Olga Lepeshinskaya

Olga Vasilyevna Lepeshinskaya (; – 20 December 2008 ) was a Soviet ballerina. She was named a People's Artist of the USSR in 1951.

Childhood

Lepeshinskaya was born to an old Polish noble family in Kyiv, Russian Empire (now the capital of Ukraine). Her grandfather, Vasily Pavlovich Lepeshinsky, was arrested as a member of the revolutionary organization Narodnaya Volya. Her father, Vasily Vasilyevich Lepeshinsky, was a railway engineer, one of the builders of the Chinese Eastern Railway. Lepeshinskaya was known as the favourite ballerina of Joseph Stalin and even rumoured to be his mistress. In 1943, she became a member of the Communist Party.

Lepeshinskaya married a Soviet intelligence MGB general Leonid Raykhman (known as the handler of Nikolai Kuznetsov). He was arrested on 19 October 1951 as an alleged participant in the fabricated Zionist Plot in MGB. Lepeshinskaya claimed that her appeals to Stalin saved the life of her husband. In March 1953, after Stalin's death, Raykhman was freed, rehabilitated and appointed the head of MVD Control Commission. In August 1953, he was arrested again that time for his own fabrications of criminal cases, tortures of prison inmates and other violations of the "Socialist Law". He was sentenced to five years in prison in August 1956 but amnestied in November 1956. After that, he did research work in astronomy.

In February 1940, the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad first performed their Don Quixote ballet with Lepeshinskaya as Kitry. The ballet was a great success. In 1941, when the Stalin Prize was established, Lepeshinskaya was among the first laureates of the prize for her performance in Don Quixote. Altogether Lepesinskaya received four Stalin Prizes.

In 1942, the Soviet Youth Anti-Fascist Committee was organized. Lepeshinskaya was its Deputy chairperson.

Honours and awards

Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"; 2nd class (28 September 2006) – for outstanding contributions to the development of national choreography and many years of fruitful work 3rd class (12 September 1996) – for outstanding contribution to the development of national culture Order of Lenin (1971) Order of the October Revolution (1986) Order of the Red Banner of Labour, twice (1951, 1966) Order of the Badge of Honour (1937) Medal "For the Defence of Moscow" Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" People's Artist of the USSR (1951) People's Artist of the RSFSR (1947) Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1942) Stalin Prizes; 1st degree (1941) – for outstanding achievements in the field of ballet 1st degree (1946) – for performing the title roles in the ballet "Cinderella" by Prokofiev 1st degree (1947) – for her performance as Joan in the ballet "Flames of Paris" Asafiev 2nd degree (1950) – for her performance as Tao Hoa in the ballet "The Red Poppy" by R. Glier Gratitude of the President of Russia (2005) Medal "Veteran of Labour" Award of the World Youth Festival in Prague (1947) Prize "Soul Dance" magazine "Ballet" in the "Maestro of Dance" (2000) Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin" Order of the Banner, with diamonds (Hungary)