Writer Vladimir Kunin: biography, personal life, photo

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Vladimir Kunin is a writer about whose past there is a lot of conflicting information. Many incorrect facts about his life were the result of journalistic errors, but some he himself created. The archives of the NKVD are still inaccessible to a wide audience. But it was they that the Russian writer and playwright Vladimir Kunin referred to, whose biography even now, after his death, excites and intrigues journalists and critics.

Biography

In 1927, in Leningrad, in the family of a military pilot and film director, one of the most scandalous authors of the post-Soviet era, Vladimir Kunin, was born. The real name of the writer is Feinberg. As a pseudonym, many years later, he took the name of his mother, who by the beginning of the Great Patriotic War was no longer alive.

There is a lot left unsaid about the writer's teenage years, which fell on wartime. But there is still an official version, according to which the famous screenwriter until 1946years studied at the military aviation school. Then for five years he was a navigator on a dive bomber and was demobilized only in 1951.

Autobiographical myth

Kunin did not like to give interviews, but during his life he talked a lot with journalists. In recent years, he has increasingly misled press workers. Citing facts from his childhood, he often accidentally or deliberately confused the year.

Being already a mature writer, he was known in literary circles as a man who creates a heroic autobiography. The fiction in his biography includes, first of all, childhood and adolescence. According to him, which he later refuted himself, he spent the first years of the war in a secret NKVD camp.

In adolescence, the future writer was left to himself: his mother died, his father was at the front. These circumstances led him to a gang of juvenile delinquents, and then to prison, where the NKVD officers once had a long conversation with him. After a difficult conversation, the fourteen-year-old criminal had no choice but to join the school of saboteurs. "Cadets" had to undergo military training, then participate in special operations. At least, Vladimir Kunin himself claimed so, although in the year when, according to his version, these events took place, he was already sixteen.

Family

One of the most mysterious figures in Russian culture was undoubtedly the writer Vladimir Kunin. The personal life of this person has never been open to prying eyes. In 1990, he, along with his wife Irinaemigrated to Germany. His wife's illness forced him to go abroad for permanent residence. It was the only way to save her life. Their son remained in St. Petersburg.

Fame and fame

More than thirty of his books have been filmed. His works are now read all over the world in seventeen languages. But the writer Vladimir Vladimirovich Kunin became famous with the release of the story “The Chronicle of a dive bomber”. It happened in 1967.

To this day, the adaptation of this book is considered one of the best Soviet films about the war. Along with this work, twelve stories and another story were also published in one collection.

Intergirl

After the "Chronicle" from the pen of Kunin came out a few more works on military subjects. However, the next breakthrough in literature and cinema was by no means just another story about military pilots. Vladimir Kunin received loud fame with the release of the first Soviet film about the life of hard currency prostitutes. Collecting materials for the script of this film, the writer accompanied the police officers who went to detain girls of easy virtue. Accumulating information about the world of prostitution, he tried to establish friendly contacts with the prototypes of his heroines. The screenwriter did it with difficulty. He was increasingly mistaken for a KGB officer. But when the story saw the light of the day, representatives of the oldest profession literally showered the author with heartfelt letters.

Girls bookLiked it, and the movie even more. Only the scriptwriter was dissatisfied with the film. In his opinion, it was not necessary to make a film on a national scale from this material. This story, like many of his other works, is just one of the sad stories of life.

The story "Bastards"

The film based on this work left no one indifferent. Actions take place in 1943. In the center of the story is an officer who is released from prison to perform a mission of particular importance. He will lead a squad consisting of juvenile delinquents. The sabotage group is sent to the mountains, where they must destroy the German fuel depot.

After writing the script, the author was able to convince the director and state cultural workers that the work was not only based on real events, but also on his own biography. Both the story and the film caused a huge resonance and controversy among historians regarding the reliability of the data provided by the writer Vladimir Kunin. His biography will remain a mystery with seven seals. The director of the film will later say that he fully believes in the historical veracity of the script. But even now he is sure that Kunin himself never took part in any special operations.

Bastards: Fact or Fiction?

After the screening of the film, a fierce dispute arose: did such a sabotage detachment exist, as evidenced by Vladimir Kunin? Photos and documents of the wartime, which are in possession ofthe staff of the archives allowed us to come to a completely unexpected conclusion. The sensational scenario, in fact, is not without a historical basis. Special schools for criminal children existed, but under the leadership of the German army. As part of the NKVD, children's sabotage institutions never existed.

Emigration

One of the most popular writers of the 90s said more than once that his political views did not force him to leave Russia. He has never been a dissident. Although he arrived in Germany as a contingent refugee. Kunin maintained friendly relations with one of the German publishers. This friendship allowed the author of Interdevochka to work fruitfully abroad as well.

While living in Germany, he never stopped writing. He often visited St. Petersburg, met with colleagues and readers. During these years, he published his last collection, which included the stories "Ivanov and Rabinovich", "Intergirl" and others. In addition, Kunin also wrote the novel "Russians at Marienplatz". All his works of these years are devoted to the life of Russian emigrants in Europe.

Criticism

Kunin's military prose was perceived positively by both literary critics and readers. The works created during the years of emigration aroused the burning interest of readers, but not always approval. The story "Intergirl" caused indignation among the authorities. Speaking out loud about the existence of such a social evil as prostitution was not accepted.

But not a single work of Kunin caused as much controversy and indignation as histhe last military story "Bastards". In order to refute the facts that formed the basis of this literary work, many negative reviews were written. The authors were FSB officers, cultural figures and famous writers. The imaginary "autobiographical" nature of the story caused particular indignation. The author of "Bastards" was accused of Khlestakovism and malicious slander against a Soviet soldier.

Recent years

The writer lived in Munich for more than twenty years. According to relatives and friends of the screenwriter, until the last days he did not want to return to his homeland. The reason for the reluctance to go to Russia was, first of all, the scandal caused by the film "Bastards". At the presentation of the MTV Russia award, the famous Russian director Vladimir Menshikov refused to accept the prize, calling the film vile and disgracing the country.

Vladimir Kunin died after a long illness. He was 84 years old. His works have forever become part of Soviet and Russian culture.