Samad Vurgun

Samad Vurgun
Born	March 21, 1906 Yukhari Salahli, Azerbaijan
Died	May 27, 1956 (aged 50) Baku, Azerbaijan
Occupation	Poet

Samad Vurgun (Azerbaijani: Səməd Vurğun, born Samad Vakilov, March 21, 1906 – May 27, 1956) was an Azerbaijani and Soviet poet, dramatist, public figure, first People’s Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR (1943), academician of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (1945), laureate of two USSR State Prizes of second degree (1941, 1942), and member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union since 1940.^[1]

The Azerbaijan State Russian Dramatic Theatre and streets in Baku and Moscow, and formerly the city of Hovk in Armenia, are named after him.

Biography

Samad Vurgun was born on March 21, 1906, in Salahly village of Qazakh Uyezd, at present Qazakh Rayon of Azerbaijan Republic. Samad’s mother died when he was 6 years old and he was in charge of his father and Ayshe khanim-grandmother from mother’s side. After graduating from school his family moved to Qazakh and Samad entered teacher’s seminary of Qazakh with his elder brother Mekhdikhan Vekilov (1902–1975). In 1922, their father and a year later their grandmother had died and concern for the future poet and his brother passed to their cousin Khangizi Vekilova. He taught literature at village schools of Qazakh, Ganja and Quba. He studied at Moscow State University for 2 years (1929–1930) and then continued his education at Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute.^[2]

In 1945, he was chosen a full member of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan SSR and deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union of the 2nd and 4th convocations (1946–1956).

Samad Vurgun died on May 27, 1956 and was buried in Baku, in the Alley of Honor.

Works

His first work - a poem “Appeal to the youth” was published in 1925, in “Yeni Fikir” (New Thought) newspaper in Tiflis. It was written as a graduation work from seminary. The poet’s first book – "Şairin andı" (Poet’s oath) was published in 1930. The Great Patriotic War was of the utmost importance in Samad Vurgun's life. More than 60 poems, including “Bakının dastanı” (Legend of Baku) were written during the wartime. During these years Samad Vurgun glory had expanded. Leaflets with “To partisans of Ukraine” poem were thrown from airplane to forests in Ukraine to support partisans. Samad Vurgun’s “Ananın öyüdü” (Farewell speech of mother) poem received the highest mark in the contest of the best antiwar poem in the USA, in 1943. The poem was chosen as one of the 20 best poems of the world literature of war theme in New York and spread among soldiers. In the same year "House of Intellectuals named after Fuzûlî" for holding events and meetings with fighting soldiers was opened with his initiative in Baku.^[3]

Collected verses

• The Poet's Oath (1930)
• The Lamp (1932)
• The Parched Books (1947)

Poems

• The Komsomol Poem (1933, not finished)
• Even (1932)
• Muradkhan (1933)
• Khumar (1933)
• Lokbatan (1933)
• Village morning (1933)
• Death place (1934)
• Bitter memories (1935)
• 26 (1935)
• Gallows (1935)
• Dead love (1935)
• Rebellion (1936)
• Basti (1936)
• A Negro tells (1948)
• Mugan (1949)
• Reading Lenin (1950)
• Aygun (1951)
• The Standard Bearer of Century (1954)

Dramas

• Vagif (1937)
• The sun is rising (1938–1939)
• Two Lovers (1940)
• Farhad and Shirin (1941)
• The Man (1945)

Plays

• Vagif (1937). In this work Samad Vurgun described Molla Panah Vagif’s tragic destiny.
• Khanlar (1939). Dedicated to revolutionary Khanlar Safaraliyev’s life.
• Farhad and Shirin (1941). Poetical drama based on Nizami’s “Khosrow and Shirin” poem’s motifs.
• Human (1945).

Translations

• In 1936, Samad Vurgun translated A.S.Pushkin’s “Eugene Onegin” poem into Azerbaijani and was conferred “A.S.Pushkin” Medal by the Committee of Pushkin.^[4]
• In 1936, Samad Vurgun translated part of Shota Rustaveli’s “The Knight in the Panther's Skin” poem and was conferred a honorary diploma of the Georgian SSR.
• In 1939, Samad Vurgun translated Nizami’s “Layla and Majnun” poem.
• He also translated a lot of poems of Taras Shevchenko, Maxim Gorky, Ilia Chavchavadze and Jambyl.

Awards and premiums

• People’s Poet of the Azerbaijan SSR (1943);
• The USSR State Prize of the second degree (1941) – for “Vagif” play;
• The USSR State Prize of the second degree (1942) – for “Farhad and Shirin” play;
• Two Lenin Orders;
• Two other orders.

Family

He was married to Khaver khanim Mirzabeyova and had three children:

Sons: Yusif Samadoglu – People’s Writer of Azerbaijan and Vagif Samadoglu – National poet of Azerbaijan (2000) and recipient of Istiglal (Independence) Order (June 2014).

Daughter: Aybeniz Vekilova – Honored Culture Worker.

Poems dedicated to Samad Vurgun

“Speech of my friend Samad Vurgun at lunch in London” – Konstantin Simonov

Memory

• In 1976, was released a post stamp of the USSR, dedicated to Samad Vurgun.
• In 2006, was released a post stamp of Azerbaijan, dedicated to Samad Vurgun.

In Azerbaijan 70 streets, 7 libraries, 20 schools, 5 palaces of culture, 5 parks, 4 cinemas are named after Samad Vurgun. (Before the USSR collapse there were 38 collective farms) A street in Moscow (Russia), and Derbent (Dagestan); a library in Kiev (Ukraine); school #257 in Dushanbe (Tajikistan); a technical school in Plovdiv (Bulgaria); Azerbaijan State Russian Drama Theatre, and a township in Qazax are named after Samad Vurgun.

References

1. "САМЕД ВУРГУН". samedvurgun.com.
2. "Самед Юсиф оглы Векилов".
3. "ВЛЮБЛЕННЫЙ В НАРОД".
4. "САМЕД ВУРГУН".

External links

• Verses (in Russian)
• Гасан Гулиев. Самед Вургун. "Литературный Азербайджан"

References

• Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd ed.