The Hero of Socialist Labour (russian: links=no, Герой Социалистического Труда, Geroy Sotsialisticheskogo Truda) was an
honorific title in the
Soviet Union and other
Warsaw Pact countries from 1938 to 1991. It represented the highest degree of distinction in the USSR and was awarded for exceptional achievements in Soviet industry and culture. It provided a similar status to the title of
Hero of the Soviet Union, which was awarded for heroic deeds, but differed in that it was not awarded to foreign citizens.
History
The Title "Hero of Socialist Labour" was introduced by
decree of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union on December 27, 1938.
Originally, Heroes of Socialist Labour were awarded the highest
decoration of the
Soviet Union, the
Order of Lenin, and a
diploma
A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...
from the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union.
In order to distinguish the Heroes of Socialist Labour from other Order of Lenin recipients, the "
Hammer and Sickle
The hammer and sickle (Unicode: "☭") zh, s=锤子和镰刀, p=Chuízi hé liándāo or zh, s=镰刀锤子, p=Liándāo chuízi, labels=no is a symbol meant to represent proletarian solidarity, a union between agricultural and industri ...
"
gold medal
A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture.
Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have bee ...
was introduced by decree of the Presidium on 22 May 1940,
to accompany the Order of Lenin and diploma.
The first recipient of the award was Joseph Stalin, awarded by the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on December 20, 1939. The second recipient was
machine gun designer
Vasily Degtyaryov (2 January 1940). The third (and the last before the onset of
Operation Barbarossa) was issued to nine weapons designers, including
Fedor Tokarev,
Boris Shpitalny,
Nikolai Polikarpov,
Alexander Yakovlev and . Post-1945 recipients include
Mikhail Koshkin
Mikhail Ilyich Koshkin (Russian language, Russian: Михаи́л Ильи́ч Ко́шкин; 3 December 1898, Pereslavsky District, Brynchagi, Yaroslavl Oblast – 26 September 1940) was a Soviet Union, Soviet tank designer, chief designer of t ...
,
Mikhail Kalashnikov,
Nikolay Afanasyev,
Emilian Bukov,
Alexander Tselikov,
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his Symphony No. 1 (Shostakovich), First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throug ...
, German Korobov,
Peter Andreevich Tkachev, and
Andrei Tupolev.
By September 1, 1971, 16,245 people (11,748 men, 4,497 women) had been awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labour. One hundred and five people (80 men, 25 women) have been awarded multiple "Hammer and Sickle" medals.
By 1991, at the
dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union, also negatively connoted as rus, Разва́л Сове́тского Сою́за, r=Razvál Sovétskogo Soyúza, ''Ruining of the Soviet Union''. was the process of internal disintegration within the Sov ...
, over 20,000 people had been awarded the title.
In the history of the USSR, 16 people became Heroes of Socialist Labour three times:
#
Anatoly Alexandrov
#
Boris Vannikov
#
Nikolay Dukhov
#
Yakov Zeldovich
#
Sergey Ilyushin
Sergey Vladimirovich Ilyushin (russian: Серге́й Владимирович Илью́шин; – 9 February 1977) was a Soviet aircraft designer who founded the Ilyushin aircraft design bureau. He designed the Il-2 Shturmovik, which made ...
#
Mstislav Keldysh
#
Dinmukhamed Kunayev
#
Igor Kurchatov
#
Andrei Sakharov
#
#
Andrei Tupolev
#
Hamroqul Tursunqulov
Hamroqul Tursunqulov (russian: Хамракул Турсункулович Турсункулов, uz, Ҳамроқул Турсунқулов; – 9 August 1965) was the chairman of the prestigious "Sharqi Yulduz" kolkhoz in the Uzbek SSR and t ...
#
Yulii Khariton
#
Nikita Khrushchev
#
Konstantin Chernenko
#
Kirill Shchelkin
Kirill Ivanovich Shchelkin (russian: Кирилл Иванович Щёлкин ) (17 May 1911 – 8 November 1968) was a Soviet physicist born in Georgia, with armenian origin, the former Soviet program of nuclear weapons who made theoretical ...
In March 2013, Vladimir Putin issued a decree establishing a title considered to be its successor, "
Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation".
Statute
The Honorific title "Hero of Socialist Labour" was awarded by the Presidium to citizens who made significant contributions to the advancement of
Soviet industry,
agriculture,
transportation,
trade,
science and
technology,
[ or otherwise served as exemplary models of the Soviet worker.
Heroes of Socialist Labour who attained further exceptional achievements were awarded a second "Hammer and Sickle" medal and ]bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
busts of the Heroes were to be constructed in their hometowns to mark the occasion. Thrice Heroes of Socialist Labour were to have their busts placed near the planned Palace of Soviets, but this was never implemented as the Palace of Soviets was never built.
Only the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union could deprive a person of this title. The insignia "Hero of Socialist Labour", like the "Hero of the Soviet Union" Gold Star Medal, is always worn in full on the left side of the chest and in the presence of other orders and medals, placed above them. If worn with honorific titles of the Russian Federation, the latter have precedence.
Award description
The title "Hero of Socialist Labour" was designed by the artist A. Pomansky. Its Gold Hammer and Sickle insignia was a five-pointed star with smooth dihedral rays on the obverse, the diameter of the circumscribed star was 33.5 mm. In the centre of the obverse, a relief hammer and sickle respectively of 14 and 13 mm. It weighed 15.25 grams.
The reverse was plain and was surrounded by a slightly raised rim. In the centre, the relief inscription "Hero of Socialist Labour" (russian: "Герой Социалистического Труда") in 2mm high letters, the award serial number was inscribed just above in 1mm high numbers.
The insignia was secured to a standard 25 × 15 mm Soviet square mount by a ring through the suspension loop. The mount was covered by a red silk moiré ribbon. On the reverse of the mount was a threaded stub and nut to secure the award to clothing.
See also
* List of people awarded the Hero of Socialist Labour
* Hero of Labour (GDR)
The title Hero of Labor (german: Held der Arbeit) was awarded by the German Democratic Republic for supporting the socialist economy, usually by increasing factory output or agricultural yields. It was instituted on 19 April 1950 and was limited t ...
* Hero of Labor (North Korea)
* Hero of Labor (Vietnam)
* Order of the Hero of Socialist Labour (Yugoslavia)
References
* Oruzhie Magazine, Page 9, Issue 5 1998 & Issue 6 1998.
* "Солдат удачи" номер 9 (72) 2000 Д.Ширяев "Кто изобрел автомат Калашникова"
External links
History of the award
Legal Library of the USSR
{{Authority control
Civil awards and decorations of the Soviet Union
Awards established in 1938
Awards disestablished in 1991
Honorary titles of the Soviet Union
1938 establishments in the Soviet Union
1991 disestablishments in the Soviet Union
Business and industry awards
Hero (title)