Prokofiev A.A. (1900-1971), poet

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PROKOFIEV Alexander Andreevich (1900-1971, Leningrad), a poet, hero of Socialist Labour (1970). He had very little formal education. During the Civil War and the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45 he took part in the defence of Petrograd-Leningrad, and served in the army press. He settled in Petrograd (Leningrad) in 1922. In 1922-30 he worked for the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission (Cheka) and Joint State Political Administration Board (OGPU). His works were published from 1919, and by the mid-1930s his creative activity reached its maturity. The best works of Prokofiev, with their peculiar language images and rhythm, belong to the most outstanding achievements of Russian Soviet lyric poetry. He contributed to various Leningrad periodicals, and was a member of a literary society to the Rezets journal, as well as of other associations of proletarian writers. In 1945-48 and 1955-65 he was in the head of Leningrad Writers' Organisation; the policy he pursued during this term included decisions made within the mainstream of the official ideology, which was fully shown in the case of I.A. Brodsky, in particular. The image of Leningrad was embodied in many works of Prokofiev (Street of Red Dawn collection, the cycle of poems Leningrad, poem Russia etc.). Prokofiev was awarded the Stalin Prize in 1946, and Lenin Prize in 1961. During the siege he lived at 7 Khalturina Street (present-day Millionnaya Street); in 1957-71 he lived at 29 Kronverkskaya Street (memorial plaque); he used to spend much time at his summer house in Komarovo. He was buried at Bogoslovskoe cemetery. The name of Prokofiev was given to a street in the north-west of the city in 1977. Articles from his study were donated to Pushkinsky Dom (Pushkin House).

References: Александр Прокофьев: Вспоминают друзья: Сб. М., 1977; Молдавский Д. М. Александр Прокофьев. Л., 1985.

D. N. Cherdakov. Brodsky Iosif Alexandrovich
Prokofiev Alexander Andreevich
Kronverkskaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 29
Millionnaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 7
Prokofeva St./Saint Petersburg, city
Александр Прокофьев: Вспоминают друзья: Сб. М., 1977
Молдавский Д. М. Александр Прокофьев. Л., 1985 Bogoslovskoe Cemetery
1926