# Did Hitler have a worse moustache than Stalin? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 8, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448 "2013-11-08T20:17:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/1 "2013-11-08T20:17:42Z")
Hitler’s mousatache has certainly got a bad rap since the war – in fact, having a “Hitler moustache” seems to have negative connotations for the wearer of it. [Even cats are mocked if they have a Hitler moustache](http://catsthatlooklikehitler.com). Nobody cares about cats with Stalin moustaches. So, whose was worse? Me, I think Hitler’s was better, in a purely functional sense. It was basically a straight bar, while Stalin’s had the handlebar things that look considerably harder to maintain. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/2 "2013-11-08T20:24:45Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Hitler’s was better, in a purely functional sense. Apparently, [he knew this firsthand](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1550768/Hitler-was-ordered-to-trim-his-moustache.html). ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/3 "2013-11-08T20:34:36Z")
Well, it’s just such a distinctive style. Stalin’s is, more or less, “big bushy mustache” of the sort favored by men who like big bushy mustaches since time immemorial. The toothbrush 'stache, though… it’s basically Hitler and Charlie Chaplin. I will say, though–that Stalin was a [handsome devil](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Stalin_1902.jpg) when he was a young man (and, perhaps not coincidentally, unmustachio’d). ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/4 "2013-11-08T21:00:46Z")
Yeah, Hitler had the better mustache, if only because he had a leg up in any Charlie Chaplin costume - for Halloween, or parties, or contests - whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/5 "2013-11-08T21:19:36Z")
Hitler had a toothbrush mustache. Oliver Hardy had one too, as did Max Fleischer and George Orwell. Wiki says: “It was a neat, uniform, low-maintenance style that echoed the standardization and uniformity brought on by industrialization, in contrast to the more flamboyant moustaches typical of the 19th century such as the Imperial, Walrus, Handlebar, Horseshoe, Pencil and Fantastico moustache.” ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/6 "2013-11-08T21:28:32Z")
Wasn’t that what the war was about? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/7 "2013-11-08T21:51:39Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Wasn’t that what the war was about? Yes, but no one wanted to admit it. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/8 "2013-11-09T00:17:25Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > I will say, though–that Stalin was a [handsome devil](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Stalin_1902.jpg) when he was a young man (and, perhaps not coincidentally, unmustachio’d). Holy crap. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/9 "2013-11-09T00:19:42Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > [handsome devil](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Stalin_1902.jpg) when he was a young man (and, perhaps not coincidentally, unmustachio’d). Well, Hitler wasn’t chopped liver. [http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&rlz=1T4AURU\_enUS498US502&biw=1680&bih=807&tbm=isch&tbnid=gvWpmESi\_PiSNM:&imgrefurl=http://canaryinthecoalmine.typepad.com/my-blog/2011/06/the-seeds-of-hitlers-hatred-infamous-1919-genocide-letter-unveiled-to-the-public.html&docid=Hch3dExb9NnTPM&imgurl=http://canaryinthecoalmine.typepad.com/.a/6a013487f321e0970c015432df686d970c-pi&w=307&h=409&ei=In99Uub6D4qgkQfz84GoDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=250&page=2&tbnh=142&tbnw=107&start=50&ndsp=63&ved=1t:429,r:54,s:0,i:256&tx=47&ty=102](http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&rlz=1T4AURU_enUS498US502&biw=1680&bih=807&tbm=isch&tbnid=gvWpmESi_PiSNM:&imgrefurl=http://canaryinthecoalmine.typepad.com/my-blog/2011/06/the-seeds-of-hitlers-hatred-infamous-1919-genocide-letter-unveiled-to-the-public.html&docid=Hch3dExb9NnTPM&imgurl=http://canaryinthecoalmine.typepad.com/.a/6a013487f321e0970c015432df686d970c-pi&w=307&h=409&ei=In99Uub6D4qgkQfz84GoDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=250&page=2&tbnh=142&tbnw=107&start=50&ndsp=63&ved=1t:429,r:54,s:0,i:256&tx=47&ty=102) But, Uncle Joe does beat him, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/10 "2013-11-09T00:20:43Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Yeah, Hitler had the better mustache, if only because he had a leg up in any Charlie Chaplin costume - for Halloween, or parties, or contests - whatever. He was also a great painter… ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/11 "2013-11-10T23:05:42Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > He was also a great painter… - Hitler… there was a painter! He could paint an entire apartment in ONE afternoon! TWO coats!\* - Franz Liebkind ---
