Bashkortostan Republic Writers Union

The Bashkortostan Republic Writers Union (Russian: Союз писателей Республики Башкортостан) is a professional public creative organization that unites writers of the Republic of Bashkortostan. It traces its institutional roots to nineteenth-century literary circles attached to educational institutions in the region, to the 1917 literary organization "Tulkyn" founded by Sh. Babich in Orenburg, and to the Bashkir Association of Proletarian Writers (BAPP), which was created in 1928 in Ufa at the first city conference of proletarian writers and operated until 1932. The Union itself was established on 15 March 1934 at the first congress of Soviet writers of Bashkiria, which created the Union of Writers of the Bashkir ASSR and elected Afzal Tagirov as chairman, Gabdulla Amantay as deputy, and Muslim Marat as board secretary. The organization is a voluntary, non-commercial public body. Its stated mission is to support the development of literary and artistic creativity, to unite writers of the republic and raise their professional level, and to strengthen the authority of literature in the spiritual life of the people. It assists beginning writers, cares for veteran writers, strengthens creative ties among writers of Bashkortostan, and maintains links with writers in other republics and regions of the Russian Federation as well as international contacts at the level of writers' organizations. The Union's history is closely bound up with the political history of the Soviet period. Its writers fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, and members including Nizam Karip, Kharis Malikh, Mukhamedyarov Khay, Sagit Miftakhov, Khusain Kunakbay, Mazgar Abdullin and Badrush Mukamay died in the war. In 1937, during the repressions, Daut Yultiy, Afzal Tagirov, Tukhvat Yanabi, Gabdulla Amantay, Bulat Ishemgul, Guba Davletshin and others were repressed. Regional writers' organizations were later formed within the Union: Sterlitamak (1984), Uchaly (1991), Yanaul (1992), Sibay (1993) and Kumertau (1997). As of 2012 the Union had 234 writer members. It maintains creative sections for poetry and children's literature, prose, literary criticism and drama, and commissions on literary heritage. Annual meetings of writers discuss literary life, analyze new works and debate creative problems. Under its auspices operate the Bashkir branch of the Literary Fund of the Russian Federation, the Bureau for the Promotion of Artistic Literature, sections for prose, poetry, drama, children's literature, satire and humor, literary critics and translators, and associations of Russian-language and Tatar-language writers. The Union has also established literary prizes, including the All-Russian S. T. Aksakov Literary Prize (1996), the Mukhametsha Burangulov Literary Prize of the Union of Writers of the Republic of Bashkortostan (2012), the Republican Stepan Zlobin Prize (established 1996), and the Gayaz Iskhaki Prize. Its address is 34 Kommunisticheskaya Street, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan.

