saw a resurgence on September 24, 2019, when Redditor D3Rpy_Un1c0Rn107 posted a meme that gained over 24,500 upvotes in three days, further solidifying its status in meme culture.