This is probably not what he imagined when he commissioned all those paintings and sculptures of himself.

• The Hungarian government is auctioning off a bunch of Lenin memorabilia to help pay for cleanup of the massive wave of toxic waste that flooded Budapest this October.
• Ads for the auction featured a picture of Lenin being struck on the head by the hammer from the communist hammer-and-sickle logo, along with the words “Never Again.”
• Some bourgeois bidders are just picking up kitschy decoration for their homes, but others appear to be having a little communist-bloc nostalgia (see quote below).

Facts & Figures

• Communism collapsed in Hungary more than 20 years ago
• A small ceramic bust of Lenin sold to a 22-year-old for $1,000
• The auction was held at a former warehouse of the Hungarian secret police

Best Quote

“When I was young, I didn’t really look deeply into the faults of the system. I lived a calm, secure life where bread cost 3.5 forints and everyone had a job.” – Gyorgy Torok, a real-estate entrepreneur struggling in the current economic climate