The poet who wrote the anthem for Stalin, Brezhnev, and Putin
In 2009, on his deathbed, Mikhalkov told his wife: "Well, that's enough for me. Goodbye." And closed his eyes.
A giant of Soviet children's literature and the poet who wrote the lyrics for the Soviet national anthem in 1944 and 1977 and the Russian national anthem in 2000. His long poem Uncle Styopa was beloved by generations of Soviet children, and he founded and edited the satirical newsreel Fitil for over four decades. As Chairman of the Union of Writers of the RSFSR from 1970 to 1990, he sat at the apex of Soviet literary administration, earning the Hero of Socialist Labour, the Lenin Prize, and three Stalin Prizes. Though criticized for joining campaigns against Pasternak and Solzhenitsyn, he also worked behind the scenes to secure housing, jobs, medical care, and even prison releases for numerous writers.
Career Timeline
- 1935Published the long poem Uncle Styopa
- 1937Joined the Union of Soviet Writers
- 1941–1945Served as war correspondent; took part in the defense of Odessa and Sevastopol
- 1944Co-wrote the Soviet national anthem lyrics with El-Registan (Stalin version)
- 1950Joined the CPSU
- 1962–2008Founded and edited the satirical newsreel Fitil
- 1965–1970First Secretary of the Moscow branch and Secretary of the Board, Union of Soviet Writers
- 1970–1990Chairman of the Union of Writers of the RSFSR
- 1977Wrote revised Soviet anthem lyrics, removing the mention of Stalin
- 2000Wrote the lyrics for the Russian Federation national anthem (Putin version)