The other Gagarin

Today, on March 9, our first cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, would have turned 86. We present photos from the personal life of the first person to conquer space.

Both during his lifetime and after his death, Yuri Gagarin was molded into the image of an ideal person, a symbol of communism. However, what was he really like? We tried to get away from stereotypes and accepted stories, which are chewed up in the media from year to year. In our material there are no official pictures and standard cards in a spacesuit. Only photos from the life of a simple man named Yuri Gagarin.

Gagarin is a photographer. Autumn 1965.

A party in the "Star City", which was arranged in honor of the astronauts in the spring of 1965. On the left — Yuri Gagarin, on the right - Alexey Leonov.

Post-flight rest. Crimea, summer 1961.

Yuri Alekseevich is on vacation.

Crimea, summer 1961.

Yuri Gagarin with his daughters.

Friendly hugs with Fidel Castro.

On a trip abroad. After his flight, Gagarin visited several dozen countries.

Captain of the hockey team of cosmonauts "Nashi" Yuri Gagarin. 1963.

Physical education. Two years after the flight, Gagarin is still in good physical shape. Summer of 1963.

Yuri Gagarin with a camera.

A gift from the French company Matra: a sports car Matra Djet. 1965.

Solid owner of the black Volga. 1967.

"Hunters at a halt", autumn 1966.

Successful duck hunting. Autumn 1966.

Yuri Gagarin with his daughters Galya and Lena.

"Hello, my dear, beloved Valechka, Lenochka and Galochka!

I decided to write you a few lines to share with you and share together the joy and happiness that I had today. Today, the government commission decided to send me into space first. You know, dear Valyusha, how glad I am, I want you to be happy with me. A simple man was entrusted with such a big state task — to pave the first road to space!

Is it possible to dream of more? After all, this is history, this is a new era! I have to start in a day. You will be doing your own business at this time. A very big task fell on my shoulders. I would like to spend some time with you before this, to talk to you. But, alas, you are far away. Nevertheless, I always feel you next to me.I fully believe in technology. She must not fail. But it happens that out of the blue a person falls and breaks his neck. Something could happen here, too. But I don't believe it myself yet. Well, if something happens, then I ask you, and first of all you, Valyusha, not to be heartbroken. After all, life is life, and no one is guaranteed that he will not be crushed by a car tomorrow. Please take care of our girls, love them as I love them. Grow out of them, please, not Belarusians, not mama's daughters, but real people who would not be afraid of the bumps in life. To grow up people worthy of a new society — communism. The state will help you with this. Well, arrange your personal life as your conscience tells you, as you see fit. I don't impose any obligations on you, and I don't have the right to do it. Something too mourning letter turns out. I don't believe it myself. I hope that you will never see this letter, and I will be ashamed of myself for this fleeting weakness. But if something happens, you have to know everything to the end.

So far I have lived honestly, truthfully, with benefits for people, although it was small. Once, as a child, I read the words of V.P. Chkalov: "If to be, then to be the first." So I'm trying to be and will be until the end. Valechka, I want to dedicate this flight to the people of the new society, communism, which we are already entering, our great Motherland, our science.

I hope that in a few days we will be together again, we will be happy.

Valechka, please don't forget my parents, if you have the opportunity, then help in something. Give them a big hello from me, and let them forgive me for not knowing anything about it, but they weren't supposed to know. Well, that seems to be it. Goodbye, my family. I hug you tightly and kiss you, with greetings from your dad and Yura. 10.04.61 Gagarin"

Valentina Ivanovna read this letter only seven years later - after the death of her husband in a plane crash on March 27, 1968.