In the house there are eight fraction one
At the Ilyich outpost
There lived a tall citizen
Nicknamed Kalancha,
By surname Stepanov
And named Stepan,
From the regional giants
The most important giant...
Uncle Styopa -one of the most famous characters in Russian children's literature. Everyone in Russia knows this good-natured giant and good friend of the children: both adults and children.
Who doesn't know Uncle Styopa?
Everyone knows Uncle Styopa.
(S. Mikhalkov. “Uncle Styopa is a policeman”)
Literary hero - Stepan Stepanov or everyone knows Uncle Styopa was invented Sergei Mikhalkov in 1935. In the same year, the Pioneer magazine (No. 7, 1935) published for the first time poem "UNCLE STYOPA".
In appearance, Stepan Stepanov “nicknamed Kalancha” is surprisingly similar to the author. And this is no coincidence. The poet himself, inventing Uncle Styopa, endowed him with an external resemblance to himself, namely his enormous height and foot size. Sergei Mikhalkov was 190 centimeters tall and wore size 45 shoes.
What's happened?
What kind of scream?
- It’s a student drowning!
He fell off a cliff into the river -
Help the man!
In front of all the people
Uncle Styopa climbs into the water.
- This is extraordinary! –
Everyone shouts to him from the bridge. –
You, comrade, are knee-deep
All deep places!
Alive, healthy and unharmed
Boy Vasya Borodin.
Uncle Styopa this time
Saved a drowning man.
Sergei Mikhalkov himself said that he met his “Uncle Styopa” one day on one of the Moscow streets. It was a huge policeman who checked Mikhalkov, who was driving, for his license, saluted and gently asked him not to violate traffic rules in the future. The writer, meanwhile, was surprised to recognize in the policeman his hero - Uncle Styopa, who, however, was not yet a policeman, but only served in the navy, helped firefighters and was a very exemplary and remarkable citizen. Later it turned out that the policeman with whom the writer spoke had once served in the navy. It was then, after meeting a giant in uniform, that Mikhalkov wrote a continuation of the poem about Uncle Styopa - "UNCLE STYOPA - POLICEMAN" , first published in the magazine “Border Guard” (1954, No. 20).
4. Mikhalkov, S.V. . Poetry[Electronic resource] / S. V. Mikhalkov // Lukoshko of fairy tales. – Access mode: http://lukoshko.net/storyList/sergey-mihalkov.htm - 03/11/16
5. Mikhalkov, S.V. Poetry[Electronic resource] / S. V. Mikhalkov // Children at home. – Access mode: http://detochki-doma.ru/mihalkov-stihi-dlya-detey/ - 03.11.16
6. Mikhalkov, S.V.. Uncle Styopa. Poem in four parts [Electronic resource] / S. V. Mikhalkov // Our children. - Access mode: http://deti.ledibashkirii.ru/sergej-mixalkov/589-2011-12-22-12-02-17 - 03/11/16
7.Quizzes, games based on the works of S. Mikhalkov[Electronic resource] // Childhood with a book. – Access mode: http://bk-detstvo.narod.ru/mihalkov.html - 03/11/16
8. Rebuses[Electronic resource] // Children's world. – Access mode: http://detsky-mir.com/blog/rebus/1594/rebus_81 - 03/11/16
Biography and works of S. Mikhalkov:
1.Mikhalkov, S.V. Poems and fairy tales[Electronic resource] / S. V. Mikhalkov // Guardians of Fairy Tales. Collection of original and folk tales. – Access mode: http://hobbitaniya.ru/mihalkov/ - 03/11/16
2. Mikhalkov Sergey Vladimirovich. Biography[Electronic resource] // Knowledge. Com. Biographies of Russian writers. - Access mode. - http://www.znaniy.com/2010-03-03-15-58-18/8--3-4.html - 03/11/16
3.Visiting Uncle Styopa[Electronic resource] // School named after S.V. Mikhalkova. – Access mode: http://mihalkovschool.ru/v-gosti-k-dyade-stepe/ - 03.11.16
4. 80 years of Sergei Mikhalkov’s poem “Uncle Styopa”[Electronic resource] // Library without borders. – Access mode: http://www.library.tomsk.ru/books/book_date/article1459/ - 03/11/16
5. Tsereteli, Tamara. Uncle Styopa - hero of the day[Electronic resource] / T. Tsereteli // Newspaper “Culture”. – Access mode: http://portal-kultura.ru/articles/books/102210-dyadya-stepa-yubilyar/ - 03.11.16
6.Pokutnyaya, I. Sergei Vladimirovich Mikhalkov[Electronic resource] / I. Pokutnyaya // Best abstracts. - Access mode:
In Samara today, a sculptural composition was unveiled in honor of the literary hero Sergei Mikhalkov, Uncle Styopa, a policeman. The six-meter monument was erected in the center of Samara, in the pedestrian zone on Leningradskaya Street. I will share with you my photos from this event.
