For the Land of the Soviets, Angelina Praskovya Nikitichna has always remained Pasha. She was considered the first tractor driver. She was as famous as the legendary Stakhanov, Chkalov and Papanin.
She liked to say that she was able to ride the "iron horse" by calling other representatives of the weaker sex. True, this occupation deprived her not only of he alth, but also of personal happiness … Pasha Angelina's biography will be presented to the reader's attention in the article.
Greek family
Praskovya Nikitichna Angelina was born in 1913 in one of the villages of the Donetsk province in a peasant family. Her ancestors are Greeks. She was brought up in Christian traditions.
Young Pasha was originally prepared for rural life. When she was only five, she worked as a shepherd. And a few years later she was already working in the mine as an auxiliary worker. Of course, she gave all her earnings to her mother.
In addition, from an early age, the future record holder was attracted to technology and various mechanisms. Although in Greek families since ancient times women have to doonly children and household chores. But Pasha was originally considered a "boy in a skirt." And when the first tractor appeared in their village, Angelina could not remain indifferent. She decided to become a tractor driver.
Of course, the members of the Angelin family reacted very negatively to this desire. However, the sixteen-year-old girl still achieved her goal. She brilliantly graduated from the courses of machine operators and began to work in the fields of Donbass. She was the very first woman to drive a tractor. Since then, the development of agriculture in the Stalin era literally depended on it. She was able to become a legend.
Pasha Angelina is a legend of labor Donbass
A few years ago, Angelina also headed the first female team of tractor drivers. N. Radchenko, L. Fedorova, N. Biits, V. Kosse, V. Zolotopup, V. Anastasova and others worked with her.
In the very first plowing, the girls managed to double the plan. In addition, they did not allow a single downtime of equipment during this period. Although at that time Soviet agriculture was going through far from the best of times. There was a significant shortage of spare parts and fuel. Repair teams have not yet been formed.
But despite this, in the same memorable year, Angelina received the title of "Excellent Tractor Driver". And the news of this reached the capital. Leading periodicals began to regularly publish her photographs. Under the conditions of the first Soviet five-year plan, the country needed new "heroes". And so was Pasha. WentStakhanovite movement in the USSR. And party leaders began to "sculpt" from her the image of a real worker who was devoted to the head of state.
MP
In 1935, Pasha Angelina was awarded the prestigious Order of Lenin for the first time. Two years later, she became a member of the Communist Party and a deputy of the Supreme Soviet. Repeatedly at personal meetings, she spoke with Stalin. She even had the opportunity to directly call the country's leader.
But she never used it. According to her recollections, belonging to the party elite weighed heavily on her.
However, due to her status in society, she had to constantly fuss about sending equipment. She also punched out vouchers for the villagers to the south, helped them with admission to universities, and much more. In a word, she took care of literally everyone except herself. It was extremely inconvenient for her to use her position. Although, perhaps, her surname at one time saved the whole family from Stalinist repressions. True, her brother, who headed one of the collective farms, nevertheless ended up in the dungeons of the Chekists. A little later, he was released, but after bullying and beatings in prison, he became disabled and died soon after.
Highly educated worker
Countrymen marveled at her exceptional energy. So, in 1938, she decided to appeal to all Soviet workers. She went out to them with an appeal: “100,000 friends - to the tractor!” And soon this example was followed not by a hundred thousand Soviet women, but twice as many.
Besides, the villagers marveled at her thirst for knowledge. Angelina Praskovya Nikitichna sincerely dreamed of becoming a highly educated worker. At the same time, initially she did not shine with diploma. But she always managed to find time to study with tutors. So, in a few years she managed to complete the entire school course. And on the eve of the war, she even managed to get a diploma of higher education, having graduated from the famous Timiryazevka.
She fell in love with literature. She constantly read and subscribed to lots of books. And as a result, she herself took up the pen, writing her book. It was called "People of collective farm fields".
During the war
When the war began, Angelina moved to Kazakhstan, where she again became the foreman of the women's team.
She slept 4 hours a day. And under these conditions, she continued to develop agriculture and set records.
In 1945 she returned to Donbass. Her partners were in different cities. But she again led a new brigade. Only there were no women besides her at all. But the representatives of the stronger sex unconditionally recognized her authority.
Post-war
In the post-war period, Angelina, as always, continued to reach new heights. Her brigade received 12 tons of grain. As a result, in 1947, for shock work, she was awarded the first Star of the Hero of Labor.
