Lydia Gromyko (; Grinevich (Гриневич); 14 April 1911 – 9 March 2004) was a Belarusian teacher who was the wife of Soviet diplomat

Andrei Gromyko Andrei Andreyevich Gromyko ( – 2 July 1989) was a Soviet politician and diplomat during the Cold War. He served as Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Soviet Union), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1957–1985) and as List of heads of state of the So ...

(1909–1989).

Biography

Lydia Dmitrievna Grinevich was born in a village in the Minsk region on 14 April 1911. She was a daughter of

Belarusian Belarusian may refer to: * Something of, or related to Belarus * Belarusians, people from Belarus, or of Belarusian descent * A citizen of Belarus, see Demographics of Belarus * Belarusian language * Belarusian culture * Belarusian cuisine * Byelor ...

peasants. She met Andrei Gromyko in

Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...

where they were both studying agriculture at the Minsk Institute of Agricultural Science. They married in 1931. The marriage was harmonious and affectionate. They had two children: a son,

Anatoly Anatoly ( , ) is a common Russian and Ukrainian masculine given name, derived from the Greek name ''Anatolios'' (), meaning "sunrise." Saint Anatolius of Constantinople was a fifth-century saint who became the first patriarch of Constantinople ...

, and a daughter, Emilia. Anatoly (1932–2017) served as a diplomat and was an academic. Lydia worked as a teacher and was fluent in English. In addition, she was learned in politics and literature. Her major interest was painting. Her husband was the head of the

Supreme Soviet The Supreme Soviet () was the common name for the legislative bodies (parliaments) of the Soviet socialist republics (SSR) in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). These soviets were modeled after the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, establ ...

from 2 July 1985 to 1 October 1988. She was regularly seen in public which was not common in the Soviet Union. There were rumours that she and

Raisa Gorbacheva Raisa Maximovna Gorbacheva (, , Титаренко; 5 January 1932 – 20 September 1999) was a Soviet and Russian activist and philanthropist who was the wife of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. She raised funds for the preservation of Russi ...

did not get along. Lydia died on 9 March 2004, at age 92.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gromyko, Lydia 20th-century Belarusian women 1911 births 2004 deaths People from Minsk region Russian people of Belarusian descent Soviet women Wives of heads of state of the Soviet Union