Mark Aldanov

Background

Mark Landau (Aldanov) was born November 7, 1886 in Kiev, Russia (now Ukraine) in the family of a rich Jewish industrialist.

Education

Mark received secondary education in Kiev-Pechersk Gymnasium, after which in 1904 he entered the University of St. Vladimir(Kiev University), where he graduated the physical-mathematical and law departments.

Career

In 1913, Mark Alexandrovich worked in Paris with chemistry professor W. Henry as an engineer. During World War I, he developed protective measures against gas attacks. In 1919 he emigrated via Constantinople to Paris. He published serious research papers in chemistry. In 1919 he emigrated to France. During 1922-1924 he lived in Berlin and was editor of the literary supplement to the newspaper "Days" (1923-1924). Since 1925, headed the literary department of the newspaper "Days." Since 1927 together with Khodasevich led the literary criticism section of the newspaper "Revival." During 1941-1946, in the United States.

Aldanov's first book about Vladimir Lenin, translated into several languages, immediately gained him popularity. Then followed a trilogy of novels attempting to trace the roots of the Russian Revolution. He also wrote a tetralogy of novels about Napoleonic wars. Some writings appear under the names M. A. Aldanov and Mark Alexandrovich Landau.

In 1942, while in New York, Aldanov cofounded Novy Zhurnal (The New Review) (Russian: "Новый журнал") together with his colleague and friend Mikhail Tsetlin. Until November 1945 they both served as Editors-in-Chief of this publication.

Mark Aldanov died in Nice, France.

Achievements

• Mark Aldanov was one of the founders of Novy Zhurnal, which is considered the oldest Russian language literary periodical in print published outside of Russia. Among the review's contributors were Vladimir Nabokov, Ivan Bunin, Joseph Brodsky, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and other notable Russian emigre writers. Mark Aldanov was also the author of such famous novels as ''A Story About Death'', ''Escape'', ''The Fifth Seal'' and others.
  
  He was nominated for the Nobel prize in literature thirteen times.

Works

More photos

• book

  • The Fifth Seal
  • The Devil's Bridge
  • Chertov most
  • Mark Aldanov. Istoki: izbrannye proizvedeniya v dvuh tomah. Tom 1

Politics

In 1918, Mark became member of the Union Party of Revival of Russia.

Membership

Mark Aldanov was a founding member of the Lodges North Star (1924), and Free Russia (1931). He was a member of the Society of Friends of Russian books, member of the Society of Turgenev Library, deputy chairman of the Union leaders of Russian Art (1931), deputy chairman of the Society for the sick and needy students of Russian (1931).

• Russian Musical Society abroad (RMOZ)

  1937

Connections

Mark Aldanov had a wife Tatiana Markovna Zaitseva Landau-Aldanova.

Spouse:

Tatiana Markovna Zaitseva Landau-Aldanova

Friend:

Mikhail Tsetlin

References

• The Novels of Mark Aleksandrovic Aldanovbook