Yuri German
Encyclopedia
Yuri Pavlovich German ( – January 16, 1967) was a Soviet Russia
n writer, playwright, screenwriter, and journalist.
(then part of the Russian Empire
) and accompanied his father, an artillery officer, during the Civil War
. He graduated from high school in Kursk
and studied at the Technical School of Performing Arts in Leningrad
in 1929. At age 17, he wrote the novel Rafael iz parikmakherskoi (Raphael of the barbershop), published in 1928, but did not consider himself a professional writer until he published the novel Vstuplenie (Entry), which met with the approval of Maxim Gorky
, in 1931.
In 1936, together with director Sergei Gerasimov
, he wrote the screenplay for the movie Semero smelykh (The courageous seven), about researchers in the Arctic; among his other screenplays were Pirogov (1947) and Belinsky (1951), both directed by Grigori Kozintsev
, and Delo Rumyantseva (The Rumyantsev case, 1955), directed by Iosif Kheifits
.
During World War II
German was a war correspondent for TASS
and the Soviet Information Bureau
with the Northern Fleet
. He spent the entire war in the north; from Arkhangelsk
he often flew to Murmansk
or Kandalaksha
, living in the Arctic for months on end, traveling to the front, visiting forward positions, and spending time on the warships of the Northern Fleet. During this time he wrote essays and articles for TASS, and still found time for short stories and novels. During the war he wrote the short novels Bi kheppi! (Be happy!), Attestat (The certificate), Studyonoe more (The frozen sea), and Daleko na Severe (The far north) and the plays Za zdorov'e togo, kto v puti (To the health of the man on the road) and Beloe more (White Sea). He was a member of the Communist Party
from 1958.
After the war he wrote a historical novel about the era of Peter the Great, Rossiya molodaya (Young Russia, 1952). From his novels and short stories his son Aleksei German
made the films Proverka na dorogakh (Road check, from the novel Operatsiya "S Novym godom") and Moi drug Ivan Lapshin (My Friend Ivan Lapshin
), and Semyon Aranovich
made the film Torpedonostsy (Torpedo bombers).
German died in Leningrad and was buried in the Bogoslovskoe Cemetery.
writes:
writes, "His novels, many of them wartime novels with good plots and full of adventure, were unusual in Russia and, therefore, enormously popular. I never thought Yuri German a truly great writer. But he was a man of great moral courage and infinite goodness."
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 writer, playwright, screenwriter, and journalist.
Life
German was born in RigaRiga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
(then part of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
) and accompanied his father, an artillery officer, 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...
. He graduated from high school in Kursk
Kursk
Kursk is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym Rivers. The area around Kursk was site of a turning point in the Russian-German struggle during World War II and the site of the largest tank battle in history...
and studied at the Technical School of Performing Arts in Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
in 1929. At age 17, he wrote the novel Rafael iz parikmakherskoi (Raphael of the barbershop), published in 1928, but did not consider himself a professional writer until he published the novel Vstuplenie (Entry), which met with the approval 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:...
, in 1931.
In 1936, together with director Sergei Gerasimov
Sergei Gerasimov
Sergey Gerasimov may refer to:*Sergey Vasilyevich Gerasimov , Russian painter*Sergei Gerasimov , Russian actor, film director and screenwriter...
, he wrote the screenplay for the movie Semero smelykh (The courageous seven), about researchers in the Arctic; among his other screenplays were Pirogov (1947) and Belinsky (1951), both directed by Grigori Kozintsev
Grigori Kozintsev
Grigori Mikhaylovich Kozintsev was a Jewish Ukrainian, Soviet Russian theatre and film director. He was named People's Artist of the USSR in 1964.He studied in the Imperial Academy of Arts...
, and Delo Rumyantseva (The Rumyantsev case, 1955), directed by Iosif Kheifits
Iosif Kheifits
Iosif Kheifits was a Soviet film director, winner of two Stalin Prizes , People's Artist of USSR , Hero of Socialist Labor . Member of the Communist Party of Soviet Union since 1945....
.
During 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...
