Stalin had Grigory Zinoviev, one of the most prominent old Bolsheviks, killed after a show trial, along with Lev Kamenev. He then enjoyed a comedy skit mocking his last moments that made Stalin "sick with merriment." 
In the Stalinist terror, people lived or died based on the leader's whims. Running into him on accident could result in arrest, as when he admired his neighbor's roses and she was picked up that night. He liked to reassure victims, then arrest them.
Stalin, perhaps the most radical leftist of the twentieth century, had Victorian sensibilities. Would be way too right wing on social issues for today's Republicans. From Court of the Red Tsar by @simonmontefiore
@simonmontefiore One "terrifying crone" who wrote letters to Stalin denouncing "enemies of the people" was responsible for as many as 8,000 deaths.
@simonmontefiore Communists having a particularly good time destroying Bukharin. At the same plenum, Khrushchev was denounced as a secret "Pole" but Stalin let it slide.
@simonmontefiore Stalin executed the wife of his top aide, Poskrebyshev, and then asked about the daughter, helping her with her math homework. Beria was somehow worse.
@simonmontefiore That one time a 40-year old screenwriter tried to seduce Stalin's daughter during the Second World War...
@simonmontefiore Stalin: Let's shoot all the German generals. Churchill: Not cool, man. Stalin: Lol, j/k, let's laugh at Molotov.