2. The start of the ceremony was scheduled at 13:00. When I arrived at the appointed time, the intersection of Leningradskaya and Molodogvardeyskaya streets was no longer crowded. 
3. Let's remember who Uncle Styopa is? Sergei Mikhalkov’s poem “Uncle Styopa” was written 80 years ago. A kind, positive character “by the name of Stepanov and by the name of Stepan”, he helps firefighters, serves in the navy, works as a policeman... The distinctive features of Uncle Styopa are his enormous height and love for children. The poem "Uncle Styopa - Policeman" was first published in 1954 in the magazine "Border Guard", the newspaper "Pionerskaya Pravda", in the magazines "New World" and "Pioneer". 
4. Secretary of State - Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Igor Zubov took part in the opening of the monument. He stated that - “The policeman is a mirror of Russian power. The monument to Uncle Styopa, unveiled today in Samara, personifies a Russian police officer and the entire system of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.” The regional police were represented by the head of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Samara Region, Sergei Solodovnikov. 
5. In many ways, the installation of this monument became possible thanks to State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein. Since 2012, at the suggestion of Khinshtein, the organizing committee “Cultural Samara” has been operating in Samara, which considers proposals for the installation of new sculptural compositions in the city at the expense of extra-budgetary sources. Thus, over four years, 16 sculptures and art objects appeared on the streets, squares and squares of Samara, including: “Yuri Detochkin”, “Comrade Sukhov”, “Good Soldier Schweik”, “Pinocchio”, “Barge Haulers on the Volga”, etc. . 
6. “Today is a small holiday in Samara,” noted the Chairman of the Government of the Samara Region, Alexander Nefedov, in his speech. “Uncle Styopa is a truly people’s hero, the embodiment of the best in a person and an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.” 
7. There were many children at the holiday. They were never bored. While the wait dragged on, children were entertained by animators, and adults were entertained by museum staff and actors in the uniform of those years. Vintage cars and vintage motorcycles were installed next to the monument. 
8. The guys from the creative studio are great! They gave a real performance. 
9. The author of the work - the famous sculptor, President of the Russian Academy of Arts, People's Artist of the USSR and the Russian Federation Zurab Tsereteli, President of the Russian Cultural Foundation Nikita Mikhalkov and Yulia Subbotina - the widow of Sergei Mikhalkov - were invited to the ceremony as guests of honor. 
10. It is noteworthy that Mikhalkov’s hero had a real local prototype, also a foreman. Oleg Pavlovich Malinin, whom many townspeople knew and respected.
Publications in the Literature section
By the surname Stepanov and by the name Stepan
This is a coupon of justice, kindness and honor. A literary character who could now be called a cult character, but in fact he is a favorite. For many boys and girls who grew up on this story and read the lines of Sergei Mikhalkov to their children, and some to their grandchildren. So from generation to generation they empathize with the good-natured giant: sometimes he can’t find clothes, sometimes he can’t hide behind a mask at a carnival - and they find an example to follow in the lines of the poem. The usual daily exploits of a real hero. We remember 10 facts from the life of Uncle Styopa and his creator together with Natalya Letnikova.
To the pioneer camp - for inspiration. The pioneer song competition of the Moscow Komsomol Committee in 1935 called Sergei Mikhalkov on the road. To a children's camp near Moscow. The young songwriter worked as a camp counselor, went hiking, had leisurely conversations around the fire, and fished. Impressions of the Pioneer summer became children's poems published by Pioneer magazine. In the same year, Mikhalkov wrote his first children's poem, “Uncle Styopa.”
