ZALILOV Musa Mustafovich (born Feb 15.1906)
(Musa Dzhalil) (1906-1944), tatar poet

These lines written by Dzhalil before the death, appeared prophetical. Already for many tens of years they crown multi- page researches of a life and creativity of the famous poet - hero.

Each nation has its heroes, immortal names and which feats with special respect and gratitude are transferred from generation to generation, becoming immortal.

Life of poet Musa Dzhalil - an example of selfless service to Fatherland, true heroism in the name of freedom of people.

Autobiography of Musa Dzhalil


I was born in 1906 in the family of Mustafa, son of Gabdeldzhalil, in village Mustafino of former Orenburg province (nowadays Chkalovsk region). In those days my father was leading peasant`s life. And in 1913 he tried to engage in small trade, ruined, sold out everything, that he had, land, house, and had to leave for city. In the city father tried many employments, took hold of this or that one: he was a ragman, collected cast -offs, sold at flea market; once it happened he found the job of salesman, then became a baker. But things were not improving in any way. In 1918 he returned to the village. There he died in 1919.

I went learning first of all to village school, and after moving to the city went to initial classes of "Husaniya" medrese. When my relatives left for the village, I remained in a boarding house of medrese.

Those years "Husaniya" was already far from being former one. October revolution, struggle for the Soviet power, its reinforcing have strongly influenced medrese. Inside "Husaniya" struggle between children of rich men, clerics, nationalists, defenders of religion and sons of poor men, revolutionary thinking youth becomes aggravated. I always stood on side of the latter and in spring of 1919 entered the lines of just established Orenburg Komsomol organization, struggled for spreading Komsomol in medrese.

From early teen-age years I was interested in verses, literature. And in 1916 I began to compose verses. The poems of 1916-1917 were not retained. One poem written in 1917 against war in Europe, I sent to the newspaper "Vakyt", but it was not printed.

1919 … Orenburg in a ring of White Guards. Parts of Red Army, protecting city from attacking cossacks outnumbering us by 3-4 times more, battled with a surprising heroism. Cossacks fired at city from the guns put on opposite side of Ural. Fights for the city kept going for a long time.

At that time there was a newspaper «Kyzyl Yoldyz» («Red star») in Orenburg - body of Turkestan front bolsheviks. In that time , in 1919, I wrote the verses full of hatred to white gangs; verses called workers`-and-peasants` youth in lines of Red Army. About ten such poems were printed in the newspaper «Kyzyl Yoldyz».

I remember, with the schoolmate, having put in bosom the verses, we went to “Kyzyl Yoldyz” editors office. It was September, 1919. We came to the office. And both, not knowing what to tell, only looked around, perplexed, looked against each other. All workers were in military uniform. They approached us.

- Boys what came for?

I am confused, pulled out of bosom paper roll. I brought three poems: "Happiness", "Have left", “Red Army”. Everyone who was in the office, having crowded, began to read them. They seemed to like verses very much.

- Who has written it?
-
My friend Idiyat hasty pointed to me:

- He has written …

I got reddened. I was very small growth. The editor closely had a look and, quickly having raised me, put on a chair. All looked and laughed:

- How old are you? Where you study? Whose son?
-
And I do not know, what to tell. They began praising me.

On other day on the first page of the newspaper appeared my poem "Happiness". One by one “Kyzyl Yoldyz” printed all three poems. Then I again brought verses. And they were published. Under my verses they put the signature «Little Dzhalil». So I became known in Orenburg. Soon father died (1919); it was necessary to come back to the village.

There were no yet komsomolers in the village. And among pupils the children`s organization was formed numbering about forty persons. First it was named «Kyzyl Yoldyz», and then «Kyzyl chachak» ( Red flower). I was a chairman. We had library, magazine, club. And every week we arranged performances for children on village stage. I wrote for them several plays.

This organization played a big role in development of children`s communistic movement in our region. Later it merged with provincial Proletarian children`s theatre - club and worked under its administration. «The red flower» one of the first germs of pioneer movement in our territories.

In February, 1920, the Komsomol cell appeared in the village which I entered. And together with komsomolers continued to work in the children`s organization. In 1920-21 the kulaks raised their heads in our country. They arranged revolts, knocked together gangs. For struggle against these gangs voluntary groups of kommunars were created among rural komsomolers. I entered one of these groups and participated in crushing kulak gangs.

In 1921 a severe famine came to the village. We with comrade left village, passed on foot 150 kilometers up to city. But happiness was not waiting for me in the city. I made friends with boys, searching daily bread in bazaar turmoil. Two months I ate what I got, spent the night where it happened, stole, I was a homeless child.

Those days I met one of the employees of the newspaper «Kyzyl Yoldyz» and my teacher Nurgan Nadeyev. They pitied me and being afraid, that I might get lost, arranged despite of my young years, through regional committee to Orenburg military - party school. Pupils of school carried out also military functions: guard duties in the city, battled against gangs. So in early years I took a rifle, became a fighter.

These duties appeared to me beyond my powers. Having studied in military - party school six months, I got sick and about one year had lain in hospital.

Upon recovery, me, former shakird of Husaniya medrese", was taken in the pedagogical educational institution based on a place of former medrese. But there was little sense in my study; I did not recover yet after illness. In 1922, again having recollected hobby for poetry, I wrote many poems. These years I diligently read Omar Haiam, Saadi, Hafiz, Derdmend – one the Tatar poets. And my verses of that time under their influence are romantic. The poems written those years “Shine, the world”, “In a captivity”, “Before death”, “Throne of ears”, "Unanimity", "Advice" and others the most typical for that period.

