Hero of Socialist Labour
| Hero of Socialist Labour | |
|---|---|
"Sickle and Hammer" of the Hero of Socialist Labour medal | |
| Type | Highest degree of distinction |
| Awarded for | Exceptional achievements in national economy and culture |
| Presented by | Soviet Union |
| Eligibility | Soviet citizens |
| Status | Replaced by "Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation" |
| Established | 27 December 1938 |
| First award | 20 December 1939 |
| Final award | 24 December 1991 |
| Total | 20,812
|
| Related | Hero of the Soviet Union Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation |
The Hero of Socialist Labour (Russian: Герой Социалистического Труда, romanized: 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.