Evgeny Migunov. Sketch of a sleeve for a gramophone record with recordings of Sergei Mikhalkov reading the trilogy about Uncle Styopa. 1963
Konstantin Rotov. Illustration for the poem “Uncle Styopa” by Sergei Mikhalkov. Publishing house "Detgiz". 1957
Illustration for Sergei Mikhalkov’s poem “Uncle Styopa is a policeman”
“I wrote the first part somehow very easily,”- the poet himself later said. And the matter did not go beyond the seal. The editor of Pioneer, journalist and writer Boris Ivanter, published the poem in the seventh issue of the magazine in 1935. Without even waiting for the giant’s drawings, so as not to delay publication. The first illustrations for the poem were photographs of the author himself, who was involuntarily compared to a literary character for his tall stature and kind eyes. This is how Sergei Mikhalkov woke up famous among a small but very demanding audience.
Masters Rating. Korney Chukovsky predicted a long literary life for Uncle Styopa - and he was not mistaken. Samuel Marshak also highly appreciated the poem about the high citizen. I read “Uncle Styopa” directly in the presence of the young author and wished the literary hero to “grow up spiritually.” “And if later I did not consider my “Uncle Styopa” an accidental episode in literary work, but continued to work for the young reader, this, perhaps, is primarily the merit of Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak.”, - said Sergei Mikhalkov.
To print! With illustrations...“Uncle Styopa” was published as a separate book in 1936 by the publishing house “Children’s Literature”. Stepan Stepanov was first drawn by the famous artist, creator of the legendary Murzilka - Aminadav Kanevsky. Uncle Styopa became the entry ticket to the world of book illustration for artist German Mazurin. The image of the charming giant was created by Konstantin Rotov, the author of the panel of the Soviet pavilion at the New York exhibition; Juvenaly Korovin, whose works are in the Tretyakov Gallery; and one of the founding fathers of Soviet animation - Vladimir Suteev.
Konstantin Rotov. Illustration for the poem “Uncle Styopa” by Sergei Mikhalkov. 1950s
Vladimir Galdyaev. Illustration for the poem “Uncle Styopa” by Sergei Mikhalkov. M.: Malysh, 1984
German Mazurin. Illustration for Sergei Mikhalkov’s poem “Uncle Styopa is a policeman.” Postcard. 1956
"Uncle Styopa is a policeman". “Border Guard”, “New World”, “Pioneer”, “Pionerskaya Pravda”. These publications, which did not overlap in readership, were united in 1954 by a common material - the poem “Uncle Styopa - Policeman”. The author himself spoke in the preface in Pioneer about one meeting - with a policeman... two meters tall. “Taller than all the policemen I’ve ever seen in my life!” And in a friendly conversation it turned out that the policeman was also once a sailor. This is how the idea of a new poem appeared, which brought joy to the children, and to its creator the Second Prize of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.
At the request of readers. "Uncle Styopa and Egor." The genuine interest in the family of the beloved giant from the kindergarten students whom Sergei Mikhalkov met forced him to take up his pen again. The young reader was worried: was their favorite one lonely? Does Styopa have children? “What will I tell him in response? / It's hard to say no. So Stepan found a family: his wife Marusya and son Yegor - an exemplary child, an athlete and - in the spirit of the times - a future cosmonaut. “I’ll tell you right away, friends: / This book is on order,”- the poet admits. A children's story was published in the most serious periodical - the Pravda newspaper.
Monument to Uncle Stepa in Moscow. Sculptor Alexander Rozhnikov. Photo: mos-holidays.ru
Monument to Uncle Stepa in Prokopyevsk (Kemerovo region). Sculptor Konstantin Zinich. Photo: ngs42.ru
Monument to Uncle Stepa in Samara. Sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. Photo: rah.ru
Uncle Styopa in bronze. The two-meter guard is immortalized not only in children's literature. Five-meter Stepan Stepanov froze in bronze on the streets of Samara, as usual - surrounded by children. Local residents recognize in the monument the features of district police officer Oleg Malinin, who served in this area - then still in the city of Kuibyshev. The monument by Zurab Tsereteli is a gift to the city from the famous sculptor. He performed the work of casting the statue for free. In the capital, the bronze Uncle Styopa “settled” near the building of the regional traffic police in Slesarny Lane, and in Kuzbass - in the city of Prokopyevsk.
