Pasha Angelina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pasha Angelina
Born	December 30 [O.S. January 12] 1912 Starobeshevo, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	21 January 1959 (aged 46) Moscow, USSR
Awards	Hero of Socialist Labour (twice)

Praskovya "Pasha" Nikitichna Angelina (Russian: Праско́вья Ники́тична Анге́лина; born December 30, 1912 – died January 21, 1959) was a very famous worker in the Soviet Union. She was known as an udarnik and Stakhanovite, which meant she was a highly productive worker during the Soviet Union's first Five-Year Plans. Pasha Angelina was one of the first women in the USSR to drive a tractor. She became a symbol of how women could be skilled and technically educated workers in the Soviet Union.

Pasha Angelina: A Pioneer Tractor Driver

Pasha Angelina grew up in Starobeshevo, a village where many Greek families lived. Her family had moved there from Crimea in the late 1700s. She spoke both Greek and a local Turkic language. Her father worked on a farm, and her mother painted houses.

In 1929, Pasha started taking courses to learn how to drive a tractor in her home region. At the same time, she also worked on a dairy farm.

Leading the Way for Women

In 1933, Pasha Angelina did something amazing. She created an all-female team of tractor drivers. This team was very successful, reportedly reaching 129% of their assigned production goal. This meant they produced much more than expected! Because of this, her team was ranked first among all the tractor teams in the region.

Pasha became a national celebrity. She was often featured in the media and appeared on propaganda posters. These posters encouraged other women to follow her example.

In 1935, Pasha was chosen to attend a special meeting in the Kremlin with leaders of the Communist Party and the government. At this important meeting, she promised to create 10 more female tractor teams in her area.

"One Hundred Thousand Friends – Onto the Tractor!"

In 1938, Pasha Angelina signed an important appeal. It was called "One hundred thousand (female) friends - onto the tractor!" (Russian: "Сто тысяч подруг - на трактор!"). This message encouraged many more women to become tractor drivers.

Having women work with tractors was very important. It allowed more men to join the Soviet army before and during World War II. This helped the country prepare for and fight in the war.

During the Second World War, Pasha studied agriculture in Moscow for two years. After her studies, she worked as a team leader in Kazakhstan until the war ended. When the war was over, she returned to Starobeshevo and continued her work there. In 1948, Pasha Angelina wrote a book about her life called Lyudi kolkhoznykh polei ("The people of the kolkhoz fields").

Recognitions and Honors

Pasha Angelina received many high honors for her hard work and dedication. She was named a Hero of Socialist Labor twice, first in 1947 and again in 1958. This was one of the highest awards for workers in the Soviet Union.

She also received the Stalin Prize in 1946. She was given three Orders of Lenin and the Order of the Red Banner of Labour. These were all very important awards.

Pasha was also elected to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, which was like the parliament of the Soviet Union. She was elected in 1937, 1946, and 1950.

Her Final Years

Pasha Angelina passed away in Moscow in 1959 at the age of 46.