Гафури Мажит

Mazhit Gafuri (Abdulmazhit Nurganeyevich Gafurov) was born on the 2nd of July, 1880 in the village of Zilim-Karan, Sterlitamak region. He studied at the Muslim School of Zainulla-ishan,the Muslim School “Mukhammadiya” in Kazan, the Muslim School “Galiya” in Ufa. He was awarded the title “The Hero of Labour”.

He worked in the genres of poetry, prose and playwriting.

His first books based of the principle of realism of Enlightenment appeared in 1904-1906. In his stories “A Year of Hunger or a Sold Girl” (1905), “Orphans” (1907), “The Poor” (1907), “Khamit’s Life” or “Leila and My Life” (1911)and some others the author severely criticized class inequality and social injustice.

Since the 1920s the realistic flow in his works prevailed. His stories “Blackfaced” (1927), “Steps of Life” (1918), “Gold Fields of a Poet” (1930) constituted the basis of Bashkir prose in the Soviet period.

The play “Red Star” (1925) in the first Bashkir play that created the images of peasants during the Civil War.