Screen life. Three years after the literary premiere, Uncle Styopa is already on the screen. One of the first at Soyuzmultfilm. Based on the script by Sergei Mikhalkov and deputy editor-in-chief of the Krokodil magazine Nikolai Aduev, Vladimir Suteev drew the black-and-white story and made it come to life. A quarter of a century later, a color continuation of the biography of the famous giant, “Uncle Styopa - Policeman,” was published. The creator of the screen film worked on the 1964 cartoon
Still from the animated film “Uncle Styopa - Policeman” (1964)
Vitamin of laughter from Sergei Mikhalkov. “Humor in children's literature is a serious and big thing. Children need the vitamin of laughter", - assured the poet. And children simply need the poems of Sergei Mikhalkov. “What do you have?” and “About Thomas”, “Merry Travellers” and “Fintiflyushkin” and the dream of, perhaps, every child embodied on the pages of Mikhalkov - “The Holiday of Disobedience”. The works of Sergei Mikhalkov have been published in the country with a total circulation of 300 million copies and have been appearing on book shelves for more than 80 years. Although the author himself modestly noted: “I didn’t choose the children, but the children chose me. Why? It's a mystery to me.".
Probably because many of these characters did no less for us than real-life celebrities who once lived. They give happiness to readers all over the world every day, teach us to be faithful and kind, noble and courageous.
The installation of monuments to heroes of works of poetry and prose is a tradition that goes back many decades. In many cities, on the streets and squares, in squares and parks, there are sculptures dedicated to various characters.
Each monument to literary heroes has its own destiny, its own history. We will describe the most interesting sculptures installed both in Russia and abroad in this article.
Monument to the heroine of the fairy tale about the goldfish
The goldfish is one of the most auspicious and powerful symbols that brings prosperity, luck and well-being to the home. Every child knows from books that she is the main fulfiller of any desires.
Fish are present in many folk tales. The literary fairy tale about the goldfish was first reworked by the Brothers Grimm. In our country, A.S. Pushkin created his work. It's called "The Tale of the Goldfish." As the analysis of these works shows, the fish is not so much a wish-fulfiller, but rather represents the opportunity to start a new life and is a symbol of enlightenment. The image of an unhappy old man hiding a wise old man is the “spiritual” part of human consciousness, while the greedy old woman is our insatiable ego, which is immersed in worldly vanity. The ego demands various pleasures.
The goldfish monument was installed in many cities (Donetsk, Saransk, Berdyansk, Mamonovo, St. Petersburg, Adler, Lvov, Astrakhan,
Interestingly, psychologists have identified a group of people who are afraid of goldfish. Of course, not literally. The point is that a person prefers to be afraid to let something unknown and new into his life.
We can add to the list of the goldfish’s merits that today it has become the heroine of numerous jokes, as well as the main participant in Simoron rituals.
The monument, located in Astrakhan, is a goldfish embodied in bronze, which appears lying on the waves, also made of bronze. The sculpture is an advertising ploy for the Megafon company. The emblems of this operator adorn the pedestal of the monument.
The fish has a crown on its head that is polished to a shine. According to a belief that has already taken root among the residents of Astrakhan, you should make a wish and rub it. Then it will definitely come true. The opening of the monument was timed to coincide with Fisherman's Day. It took place in 2011. The author of the sculpture is Marat Dzhamaletdinov.
Monuments to a lady with a dog
At the end of the 19th century, when human morals were not yet as loose as in the 21st century, but the culture of the world was already anticipating the breath of revolution, Chekhov’s famous work was written. Resorts, including Crimean ones, where a person, torn out of the vicious circle of everyday life, found himself in the enveloping aroma of freedom, became the first places in which husbands, fathers, mothers, wives could feel the taste of life. Of course, the heralds of the new era were the masters of the literary word, who brought the trends of new times to life with their pens.
The story “The Lady with the Dog” is one of the most striking works that has become a classic of the resort romance genre. This happened thanks to the skill and talent of A.P. Chekhov (1860-1904). The work was first published in 1899 in the magazine "Russian Thought".