German was a war correspondent for TASS
Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union , was the central agency for collection and distribution of internal and international news for all Soviet newspapers, radio and television stations...
and the Soviet Information Bureau
Soviet Information Bureau
Soviet Information Bureau , commonly known as Sovinformburo ) was a leading Soviet news agency in 1941 - 1961. It was established on June 24, 1941, shortly after the opening of the Eastern Front of World War II by a directive of Sovnarkom and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the...
with the Northern Fleet
Northern Fleet
The Red Banner Northern Fleet is a unit of the Russian Navy that has access to the Barents and Norwegian Seas, the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, and is responsible for the defense of northwestern Russia. It was established in 1937 as part of the Soviet Navy...
. He spent the entire war in the north; from Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...
he often flew to Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
or Kandalaksha
Kandalaksha
Kandalaksha is a town in Kandalakshsky District of Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located at the head of Kandalaksha Gulf on the White Sea, beyond the Arctic Circle. Population: 40,564 ; -History:The settlement has existed since the 11th century...
, living in the Arctic for months on end, traveling to the front, visiting forward positions, and spending time on the warships of the Northern Fleet. During this time he wrote essays and articles for TASS, and still found time for short stories and novels. During the war he wrote the short novels Bi kheppi! (Be happy!), Attestat (The certificate), Studyonoe more (The frozen sea), and Daleko na Severe (The far north) and the plays Za zdorov'e togo, kto v puti (To the health of the man on the road) and Beloe more (White Sea). He was a member of the Communist Party
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
from 1958.
After the war he wrote a historical novel about the era of Peter the Great, Rossiya molodaya (Young Russia, 1952). From his novels and short stories his son Aleksei German
Aleksei German
Aleksei Yuryevich German is a Soviet and Russian filmmaker, most active as a director and screenwriter. His last name is pronounced with a hard "g" and in English is frequently spelled Guerman or Gherman to avoid confusion.Almost all of German's films have been set during the Stalin era and have...
made the films Proverka na dorogakh (Road check, from the novel Operatsiya "S Novym godom") and Moi drug Ivan Lapshin (My Friend Ivan Lapshin
My Friend Ivan Lapshin
My Friend Ivan Lapshin is a 1984 Soviet criminal drama film directed by Aleksei German and produced by Lenfilm. Based on a novel by Yuri German adapted by Eduard Volodarsky. Music composed by Arkadi Gagulashvili, sound by Nikolai Astakhov. Cinematography by Valeri Fedosov, film editing by Leda...
), and Semyon Aranovich
Semyon Aranovich
Semyon Davidovich Aranovich was a Soviet and Russian film director whose work included the documentaries I Was Stalin's Bodyguard and The Anna Achmatova Files as well as features like Torpedo Bombers...
made the film Torpedonostsy (Torpedo bombers).
German died in Leningrad and was buried in the Bogoslovskoe Cemetery.
Work
Richard StitesRichard Stites
Richard Thomas Stites was a historian of Russian culture.In 1978 he published The Women's Liberation Movement in Russia: Feminism, Nihilism and Bolshevism, 1860-1930, a book that opened up a new discipline of Russian studies.In 1984, he wrote the introductory essay for an English translations of...
writes:
Alexander Werth
His best-known work, Ivan Lapshin (1937), was a police novel in a provincial setting whose main theme was the integration of criminals into society through order and labor. In this sense it resembles old bandit tales in which outlaws are reintegrated into society by colluding with the authorities. The novel incorporates a vision of collectivity (the policemen live in a commune), rationalism, culture, and social tranquility unperturbed by the black discord of crime. For good measure, Lapshin acts as mentor to his junior colleague. All of this is captured, with a twist, in the brilliant film version, My Friend, Ivan Lapshin made by the author's son, Alexei German in the 1980s.
Alexander Werth
Alexander Werth was a Russian-born, naturalized British writer, journalist, and war correspondent.-Biography:Werth's family fled to the United Kingdom in the wake of the Russian Revolution....
writes, "His novels, many of them wartime novels with good plots and full of adventure, were unusual in Russia and, therefore, enormously popular. I never thought Yuri German a truly great writer. But he was a man of great moral courage and infinite goodness."