Today is the day of remembrance of the outstanding Azerbaijani poet Mikail Mushfig

January 6 is the day of remembrance for Mikail Mushfig, an outstanding representative of 20th century Azerbaijani literature, a poet who became a victim of Stalin's repressions in the 1930s. Although his life was cut short, he left behind a rich literary heritage that still holds great interest for scientific research and a wide readership.

As reported by BAKU.WS, today marks 88 years since the tragic death of Mikail Mushfig.

Mikail Abdulgadir oglu Ismailzade was born on June 5, 1908, in Khyzy to an intellectual family. His father was a teacher who wrote poetry. In 1902, the family moved to Baku. The future poet, who lost his parents early in life, was raised by close relatives. He received a humanitarian education, worked as a teacher, and taught in Baku schools for seven years.

Mikail Mushfig's first poem "Bu gün" (Today) was printed in the newspaper "Gənc işçi" (Young Worker) in 1926, and his last poem "Duyğu yarpaqları" (Leaves of Feeling) was published in "Ədəbiyyat qəzeti" (Literature Newspaper) in 1937.

Thanks to his productive creative work, from the early 1930s, his poetry collections were published one after another: "Küləklər" (Winds), "Günün səsləri" (Sounds of the Day), "Buruqlar arasında" (Among the Oil Derricks), "Bir may" (One May), "Pambıq" (Cotton), "Vuruşmalar" (Battles), "Şəngül, Şüngül, Məngül", "Qaya" (Rock), "Kəndli və ilan" (Peasant and Snake). These books were repeatedly republished in subsequent years, and in 1968, the book "Müşfiqli günlərim" (My Days with Mushfig) was published based on the memoirs of his beloved wife Dilbar Akhundzade. In 2005, this book was published in an expanded version.

Mikail Mushfig also engaged in translations. He translated into Azerbaijani the poems "The Gypsies" by A.S. Pushkin (together with Sh. Abbasov), "The Demon" by M.Y. Lermontov (together with R. Rza), as well as S. Marshak's poem "Here's the Absentminded Man from Basin Street", works by T. Shevchenko, Khayyam, and others.

The talented poet, who became a victim of Stalin's repressions, was executed on January 6, 1938.

The image and work of the unforgettable poet have become symbols of national self-awareness and a freedom-loving spirit, and his heartfelt lyrical poems are called hymns to love in Azerbaijani literature. Many beautiful songs have been created by Azerbaijani composers based on his poems.

To perpetuate the poet's memory, a bust and a memorial plaque have been installed in Baku on the house where he lived, and his name has been given to a settlement, a school, a street, and a square. A memorial museum has been created in Khyzy.