Over time, life generally began to improve. A canteen and a refrigerator were built in the field. In addition, a special pool for rainwater was built. The fact is that the radiators quickly rusted from drinking water.
Her employees received a hugesalary. In the end, many of them built houses, bought motorcycles. Also, anyone could buy a car. And if there was not enough money, the foreman immediately helped to solve this problem. So, once she ordered two dozen Moskvichs for tractor drivers.
New realities
After the death of Stalin, completely new times came. This era required other idols and heroes. But Angelina still could not complain about the reality. She was elected to the Central Committee of the Ukrainian Communist Party. Then she continued to receive new awards. As before, she was praised in the press. She was constantly invited to various events and meetings.
She had her own personal car "Victory". She drove the car as masterly as the tractor. Then she was offered to take the prestigious and fashionable Volga at that time. But she refused.
She also refused the post of chairman of one of the collective farms. She remained an ordinary brigadier until the last. However, the best time for her was already over…
Death of the Brigadier
Tractor driver Pasha Angelina never complained about her he alth to anyone. But during the last months of her life she was troubled by liver pains. But she held on.
When she arrived in the capital for the session of the Supreme Council, she felt very bad. She had to go to the doctors.
She was put in the famous "Kremlin". In another hospital ward, by the way, was the famous Papanin. They were friends.
She was also awarded the second Hero Star there.
Meanwhile the doctorsAngelina was diagnosed with a terrible diagnosis - cirrhosis of the liver. In those days, this disease was professional for tractor drivers. They constantly breathed poisonous fuel fumes.
Pasha was offered to be operated on, and she agreed, as she sincerely hoped that surgery would really help her. But the miracle didn't happen. She died in January 1959. She was only 46.
She was going to be buried at the Novodevichy churchyard. But her relatives insisted that she be buried in her homeland.
After the death of Angelina, the brigade did not break up at all. Until the collapse of the Soviet empire, she worked hard and continued to set records.
Also, for a long time, a club of women machine operators functioned in honor of the famous woman. This organization united several thousand rural workers.
In the homeland of Praskovya, in the village of Starobeshevo, a bust of Angelina was erected, an avenue was named after her and her museum was opened.
Angelina's unhappy family
At one time, Angelina had an exemplary Soviet family. Her husband was a party leader. His name was Sergey Chernyshev. He came to Donbass from Kursk on the order and became one of the leaders of the region. They say he was considered a very capable and talented person. He composed poetry and painted.
Perhaps he would have risen higher in the career ladder if not for his wife. The fact is that for everyone he remained, first of all, the husband of the famous tractor driver, and not the owner of the district. And it madly hurt his vanity. Hebegan to roll scary scenes and abuse alcohol.
When the Great Patriotic War began, he went to the front. He went through the entire war and was an order bearer. But during this period, he has already turned into a real alcoholic.
After the Victory, he continued to serve in Germany. He was the commandant of one of the military camps.
After a while, he ended up in the Donbass. A little later, his front-line wife came to him with a child. Surprisingly, Angelina managed to withstand this blow of fate. She treated this woman with enviable understanding. Moreover, later she began to financially support both her and the child himself.
Well, Chernyshev continued to be jealous of his wife for her inexhaustible glory. Over time, the relationship between them finally went wrong. And when, in a state of intoxication, her husband wanted to shoot Praskovya (he missed), she herself filed for divorce, not forgiving him this trick.
She completely cut him out of her life. She decided not only to refuse his alimony, but also to change the name of the children. Now they have all become only Angelinas.
After these events, Chernyshev only came to them twice. At the first meeting, the ex-wife even sent him to one of the sanatoriums, as his he alth left much to be desired. The second time he arrived at Praskovya's funeral. True, when she was still in the Kremlin hospital, Chernyshev wanted to see her, but the children did not let him in…
Meanwhile, Pasha's ex-husband started a new family. His chosen one was a school teacher. At one time, Chernyshev completely stopped drinking,but then he started using it again. The wife kicked him out. And later he passed away.
…Angelina herself never married again. Although they wooed her several times. So, even during the war, one of the Ural party functionaries P. Simonov became seriously interested in it. But he had a sick wife. And so Praskovya stopped these courtship in the bud.
Descendants
Angelina raised 4 children. And one of them is a host. She adopted her nephew into the family when his own mother abandoned him.
The first two children, Sveta and Valera, were born before the war. The youngest daughter was born already in 1942. She named the girl Stalin in honor of the leader of the Soviet state. In the family, she was simply called Stalochka.
Today, the descendants of the legendary tractor driver live in the Russian capital and in the Don region.
