Jelena Stassowa — an Upper-Class Intellectual becoming an Activist of Red Aid

Abstract

In the history of Russian social work a large number of outstanding women has been active in the fight against poverty and exploitation. At the beginning of the 20^th century, many of them joined the parties that brought about the Russian revolution. In the period around the revolution of 1917, when civil war and economic crises resulted in an unprecedented famine, these women were often active in providing material help and social assistance to the population. Many of them actively supported revolutionary ideals of the communist movement. Jelena Dmitriewna Stassowa (1873–1966) is a typical representative of this commitment. She belonged to the leaders of the communist party and was one of Lenin’s close comrade-in-arms, her code name was Comrade ‘Absolute’ or Comrade ‘Herta’