Janka Maur is Belorussian Soviet writer, Honored Worker of Culture of the BSSR (1968). Born in a working class family. Was a teacher, after the October Revolution of 1917, he worked in the schools of Minsk. One of the founders of the Belarusian Soviet literature for children. In 1925 he published a science fiction novel "The Man is coming."
Background
Yanka Maur, (May 11, 1883 - August 3, 1971) was a famous Belarusian writer. Yanka Maur was actually his pseudonym, while his real name was Ivan Mikhailavich Fiodarau . His son, Fiodar Fiodaraŭ, was a famous Belarusian physicist.
He was born in Liepāja, Courland and grew up in the Belarusian village Lebianishki, which is now in Lithuania. He graduated from vocational school in Kouna, then entered a pedagogical school in 1899, but was thrown out for being a member of an underground revolutionary club. Nevertheless in 1903 he successfully passed all the exams as a non-resident student and became a high school teacher. In 1906 took part in the underground meeting of the Belarusian teachers, organized by the famous Belarusian writer Yakub Kolas. After that he was arrested and could not work as a teacher anymore. He could teach again only in 1911, becoming a geography and history teacher in a private school in Minsk.
He was working in many different literary genres: satirical, historical, literature for kids. He is credited with starting the science fiction tradition in the modern Belarusian literature.
His biggest novel is Amok, but his best-selling and perhaps most known book was Palesse Robinsons. Besides writing, he also translated stories into Belarusian from many foreign authors, including Jules Verne, Victor Hugo, Anton Chekhov, Mark Twain, and others.
Education
He graduated from vocational school in Kaunas, then entered a pedagogical school in 1899, but was thrown out for being a member of an underground revolutionary club. Nevertheless in 1903 he passed all the exams as a non-resident student and became a high school teacher.
Career
In 1903 he passed all the exams as a non-resident student and became a high school teacher. In 1906 took part in the underground meeting of the Belarusian teachers, organized by the famous Belarusian writer Yakub Kolas. After that he was arrested and could not work as a teacher anymore. He could teach again only in 1911, becoming a geography and history teacher in a private school in Minsk.
He was working in many different literary genres: satirical, historical, literature for kids. He is credited with starting the science fiction tradition in the modern Belarusian literature.
His biggest novel is Amok, but his best-selling and perhaps most known book was Palesse Robinsons. Besides writing, he also translated stories into Belarusian from many foreign authors, including Jules Verne, Victor Hugo, Anton Chekhov, Mark Twain, and others.