Hitler Pond to Judas Creek: A Brief History of Controversial Place Names

If some Russians have their way, the city of Volgograd would soon revert to the name it carried from 1925 to 1961: Stalingrad. While many Russians still remember Joseph Stalin as a vicious tyrant, others recognize his importance to the country and are willing to consider the change in honor of the victorious Battle of Stalingrad, which is approaching its 70th anniversary. According to Russian news site RT, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov approves of the shift because, after all, the world is filled with "streets, squares, and boulevards" that still bear Stalin's name.

The news got us thinking about other places in the world named for — or carrying the unfortunately same name as — controversial historical figures. Let's stick with Stalin for a moment. Zyuganov is right to say that some places still pay homage to either the battle or the man. The most notable site, at least outside the former Soviet bloc, is the Stalingrad station of the Paris Metro. However most places made a change sooner or later; the Canadian township of Hansen, in the city of Killarney, finally approved ditching its Stalin name in 1986.