Biography
Raisa Maksimovna Gorbachev was remembered not only as the first lady of the country and the wife of the only president of the Soviet Union. This lady found the strength to engage in serious charitable activities, and his own career, and a family life, which, due to the high post of the spouse, was completely on her shoulders.Throughout the time of the presidency, Mikhail Gorbachev and even later, Risa Gorbacheva were discussed and condemned, but it is safe to argue that this woman with a difficult biography was distinguished by enviable nature and excerpt.
Childhood and youth
The future spouse of the president was born on January 5 (Capricorn on the sign of the zodiac) of 1932 in the city of Rubtsovsk (Altai Territory). The father of Raisa Maximovna by nationality was a Ukrainian, a native of Chernihiv province, the mother is a radical Siberian. Three children grew in the family: a little Raisa had a younger sister and brother. Sister Lyudmila, in marriage that took the last name Aiukasov, worked as a doctor-oculist. Brother Evgeny Titarenko became a writer.
Because of the father's profession (he worked as an engineer on the railway) The Titarenko family is such a maiden name of Raisa Gorbacheva - often moved. They lived not live, so Raisa from an early age understood: it is necessary to learn well and receive a profession to help parents. These thoughts in the daughter supported the mother, who in his youth was not able to get an education.
In 1949, the girl graduated from school with honors and went to Moscow. In his youth, in the capital of Raisa Maksimovna, I easily enrolled in Moscow State University named after Mikhail Lomonosov, choosing the Faculty of Philosophy. And in 1955, already being his wife Gorbachev, after his spouse moved to Stavropol distribution.
Career
In Stavropol, Raisa Maksimovna got a job as a lecturer at the Society of Society "Knowledge", and also taught philosophy in medical and agricultural institutions. In parallel, the future first lady was engaged in science: studied sociology and organized its own research in this area.Such hard work was not in vain: in 1967 Gorbachev defended her thesis on sociology, based on the studies over which Raisa Maksimovna worked in the Stavropol Territory.
In 1978, the lady with her husband returned to the capital, where he again settled the teacher in Moscow State University and continued to lecture in the Moscow branch of the Society "Knowledge". And a few years later, in 1985, Raisa Maksimovna began to accompany the spouse (at that time already the CC Secretary General) in all business trips and official trips.
It is worth noting that in order for that time, such a behavior of the party leader's wife was unheard of: the legitimate companions of the first individuals and politicians always kept in the shadows, did not give interviews, often no one even knew their names, and the photos of these ladies never fell into the press of that time. But not such was Raisa Maksimovna, who considered her duty to support her husband in everything and constantly be near him.
Surprisingly, but abroad, her figure was met with much greater sympathy and interest, rather than in their native country. One of the British magazines even called Gorbachev "1987 woman." But in the Soviet Union, it was often condemned by her. It was believed that the ambitious and volitional lady "led" the country through her husband, which later played the role in the collapse of the USSR. Many generally considered it a US agent.
In addition to helping the spouse, the woman was constantly engaged in charity, considering it the direct responsibility of the first lady. Under the leadership of Wives, Mikhail Sergeevich worked a fund for the help of Chernobyl children; In addition, Raisa Maksimovna directly participated in the activities of the International Foundation for Support for Little Patients, patients with leukemia.
Do not forget Gorbachev and about culture: stood at the origins of the creation of the Soviet Cultural Fund, entering the Presidium of this organization, with the support of which the Museum of Marina Tsvetaeva, the Museum of Roerich, the Museum of the Benoit Family. In addition, Raisa Maksimovna has achieved the restoration of many architectural monuments and church buildings.
When Mikhail Sergeevich left the presidential post, the former first lady helped her husband writing books by checking the reference information and the necessary facts. Also, together with his wife, the Lada opened the Gorbachev-Fund, which was engaged in sociology and political scientists. In 1991, a woman wrote an autobiography that called "I hope ...".
In 1997, Gorbachev founded the Maximovna Raisa Club, which includes representatives of the scientific and cultural elite of the country. This club helped socially unprotected people: lonely mothers, provincial doctors and teachers, orphans.
Style and fashion
From the first appearances in public meetings with his spouse, even before Mikhail Sergeevich took the position of Secretary General, Raisa Maksimovna demonstrated refinement, elegance and sophistication in the selection of clothing. However, in the first half of the 80s, the future first lady of the Soviet Union allowed some errors in the choice of outfits for official receptions abroad, which then violently lit by the Western press.
