Alongside a literary classic

It has been 125 years since the birth of Mikhas Lynkov — the People’s Writer of Belarus

Tall, calm, with an almost eternal cigarette in hand — this is how his contemporaries, fellow writers, described him. He spoke little, preferring to listen to others. It was evident that he had a wealth of life experience behind him and an unconventional understanding of reality. The son of simple parents — his father was a railway worker and his mother was a railway crossing guard — Lynkov achieved unimaginable heights in literature. Even today, readers from around the world are discovering his unique children’s prose as well as his works on military themes. It is believed that his famous character Mikolka the Steam Locomotive from the eponymous novella was based on himself, but this is just one of the many intriguing facts about his creative work. Let us peep into the National Library, where an exhibition dedicated to the anniversary of Mikhas Lynkov is currently taking place, and share some of the most interesting exhibits that reveal the personality of the People’s Writer from unexpected angles.

Writer Mikhas Lynkov and poet Maksim Tank captured in conversation near a campfire        

Almanac Uzdym with Lynkov’s signature 

Mikhas Lynkov became one of the six founders of Maladnyak [young generation] — the famous literary association. The creative work of the Maladnyak members marked the beginning of the proletarian movement in domestic literature and became one of the prominent phenomena of Soviet literature as a whole. However, Lynkov went even further: in Bobruisk, he organised and headed a branch of the association at the Communist newspaper, where young talents were also based. The archives of the National Library have preserved two issues of Uzdym from the Bobruisk branch for the years 1926-1928, one of which features a work by Lynkov signed under the pseudonym Vasilyok [cornflower]. Even more unique is the inscription beneath it ‘=Lynkov’. A handwriting analysis has not been conducted, but the style of writing clearly indicates that it was penned by Lynkov himself.

Almanac Uzdym dated 1928 by Bobruisk branch of Maladnyak literary association

Photo by the campfire  

On the banks of the river near a campfire, Mikhas Lynkov and poet Maksim Tank are captured in conversation: the literary classics were close friends. Lynkov acknowledged his companion’s considerable talent and supported him in every way, introducing him to the literary elite, taking Tank with him to Moscow, where they attended the Bolshoi Theatre, and even allowing him to stay in his flat for a time when his friend had nowhere to live. Mikhas Lynkov was known for his ability to admire the talents of others, he did not envy other writers their fame, and he possessed a rare generosity. Interestingly, contemporaries recalled that Lynkov loved visiting his dacha near the Naroch, where he would happily light a campfire and engage in philosophical discussions with his guests. This became almost a ritual, a captivating event. He also enjoyed photographing through the flames, which earned him the nickname ‘the Naroch wizard’ among his friends.

Magazine Chyrvonaya Belarus  

The archive of the National Library possibly stores the only such issue in the country. Dated 1932, it contains a rare article by Lynkov titled A Bit of Airy Romanticism, where the author describes the feelings of a person flying on an airplane for the first time, along with their experiences and emotions. The magazine Chyrvonaya Belarus was published biweekly. It depicted the labour achievements of the Soviet people and also printed literary works. The pages of the publication featured both renowned and emerging authors.

Autobiography with a letter  

Some exhibits of the exposition are presented by Belarus’ National Archives. Among them is a letter from Mikhas Lynkov, dated 1959. On two well-preserved A4 sheets, he recounts his work biography. The letter is addressed to Joseph Simanovsky, the director of the State Library of the BSSR (the first director of the National Library). The purpose for which Lynkov sent this information is now impossible to ascertain, but at least the writer’s address is provided: Stalin Avenue, 12, flat 43.
Mikhas Lynkov's autobiography with a letter exhibited at Belarus' National Library

Book Yanka the Parachutist from 1937  

The creative works of this acclaimed literary genius include a number of children’s stories. One of the most famous is Yanka the Parachutist, which narrates the tale of a boy who dreamed of conquering the sky. Restless Yanka wanted to jump with a parachute. His friends supported the idea and joined in on the ‘training’, attempting to jump from a tree with an improvised parachute. They even took a cat to keep them a company, which soared into the air with the help of a kite. Fortunately, everything ended well.  
Even more popular among children is Mikolka the Steam Locomotive. This beloved story was even adapted into a film by the Belarusfilm studio in 1957, with Mikhas Lynkov contributing as one of the scriptwriters.

Book Fateful Days  

This is the author’s last major work, completed in 1958. Life during the years of fascist occupation, the cruelty and atrocities of the invaders, and the bravery of Soviet people are vividly and multifacetedly reflected in this novel about the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War. The book about the struggle of partisans and underground fighters against German Nazis captured the hearts of millions of readers. Notably, the author almost immediately planned to translate the novel into Russian, but the specialist commissioned for the task inexplicably ignored the assignment. As a result, the Russian-speaking world did not see the book until much later, in 1968.

Legacy through the ages  

Today, Mikhas Lynkov’s works have been translated into dozens of languages. They can be found in major global libraries. Some copies in Arabic, Latvian, Spanish, Lithuanian, Polish, French, Estonian, and Russian are available at Belarus’ National Library. In the USSR, the writer’s books were published 92 times, with a total circulation of 1,670,500 copies. In the BSSR, they were published 73 times, with a total circulation of 1,045,500 copies.

By Olga Nevmerzhitskaya

Photos by Yelizaveta Kobetskaya