Iosif Utkin
Encyclopedia
Iosif Pavlovich Utkin ( – 13 November 1944) was a Russia
n poet of the World War II
generation.
Utkin was born on 13 May at the Khingan
station of the Chinese Eastern Railway
, which his parents were helping to construct. After his birth the family returned to their native city Irkutsk
, where the future poet lived until 1920. He was expelled from middle school for poor behavior and free-thinking. He worked as a marker at a tannery, sold newspapers, and delivered telegrams for a living. In 1919 during the anti-Kolchak uprising in Irkutsk
he became a member of the Workers Guard (Communist guerrillas
) until the re-establishment of Soviet power. In 1920 he enlisted as a volunteer with the first group of Irkutsk Komsomol
members for the Soviet Far East Front
. In the army he was a field informant and military commissar
of repair shops.
In 1922 he worked as a reporter for the newspaper Power to Labor, then for the Provincial Committee of Komsomol
as a secretary of the Komsomol newspaper and a political instructor for pre-induction trainees. In 1924 he was sent to study at the Institute for Journalism in Moscow
. Since 1922 he had published his poems in the Siberia
n press, and on his arrival in Moscow he was published there. In 1925 his first book "Story about the redhead Motele..." was published, and in 1926 his first book of poems. From 1925 he worked in Komsomolskaya Pravda
. After graduating from the Institute in 1927, he was sent along with the poets Zharov and Bezymensky abroad, where he stayed two months. In 1928 he published the poem "Dear Childhood."
At the beginning of the German-Soviet War, he went to the front. Near Bryansk
, he was injured, and he was treated in Tashkent
. There he wrote the book I saw it myself, verses from which he read to the editorial staff of Komsomolskaya Pravda. In spite of the opinions of his physicians he returned to the front, although he had lost four fingers on his right hand. He participated in combat and wrote march songs. Many of his verses became songs and were popular at the front. Returning from the front on 13 November 1944, Utkin perished in an airplane crash.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n poet of the World War II
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...
generation.
Utkin was born on 13 May at the Khingan
Khingan
Khingan may refer to:*Greater Khingan, volcanic mountain range in Inner Mongolia, China*Lesser Khingan, mountain range in the northeastern section of Heilongjiang, China...
station of the Chinese Eastern Railway
Chinese Eastern Railway
The Chinese Eastern Railway or was a railway in northeastern China . It connected Chita and the Russian Far East. English-speakers have sometimes referred to this line as the Manchurian Railway...
, which his parents were helping to construct. After his birth the family returned to their native city Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
, where the future poet lived until 1920. He was expelled from middle school for poor behavior and free-thinking. He worked as a marker at a tannery, sold newspapers, and delivered telegrams for a living. In 1919 during the anti-Kolchak uprising in Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
he became a member of the Workers Guard (Communist guerrillas
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
) until the re-establishment of Soviet power. In 1920 he enlisted as a volunteer with the first group of Irkutsk Komsomol
Komsomol
The Communist Union of Youth , usually known as Komsomol , was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of...
members for the Soviet Far East Front
Soviet Far East Front
The Far Eastern Front was a Front — a formation equivalent to a Western Army Group — of the Soviet Army during the Russian Civil War and the Second World War....
. In the army he was a field informant and military commissar
Commissar
Commissar is the English transliteration of an official title used in Russia from the time of Peter the Great.The title was used during the Provisional Government for regional heads of administration, but it is mostly associated with a number of Cheka and military functions in Bolshevik and Soviet...
of repair shops.
In 1922 he worked as a reporter for the newspaper Power to Labor, then for the Provincial Committee of Komsomol
Komsomol
The Communist Union of Youth , usually known as Komsomol , was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of...
as a secretary of the Komsomol newspaper and a political instructor for pre-induction trainees. In 1924 he was sent to study at the Institute for Journalism in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Since 1922 he had published his poems in the Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
n press, and on his arrival in Moscow he was published there. In 1925 his first book "Story about the redhead Motele..." was published, and in 1926 his first book of poems. From 1925 he worked in Komsomolskaya Pravda
Komsomolskaya Pravda
Komsomolskaya Pravda is a daily Russian tabloid newspaper, founded on March 13th, 1925. It is published by "Izdatelsky Dom Komsomolskaya Pravda" .- History :...
. After graduating from the Institute in 1927, he was sent along with the poets Zharov and Bezymensky abroad, where he stayed two months. In 1928 he published the poem "Dear Childhood."
At the beginning of the German-Soviet War, he went to the front. Near Bryansk
Bryansk
Bryansk is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Moscow. Population: -History:The first written mention of Bryansk was in 1146, in the Hypatian Codex, as Debryansk...
, he was injured, and he was treated in Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
. There he wrote the book I saw it myself, verses from which he read to the editorial staff of Komsomolskaya Pravda. In spite of the opinions of his physicians he returned to the front, although he had lost four fingers on his right hand. He participated in combat and wrote march songs. Many of his verses became songs and were popular at the front. Returning from the front on 13 November 1944, Utkin perished in an airplane crash.