It is not surprising that the center of the Yalta embankment was chosen to perpetuate the memory of the writer and the main character of this work. In 2004, as part of the centennial anniversary of Anton Pavlovich, the monument “Lady with a Dog” was erected. Its authors are Gennady and Fedor Parshin. The sculpture depicts a slender female silhouette, dressed in a modest, elegant dress with lace. The girl holds an umbrella in her hands. She froze in dreamy reverie, fixing her gaze on the horizon. And next to you is a faithful dog with a smart, sharp face. He looks with devoted eyes at his mistress.
The figure of Anton Pavlovich located in the background is also very remarkable. He observes in a relaxed pose the creation of his own thought, which for a moment has left the literary pages. The finished appearance of this sculpture is complemented by a cloak thrown carelessly onto the openwork of the fence, as well as a sign with the phrase from the work “...a new face has appeared on the embankment: a lady with a dog,” which is located at the feet of the writer.
Also in the city of Khabarovsk, on Amursky Boulevard, a monument to this heroine of Chekhov’s story was erected. This is a bronze bench on which sits a woman wearing a dress with a deep slit and strapless. She has a hat on her head and high-heeled shoes on her feet. She strokes the dog sitting next to her on the bench with her left hand.
This sculpture decorates the park near the fountain, located next to the Druzhba cinema on Amursky Boulevard. It was installed for the 150th anniversary of the city.
Monument to White Bim in Voronezh
We now move to Voronezh to look at the next monument. There are sculptures that make passers-by stop and feel anxiety, tenderness, and excitement. The monument to White Beam belongs to them. It was opened at the beginning of 1998.
G. N. Troepolsky (1906-1995) - Voronezh writer, author of the famous book called "White Bim Black Ear", published in 1971. The sculpture of Bim is located at the entrance to the puppet theater. It was installed on an autumn day when residents celebrated City Day.
Today the monument to White Beam is one of the most popular among children. Bim is cast in metal. He sits in a position in which loyal, intelligent and kind dogs are waiting for their owner to leave for a while. There is no pedestal for this sculpture: Bim is simply on the ground. And children love to pet him, as if this dog were alive.
He really seems alive. When you see this sculpture, it’s as if you feel the dog’s devoted and anxious gaze on you, as if asking: “Where is my master now?” However, Bim could not wait for him. The owner died and the dog became orphaned. Now Bim was left completely alone in the huge city.
Troepolsky's book about the fate of White Bim was a huge success. Sometimes the writer jokingly said that he released him into the wild in Voronezh, and since then the dog has been running. He's probably already covered half the world. This story was translated and published in dozens of countries. For example, the curriculum of American colleges includes this work without fail. In our country, a film was made based on the story, which was also a great success.
The authors of the monument are Ivan Dikunov and Elsa Pak. The author of the work often came to them during work, gave advice, and consulted. Gabriel Troepolsky, unfortunately, was not destined to see his beloved Bim in the metal: he died before he could see the installation of the sculpture.
Monuments to Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a literary character created by A. Conan Doyle (1859-1930). The works dedicated to his adventures are rightfully considered classics of the detective genre. Societies of fans of Holmes and his deductive method have spread throughout the world. This detective is the most popular movie character in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
The Holmes Apartment Museum opened on Baker Street in London in March 1990. There are a lot of monuments to this hero.
The first monument to Sherlock Holmes
Holmes monuments in Japan and Great Britain
In 1988, on October 9, a statue of the great detective was unveiled in Japan (in Kariuzawa). Nobuhara Ken, the Japanese translator of Holmes, lived in this city. This monument was unveiled just a month later than in Switzerland.
The turn came to Edinburgh in 1991. On June 24, the third monument to Holmes was unveiled in Conan Doyle's homeland. It is installed on Picardy Place.
In London, a monument to Holmes was unveiled in 1999, on September 24, near Baker Street tube station. Sherlock looks thoughtfully into the distance. He is dressed for London weather - in a hat with a small brim and a long raincoat. Holmes has a pipe in his hand.
Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson: monument in Moscow
In 2007, on April 27, a monument to the work was opened in Moscow, on Smolenskaya Embankment. This is the first sculpture depicting Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson together. A Russian actor participated in the creation, who was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Elizabeth II for embodying the image of the main character of the work. The monument to literary heroes Holmes and Watson today is very popular among Muscovites and visitors. Many people like to take pictures against its background.