According to some of friends advice in autumn of 1922 I went to Kazan. Prior, I was not Kazan. There were no acquaintances of mine. Belief in political force inspired and led me to Kazan,

I reached the city with great difficulties. But at last, Kazan. Meetings with writers. It was already late to study. I found the job of copyist in editors office of the newspaper "Tatarstan". After arrival in Kazan my verses began to be printed one by one in newspapers and magazines. In autumn of 1923 I entered Tatar rabfak (worker`s faculty), successfully finished in 1925. Rabfak has seriously influenced my creative searches.

Per 1922-23 I was far from a real embodiment of the socialist reality. My creative principles were like those, that I could not reflect a modern life. The subjects of verses were far from a life. During rabfak`s years the change outlined in my creativity. In 1924 I began to write absolutely differently. Revolutionary struggle, working everyday lives of factories and plants, themes of new village are included into verses in real - life version. It is possible to specify, for example, “Song of old Siberia”, “Sick komsomoler”, “Old man of work”, “In embraces of plant”, “Child of work”, "Newspaper", “From congress”, “Night march” and some other (they were published in 1925 in collection "Barabyz" - we "go").

In 1923 several plays were written. "Girl Bibkai", “Goose wings” were played on stages of Kazan and Ufa.

In 1925, having finished rabfak, I returned to Orenburg to help my relatives. Orenburg gubkom (regional committee) directed me the instructor to Orsk district committee of Komsomol. Komsomol work enriched my life experience, tempered me, brought up in me a new outlook on life.

Per 1927-28 I continued Komsomol work already in Moscow. I graduated from literary faculty of the Moscow state university. Worked as the editor-in-chief of children`s magazines “Young comrades”, "Oktyabryonok", managed a department of the literature and art of the newspaper "Communist".

Hardening in the Komsomol work, the accrued considerable practical experience, arrival in Moscow were a great push for me, have strengthened creative activity. Verses are typical for this period: "To cry or laugh", “In hospital”, “Morning of a holiday”, “From a diary of the student”, “To death”, etc.

The works written during this period are collected in books "Comrade" (1929), “Order decorated millions” (1933), “Verses and poems” (1934), in Russian - "Verses" (1935).

In 1935 I started to work as the head of literary part just the organized opera studio. The main task of the Tatar opera studio created at the Moscow state conservatory was a professional training of singers, composers, selection of repertoire for the future theatre. And for repertoire it was necessary to have the original libretto, to translate in Tatar, "tatarize" Russian operas. I also was engaged in this.

In 1938 the opera studio, having finished preparation, I returned to Kazan. In December, 1938 the first Tatar opera theatre created on the basis of studio opened in Kazan. It began its work from June 1939, having opened the first season. Together with studio I returned to Kazan, started to work as the head of literary part of the Tatar opera theatre. (1939)


Having moved to Kazan, Musa Dzhalil manifests his talent in different literary genres. He translates much, writes epic poems, libretto. In 1939-1941 he heads the Union of Tataria writers.

In the very first day of war, on June 22, 1941, Dzhalil said to his friend and poet Akhmet Iskhaku like this: “After war someone of us will not be counted”... He resolutely rejected the opportunity to remain in rear, considering, that his place - among fighters for freedom of the Native land.

Having called up for military service, he studies on bi-monthly courses of political workers in Menzelinsk and goes to front. After a while Musa Dzhalil becomes the staff - writer of the military - front newspaper "Otvaga" (Courage) on the Volkhov front where the 2 Battle army was at war.

In 1942 conditions on the Volkhov front becomes complicated. The second Battle army is cut off from other Soviet armies. On June 26, in fights near Novgorod heavy wounded senior political instructor gets in a captivity.

These days the poet in a poem “Forgive, the Native land!” Writes:

But Fate was cruel, Fate was mocking…
And Death, you’ ve noted borne me away.
What could I do-at a fateful moment,
Quite suddenly, my pistol filed.


So his wanderings from one fascist prison in another have begun. On the Native land at this time he was considered "missing".

In 1942 in Berlin the organization “Tatar intermediary” appeared, later it began to be called “Committee Idel -Ural”, since 1944 - “Union of struggle against the Bolshevism”. Being war prisoner, Musa Gumerov ( Dzhalil ) was transferred in committee of the Tatar-Bashkir legion "Idel-Ural" generated from war prisoners. The legion intended for “holy war” for puppet state "Idel -Ural".

Having found out, that Musa Gumerov (Musa Dzhalil so named himself in captivity) - the well- known poet, Germans included him in structure of committee. However Dzhalil , having agreed, began to arrange underground group which task became opposition to plans of hitlerites.

The first legion sent to front, rose in revolt and near Vitebsk come over to partisans. Fascists have been compelled to refuse idea of using legions on east front.

Having learned about underground activity of Musa Dzhalil, the fascists threw the poet in Moabit prison. There (1942-1944) "Moabit notebooks" were created - the world famous cycle of verses. The first moabit self-made notebook in size 9,5 : 7,5 sm. contains 60 poems. The second notebook is also the self-made notebook in size 10,7 : 7,5 sm. It contains 50 poems. Until present time it is not known, how many note-books were there.

In August, 1944, “for spreading Soviet ideology, subversion of a battalion” he executed in prison Plettsenzee, near Berlin.

Musa Dzhalil - the unique representative of our multinational literature posthumously awarded simultaneously with two supreme government awards: title of the Hero of Soviet Union - for personal courage and exclusive firmness shown during Great Patriotic war, and title of the winner of Lenin prize for a cycle of poems “Moabit note -book”.