Samad Vurgun

Samad Vurgun ( ; born Samad Yusif oghlu Vekilov; 21 March 1906 – 27 May 1956) was an Azerbaijani and Soviet poet, dramatist, public figure, first People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR, academician of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (1945), laureate of two Stalin Prizes of second degree (1941, 1942), and member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1940.

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

Samad Vurgun is the first poet in the literature history of Azerbaijan who was given the title “The Poet of Public”.

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

In 1945, the poet was elected the full member of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan SSR. Furthermore, the republican Society of Cultural Relations with Iran was founded in Baku in that year and S.Vurghun was assigned as the chairman of this society. The establishment of the spiritual bridge between Azerbaijan and Iran was achieved through the works of the poet. During these years, our Literature and Dramaturgy prospered when the poet created new works using foreign words. There was a significant progress in his works in 1935. At that time, the poet created 7 voluminous poems and about 100 poems written in 1934. His poem "Azerbaijan" is one of the pearls of Azerbaijan Literature. His works cover not only the ancient history of Azerbaijan, natural beauties and recourses but also hospitality of Azerbaijani nation.

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

Poems The Komsomol Poem (1933, unfinished) 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). Poetica 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. In 1936, Samad Vurgun translated part of Shota Rustaveli's "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" poem and was conferred an 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 Zhambyl.

Awards People's Poet of the Azerbaijan SSR (1956) Stalin Prize of the second degree (1941) – for "Vagif" play Stalin Prize of the second degree (1942) – for "Farhad and Shirin" play Two Lenin 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"To Samet Vurgun" – Nâzım Hikmet

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 Kyiv (Ukraine); school #257 in Dushanbe (Tajikistan); a technical school in Plovdiv (Bulgaria); Azerbaijan State Academic Russian Drama Theatre, and a township in Qazax are named after Samad Vurgun.