Monument to the frog princess in Moscow
In Moscow in 1997, an imitation of the Neglinnaya River was created to decorate Manezhnaya Square near the Kremlin. It was this that flowed here in ancient times, but was enclosed in a pipe in the 19th century. Zurab "settled" the heroes of various Russian fairy tales along the banks of the river. Among his creations is a monument to the frog princess.
Other sculptures in honor of the frog princess
Another monument to the character is located in Svetlogorsk (Kaliningrad region). The sculpture represents a female figure sitting on a stone. Her lips are pursed for a kiss.
A sculpture of the frog princess was also installed in Kaliningrad (children's park "Youth"). The frog is very cute and fabulous.
Monument to the literary hero Pinocchio
In honor of the 130th anniversary of the author of the story "The Golden Key" Alexei Tolstoy, a monument to Buratino appeared at the gates of the literary museum in Samara. Its author is Stepan Korslyan. A triumphant Pinocchio made of bronze holds a golden key in his raised hand. A big book lies at his feet. Dmitry Iosifov, an actor who played the main character in the film “The Adventures of Buratino”, was present at the opening ceremony. It was on the basis of the image from this film that the sculpture was created.
Monument to Josef Schweik
More recently, in 2014, on August 24, a monument to Schweik, described almost 100 years ago in Jaroslav Hasek’s work “The Adventures of the Good Soldier Schweik” (1921), was erected in the Czech Republic. It is located near the town of Pisek, in the village of Putim. Some of the adventures of this hero took place here. Done by F. Svatek. A soldier is dressed in a military uniform from the First World War.
Previously, monuments to this brave soldier were erected in Slovakia (photo below), Russia, Poland and Ukraine. In total, thirteen monuments are known.
Monument to Gulliver
It was installed in St. Petersburg in 2007, on November 2. The sculptor is Timur Yusof. The hero of Jonathan Swift's famous story "Gulliver's Travels" is located on the University Embankment. The monument depicts a whole series of title characters of the work, decreasing in size. Each subsequent Gulliver is several times smaller than the previous one.
Monuments to Baron Munchausen
On May 11, 2004, the first Russian one was opened. It is located in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, in the Munchausen Museum. The author of the project was a descendant of the baron himself, Vladimir Nagovitsyn. This is a writer-storyteller who creates works under the pseudonym Vladi Nagova.
A monument to literary heroes can be very original. In Kaliningrad, for example, in the Central Park there is one of the most cheerful monuments. It is also dedicated to Baron Munchausen. The sculpture stands next to Queen Louise's Church. It became a gift to Kaliningrad for its 750th anniversary from Bodenwerder, the German city that is the birthplace of the baron.
It is known that the real prototype of Munchausen visited Koenigsberg twice on the way to St. Petersburg, as well as on the way back. The author of the sculpture is Georg Petau. The monument to Munchausen is a steel wall in which the silhouette of this hero is carved, flying on a cannonball. On one side, the inscription “Kaliningrad” is stamped on the pedestal, and on the other, “Koenigsberg”, to emphasize the historical connection between the Russian and German peoples.
On Wednesday, a monument to the famous Soviet poet, author of the words of the anthems of the USSR and modern Russia, Sergei Mikhalkov, was unveiled in Moscow. The monument, authored by sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov, was unveiled on Povarskaya Street, where the poet lived for many years. The ceremony was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, ITAR-TASS reports.
Opening the monument, Putin called Mikhalkov Sr. “a bright, wonderful person, a true devoted patriot of our great Motherland,” noting that the poet, author of two national anthems, always considered serving the Fatherland the main work of his life.
“The works of Sergei Mikhalkov are relevant at all times, and despite the fact that he had a special sense of modernity, he was invariably at the forefront of the era. His work harmoniously combines the present and the future, and this fact will remain a secret, a distinctive feature of his work ", Putin noted.
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Speaking about the place where the monument was unveiled, the president called it symbolic that it is a simple Moscow courtyard. It is also symbolic that the monument to the writer is unveiled on the eve of International Children’s Day, for whom Sergei Mikhalkov “still remains a friend, mentor and teacher.” “This is the true, lasting recognition of young readers,” Putin emphasized.
