Bazhan Mykola

Mykola Bazhan (b. October 9, 1904, Kamianets-Podilskyi — d. November 23, 1983, Kyiv) was a Ukrainian poet and public figure, academician of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (1951), Honored Worker of Georgian Art (1964), chief editor of the Encyclopedia of Ukraine. He was the secretary of the Union of Soviet Writers from 1967.

Bazhan is one of the most prominent representatives of the modern Ukrainian literature. Bazhan's poetic work was always accompanied by his journalism, literary-critical work, essays, memoirs, etc. Among them, especially interesting are the works dedicated to D. Guramishvili, S. Chikovani, T. Abakelia and N. Vachnadze. His poetic cycle Georgian Poems, Triptych to Simon Chikovani (1972) and others are worth mentioning.

Bazhan is a prominent figure in literary translation. He translated The Knight in the Panther's Skin (1937; Rustaveli Prize, 1966), many works of D. Guramishvili, N. Baratashvili, I. Chavchavadze, A. Tsereteli, Vazha-Pshavela, G. Tabidze, G. Leonidze, S. Chikovani, I. Abashidze into Ukrainian — almost all Georgian classical poetry and outstanding works of modern poetry. Bazhan wrote in one of his essays: “...I lived in Georgia for several years, I traveled with my Georgian friends, visited ancient churches, climbed over the ruins of fortresses or sat at the open tables of kind and hospitable peasants, winemakers, teachers, poets, scientists and felt the blessed spirit of Georgia...”. All of this led Bazhan to understanding the mysteries of Georgian poetry.

He received USSR State Prize (1946, 1949) and Taras Shevchenko Prize (1965), as well as state awards. He was the Hero of Socialist Labour (1974).

Literary work: Стихи и поэмы, М., 1957; Твори, т. 1–2, К., 1965; Раздумья и воспоминания, М., 1983; რჩეული, თბ., 1956, ლექსები, თბ., 1964; გაფრენა გრიგალში, თბ., 1970.

Literature: აფხაიძე შ., ქართველი ხალხის მეგობარი, წგ.: კრიტიკული წერილები, თბ., 1959.

G. Margvelashvili