Kata Valentin Petrovich

(1897 - 1986)

Born on January 16 (29 NS) in Odessa in the family of teacher.

Studied at Odessa High School. In nine years, began writing poetry, some of them were printed in the Odessa newspapers, and in 1914 the first verse Katayeva published in St. Petersburg in the "whole world". Since the beginning of the First World War, he joined a volunteer in the army, the artillery brigade, where he stayed until the summer of 1917.

October Revolution met in Odessa hospital where was treated after being shot in the Romanian front. Demobilized, made the first attempt to write prose. In 1919 he was drafted into the Red Army, acting commander of the battery, then was recalled from the army and was appointed head of windows satire in Odessa GROWTH: wrote the lyrics for Agit-posters, limericks, slogans, leaflets. In 1921 he was sent to establish similar work in Kharkov.

In 1922 he moved to Moscow, published his satirical articles in the newspapers "Whistle", "Trud", "working paper," leaving no work on the artistic prose. In 1925 published the novel "embezzler", noticed and criticized, and readers. This story was staged, the play with success came in 1928 at the Moscow Art Theater. Inspired by the recognition, Kataev wrote comedy "Squaring the circle", also justify the extraordinarily resounding success. Since then, constantly writing for the theater.

In 1932, having made a trip to the construction of Magnitogorsk, Kataev wrote a novel, a chronicle of "Time, Forward!", Which became a milestone in his creative.

In 1936, publishes the novel "and winding road", many working for the "Truth": wrote satires, sketches, notes, articles. In 1937, the story goes "I'm the son of working people". During the war he worked in the Radio and in the Soviet Information Bureau at overseas. He was a military correspondent for Pravda and Red Star, which published his essays from the front. During this period, stories were written by "a third tank," "Flag", the story "Wife," "The Tinder Box", the play "Father's House", "Blue Kerchief".

In 1949 his novel "For Soviet Power". In 1955 was founded the magazine "Youth", whose editor was Katayev. Here in 1956 he published the novel "Little Farm in the Steppe.

In 1960, written "The grass of oblivion", "Holy well", "Cube". In 1978 - "My diamond crown" in 1980 - "Already written Werther". V. Kataev died in 1986 in Moscow.

Used materials kn.: Russian writers and poets. Brief Biographical Dictionary. Moscow, 2000.


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Kata Valentin Petrovich (16.1.1897, Odessa - 12.4.1986), writer, Hero of Socialist Labor (1974), winner of the Stalin Prize (1946). The son of a teacher; brother E. Petrova. Educated at the Odessa High School. Since 1906 began to write poetry. Volunteered to serve in the 1 st World War. During the Civil War - in the Red Army. He dedicated the fight against philistinism play "Squaring the circle" (1928) has become very popular, and in 1930 he became a renowned Soviet writer. Posted novel "Time, Forward!" (1932), glorified the socialist construction. Particular success was 1-st part of the historical revolutionary tetralogy "Waves of the Black Sea" (1936-61) - the story "and winding road". Considered typical representative of socialist realism. The level of the later works of extremely low. During the Great Patriotic War, a war correspondent for Pravda, "Red Star" and the Soviet Information Bureau. Book "War Stories" (1942), the play "Father's House" (1944). After the war, published the story "The Tinder Box" (1945) about a teenager in war. In 1949 wrote the novel "For Soviet Power", but was accused of, it is wrong to show the role of communists in the defense of Odessa. By 1951 K. rewrote the novel in accordance with the "recommendations". After the death of I.V. Stalin maintained its position. In 1958 joined the Communist Party. From the tale of the VI. Lenin, "a small iron door in the wall" (1964), as well as memoirs stories "Holy well" (1966), "The grass of oblivion" (1967), "My diamond crown" (1978). In 1955-61 was chief editor of "Youth", which gave the opportunity to publish many of the young writers of the Thaw. Actively participated in campaigns of harassment B.L. Pasternak and AI. Solzhenitsyn.