Vladimir Korotkevich: biography, photos, works, quotes

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

Korotkevich Vladimir Semenovich is a writer, playwright and poet, whose works are proud of his native Belarus and read with pleasure by readers from different countries.

Korotkevich: kind, modest, famous

There were huge queues for his books, published in sixty thousand copies and more. Moreover, such popularity was in no way reflected in the writer's human qualities: Vladimir Korotkevich, not spoiled by the attention of the state, was a kind and modest person with a huge heart and a broad soul.

Looking at the photo of Vladimir Korotkevich, one can easily see openness, determination and uncompromisingness in this person; in the Belarusian author, even in his mature years, human wisdom accumulated over the years and childish immediacy given by nature.

Korotkevich Vladimir Semenovich: biography

The writer was born on November 26, 1930 in the family of an accountant, in the city of Orsha, Vitebsk region (Belarus). During the Great Patriotic War, he was evacuated with his family to the Perm region, then moved to Orenburg. In 1944, upon returning to his native Orsha, Vladimir Korotkevich received a secondary education. The years 1949-1954 were devoted to study at the Kiev State University at the Faculty of Philology and the completion of graduate school. The future famous writer at first worked as a teacher in a rural school; at first it was the Kyiv region, then the hometown of Orsha. Further, the biography of Korotkevich was replenished with studies at the Higher Literary Courses and the Institute of Cinematography in Moscow, which became the beginning of a career as a professional writer.

And then you will win

"Do the unexpected, do as it doesn't happen, do as no one does, and then you will win," said Vladimir Korotkevich, quotes from whose works are known and loved by many admirers of his work.

Korotkevich's name first appeared in print in 1955; it was the publication of the poem "Masheka" in the journal "Polymya". A start was made: then three more poetry books were presented to the reader's attention.

Korotkevich also has several published collections of short stories. Among the most famous works is the story "King Stakh's Wild Hunt" (writing genre - historical detective story). The novel "Spikes under your sickle" is practically the mainbook in the work of the writer. One of the key characters in it is the legendary Kastus Kalinovsky; the work itself describes the events preceding the uprising of 1863-1864 in Lithuania and Belarus. Korotkevich's prose was connected with the historical past of his native Belarus and its romantic and legendary comprehension: this is the January Uprising in 1863-1865 and the bloody Great Patriotic War.

Works of Belarusian author

In Rogachev, where, according to the recollections of friends, Vladimir Korotkevich lived for a long time, he wrote "The Gray-haired Legend", "The Wine of Rains", "The Boat of Despair". The most ambiguous work of the Belarusian writer, the plot of which was based on real events of the 16th century, can be called the work “Christ Landed in Gorodnya”, which formed the basis of the feature film directed by V. Bychkov.

Korotkevich was inspired to create the novel of the detective genre "The Black Castle of Olshansky" by Korotkevich about the now ruined castle in Olshany, a small village in the Grodno region. The book "Land under White Wings" is dedicated to the history and nature of native Belarus, which tells about the customs and traditions of the Belarusian people. The writer, who had a tremendous influence on the work of Belarusian authors (Nina Rakitina, Sergei Bulyga and others), has several scripts for feature films, plays, many essays, articles and essays.

Mysticism in the works of Korotkevich

An essential component of the books of Vladimir Korotkevich are adventures, heroics andromance, which makes them interesting for a wide range of readers. The writer’s work cannot do without mysticism, especially felt in the story “Legend ab poor d’yable i ab advocates of Satan” and “The Boat of Despair”. Vladimir Korotkevich, whose works found their admirers, became a member of the Writers' Union of the USSR in 1957.

King Stakh's Wild Hunt is perhaps Korotkevich's best work written in the Gothic genre of the Soviet era. And the mystical horrors described in the novel, penetrating to the very bones, are in fact a natural product of human malice and meanness.

Author's personal life

The family of Vladimir Korotkevich, whose biography is of sincere interest to a wide range of readers, was created relatively late, at the age of 41. He met his future wife Valentina at the age of 37 at a reader's conference in Brest.

The couple lived in marriage for 12 years, the couple had no children. Vladimir Korotkevich, whose personal life haunted many spectacular and interesting women who constantly sought his attention, even when he was married, loved only his Valechka: calm, purposeful, balanced, and simply could not live without her. Together, a large number of times they went on various expeditions, went to abandoned churches and churches, brought interesting exhibits from there until Valya was killed by oncology.

Vladimir Korotkevich constantly took part in archaeological research andhistorical searches; knew a large number of songs and was an incredible storyteller, followed by crowds of listeners. For the same quality, ethnographers did not like him, whom Korotkevich could easily give odds.

The last years of the writer's life

Vladimir Korotkevich, who was a man of extensive knowledge and characterized by independence of judgment, was very fond of traveling. In 1984, Korotkevich and his associates decided to make a big trip all over Belarus to write a book about its historical heritage. The route was planned quite difficult, but interesting. During the journey, we often stopped to sketch, write essays, photographs. Korotkevich Vladimir did not feel very well all this time, and then his he alth deteriorated altogether. Friends were forced to urgently transport the writer to Minsk.

Later, it was remembered that the following incident took place, which occurred on the first day of the campaign - a prophecy. Having stopped for the night at the Pina River, they lit a fire. At that moment, a huge owl flew over the travelers three times. Korotkevich then said that the appearance of this silent night bird is a harbinger of death. Indeed, on July 25, 1984 Vladimir Karatkevich passed away. The writer was buried in Minsk, at the Eastern Cemetery.

The legacy of the writer as a huge contribution to the heritage of Belarus

A large number of works by Vladimir Korotkevich became available to the reader only after his death; novels and stories of the author formed the basis of many films, includingwhich are "The Black Castle of Olshansky", "Mother of the Hurricane", "The Gray-haired Legend", "King Stakh's Wild Hunt". Also, the writer's work continued in the production of a ballet, numerous performances and two operas. In memory of the Belarusian writer Vladimir Karatkevich, a documentary film-remembrance “As I scan - the soul has left…” was created.