The poet is depicted sitting on a bench, leaning on his famous cane with his right hand and the back of the bench with his left. The bench itself is installed on a granite pedestal. Next to the monument is a bronze sculpture of a little girl looking at the writer and holding flowers in her hands.
It took about a year and a half to create the monument. The poet’s youngest son, Nikita Mikhalkov, told Putin about the idea of perpetuating the memory of his father, when in February last year the entire large family, together with the president noted centennial anniversary of Sergei Mikhalkov. Then Nikita Mikhalkov shared the details of the project - to install a monument next to the house on Povarskaya Street, where Mikhalkov Sr. lived almost his entire life, so that “he would sit on a bench in the park.” Putin liked the proposal and promised to enlist the support of the Moscow authorities.
The author of the texts of two national anthems (Soviet and Russian), “Uncle Styopa”, “Songs of Friends”, the patriarch of the most famous creative dynasty in Russia and simply “the most important giant of the regional giants” was born on February 13, 1913 and died in August 2009.
Putin considers Sergei Mikhalkov “an outstanding person in all respects.” “He didn’t just write two anthems, he was a playwright, a writer, a poet, he fought at Stalingrad,” the president said. In his opinion, Sergei Mikhalkov is “a whole era and the life of the country.”
Sergei Mikhalkov - a controversial figure in Soviet literature and history
Sergei Mikhalkov, a classic of children's literature, poet, playwright, author of the anthems of the USSR and the Russian Federation, was the eldest in a huge creative family. Married to Natalya Konchalovskaya, the granddaughter of Vasily Surikov and daughter of Pyotr Konchalovsky, he gave birth to Andrei Konchalovsky and Nikita Mikhalkov, now famous directors. And their children, for their part, continued the artistic dynasty - Andrei Konchalovsky's son Yegor also became a director, and Nikita Mikhalkov's children - Anna, Nadezhda, Stepan and Artem - play in films and are involved in the restaurant business and producing.
Sergei Mikhalkov worked in almost all literary genres: poetry, prose, drama, criticism, journalism, film and cartoon scripts. The poet became a recognized classic of children's poetry. His works such as “Uncle Styopa”, “Holiday of Disobedience”, “What Do You Have?” have been reprinted several times and enjoy success and love from the audience. Critics who spoke positively about his work noted the originality of his talent and the influence of classical Russian drama. Even such a concept as the “Mikhalkov Theater” appeared.
Sergei Mikhalkov - holder of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree, Hero of Socialist Labor. Winner of the Lenin Prize, four USSR State Prizes, and the State Prize of the RSFSR. Last year he was awarded the country's highest award - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle.
And already this year, the name of Sergei Mikhalkov was named among the applicants for the Astrid Lindgren Prize, established by the Swedish government after the death of the outstanding children's writer in January 2002.
He himself took creativity for children very seriously and was glad that his first readers were already under 70 years old. Among his favorite children's writers he named Marshak, with whom he studied, and Agnia Barto, who patronized him all his life. He admired Ilf and Petrov.
At the same time, many serious literary critics considered his work to be secondary and spoke of a desire to please the momentary interests of the authorities. For example, many of his works are essentially adaptations of the classics to the requirements of socialist realism. For example, the play "Balalaikin and Company" (based on the works of Saltykov-Shchedrin), the play "Tom Canty" (based on "The Prince and the Pauper") and others. Although it was believed that Mikhalkov was a recognized satirist, his works in this direction lacked real sharpness and exposure. In addition, we must not forget that some of his satirical works were directed against very worthy and talented people for the sake of power.
Coming from a noble family and a non-party member (he joined the party only in 1950), Mikhalkov, who made an amazing career in the writing field, constantly attracted criticism. Most of all, his opponents did not like loyalty to any government, an opportunistic approach, and the publication in Soviet times of works of an openly propagandistic nature.
