Mikhas Klimkovich

Michaś Klimkovič (Belarusian: Міхась Клімковіч; Russian: Михаил Климкович; 20 November 1899 – 5 November 1954) was a Belarusian poet, librettist, and author. He wrote the lyrics to the Anthem of the Byelorussian SSR, and co-wrote the lyrics to the Anthem of the Republic of Belarus.

Biography

Klimkovich was born into the family of a stoker in the village of Salitranka on November 20, 1899. Finishing a four-year pedagogical institute, he was involved in teaching, subsequently joined the revolutionary communist forces during the collapse of the Russian Empire, fighting in the R Army during the Russian Civil War. Between 1932 and 1937 he was a member of the organizinatinal committee in charge of the education activities of the Belarusian Writers' Union before being elected as the Belarusian Writers' Union's first-ever chairman in 1934.

Aside from a number of important poems, Klimkovich authored the dramatic trilogy Georgy Skaryna and wrote librettos for several operas and a ballet.