When a large country is experiencing great upheavals, every adequate person and society as a whole needs moral beacons. Famous people to look up to. Whose behavior can be imitated. Sergei Vladimirovich Mikhalkov lived a bright and, at the same time, modest life. He walked through the minefield of his fate, remaining a man with a capital letter.
Diligent student
When it becomes necessary to talk about the fate of a famous person, then you have to choose only bright moments and fundamental circumstances. The mere listing of the positions, titles and awards of Sergei Vladimirovich Mikhalkov takes up a whole page of typewritten text. The famous poet, author of witty fables and public figure is a native Muscovite. The child was born on March 13, 1913 in the family of a civil servant and a housewife. The elder Seryozha and two younger brothers, together with their mother, lived for almost the whole year at a dacha in the Moscow region.
Since the nearest school was far away, a governess took care of the boys at home. A very strict teacher from Germany, she conscientiously worked her bread. When the family moved to Moscow, Sergei was immediately assigned to the 4th grade. It is interesting to note that from early childhood the boy stuttered. This shortcoming became the reason for ridicule and cruel jokes, which classmates did not skimp on. Thanks to his observation and developed intellect, Mikhalkov was able to establish good relations with others without using physical strength.
The biography notes that Sergei wrote down the first poetic sketches when he was not even ten years old. The father, who was a famous person in Moscow society, showed his son's poems to the poet Alexander Bezimensky. The expert, as they say today, gave a positive assessment. When Mikhalkov was 14 years old, the family moved to Pyatigorsk. Here, in the magazine "On the Rise", his poem "The Road" was first published. For him, this event remained in his memory forever.
After graduating from school, Sergei decided to return to the capital and engage in creativity on a professional basis. The reality turned out to be much harsher than it seemed from Pyatigorsk. It was not realistic for the young poet to live on literary earnings. During that period, Mikhalkov personally experienced how the working class and the working peasantry lived. Casual part-time jobs did not allow one to die of hunger, and talentedly written poems, which were written regularly, increasingly appeared in newspapers and magazines.
Uncle Stepa
Marking significant dates in the life of Sergei Mikhalkov, one should pay attention to 1933. The young poet is recruited to the editorial office of the Izvestia newspaper. And it doesn't matter that his name is not on the staff list. He takes all editorial tasks with great pleasure and eagerness. Constant communication with different people broadens the horizons, and "throws up" topical topics. And, most importantly, he regularly writes poems, which are eagerly published on the pages of various newspapers and magazines.
Critics puzzle over the reasons for the popularity of his works. There is no secret here. Poetic lines easily fit the tongue. As in a frank conversation with a loved one. Even venerable writers are surprised by the efficiency of Sergei Mikhalkov. In 1935, he agrees to take part in a competition for the best song for a pioneer squad. To imbue the spirit of the younger generation, the future classic worked as a counselor in a pioneer camp all summer. As they say, I got used to the topic.
Unfortunately, it was not possible to write a perky song, but another idea was born. Sergey has already written several poems about a character named Uncle Stepa. After discussing this project in the editorial office of the Pioneer magazine, the author decided to create a larger-scale work. For many generations of Soviet children, the charming, strong and kind Uncle Stepa became an example to follow. The Soviet Union really cared about the younger generation. I don’t know of any other country where similar works are created for children.
I must say that Sergei Mikhalkov in the process of working on "Uncle Styopa" regularly communicated with Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak. This communication was beneficial to the young, but already venerable poet. A year later Mikhalkov wrote and published the poem "Svetlana" in his native newspaper Izvestia. In simple and understandable words, the author told about how the country lives on the example of a little girl. By decision of the competent authorities, he was awarded the Order of Lenin.
National Anthem
Without stopping to work, Sergei Mikhalkov receives a specialized education at the Literary Institute. The poet is given all kinds of honors and his works are published in millions of copies. It would seem that the career is done. Life is good. You can rest on your laurels. But the war begins and Mikhalkov, as a war correspondent for the newspaper "Stalinsky Sokol" and "Krasnaya Zvezda", runs along the fronts. Received a serious concussion. On his chest he wears the Order of the Red Banner of the Battle and the Red Star. In 1943, in collaboration with the poet El-Registan, he wrote the text of the Anthem of the Soviet Union.
He was invited to work on correcting the Anthem already at a mature age, when the country of the Soviets did not appear on the world map. In 2000, the Russians heard the text edited by the master. In the post-war period, until 1991, Sergei Vladimirovich was engaged not only in creativity. The satirical newsreel "Fitil" was very popular among the people. In this way, the children's poet tried to fight bureaucracy, money-grubbing and other vices of society. Mikhalkov worked as the Secretary of the Writers' Union. Elected as a deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
The personal life of Sergei Vladimirovich Mikhalkov was in full view. At the beginning of his career, the young poet won the favor of Natalia Petrovna Konchalovskaya. The piquancy of the situation was that Natalia was ten years older than Sergei. Moreover, Konchalovskaya raised a daughter from her first marriage. Love did not flare up immediately, but forever. Husband and wife lived under the same roof for 53 years. Raised and raised three children. At the age of 75, Sergei Vladimirovich remained a widower. Nine years later, he had a second wife, Julia. Until his last days, the poet worked on books for kids. Sergey Vladimirovich Mikhalkov died on August 27, 2009.
