Boris Polevoy
Encyclopedia
Boris Nikolaevich Polevoy (or Polevoi) was a notable Soviet writer. He is the author of the book Story of a Real Man about a Soviet World War II
fighter pilot Alexei Petrovich Maresiev
(or Alexej Petrovich Maresjev).
Boris Polevoy was a pseudonym for Boris Nikolaevich Kampov (1908–1981). He was born in Moscow in 1908, the son of a physician and a Jew, born "beyond the Pale of Settlement." His parents were Nikolay Petrovich and Lidiya (Vasilyevna) Kampov. He was a graduate of the Tver Industrial Technical College (now Kalinin Industrial College).
Prior to starting his career as a writer, he worked as a technologist at a textile factory in Kalinin. As he began his journalism career in 1928, his talents were such that he was chosen to be patronized by Maxim Gorky
.
His nom de plume has several variations based on transliterations. He was thought to have chosen the name in homage to Nikolai Polevoy
, a nineteenth century Russian editor and writer known for writing historical novels very loosely based on facts.
Polevoy was said to have been a journalist, although more recently, he has been seen as a propagandist. "Polevoy had few equals in depicting German savagery or in glorifying Soviet heroism. His numerous writings on the war, published in the most influential newspaper of the USSR, not only epitomized Soviet propaganda but also influenced Soviet behavior," wrote Don Heddesheimer in The Journal of Historical Review.
He is perhaps best known for his reporting on the atrocities at Auschwitz soon after its liberation, which were the first to have been published in Pravda. His accounts reportedly differ from what others found, including a description of a conveyor belt that first electrocuted, then transported inmates' corpses into a furnace.
Polevoy began reporting for Pravda in 1939 or 1941. At the time, he was still serving in the Red Army as a lieutenant colonel. He would eventually attain the rank of colonel. He continued as a war correspondent for the newspaper until 1945.
He married Yuliya Osipovna in 1939; the couple had two sons and a daughter.
Story about a True Man (also translated as Story of a Real Man), based on the life of Alexey Maresyev, was an immensely popular novel. It was eventually made into an opera. It was first published in English in 1952, and was reprinted in 1970. The protagonist was also honored by having an asteroid
named for him.
He also served as a deputy to Supreme Soviet Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (R.S.F.S.R.) from 1951 to 1966 and was a member of the Soviet Union Communist Party from 1940 until his death. As such he was involved in party politics as a member of various organizations. He was chief editor of the literary youth magazine Yunost (Юность) from 1962 until his death and was a board member of the Union of Soviet Journalists from 1959. He also served on the Soviet Peace Committee and Bureau World Peace Council.
For years, Polevoy exchanged a series of letters with Howard Fast
, an American writer who had been a member of the Communist Party for 15 years, and best known as the author of Spartacus. The two had met briefly. Fast attempted to contact Polevoy when he decided to withdraw from the party, but there was no response from Polevoy. Fast decided to make his letters public. Polevoy eventually responded. Whether the delay was the result of the letters being intercepted or the result of Polevoy's reluctance to respond remains unclear.
Polevoy writes that when he received Fast's news, "that night I could not fall asleep. I kept thinking of your books. Their heroes crowded around me and together with them, as it were, I went over the whole situation. I felt sure that Gideon Jackson, who fought the good fight to the bitter end, would not have been less taken aback than I was by what happened. Neither would Spartacus, even if he did live at a time when there were neither the philosophical theories nor the practical experience that throw light over mankind's path today, a time without the cultural values of today or the progressive intellectuals bearing aloft the banner of peace at all circumstances."
His popularity with Soviet readers never diminished. "Polevoy's books, articles, and political commentaries gained him an international readership well before the end of the war. He remained influential until his death in 1981, at which time he was secretary of the all-powerful Union of Soviet Writers," wrote Heddescheimer. "During his lifetime, Polevoy was named a Hero of Socialist Labor
and awarded the Stalin Prize for literature, three Orders of Lenin, two Red Banners, the Red Star, and the Gold Medal of the World Peace Council
."
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter pilot Alexei Petrovich Maresiev
Alexei Petrovich Maresiev
Alexey Petrovich Maresyev was a Soviet fighter ace during World War II.He was born in Kamyshin. Before joining the army in 1937, Maresyev worked as a turner and then participated in the construction of Komsomolsk-on-Amur. In 1940, he graduated from Bataysk Military School of Aviation. He...
(or Alexej Petrovich Maresjev).
Boris Polevoy was a pseudonym for Boris Nikolaevich Kampov (1908–1981). He was born in Moscow in 1908, the son of a physician and a Jew, born "beyond the Pale of Settlement." His parents were Nikolay Petrovich and Lidiya (Vasilyevna) Kampov. He was a graduate of the Tver Industrial Technical College (now Kalinin Industrial College).
Prior to starting his career as a writer, he worked as a technologist at a textile factory in Kalinin. As he began his journalism career in 1928, his talents were such that he was chosen to be patronized by Maxim Gorky
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov , primarily known as Maxim Gorky , was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.-Early years:...
.
His nom de plume has several variations based on transliterations. He was thought to have chosen the name in homage to Nikolai Polevoy
Nikolai Polevoy
Nikolai Alekseevich Polevoy was a controversial Russian editor, writer, translator, and historian; his brother was the critic and journalist Ksenofont Polevoy and his sister the writer and publisher of folktales Ekaterina Avdeeva.Polevoy was from an old merchant family from Kursk but was born in...
