15 Dictators With Strange Hobbies

Here's a look at 15 dictators whose surprising hobbies revealed the strange and often human quirks behind their authoritarian facades.

Alyana Aguja
October 30, 2025
4 min read

15 Dictators With Strange Hobbies — Diane Picchiottino from Unsplash

Dictators are often remembered only for their cruelty, yet many had unusual hobbies that revealed hidden aspects of their personalities. From Hitler’s painting and Stalin’s poetry to Kim Jong-un’s basketball obsession, these pastimes show the odd contradictions between private interests and public brutality.

1. 1. Adolf Hitler – Painting Landscapes

Before rising to power, Hitler pursued painting and even applied to art school, where he was rejected twice. He often painted postcards and architectural scenes, showing a surprising attention to detail. Even while leading Nazi Germany, he occasionally returned to his brushes, though his art was more a personal escape than a professional pursuit.

2. 2. Joseph Stalin – Writing Poetry

Stalin secretly enjoyed poetry, and in his youth, he published romantic verses in Georgian journals. His poems were full of imagery about nature and love, far removed from the brutality of his rule. Even as dictator, he kept this literary past quiet, perhaps knowing it clashed with his hardened public persona.

3. 3. Benito Mussolini – Acting and Violin Playing

Mussolini dabbled in the arts, once appearing in a silent film where he played a laborer. He also enjoyed playing the violin, which he took up as a boy. Despite his theatrical politics, his genuine love for performance and music revealed a softer side.

4. 4. Kim Jong-il – Film Collecting and Directing

North Korea’s Kim Jong-il had a vast movie collection of over 20,000 films. He even wrote books on cinema and once kidnapped a South Korean director to improve his country’s film industry. His obsession with movies showed how he blended entertainment with propaganda.

5. 5. Francisco Franco – Fishing and Hunting

Franco, Spain’s long-time dictator, spent much of his free time hunting and fishing. He particularly loved big game hunting and often staged elaborate expeditions. For him, these pursuits reinforced an image of control over both nature and his nation.

6. 6. Saddam Hussein – Writing Novels and Romance Stories

Saddam Hussein wrote several works of fiction, including historical allegories and romance novels. His books often portrayed heroic characters loosely modeled on himself. These literary attempts revealed his desire to craft his own myth through art.

7. 7. Muammar Gaddafi – Keeping Female Bodyguards

The Libyan leader had an unusual hobby of surrounding himself with an elite unit of female bodyguards, nicknamed the “Amazonian Guard.” He treated their presence as both a symbol of modernity and personal fascination. This eccentric choice blended political image with personal quirk.

8. 8. Nicolae Ceaușescu – Collecting Exotic Birds

Romania’s Ceaușescu kept a large private collection of rare birds. He was fascinated with their beauty and variety, often showing them off at his residences. The collection was another reflection of his desire for grandeur and excess.

9. 9. Enver Hoxha – Gardening and Orchids

Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha enjoyed tending to his garden and was particularly fond of orchids. He often spent hours cultivating plants, even while enforcing harsh policies on his people. His quiet pastime contrasted sharply with his oppressive rule.

10. 10. Idi Amin – Swimming and Crocodile Wrestling

Uganda’s Idi Amin was known for his love of swimming and even wrestling crocodiles. He enjoyed showing off his strength and fearlessness in these dangerous pursuits. These hobbies matched his public image as a daring, unpredictable leader.

11. 11. Saparmurat Niyazov – Writing Poetry and Building Monuments

The Turkmen dictator wrote nationalistic poetry and commissioned countless monuments in his honor. He even built a golden statue of himself that rotated to face the sun. His hobbies reflected both vanity and a desire to immortalize himself.

12. 12. Rafael Trujillo – Dancing and Horseback Riding

The Dominican Republic’s Trujillo was an enthusiastic dancer and often hosted lavish balls. He also loved horseback riding, frequently showing off his skill in parades. His hobbies fit with his flair for spectacle and showmanship.

13. 13. Kim Jong-un – Basketball Obsession

Kim Jong-un is famously obsessed with basketball, particularly the NBA and Michael Jordan. He even invited former NBA star Dennis Rodman to North Korea as a guest. His passion for the sport reflects both genuine enthusiasm and political theater.

14. 14. Pol Pot – Photography

Before becoming Cambodia’s brutal dictator, Pol Pot had a passion for photography. He enjoyed capturing scenes of daily life and nature. His hobby revealed a strangely ordinary interest in beauty, which starkly contrasted with his later atrocities.

15. 15. Ferdinand Marcos – Collecting Shoes (via Imelda’s Obsession)

Although it was his wife Imelda who became famous for her shoe collection, Ferdinand Marcos also indulged in unusual collecting habits. He encouraged Imelda’s extravagant tastes, making the shoe obsession a shared symbol of excess. Together, their hobbies reflected the couple’s detachment from the struggles of ordinary Filipinos.