One of the most remarkable children’s writers of the Soviet era can be undoubtedly called Lev Kassil. His well-thought works, which are deservedly popular to this day, make it possible to put him on a par with writers such as Victor Dragunsky and Korney Chukovsky. He also had serious works, but children’s literature brought him fame.
The future writer was born on the territory of the modern city of Engels, but immediately after graduating from the gymnasium, his family moved to Moscow. In the capital, Lev Kassil entered the Moscow State University, but did not complete his education, as he decided to devote his life to writing, leaving his studies. At the time of this premature graduation, Kassil already had experience in various Moscow editions. Back in his youth, before moving to Moscow, Lev Kassil was one of the creators of the hand-written children’s magazine, which was published by the local library. This was his first literary experience. Like many other famous children’s writers, he worked for some time with the magazine “Murzilka”. By writing children’s literature, as acknowledged by Lev Kassil himself, he was pushed by the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky during their first meeting. Perc Kassil owned the first Soviet novel dedicated to sports topics – “Goalkeeper of the Republic”. For a long time, he combined the activities of a writer, journalist and reporter, publishing articles in various magazines and reporting from various events. For his work, Lev Kassil received many awards, including the honorary Order of the Red Star.
His younger brother was also a writer, but in 1937 he was repressed and later shot. The eternal passion of Lev Kassil was and always remained football. He never missed important matches for him, and also repeatedly acted as their commentator. He died of a heart attack while watching a football match. In the house where the family lived Kassil, is now a museum named after the writer. In Engels, a monument to the great writer.