So, in 1984, for the first time being with her husband in the UK at the invitation of Margaret Thatcher, Raisa Maksimovna literally changed different coats every day. And one of the evening diplomatic techniques, the lady came in a braching dress in an ensemble with open golden sandals. The next day, the British newspapers were distributed to articles with photos testifying to the violation of the dress code.
After that, the style of Gorbacheva became more restrained, but did not lose refinement. A wonderful slim figure and a small increase, nonsense makeup, styling was distinguished by Raisa Maximov from other companions of Soviet Secretary. It is known that most of the outfits for the ladies seized on a blacksmith bridge. For himself, Mikhail Sergeyevich's wife out of 60 designers at home models chose Tamar Makeev, who created famous costumes for the first ladies.
Soon the spouse of the famous politician fell in the West. Especially for Risa, Maximovna showed the leading couture of the European fashion of the time - Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Cardin. In the memoirs, the latter admitted that, appreciating the delicate taste and style of the wife of the Soviet Secretary General, wanted to give the new collection, but the lady took only a suit and a light coat from him.
Before Gorbacheva, there was a difficult task - at official receptions and "meetings without ties" look no worse companion of the leaders of Western countries. Especially important was the meeting with Nancy Reagan during the visit of the party leader in the United States during the Cold War. The former Hollywood actress was coldly reacted to Raisa Maximov, finding the character of that difficult, and the level of education is high.
Nevertheless, in terms of style, the Soviet lady looked worthy, selection of outfits, accessories, shoes turned out to be impeccable. Later, the press contained examples from the meeting at the summit in Vienna in 1961 the leaders of the two powers and their wives - the elegant Jacqueline Kennedy and the "People's People's" Nina Petrovna Khrushchev, the costume of which was called "a coat in flower". It seemed that Raisa Maksimovna, preferred beauty and style in clothing, restored the "reputation" of the companions of Soviet Secretakes in the eyes of the West.
Personal life
The personal life of the wife of the First President of the USSR has developed harmoniously and happily. With the future spouse of Raisa (then Titarenko) met back at the university - he studied at the Faculty of Law. Since then, Mikhail Sergeevich and Raisa Maksimovna did not part. The wedding of the beloved passed modestly: students simply had no money for a magnificent celebration.In 1957, the Horbachev's daughter was born (in marriage - Virganskaya). The girl received a medical education and subsequently became the Vice-President of the Gorbachev-Fund, founded by his parents.
Death
In early 1999, the health of Raisa Maximovna began to fail. In July, the specialists of the Ramna Hematology Institute were diagnosed in Gorbacheva leukemia. The reasons for the emergence of the former Secretary General of the Union of Blood Disease, doctors called constant stress, complications from other chronic diseases. Also among them were assumed the consequences of radiation exposure obtained by the first lady during a trip to the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl soon after a terrible accident.
The best doctors of Russia and Germany connected to the treatment of a woman. A few days later, after the diagnosis announcement, Gorbachev was transported to Münster, to the German clinic. There, for two months, German doctors fought for the life of Risa Maximovna, saving from cancer. It was planned to make a bone marrow transplant, the donor was going to become a sister Lyudmila Titarenko.
However, the state of Gorbacheva suddenly deteriorated sharply, and the operation had to be abandoned. And on September 20, 1999, Risa Maximovna did not. The cause of death, doctors called an oncological disease, which could not be cured. The former first lady was 67 years old.
The funeral of Gorbacheva, which took place on September 23, gathered thousands of people who came to say goodbye to this strong woman. Among them were Vladimir Putin, Naina Yeltsin, Helmut Kohl and other politicians and public figures. The grave of Raisa Maximovna is located on the Moscow Novodevichy cemetery. A year later, a monument was installed in this place. Until now, people bring flowers to the tombstone.
Memory
- In 2006, the International Raisa Gorbacheva International Foundation was created in London, designed to finance projects aimed at combating children's leukemia and cancer.
- The name of R. M. Gorbacheva called the Institute of Children's Hematology and Transplantology in St. Petersburg.
- On June 16, 2009, Mikhail Gorbachev released a Disk of "Songs for Raisa", dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the death of Risa Maximovna.
- In 2012, the documentary film "Love and Power of Raisa Gorbacheva" was released on the screens, telling about the life of the former First Lady of the Union.