MERGEN, Kirey

MERGEN, Kirey [real name: Kireyev Akhnyaf Nurievich (Nurmukhammetovich); 28.6.1912, Derevnya Kigazytamakovo of Birsky Uyezd of Ufa Gub. (now Mishkinsky Raion of the RB) – 24.1.1984, Ufa], Writer, Folklorist and Literary Critic. Dr. Sci (Philology, 1963) and Full Professor (1966). Awarded with the Order of the Badge of Honour (1955). Member of the Union of Writers of the BASSR. Participant in the Great Patriotic War. Graduated from the Bashkir Ped. Institute named after K.A.Timiryazev (1949), Academy of Social Sciences under the Central Committee of the CPSU (Moscow, 1954). Between 1932– 43, employee in various newspapers and at the Oktyabr magazine (Ufa). Since 1946, he had worked in the Institute of History, Language and Literature and between 1965–84 – in BSU. Some works are published under the Akhnyaf Kirey pseudonym. Author of the novels On the Slopes of Narysh-Tau (1950) and Wing of the Gold- en Eagle (books 1–4, 1981–85), stories and short novels The Fussy Man (1940), The Cordial House (1982), etc. The works of M. were translated into English, Chinese, Lithuanian, German and other languages. He translated into the Bashkir the creative works by N.V.Gogol, L.N.Tolstoy, etc. M.’s plays were performed in the theatres of the Republic. Scientific activity is connected with the study genres of the Bashkir folklore, history of folklore; Bashkir literature of the Soviet period. One of the compilers and author of the introductory article and comments to the Bashkort Khalyk Izhady сhronicle.