Mikhail Isakovsky

Mikhail Vasil'evich Isakovsky (Russian: Михаи́л Васи́льевич Исако́вский) (Glotovka, Smolensk Governorate, 19 January [O.S. 7 January] 1900 - Moscow, 20 July 1973) was a Russian poet, a laureate of two USSR State Prizes (1943, 1949), a Hero of Socialist Labor (1970). A member of CPSU since 1918.

A communist from an early age, he wrote many poems and songs in praise of the regime; but his most famous song is doubtless the rather apolitical Katyusha.

Mikhail Isakovsky was born in village Glotovka, Yelnya Uyezd, Smolensk Governorate, in a poor peasant family of Russian ethnicity. A local priest taught him to read and write. Later he had been studying at a gymnasium for 2 years. His first poem Просьба солдата was published in 1914 in an All-Russia newspaper Nov (Новь). In 1918 he joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. From 1921 until 1931 he had been working in Smolensk newspapers.

In 1926, being the editor of a newspaper, he helped his young talented countryman Aleksandr Tvardovsky.

In 1927, his first book of poems Провода в соломе was published. Maxim Gorky liked it.

In 1931, he left for Moscow.

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