Stepan Pavlovich Titov was the father of the cosmonaut Gherman Titov. He was born into a peasant family in the village of Verkhneye Zhilino, Kosikhinsky District, Altai Krai in 1910. He studied at local schools: at first, at a seven-year school and then at a ten-year school. He was very talented and at the earliest opportunity, he was sent to the workers’ music department of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Titov Senior studied under the famous composer and director Reinhold Glière. However, after the death of his father, the young man was forced to return to his homeland.

There, Stepan Titov took up teaching. At first, he taught Russian and literature at various village schools in Altai Krai. After serving in the army for three years out of five as a frontline driver, he returned to his students. He also started teaching other subjects. Over the years, Titov Senior taught Russian and German, history, geography, physics, literature, singing, engineering drawing, zoology, and physical education. He believed a teacher to be one of the most important people in everyone’s life. According to his colleagues, this was how Stepan Titov was remembered by many of his students.

He had many talents and vast interests. The famous cosmonaut’s father drew well, played the violin that he had got hold of during the war, as well as the mandolin and the accordion, and wrote poetry. The Titov family emphasized the importance of manual labor. Stepan Titov did everything himself: he built their family house, made various mechanisms and furniture, and planted trees.

Apart from that, Titov Senior was one of the first tractor operators in Altai. He delivered lectures and contributed actively to the social and political developments of his homeland.

Another surprising hobby of Stepan Titov was the artificial language of Esperanto. Titov learned it with the help of a priest from a neighboring village, mastered the language, and even was a delegate to the 1964 World Esperanto Congress in The Hague — an event which he remembered fondly.

However, the one thing he was truly passionate about was music. Stepan Titov organized dozens of orchestras and introduced many people to the amazing world of classical music. Titov’s school orchestra and choir toured all over Altai Krai. In the evening, fellow villagers gathered at Titov’s house to listen to world-famous tunes on his record player.

Stepan Titov was also a composer: he wrote simple but heart-touching songs such as “The Altai Lyrical Song” and “Village Melodies” that he performed himself.