Writer Vladimir Tendryakov spoke about him this way:
“The government appeared, and immediately a seething, obsequious carousel arose around it. Workers of art and literature, of course, not all, but those who considered themselves noticeable enough, capable of laying claim to intimacy, rubbing each other, with happy smiles on their sweaty faces, began a crush, squeezing closer. [...] Now on one side, now on the other, Sergei Mikhalkov, the incomparable “Uncle Styopa,” grew up, never missing an opportunity to remind himself.” (Tendryakov Vl. On the blissful island of communism. New World, 1988, No. 9, p. 31.)
When the campaign against Boris Pasternak's novel "Doctor Zhivago" began, Mikhalkov responded with a fable about "a certain cereal called Pasternak."
During the period when the persecution of literary dissidents began in the USSR (Sinyavsky, Solzhenitsyn, Pasternak), Mikhalkov also took part in this process, condemning and branding ideological opponents. In response to Solzhenitsyn being awarded the Nobel Prize (1970), Mikhalkov stated that he considered this initiative to be nothing more than another political provocation directed against Soviet literature and having nothing to do with genuine concern for the development of literature.
I would like to note that these days many publications spoke very disparagingly about these facts of the biography of Sergei Mikhalkov (“Enemies often reproached him for his ability to always come to court, recalling Pasternak and Solzhenitsyn” - TRC “Petersburg-Channel Five”), which is not a credit to cultural level of the authors of these texts.
Vladimir Bukovsky, a famous Soviet dissident, the son of the writer and journalist Konstantin Bukovsky, speaks of Sergei Mikhalkov as a shining example of boundless cynicism and hypocrisy:
“For example, when my father was persuaded because of me at the party meetings of the Writers’ Union, Mikhalkov was the most vocal, like “there is no place in the ranks of the party for people like Konstantin Bukovsky, who raised an enemy of the people!” After the meeting, however, he ran up to his father and asked: “Well, how is yours?” Or later, when the Union collapsed, he, a member of the CPSU Central Committee, was one of the first to talk about his “nobility.”
With all this, Mikhalkov himself sincerely considered his position to be correct and never repented of his actions. For example, he was convinced that the campaign to condemn dissidents in the 1960s and 1970s was justified by the fact that they violated Soviet laws of that time by publishing their works in Russian abroad, that is, in the press not controlled by Soviet writers and party organizations : “Yes, I condemned Pasternak for the fact that Doctor Zhivago was published abroad in Russian. And now I don’t repent of it: he really broke the law. But I always considered him an outstanding Russian poet.”
Colleagues in the writing workshop nicknamed Mikhalkov “Gimnyuk” and “Uncle Styopa” behind his back. At the same time, there is a well-known story when, having heard behind him in the Central House of Writers “Gimnyuk has gone,” he approached the whisperer and told him: “Gimnyuk, not a hymnyuk, but if it starts playing, you’ll stand up.”
Mikhalkov and his family became the object of poignant epigrams and anecdotes. One of the most famous belongs to the pen of the talented actor Valentin Gaft:
Russia! Do you feel this strange itch?!
Three Mikhalkovs are crawling on you!
Let us also recall Kaverin’s words:
“I have no desire to pollute these pages with the image of a writer who told me after Stalin’s death with sincere bitterness and almost without stuttering: “Twenty years of work is a waste of time!” I will only say that he is the living embodiment of the ulcer of corruption that has been corroding and corroding our literature..." (V. Kaverin. Epilogue. "Neva". 1989, N8, pp. 86-87.)
Today this has come to be called “stateism,” and in the lines of the late Boris Pasternak, who, as is known, hounded Akhmatova and Zoshchenko, “not through gritted teeth, not forcedly, but with gusto, with gusto” (Lydia Chukovskaya. Notes about Anna Akhmatova. 1952-1962 . Volume two. M., 1997, p. 327), Andrei Dementyev sees “a man of the level of people of the Renaissance,” and Alexander Prokhanov - “a Russian and Soviet aristocrat.”
But it is to Sergei Mikhalkov that we should be grateful for the birth of such immortal lines from Boris Pasternak:
"I disappeared like an animal in a pen.
Somewhere there are people, will, light,
And behind me there is the sound of a chase,
I can't go outside...
What kind of dirty trick did I do?
Am I a murderer and a villain?
I made the whole world cry
Over the beauty of my land.
But even so, almost at the grave,
I believe the time will come -
The power of meanness and malice
The spirit of goodness will prevail."
