Konstantin Paustovsky is one of the pillars of classical Russian literature, a writer-prose writer, from the pen of which came piercing, taking for soul works. Some of his novels are included in the compulsory school curriculum, and even though in his youth Paustovsky’s lyrics may sometimes seem boring, but at a more mature age, after reading the classics’ creations, you begin to understand why his descendants are grateful to him to this day.
The father of the future writer Konstantin Paustovsky was a railway statistician, who had Ukrainian, Turkish and Polish descent.
In the gymnasium Paustovsky’s favorite subject was geography.
The study of the future writer at Moscow University interrupted the beginning of the first of the world wars. He left classes and got a job – he was a conductor and a leader of the Moscow tram. Then Paustovsky worked as a paramedic on military trains.
While employed as a conductor, Paustovsky taught a passenger who did not pay for the trip regularly-he offered to pay a hundred-ruble note for the ticket, knowing that they would not be able to give him the change. When the passenger once again got on the tram of Paustovsky and held out a large bill, he quietly poured out the trifles prepared in advance for him. The man was amazed and after this incident began to regularly buy tickets.
Both brothers Konstantin Paustovsky perished on the same day on different military fronts.
After returning from battlefields, the writer managed to work at several metallurgical plants in Dnepropetrovsk and Novorossiysk, as well as in a fishing artel on the Sea of Azov.
Paustovsky was awarded the Order for his services in the development of the literature of the USSR.
In the first year of the Second World War Konstantin Paustovsky served for a month and a half in the south as a military correspondent. Then he and his family were evacuated to Alma-Ata to write a new play for the capital’s theater.
In 1965, Paustovsky almost became a Nobel laureate, but as a result, Mikhail Sholokhov received the award. According to unconfirmed reports, the authorities of the USSR threatened Sweden with economic sanctions, therefore, to award Paustovsky changed his mind.
Outstanding actress Marlene Dietrich called Konstantin Paustovsky one of his favorite writers. During the personal meeting, the artist gave the writer several photos – on one of the photos Dietrich stood before Paustovsky on his knees on the stage of the Central House of Writers.
Paustovsky became one of 25 writers who signed a letter to Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev against the rehabilitation of Joseph Stalin. He also supported the application for housing to Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
The writer, suffering from asthma and having suffered several heart attacks, was buried in the cemetery in Tarusa. He is an honorary citizen of this city.
Shortly before his death, Paustovsky interceded for Yuri Lyubimov – he warmly asked not to leave the Taganka Theater without the chief director. The order to dismiss Lyubimov was never signed.
For his work Paustovsky was awarded three orders, three medals and an honorary Polish award.
The name of Konstantin Paustovsky is worn by a small planet number 5269, which was discovered by a Soviet scientist in 1978.
