Vsevolod Ivanov
Encyclopedia
Vsevolod Vyacheslavovich Ivanov ( ˈfsʲɛvələd vʲɪtɕɪˈslavəvʲɪtɕ ɪˈvanəf; , Lebyazhye, now in Pavlodar
Oblast
–August 15, 1963, Moscow
) was a notable Soviet writer praised for the colourful adventure tales set in the Asia
tic part of Russia during the Civil War
.
to a teacher's family. When he was a child Vsevolod ran away to become a clown
in a travelling circus
. His first story, published in 1915, caught the attention of Maxim Gorky
, who advised Vsevolod throughout his career.
Ivanov joined the Red Army
during the Civil War and fought in Siberia
. This inspired his short stories, Partisans (1921) and Armoured Train (1922).
In 1922 Ivanov joined the literary group Serapion Brothers
. Other members included Nikolay Tikhonov, Mikhail Zoshchenko
, Victor Shklovsky, Veniamin Kaverin
, and Konstantin Fedin
.
Ivanov's first novels, Colored Winds (1922) and Azure Sands (1923), were set in Asiatic part of Russia
and gave rise to the genre of ostern
in Soviet literature. His novella Baby was acclaimed by Edmund Wilson
as the finest Soviet short story ever.
Later, Ivanov came under fire from Bolshevik
critics who claimed his works were too pessimistic and that it was not clear whether the Reds or Whites were the heroes.
In 1927 Ivanov rewrote his short story, the Armoured Train 14-69 into a play
. This time, the play highlighted the role of the Bolsheviks in the Civil War. After that, his writings saw a marked decline in quality, and he never managed to produce anything equal to his early efforts.
Among his later works, which conformed to the requirements of Socialist Realism
, are the Adventures of a Fakir (1935) and The Taking of Berlin (1945). During the Second World War, Ivanov worked as a war correspondent for Izvestia
.
Vsevolod's son Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov
became one of the leading philologists and Indo-Europeanists of the late 20th century. Vsevolod adopted Isaak Babel's illegitimate child Emmanuil when he married Babel's one time mistress
Tamara Kashirina. Emmanuil's name was changed to "Mikhail Ivanov" and he later became a noted artist.
Pavlodar
Pavlodar is a city in northeastern Kazakhstan and the capital of Pavlodar Province. It is located 350 km northeast of the national capital Astana, and 400 km southeast of the Russian city of Omsk along the Irtysh River. , the city has a population of 331710...
Oblast
Oblast
Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...
–August 15, 1963, 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...
) was a notable Soviet writer praised for the colourful adventure tales set in the Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
tic part of Russia during the Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
.
Biography
Ivanov was born in Northern KazakhstanKazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
to a teacher's family. When he was a child Vsevolod ran away to become a clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
in a travelling circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
. His first story, published in 1915, caught the attention of 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:...
, who advised Vsevolod throughout his career.
Ivanov joined the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
during the Civil War and fought in 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...
. This inspired his short stories, Partisans (1921) and Armoured Train (1922).
In 1922 Ivanov joined the literary group Serapion Brothers
Serapion Brothers
The Serapion Brothers was a group of writers formed in Petrograd, Russia in 1921. The group was named after a literary group, Die Serapionsbrüder , to which German romantic author E.T.A. Hoffmann belonged and after which he named a collection of his tales...
. Other members included Nikolay Tikhonov, Mikhail Zoshchenko
Mikhail Zoshchenko
-Biography:Zoshchenko was born in 1895, in Poltava, but spent most of his life in St. Petersburg / Leningrad. His Ukrainian father was a mosaicist responsible for the exterior decoration of the Suvorov Museum in Saint Petersburg. The future writer attended the Faculty of Law at the Saint Petersburg...
, Victor Shklovsky, Veniamin Kaverin
Veniamin Kaverin
Veniamin Alexandrovich Kaverin was a Soviet writer associated with the early 1920s movement of the Serapion Brothers. The immunologist Lev Zilber was his older brother, and the critic Yury Tynyanov was his brother-in-law....
, and Konstantin Fedin
Konstantin Fedin
-Biography:Born in Saratov of humble origins, Fedin studied in Moscow and Germany and was interned there during World War I. After his release he worked as an interpreter in the first Soviet embassy in Berlin...
.
Ivanov's first novels, Colored Winds (1922) and Azure Sands (1923), were set in Asiatic part of Russia
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...
and gave rise to the genre of ostern
Ostern
The Ostern or Red Western was the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries' take on the Western.It generally took two forms:...
in Soviet literature. His novella Baby was acclaimed by Edmund Wilson
Edmund Wilson
Edmund Wilson was an American writer and literary and social critic and noted man of letters.-Early life:Wilson was born in Red Bank, New Jersey. His father, Edmund Wilson, Sr., was a lawyer and served as New Jersey Attorney General. Wilson attended The Hill School, a college preparatory...
as the finest Soviet short story ever.
Later, Ivanov came under fire from Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
critics who claimed his works were too pessimistic and that it was not clear whether the Reds or Whites were the heroes.
In 1927 Ivanov rewrote his short story, the Armoured Train 14-69 into a play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
. This time, the play highlighted the role of the Bolsheviks in the Civil War. After that, his writings saw a marked decline in quality, and he never managed to produce anything equal to his early efforts.
Among his later works, which conformed to the requirements of Socialist Realism
Socialist realism
Socialist realism is a style of realistic art which was developed in the Soviet Union and became a dominant style in other communist countries. Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style having its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism...
, are the Adventures of a Fakir (1935) and The Taking of Berlin (1945). During the Second World War, Ivanov worked as a war correspondent for Izvestia
Izvestia
Izvestia is a long-running high-circulation daily newspaper in Russia. The word "izvestiya" in Russian means "delivered messages", derived from the verb izveshchat . In the context of newspapers it is usually translated as "news" or "reports".-Origin:The newspaper began as the News of the...
.
Vsevolod's son Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov
Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov
Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov is a prominent Soviet/Russian philologist and Indo-Europeanist probably best known for his glottalic theory of Indo-European consonantism and for placing the Indo-European urheimat in the area of the Armenian Highlands and Lake Urmia.-Early life:Vyacheslav Ivanov's...
became one of the leading philologists and Indo-Europeanists of the late 20th century. Vsevolod adopted Isaak Babel's illegitimate child Emmanuil when he married Babel's one time mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
Tamara Kashirina. Emmanuil's name was changed to "Mikhail Ivanov" and he later became a noted artist.
English translations
- Armoured Train 14-69, International publishers, 1933.
- The Adventures of a Fakir, Vanguard Press, 1935.
- Armored Train 14-69, Trilogy Books, 1978.
- Selected Stories, Raduga Publishers, 1983.
- Correspondence Across a Room, Marlboro Press, 1984.
- From the Reminiscences of Private Ivanov and Other Stories, Angel Books, 1988.
- The Child, from Great Soviet Short Stories, Dell, 1990.
- Fertility and Other Stories, Northwestern University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-8101-1547-6