, a nineteenth century Russian editor and writer known for writing historical novels very loosely based on facts.
Polevoy was said to have been a journalist, although more recently, he has been seen as a propagandist. "Polevoy had few equals in depicting German savagery or in glorifying Soviet heroism. His numerous writings on the war, published in the most influential newspaper of the USSR, not only epitomized Soviet propaganda but also influenced Soviet behavior," wrote Don Heddesheimer in The Journal of Historical Review.
He is perhaps best known for his reporting on the atrocities at Auschwitz soon after its liberation, which were the first to have been published in Pravda. His accounts reportedly differ from what others found, including a description of a conveyor belt that first electrocuted, then transported inmates' corpses into a furnace.
Polevoy began reporting for Pravda in 1939 or 1941. At the time, he was still serving in the Red Army as a lieutenant colonel. He would eventually attain the rank of colonel. He continued as a war correspondent for the newspaper until 1945.
He married Yuliya Osipovna in 1939; the couple had two sons and a daughter.
Story about a True Man (also translated as Story of a Real Man), based on the life of Alexey Maresyev, was an immensely popular novel. It was eventually made into an opera. It was first published in English in 1952, and was reprinted in 1970. The protagonist was also honored by having an asteroid
2173 Maresjev
2173 Maresjev is a Main-belt asteroid that was discovered August 22, 1974 by L. V. Zhuravleva at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory. Its diameter is 17 km....
named for him.
He also served as a deputy to Supreme Soviet Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (R.S.F.S.R.) from 1951 to 1966 and was a member of the Soviet Union Communist Party from 1940 until his death. As such he was involved in party politics as a member of various organizations. He was chief editor of the literary youth magazine Yunost (Юность) from 1962 until his death and was a board member of the Union of Soviet Journalists from 1959. He also served on the Soviet Peace Committee and Bureau World Peace Council.
For years, Polevoy exchanged a series of letters with Howard Fast
Howard Fast
Howard Melvin Fast was an American novelist and television writer. Fast also wrote under the pen names E. V. Cunningham and Walter Ericson.-Early life:Fast was born in New York City...
, an American writer who had been a member of the Communist Party for 15 years, and best known as the author of Spartacus. The two had met briefly. Fast attempted to contact Polevoy when he decided to withdraw from the party, but there was no response from Polevoy. Fast decided to make his letters public. Polevoy eventually responded. Whether the delay was the result of the letters being intercepted or the result of Polevoy's reluctance to respond remains unclear.
Polevoy writes that when he received Fast's news, "that night I could not fall asleep. I kept thinking of your books. Their heroes crowded around me and together with them, as it were, I went over the whole situation. I felt sure that Gideon Jackson, who fought the good fight to the bitter end, would not have been less taken aback than I was by what happened. Neither would Spartacus, even if he did live at a time when there were neither the philosophical theories nor the practical experience that throw light over mankind's path today, a time without the cultural values of today or the progressive intellectuals bearing aloft the banner of peace at all circumstances."
His popularity with Soviet readers never diminished. "Polevoy's books, articles, and political commentaries gained him an international readership well before the end of the war. He remained influential until his death in 1981, at which time he was secretary of the all-powerful Union of Soviet Writers," wrote Heddescheimer. "During his lifetime, Polevoy was named a Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labour was an honorary title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries. It was the highest degree of distinction for exceptional achievements in national economy and culture...
and awarded the Stalin Prize for literature, three Orders of Lenin, two Red Banners, the Red Star, and the Gold Medal of the World Peace Council
World Peace Council
The World Peace Council is an international organization that advocates universal disarmament, sovereignty and independence and peaceful co-existence, and campaigns against imperialism, weapons of mass destruction and all forms of discrimination...
."
Select works
- Tale of a True Man (Повесть о настоящем человеке, 1947)
- Gold (Золото, 1950)
- Hot workshop (Горячий цех, 1940)
- From Belgorod to the Carpathians. From a Soviet War Correspondent's Notebook (От Белгорода до Карпат, 1945). English translation published by Hutchinson, 1945.
- 'We Are Soviet People (Мы советские люди, 1948). Short stories. Foreign Language Publishing House, 1949.
- He Came Back (Вернулся, 1949). Foreign Language Publishing House, 1957.
- Contemporaries (Современники, 1952)
- American Diaries (Американские дневники, 1956)
- At a Wild Shore (На диком бреге, 1962)
- In a Great Offensive (В большом наступлении, 1967)
- Doctor Vera (Доктор Вера, 1967)
- Selected Works (Избранные произведения, in two volumes, 1969)
- Creators of Seas (Создатели морей, 1975)
- 30 Years Later (Тридцать лет спустя, 1975
External links
- Story of a Real Man at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
(full text, English, DjVuDjVuDjVu is a computer file format designed primarily to store scanned documents, especially those containing a combination of text, line drawings, and photographs. It uses technologies such as image layer separation of text and background/images, progressive loading, arithmetic coding, and lossy...
) - Polevoy's grave
- The Moscow News http://english.mn.ru/english/issue.php?2003-9-8
- Moshkov's Library http://www.lib.ru/PROZA/POLEWOJ/