Background
Lunacharskii, Anatolii was born on November 23, 1875 in Poltava. Son of an official.
Lunacharskii, Anatolii was born on November 23, 1875 in Poltava. Son of an official.
Became a marxist as a high school student in Kiev, 1892. Joined the Social Democratic Party, 1895, studied in Switzerland and France, 1895-1898. Underground revolutionary work in Moscow, 1898.
Arrested, 1899. In exile in Kaluga and Vologda, 1900-1904. Wrote on marxism and aesthetics, attracted to the theories of Avenarius. After the split of the Social Democratic Party, joined the Bolsheviks, 1903.
Political exile, 1904-1917, in Western Europe. Worked with Lenin, but was criticized by him for his philosophical deviations (bogostroitelstvo and similar marxist heresies). After the February Revolution 1917, returned to Russia, May 1917.
Joined the mezhraiontsy group and was accepted with them into the Bolshevik Party under Lenin. Considered the main cultural specialist in the communist leadership. Identified with the first, rather liberal period of Soviet cultural life, taking a tolerant attitude to modernism in all spheres of the arts.
Minister of Education, 1917-1929. Prolific writer of theoretical and historical articles. Wrote plays of no literary significance.
During the difficult first revolutionary years, recognized by the intelligentsia as one of their own among the new ruling elite, and to a certain extent looked upon as a patron and protector. With the advance of Stalinism, lost his former importance and was forced to abandon his modernist convictions. From 1927, assistant head of the Soviet delegation at the League of Nations disarmament conference.
Academician, 1930. Wrote On Socialist Realism, 1933. Appointed Soviet Ambassador to Spain, 1933.