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Kim Jong-un: Swiss cheese -

The leader of North Korea studied in Switzerland and developed an unusual fondness for a local specialty: Swiss cheese.

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Kim Jong-un: Swiss cheese -

According to reports, his weight gain was also attributed to his excessive consumption of Swiss cheese, which he imported in large quantities. Allegedly, he shed some pounds when the pandemic prompted border closures, making it harder to import his beloved cheese.

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Muammar Gaddafi: Condoleezza Rice -

What was the late Libyan leader's obsession? Was it power? Weapons? Money? Actually, it was a specific woman – former US Secretary of State and diplomat, Condoleezza Rice.

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Muammar Gaddafi: Condoleezza Rice -

Rice, who Gaddafi affectionately called his "beloved Black African woman," received gifts valued at US$212,000 during her visit to Libya. These gifts consisted of a lute, a ring, a locket containing Gaddafi's picture, and a personalized song titled "Black Flower in the White House."

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Enver Hoxha: bunkers -

The well-known Albanian communist leader had a strong fixation on defense, specifically on constructing defensive bunkers to safeguard the nation from potential invasions.

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Enver Hoxha: bunkers -

During Hoxha's reign, approximately 750,000 concrete bunkers were constructed, a number of which are now popular tourist destinations.

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Nicolae Ceaușescu: keeping his suits locked and safe -

The Romanian dictator had a strong fear of being killed. In particular, he believed that someone would try to poison his clothes in an assassination attempt.

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Nicolae Ceaușescu: keeping his suits locked and safe -

What measures did Ceaușescu take to prevent it, you ask? He stored a collection of suits in a secure repository and even hired an engineer to carefully examine his clothing for any possible dangers. Nicolae Ceaușescu would wear a fresh suit every day, only to have it subsequently incinerated. Just a cautious approach, you know, to be on the safe side!

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Adolf Hitler: Karl May's American Western novels -

Adolf Hitler was not only fascinated by the occult but also had a fondness for the works of 19th-century German author Karl May, specifically his Western novels.

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Adolf Hitler: Karl May's American Western novels -

Hitler even wrote about his fascination with May's novels in his own book 'Mein Kampf:' "The first Karl May that I read was The Ride Across the Desert. I was overwhelmed! I threw myself into him immediately which resulted in a noticeable decline in my grades."

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François Duvalier: Voodoo -

Haiti's ex-president, Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, had a strong fascination with voodoo. To an extent, he even professed to embody the Voodoo deity of death, Baron Samedi.

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François Duvalier: Voodoo -

It is said that Duvalier's voodoo was potent enough for him to claim responsibility for President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963.

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Fidel Castro: dairy products -

The former Cuban leader had a strong fascination for dairy items, particularly milk and ice cream. This interest was taken to such an extent that the CIA schemed to contaminate El Presidente's customary chocolate milkshake.

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Fidel Castro: dairy products -

Castro's fondness for Howard Johnson's ice cream led to him requesting the Canadian ambassador to send him 28 containers, each containing a different flavor. Moreover, he endeavored to establish a prosperous dairy industry in Cuba by importing cows, although his endeavors ultimately proved unsuccessful due to various factors, including the unfavorable climate.

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Saddam Hussein: Doritos -

Saddam Hussein's affection for American processed snacks stayed concealed until his apprehension. As revealed by the Pennsylvania National Guard personnel entrusted with overseeing the ousted Iraqi leader, he possessed the ability to devour a substantial packet of Doritos within a mere ten minutes!

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Saddam Hussein: Raisin Bran -

Hussein enjoyed having Raisin Bran for breakfast, but he was not a fan of Fruit Loops.

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Kim Jong-il: Hollywood movies -

The ex-leader of North Korea was an avid movie lover, with a vast collection of approximately 30,000 films, mostly from Hollywood.

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Kim Jong-il: Hollywood movies -

Kim Jong-il was not just a keen watcher of Western movies, but also a strong advocate of North Korean films. In fact, the regime resorted to kidnapping a well-known South Korean director and his wife, who were then forced to contribute to the production of North Korean movies.

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Saparmurat Niyazov: himself -

The ex-President of Turkmenistan was excessively self-focused, going to the extent of inundating the nation with his own likeness. It was omnipresent.

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Saparmurat Niyazov: himself -

Niyazov extensively featured his image on various products and places, and he bestowed his name upon numerous entities, such as cities, the month of January, and even a meteorite.

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Idi Amin: Scotland -

The late Ugandan dictator had a strong fascination with Scotland. He enjoyed Scottish culture, such as wearing kilts and drinking whiskey. He even made headlines in 1974 when he expressed interest in becoming the new king of Scotland.

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Idi Amin: Scotland -

Amin not only asserted his right to the Scottish throne but also proposed marriage to Queen Elizabeth II. These events are portrayed in the 2006 film 'The Last King of Scotland.'

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Joseph Stalin: defacing drawings -

The Soviet leader had a penchant for defacing classical drawings depicting naked men, often accompanied by adding crude notes and comments to the images.

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Ferdinand Marcos: number 7 -

The ex-president of the Philippines had a fascination with numerology, and in particular, an infatuation with the number 7. This led him to seize power on days that either concluded with seven or were divisible by seven.

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Ferdinand Marcos: number 7 -

Surprisingly, the fascination with the number 7 persisted even after the removal of Marcos. In 2005, a significant proposal known as Cabinet Bill No. 7 emerged. This bill enabled the occurrence of immediate presidential elections, with campaigning spanning 57 days and election day set on February 7.

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Mao Zedong: calligraphy -

The well-known Chinese dictator also had a fascination for calligraphy, alongside communism.

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Mao Zedong: calligraphy -

Chairman Mao ensured that he incorporated his brush and ink technique into a wide range of objects, including newspapers, road signs, letters, and documents.

See also: History's cruelest despots and dictators

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