Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko
Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko (1853–1921) was a prominent Russian writer, editor, and humanitarian, recognized for his compelling short stories and passionate social activism. Born in Zhitomir, now part of Ukraine, Korolenko pursued education at various institutions while engaging with revolutionary ideas in the turbulent political landscape of 19th-century Russia. His early involvement in the narodnichestvo movement led to his arrest and subsequent exile, which profoundly influenced his literary work, particularly during his time in Siberia.
Korolenko's literary career began with the publication of his first story in 1879, and he continued to explore themes of social injustice through both his fiction and journalism. His notable works include a series of short stories inspired by his experiences in Siberia and the impactful book "V golodnyi god," detailing his efforts to aid famine-stricken peasants. Throughout his life, he maintained a strong commitment to advocating for marginalized communities, including notable efforts to protect the rights of Jews in Russia.
Korolenko's extensive contributions to literature and social causes culminated in his unfinished three-volume autobiography, "Istoriya moego sovremennika," published posthumously. His legacy reflects a dedication to both artistic expression and social justice, making him a significant figure in Russian literature and humanitarian efforts.
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Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko
Writer
- Born: July 27, 1853
- Birthplace: Zhitomir, Russia (now Ukraine)
- Died: December 25, 1921
- Place of death: Poltava, Ukraine
Biography
The editor, publisher, writer, and humanitarian Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko is known not only for his stirring short stories but also for his unrelenting social activism. Korolenko was born in Zhitomir, Russia (now Ukraine), on July 27, 1853, one of five children born to Galaktion Afanas’evich Korolenko, a district judge, and Evelina Iosifovna Skurevich, a Pole. Upon finishing the gymnasium in 1871, Korolenko entered St. Petersburg Technological Institute and simultaneously worked at odd jobs to support himself. In 1874 he moved to Moscow and began studying at the Petrov Academy of Agriculture and Forestry.
During the mid-1870’s, a time of increasing turbulence in Russia, Korolenko was engaged by the ideas of narodnichestvo (populism), a movement that aimed to bring socialism to the peasantry. He was first arrested for revolutionary activity in 1876; instead of being exiled in Ust-Sysol’sk, Korolenko was allowed to go to Kronstadt, where his mother and sister lived. While working as a proofreader for the St. Petersburg newspaper Novosti, Korolenko started to write fiction. His first story, “Epizody iz zhizni ’iskatelia,” was published in Slovo in 1879, the year he was again exiled, this time to Siberia. Korolenko’s time in the Iakutsk area of east Siberia, from 1882 to 1885, resulted in a series of short stories on Siberia, including “Sokolinets” (1885), and “Ubivets: Rasskaz sibirskogo iamshchika” (1887). This short story cycle is considered to be among Korolenko’s best work and was published after his release from exile, when he was living in Nizhnii Novgorod.
In 1886, Korolenko married Avdot’ia Semenovna Ivanovskaia, with whom he had four daughters, and saw the publication of the first volume of his short stories, Ocherki i rasskazy. He also began working as a correspondent for the newspapers Volzhskii vestnik and Russkie vedomosti; exposing cases of social injustice, via journalism and fiction; publishing historical essays; and feeding the poor. V golodnyi god, a book related to Korolenko’s experience setting up soup kitchens for peasants during the 1892 famine, appeared in 1894. From 1896 to 1900, Korolenko lived in St. Petersburg, where he edited the literary journal Russkoe bogatstvo but wrote little. Subsequently, he moved to Poltava—his home for the remainder of his life—and resumed writing fiction.
Korolenko continued editing Russkoe bogatstvo until it was shutdown by the Bolshevik Revolution. Police surveillance did not deter him from speaking out against the persecution of Jews in Poltava in his short story “Dom No. 13,” and in a series of fifteen essays entitled “Delo Beilisa,” which saved the life of Mendel Beilis, a Jew sentenced to be executed after he was falsely convicted of murdering a Russian boy. Korolenko’s attempts to depict the moral determination of ordinary citizens anticipated socialist realism. Istoriya moego sovremennika (1909-1921), Korolenko’s three-volume autobiography, unfinished at death, was published in English as My Contemporary in 1972.