Yuri Gagarin was born March 9, 1934 in Klushino Gzhatsk district of Smolensk region in a peasant family. His father - Alexei Ivanovich Gagarin (1902-1973) worked as a miller and a storekeeper, mother - Anna Matveeva Timofeevna (1903-1984) was a milkmaid and Pig, later became head skotofermoy farm "Drummer". Gagarin raised four children; except George, a family elder brother Valentin (1924-2006), older sister Zoya Fyodorova (r.1927) and younger brother - Boris A. (1936-1975) <br /> <br /> The younger Gagarin <br /. > Early childhood Jury took place in his native village. September 1, 1941 he went to school, but in October interrupted study: the village occupied by German invaders. March 6, 1943, the Red Army, after fierce fighting, liberated Gzhatsk; Klushino occupiers left three days earlier, having withdrawn local youth into captivity; were among the stolen Valentin and Zoe Gagarin, they returned only after the war. Classes at the school resumed, but the damage caused by the retreating Germans, was considerable, and Yuri could not get a full education. <br /> <br /> In the foundry <br /> In the autumn of 1945 the family Gagarin, escaping from poverty, moved to Gzhatsk, and 22 November, Yuri went to the third grade Gzhatsk basic school at the local Pedagogical College. In May 1949 he graduated from the sixth grade and wish to continue their studies, but the plight of families forced him to go to Moscow. In September of the same year, Yuri enrolled in Lyubertsy vocational school number 10 at the factory of agricultural machinery them. Ukhtomskii secession casters; while he was in high school Lyubertsy number of young workers 1. December 16, 1949 joined the Komsomol. Yuri Gagarin showed excellent progress and after completion of training, 6 July 1951 submitted an application for admission to the Saratov Industrial-Pedagogical College, where trained master casters. <br /> While studying in college Yuri actively engaged in self-education, attended a circle of artistic expression and a brass band. In addition, he became captain of the basketball team and the secretary of the Council of Voluntary sport society "Labor Reserves". At the same time demonstrated his new hobby - in the physical and technical circle Yuri studied theoretical bases of aviation and astronautics that documented: September 17, 1952, he read a report on Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.