Daniil Granin
Daniil Granin was a notable Russian writer and engineer, born on January 1, 1918, in Volyn, Kursk region. Initially named Daniil Aleksandrovich German, he adopted the pen name Granin. Granin's early life was marked by adversity, including his father's imprisonment during Stalin's purges, which impacted his education and opportunities. He graduated with a degree in electromechanics from Leningrad Polytechnic Institute and served as an officer in World War II, joining the Communist Party in 1942.
Granin began his literary career in the late 1940s, with his first major work, "Those Who Seek," published in 1954. His writing often explored the struggles of individuals against Soviet bureaucracy, earning him both public acclaim and governmental recognition, including the Soviet Union's State Prize. Throughout his career, he focused on historical fiction, with notable works like "Moy lyeytenant" and "Vechera s Petrom Velikim." He also collaborated on "Blokadnaya kniga," a collection of accounts from the Siege of Leningrad. Granin's works garnered interest beyond Russia, though many remain untranslated into English. He passed away on July 4, 2017, leaving behind a legacy of literature that reflects the complexities of Soviet life.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Daniil Granin
- Born: January 1, 1918
- Birthplace: Volyn, Kursk, Russia
- Died: July 4, 2017
- Place of death: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Biography
Daniil Granin was born in Volyn in the Kursk region of Russia on January 1, 1918. His parents were Aleksander Danilovich German (a forestry warden) and Anna Bakirovna German. His birth name was Daniil Aleksandrovich German—he would take Granin as his pen name. He attended a secondary school (formerly called the Tenishev School) in Leningrad. In the 1930s, his father was arrested and sent away to Siberia. When he returned, the family had to move; they were no longer allowed to live in big cities. His father’s record also meant that Granin would be prohibited from joining the communist youth organization. In 1940, Granin received an electromechanics degree from Leningrad Polytechnic Institute. He served as an officer in World War II, joined the Communist Party in 1942, and, after the war, worked as an engineer. Granin and his wife, R. M. Maiorova, had one daughter, Marina Danilovna Chernysheva (born in 1945).
In 1948, Granin showed the writer Dmitrii Konstantinovich Ostrov a manuscript of a historical novel he had written in college. Ostrov suggested that he write about his personal experiences instead. Granin published a short story, “Pobeda inzhenera Korsakova,” in the journal Zvezda in 1949. While taking postgraduate electrical mechanics classes, Granin wrote his first major novel, Those Who Seek. Published in Zvezda in 1954 and in book form in 1955, the story involves an inventor who struggles against Soviet bureaucrats. Its commercial success allowed Granin to quit his studies and pursue writing full time.
In 1957, Granin received an official reprimand for publishing a short story that depicted Soviet bureaucracy as an impediment to scientific advancement. He won the Soviet Union’s State Prize for “Klavdiia Vilor” (1977), a story that recounts Vilor’s life. After joining the Russian military, Vilor was captured by the Germans in World War II. She endured a tremendous ordeal in the camps and was expelled from the Communist Party after the war for admitting to the Gestapo that she was a Party member. Throughout the 1980s, Granin’s work continued to pursue the theme of the individual fighting against Soviet bureaucracy. He gained wide readership within Russia and won awards from the government, even though his work often undermined the Russian status quo. He continued to write in the post-Soviet era, but began to focus more on historical fiction, including the award-winning 2012 novel Moy lyeytenant, about World War II, and a novel about Peter the Great, Vechera s Petrom Velikim (2000). He also published, with Ales Adamovich, a collection of first-hand accounts of the Siege of Leningrad, Blokadnaya kniga (2005, Leningrad under Siege, 2007). Several of Granin's novels have been translated into English, earning him some recognition in the West as well, though the bulk of his work remains unavailable to English-speakers. He died on July 4, 2017.
Bibliography
"Daniil Granin." Read Russia, readrussia.org/writers/writer/daniil-granin. Accessed 30 Mar. 2018.
"Daniil Granin, a Quiet Fighter." DW, www.dw.com/en/daniil-granin-a-quiet-fighter/a-17389537. Accessed 30 Mar. 2018.
Marsh, Rosalind J. Soviet Fiction Since Stalin: Science, Politics and Literature. Barnes & Noble Books, 1986.
"Russian Author Daniil Granin Dies at 98." AP, 5 July 2017, www.apnews.com/69482f6f65ba4ef4b15b215f27cfe6bb. Accessed 30 Mar. 2018.
Sorokina, Anna. "5 Must-Read Novels by Soviet Docufiction Writer Daniil Granin." Russia Beyond, 5 July 2017, www.rbth.com/blogs/literature‗blog/2017/07/05/5-must-read-novels-by-soviet-docufiction-writer-daniil-granin‗796327. Accessed 2 Apr. 2018.