Sergei Golitsyn
Encyclopedia
Sergei Mikhailovich Golitsyn — 7 November 1989) was a Russian-Soviet writer.
guberniya. His father was prince Mikhail Vladimirovich Galitsyn (1873–1942),a member of the powerful Russian Golitsyn
(or Galitzine
) family, and his mother was Anna Sergheevna, born Lopukhina (1880–1972). He had also five sisters and one brother.
During the repressions of 1920s and 1930s, a large number of his relatives were targeted. At various times were arrested ( and later killed) his grandfather, V.M. Galitsyn, his father, his older brother Vladimir, one brother-in-law and numerous cousins. Later he recalled this years in his Memoirs of a Survivor: The Golitsyn Family in Stalin's Russia, an account of how revolution dramatically transformed life for one of Russia's elite families. Written in secret and published only in 1990, after his death it describes the impact of the revolution upon his family, whilst also painting a picture of life in Russia as Bolshevism turned to Stalinism
.
After finishing school in 1927, having decided to become a writer, he enrolled to Higher Literature Courses (later to become the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute
). After graduating in 1929, he was briefly arrested.
Although his first children stories were published in the 1930s in various journals, he could not support himself from writing and worked as a topographer including to the building of the Moscow Canal
.
In 1934 he married Klavdia Mikhailovna Babykina (1907–1980), with whom he had three children - Georgy( b.1935), Mikhail (b.1936) and Sergey (1938–1939).
On 3 July 1941 he was mobilized as a topographer at the sapper
troops. He made all the way to Berlin and was discharged in 1946. For his service he received the Order of the Patriotic War
II-nd class, the Order of the Red Star
and several medals.
After the war worked as a geodesist
engineer at the State Planning Institute.
Since 1959 he lived as a professional writer.
He died on 7 November 1989 of a heart attack. He is buried in the churchyard of the village Lyubets (Vladimir Oblast
).
("I want to be a topographer" (1953), "Forty Explorers" (1959) etc.)
He also wrote children books on historical themes and biographies of Russian Painters (V.A. Polenov
, V.A.Favorsky
). In the village of Lyubets, where he owned a summer house, he established a folk-art museum.
Since 1979 he worked on his memoirs "Memoirs of a Survivor", published in 1990 by his sons.
Biography
Sergei Mikhailovich Galitsyn was born on 14(1) March 1909 at an estate in the TulaTula, Russia
Tula is an industrial city and the administrative center of Tula Oblast, Russia. It is located south of Moscow, on the Upa River. Population: -History:...
guberniya. His father was prince Mikhail Vladimirovich Galitsyn (1873–1942),a member of the powerful Russian Golitsyn
Golitsyn
-People:*Golitsyns noble family *Nicholas Galitzine, last Tsarist prime minister of Russia*Anatoliy Golitsyn, Soviet KGB defector*Georgy Golitsyn, Soviet physicist and writer on nuclear winter...
(or Galitzine
Galitzine
For Orthodox clergyman and theologian, see Alexander Golitzin.The Galitzines are one of the largest and noblest princely houses of Russia. Since the extinction of the Korecki family in the 17th century, the Golitsyns have claimed dynastic seniority in the House of Gediminas...
) family, and his mother was Anna Sergheevna, born Lopukhina (1880–1972). He had also five sisters and one brother.
During the repressions of 1920s and 1930s, a large number of his relatives were targeted. At various times were arrested ( and later killed) his grandfather, V.M. Galitsyn, his father, his older brother Vladimir, one brother-in-law and numerous cousins. Later he recalled this years in his Memoirs of a Survivor: The Golitsyn Family in Stalin's Russia, an account of how revolution dramatically transformed life for one of Russia's elite families. Written in secret and published only in 1990, after his death it describes the impact of the revolution upon his family, whilst also painting a picture of life in Russia as Bolshevism turned to Stalinism
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
.
After finishing school in 1927, having decided to become a writer, he enrolled to Higher Literature Courses (later to become the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute
Maxim Gorky Literature Institute
The Maxim Gorky Literature Institute is a higher education institute in Moscow. It is located at 25 Tver Bulvar in Central Moscow.It was founded in 1933 on the initiative of Maxim Gorky, and received its current name at Gorky's death in 1936....
). After graduating in 1929, he was briefly arrested.
Although his first children stories were published in the 1930s in various journals, he could not support himself from writing and worked as a topographer including to the building of the Moscow Canal
Moscow Canal
The Moscow Canal , named the Moscow-Volga Canal until the year 1947, is a canal that connects the Moskva River with the main transportation artery of European Russia, the Volga River. It is located in Moscow itself and in the Moscow Oblast...
.
In 1934 he married Klavdia Mikhailovna Babykina (1907–1980), with whom he had three children - Georgy( b.1935), Mikhail (b.1936) and Sergey (1938–1939).
On 3 July 1941 he was mobilized as a topographer at the sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
troops. He made all the way to Berlin and was discharged in 1946. For his service he received the Order of the Patriotic War
Order of the Patriotic War
The Order of the Patriotic War is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisans for heroic deeds during the German-Soviet War, known by the former-Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War.- History :The Order was...
II-nd class, the Order of the Red Star
Order of the Red Star
Established on 6 April 1930, the Order of the Red Star was an order of the Soviet Union, given to Red Army and Soviet Navy personnel for "exceptional service in the cause of the defense of the Soviet Union in both war and peace". It was established by Resolution of the Presidium of the CEC of the...
and several medals.
After the war worked as a geodesist
Geodesy
Geodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
engineer at the State Planning Institute.
Since 1959 he lived as a professional writer.
He died on 7 November 1989 of a heart attack. He is buried in the churchyard of the village Lyubets (Vladimir Oblast
Vladimir Oblast
Vladimir Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Vladimir, which is located east of Moscow...
).
Work
He is best known in the former USSR as an author of children books inspired by the life of Soviet PioneersYoung Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union
The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer...
("I want to be a topographer" (1953), "Forty Explorers" (1959) etc.)
He also wrote children books on historical themes and biographies of Russian Painters (V.A. Polenov
Vasily Polenov
Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov was a Russian landscape painter associated with the Peredvizhniki movement of realist artists.-Biography:...
, V.A.Favorsky
Vladimir Favorsky
Vladimir Andreyevich Favorsky was a Soviet graphic artist, woodcut illustrator, painter, muralist, and teacher. He was a People's Artist of the USSR from 1963 and a full member of Soviet Academy of Arts from 1962, as well as of the Four Arts society....
). In the village of Lyubets, where he owned a summer house, he established a folk-art museum.
Since 1979 he worked on his memoirs "Memoirs of a Survivor", published in 1990 by his sons.