Maxim Gorky (1868–1936)

The collection, timed to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Soviet Russian writer, playwright and public figure Maxim Gorky (A. M. Peshkov) (1868-1936), includes digital copies of books, periodicals and archival documents on his life and work, as well as texts of his own works of art, articles and memoirs. In addition, postcards, photographs and other materials with images of the writer and monuments to him are presented.

A. M. Peshkov (Gorky) was born in Nizhny Novgorod in 1868. In his younger years he traveled a lot in Russia: he went all the south of the country from Astrakhan to Moscow, visited South Bessarabia, the Crimea and the Caucasus. During these years Gorky made a lot of acquaintances among the creative intelligentsia and students that influenced his worldview and he began to write poetry and prose.

In September 1892 the story "Makar Chudra", signed with the pseudonym "M. Gorky", was published in the newspaper "Kavkaz" (Tiflis). Most of the subsequent publications of the writer were released under this pseudonym.

Since 1901, Gorky began to openly express sympathy for the revolutionary movement. From that time he was repeatedly arrested and persecuted.

Maxim Gorky approved himself not only as a writer, but also as a publisher. From 1902 to 1921 years he headed three major publishing houses – “Znanie”, “Parus” and “World Literature”. Many writers of the time were able to work in these publishing houses.

In the late 20's and early 30's M. Gorky traveled a lot around the country and conducted an active educational activity, in particular, founded the journal “Literaturnaya Uchyoba”, designed to teach the basics of the writer's craft of every Soviet citizen.

M. Gorky also played a key role in the formation of the Union of Soviet Writers, being the organizer and chairman of the First All-Union Congress of Soviet Writers in 1934. On his initiative, the Literary Institute, still bearing his name, was founded.

The writer's merits were highly appreciated by the Soviet government. So, during the life of Gorky, in 1932, Nizhny Novgorod was renamed in his honor. After the death of the writer in 1936, many streets, theaters and other objects in the USSR were also named after him.

The collection includes 185 units.

The materials from the foundations of the Fundamental Library of the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, the M. Gorky Scientific Library of the St. Petersburg State University, Children's Museum of Postcard, the State Public Historical Library of Russia, the N. K. Krupskaya Moscow Regional State Scientific Library, the Library of the St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture, private collections and other sources were used for the collection.