The institutional prehistory of the Bashkortostan Republic Writers Union reaches back to literary circles created in the nineteenth century at educational institutions of the region. In 1917, in Orenburg, Sh. Babich founded the literary organization "Tulkyn". In the early 1920s, under the influence of RAPP (the Russian Association of Proletarian Writers), the Bashkir Association of Proletarian Writers (BAPP) was formed in Bashkortostan. BAPP was created in 1928 in Ufa at the first city conference of proletarian writers and existed until 1932. Its task was to affirm socialist ideology in Bashkir literature. Its printed organs were the newspaper "Edebi Udar" and the journal "Uktober". Its leadership was a presidium consisting of Bulat Ishemgul (chairman), S. L. Kiryanov (first secretary), Sagit Agish (second secretary), K. Girfanov, G. A. Davletshin and Daut Yultiy. On 15 March 1934 the first congress of Soviet writers of Bashkiria took place. It created the Union of Writers of the Bashkir ASSR and held the first plenum of the elected board of the Union of Soviet Writers of Bashkiria. At the plenum Afzal Tagirov was elected chairman of the Union, Gabdulla Amantay deputy, and Muslim Marat board secretary. Writers of the Union fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. Those who died included Nizam Karip, Kharis Malikh, Mukhamedyarov Khay, Sagit Miftakhov, Khusain Kunakbay, Mazgar Abdullin and Badrush Mukamay. In 1937, during the repressions, Daut Yultiy, Afzal Tagirov, Tukhvat Yanabi, Gabdulla Amantay, Bulat Ishemgul, Guba Davletshin and others were repressed. At various times writers' organizations were formed within the Union in the regions of the Republic of Bashkortostan: the Sterlitamak writers' organization (1984), the Uchaly writers' organization (1991), the Yanaul writers' organization (1992), the Sibay writers' organization (1993) and the Kumertau writers' organization (1997). In 2012 the XVI extraordinary congress of writers of the republic took place. At the congress Rif Tuigunov was elected chairman of the board of the Union. As of 2012 the Union had 234 writer members. The Union has creative sections for poetry and children's literature, prose, literary criticism and drama, and commissions on literary heritage. Annual meetings of writers are held at which questions of literary life are discussed, new works analyzed and creative problems debated. Under the Union's jurisdiction are the Bashkir branch of the Literary Fund of the Russian Federation, the Bureau for the Promotion of Artistic Literature, sections for prose, poetry, drama, children's literature, satire and humor, literary critics and translators, and associations of Russian-language and Tatar-language writers. A notable episode occurred in 2012, when the XVI extraordinary congress of the Union of Writers of the Republic of Bashkortostan was held in Ufa. The congress decided to recognize as illegitimate the decisions of the XV congress, at which Azamat Yuldashbaev had been elected chairman of the board, on the grounds that they had not received two-thirds of the delegates' votes. R. Tuigunov was elected chairman of the board at the congress. The organization's website soyuzpisateleyrb.rf, created with the support of Azamat Yuldashbaev, was closed. The Union has established a number of literary awards: the All-Russian S. T. Aksakov Literary Prize (1996, 80 thousand rubles), the Mukhametsha Burangulov Literary Prize of the Union of Writers of the Republic of Bashkortostan (2012, 50 thousand rubles), the Republican Stepan Zlobin Prize (established 1996), and the prize named after the writer, publicist, politician and publisher Gayaz Iskhaki. Its address is 34 Kommunisticheskaya Street, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan; email soyuz.pisatelei@mail.ru.

• 2022

  Aigiz Baimukhametov became chairman on 16 December.

• 2012

  The XVI extraordinary congress of writers of the republic was held; Rif Tuigunov was elected chairman of the board; the Mukhametsha Burangulov Literary Prize was established.

• 1997

  The Kumertau writers' organization was formed within the Union.

• 1996

  The All-Russian S. T. Aksakov Literary Prize and the Republican Stepan Zlobin Prize were established.

• 1993

  The Sibay writers' organization was formed within the Union.

• 1992

  The Yanaul writers' organization was formed within the Union.

• 1991

  The Uchaly writers' organization was formed within the Union.

• 1984

  The Sterlitamak writers' organization was formed within the Union.

• 1937

  Repressions: Daut Yultiy, Afzal Tagirov, Tukhvat Yanabi, Gabdulla Amantay, Bulat Ishemgul, Guba Davletshin and others were repressed.

• 1934

  On 15 March the first congress of Soviet writers of Bashkiria created the Union of Writers of the Bashkir ASSR; Afzal Tagirov was elected chairman.

• 1932

  BAPP ceased to exist.

• 1928

  The Bashkir Association of Proletarian Writers (BAPP) was created in Ufa at the first city conference of proletarian writers.

• 1917

  Sh. Babich founded the literary organization "Tulkyn" in Orenburg.

A professional public creative organization representing and supporting writers of the Republic of Bashkortostan within the Russian literary system.

• 1996

  All-Russian S. T. Aksakov Literary Prize

• 2012

  Mukhametsha Burangulov Literary Prize of the Union of Writers of the Republic of Bashkortostan

• 1996

  Republican Stepan Zlobin Prize

• Gayaz Iskhaki Prize

1. 1Bashkortostan Republic Writers Union — Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Союз писателей Республики Башкортостан — Википедияru.wikipedia.org