Rasul Rza

(pen name; real name Rasul Ibragim ogly Rzaev). Born May 6(19), 1910, in Geokchai. Soviet Azerbaijani writer. People’s Poet of Azerbaijan (1960). Honored Art Worker of the Azerbaijan SSR (1944). Member of the CPSU since 1939.

Rasul Rza studied at the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography from 1935 to 1937. He was minister of cinematography of the Azerbaijan SSR from 1945 to 1949.

Rasul Rza’s works were first published in 1927. In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s he frequently wrote about the international struggle against fascism and colonialism. During the Great Patriotic War (1941–45) collections of his poetry and short stories were published, including “Immortal Heroes” (1942) and “Fury and Love” (1943). In 1950, Rasul Rza wrote the narrative poem Lenin, for which he was awarded the State Prize of the USSR in 1951. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, Rasul Rza introduced philosophical themes into his works, although international themes continued to be very important. He wrote about the Great Patriotic War in his play Vefa (staged 1943), about the struggle for Soviet power in his play The Brothers (staged 1956), and about the common people of America in his play The Law (1963). Rasul Rza has translated works by Aeschylus, Lope de Vega, A. S. Pushkin, and M. Iu. Lermontov into Azerbaijani. His own works have been translated into many languages.

Rasul Rza was the chairman of the Writer’s Union of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1938 and 1939. He was a deputy to the first and third through seventh convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR. He has been awarded two Orders of Lenin, the order of the Badge of Honor, and various medals.