**Author:** ![SerafinaPekala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SerafinaPekala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SerafinaPekala)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/12 "2013-11-11T01:31:57Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > I will say, though–that Stalin was a [handsome devil](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Stalin_1902.jpg) when he was a young man (and, perhaps not coincidentally, unmustachio’d). Uncle Joe was quite the fashion plate wasnt he. Wut a hawtie! ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/13 "2013-11-11T02:45:16Z")
Stalin had small pox as a child, and was insecure about his appearance. That photo (I think it’s a mugshot) was probably air-brushed later. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/14 "2013-11-11T13:12:20Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > - > > Hitler… there was a painter! He could paint an entire apartment in ONE afternoon! TWO coats!\* - Franz Liebkind Thank YOU, **gaffa**! ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/15 "2013-11-26T00:11:15Z")
> [@SerafinaPekala](#): > > Uncle Joe was quite the fashion plate wasnt he. Wut a hawtie! Hmmm… perhaps we should have noticed the Rachel Ray terrorist wrap earlier [http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=ce270d38103a630c3181db372a25a052&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fboards.straightdope.com%2Fsdmb%2Fshowthread.php%3Fp%3D16837857%23post16837857&v=1&libId=c3bf1f8a-548b-45ea-a96b-69dcf30a0373&out=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2F6%2F6e%2FStalin\_1902.jpg&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fboards.straightdope.com%2Fsdmb%2Fsearch.php%3Fsearchid%3D10435943&title=Did%20Hitler%20have%20a%20worse%20moustache%20than%20Stalin%3F%20-%20Straight%20Dope%20Message%20Board&txt=handsome%20devil&jsonp=vglnk\_jsonp\_13854247850936](http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=ce270d38103a630c3181db372a25a052&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fboards.straightdope.com%2Fsdmb%2Fshowthread.php%3Fp%3D16837857%23post16837857&v=1&libId=c3bf1f8a-548b-45ea-a96b-69dcf30a0373&out=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2F6%2F6e%2FStalin_1902.jpg&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fboards.straightdope.com%2Fsdmb%2Fsearch.php%3Fsearchid%3D10435943&title=Did%20Hitler%20have%20a%20worse%20moustache%20than%20Stalin%3F%20-%20Straight%20Dope%20Message%20Board&txt=handsome%20devil&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13854247850936). Maybe could have avoided a lot of trouble. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/16 "2013-11-26T00:21:00Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > Well, Hitler wasn’t chopped liver. [http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&rlz=1T4AURU\_enUS498US502&biw=1680&bih=807&tbm=isch&tbnid=gvWpmESi\_PiSNM:&imgrefurl=http://canaryinthecoalmine.typepad.com/my-blog/2011/06/the-seeds-of-hitlers-hatred-infamous-1919-genocide-letter-unveiled-to-the-public.html&docid=Hch3dExb9NnTPM&imgurl=http://canaryinthecoalmine.typepad.com/.a/6a013487f321e0970c015432df686d970c-pi&w=307&h=409&ei=In99Uub6D4qgkQfz84GoDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=250&page=2&tbnh=142&tbnw=107&start=50&ndsp=63&ved=1t:429,r:54,s:0,i:256&tx=47&ty=102](http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&rlz=1T4AURU_enUS498US502&biw=1680&bih=807&tbm=isch&tbnid=gvWpmESi_PiSNM:&imgrefurl=http://canaryinthecoalmine.typepad.com/my-blog/2011/06/the-seeds-of-hitlers-hatred-infamous-1919-genocide-letter-unveiled-to-the-public.html&docid=Hch3dExb9NnTPM&imgurl=http://canaryinthecoalmine.typepad.com/.a/6a013487f321e0970c015432df686d970c-pi&w=307&h=409&ei=In99Uub6D4qgkQfz84GoDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=250&page=2&tbnh=142&tbnw=107&start=50&ndsp=63&ved=1t:429,r:54,s:0,i:256&tx=47&ty=102) > But, Uncle Joe does beat him, IMHO. No, that is chopped liver. I bet every girl that met him wondered if they were gonna end up tied to a railroad track going by that greasy pic. Hitler’s mustache was briefly fashionable but I think we are talking Flock of Seagulls hairdo, style wise. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/17 "2013-11-26T00:56:21Z")
Stalin’s mustache was GLORIOUS! [![](http://s3.timetoast.com/public/uploads/photos/1909008/joseph-stalin-1.jpeg?1320775024) ](http://s3.timetoast.com/public/uploads/photos/1909008/joseph-stalin-1.jpeg?1320775024) As for the young Stalin…Ah’ll be in mah bunk. Feeling really guilty, but DAYUM! ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/18 "2013-11-26T01:26:34Z")
Instead of Hitler VS Stalin, how about Friedrich Nietzsche VS Salvador Dali? Now there’s a moustache fight. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-hitler-have-a-worse-moustache-than-stalin/673448/19 "2013-11-26T15:08:06Z")
Some of them US Civil War Generals had truly epic facial hair. [sample](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ambrose_Burnside2.jpg) Although, most of those seemed wild and untamed growths… [another sample](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alpheus_S._Williams.jpg)