Mikhail Koltsov facts for kids
Mikhail Efimovich Koltsov (born Moisey Haimovich Fridlyand) was a well-known Soviet journalist and writer. He lived from June 12, 1898, to February 2, 1940. Koltsov was famous for his sharp writing and for leading the popular satirical magazine Krokodil.
Contents
A Life in Soviet Journalism
Early Years and Revolutionary Spirit
Mikhail Koltsov was born in Kiev, a city in what is now Ukraine. His father was a shoemaker. Mikhail's brother, Boris Efimov, also became a famous artist.
Koltsov was involved in the Russian Revolution of 1917, a major event that changed Russia. He joined the Bolshevik Party in 1918 and fought in the Russian Civil War. These experiences shaped his strong belief in communism.
Becoming a Top Journalist
Koltsov quickly became a very important person among Soviet thinkers. He was one of the most famous journalists in the Soviet Union. People loved his well-written articles and essays. He often used humor to point out problems like too much paperwork or other issues in the country.
He helped start and edit many popular magazines. These included Krokodil, which was known for its funny and critical stories, Chudak, Sovetskoe Foto, and Ogoniok. He also worked on the editorial team for Pravda, a major newspaper.
Reporting from the Spanish Civil War
As a reporter for Pravda, Koltsov traveled to Spain. He covered the Spanish Civil War, a conflict that took place from 1936 to 1939. During this time, he also worked for the NKVD, which was a Soviet government agency.
He sometimes gave advice to the Loyalist forces fighting in Spain. Many people saw Koltsov as the main reporter for Joseph Stalin during the war. Some even thought he had a direct way to talk to the Kremlin, the center of Soviet power.
What Others Said About Koltsov
Other famous writers and journalists met Koltsov. The British journalist Claud Cockburn described him as a "stocky little Jew with a huge head." Cockburn noted that Koltsov seemed to enjoy being in dangerous situations.
George Orwell, another famous writer, mentioned Koltsov in his book Homage to Catalonia. He suggested that Koltsov worked with Cockburn to create stories that supported Soviet goals in Spain. The American writer Ernest Hemingway also included a character named Karkov, based on Koltsov, in his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Koltsov himself wrote about his experiences in a book called The Spanish Diary.
A Difficult Time
Koltsov returned to the Soviet Union in November 1937. He published an article in December 1937 that talked about some problems with the "purges." These were a series of political crackdowns in the Soviet Union. His article suggested that some people were wrongly accusing innocent citizens to protect themselves. He asked for the government and public to stop these "heartless liars."
During a very difficult period in Soviet history, many people faced false accusations. Mikhail Koltsov was arrested in 1938. He died on February 2, 1940. His third wife, Maria Osten, also faced a similar fate.
Years later, in 1954, Mikhail Koltsov was officially "rehabilitated." This means that the government recognized that the accusations against him were false.
See also
- For Whom the Bell Tolls (Koltsov was the Karkov character in the story)
- Hemingway & Gellhorn
