People's Poet of Azerbaijan Rasul Rza

Rzayev Rasul Ibrahim oghlu was born on May 19, 1910, in Goychay into an enlightened family. At fourteen, while studying, he also worked at the city library. In 1925, he enrolled in the Ganja Industrial and Agricultural Technical School but later left his studies to move to Baku, where his sisters lived. There, he became acquainted with prominent literary figures such as Samad Vurghun, Mikayil Mushfig, Suleyman Rustam, Mehdi Huseyn, Mikayil Rafili, and Ali Nazim, thanks to his schoolmate, poet Abdulla Farug. Soon, he was accepted as a translator for the "Gənc işçi" ("Young Worker") newspaper.

Alongside his creativity, Rasul Rza continued his education from 1927 to 1937 at the Transcaucasian Communist University, the Azerbaijan State Scientific Research Institute, the Moscow Institute of Nations, and the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography.

Rasul Rza's first poem, "Bu gün" ("Today"), was published in the "Qığılcım" (lit. Spark)  almanac in Tiflis in 1927. Since then, poetry characterized by a modern spirit began attracting readers' attention. Subsequently, the poet's works, including "Avropanın ölüm çağı" ("The Age of Death of Europe"), "Arş" ("Arsh"), "Bir avqustda" ("On an August Day") and "Qara yelin xəbəri" ("The Message of the Black Wind") appeared in the "Gənc işçi" ("Young Worker") newspaper.

In the early 1930s, he won the sympathy of readers by writing anti-fascist poems titled "Qadınlar" ("The Women"), "Çinar" ("Plane Tree"), "Almaniya" ("Germany"), "Madrid" ("Madrid"), and "İnqaleyso" ("Ingalayso").

Rasul Rza, who served as a military correspondent during the Great Patriotic War, published the poetry books "Vətən" ("Motherland") and "İntiqam! İntiqam…" ("Revenge! Revenge..."), as well as collections of stories and essays including "Ölməz qəhrəmanlar"("Immortal Heroes"), "Qəzəb və məhəbbət" ("Rage and Love"), and the play "Vəfa" ("Vafa"). These works reflect the heroic struggle of the people, their faith in victory, and their humanism. His other published books include "Şeirlər" ("Poems"), "Pəncərəmə düşən işıq" ("Light on My Window"), "Duyğular, düşüncələr" ("Feelings, Thoughts"), "Dözüm" ("Endurance"), "Dünən, bu gün, sabah" ("Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow"), "Güneylər, quzeylər" ("Souths, Norths"), and "Üzü küləyə" ("Towards the Wind"). The poet's series "Rənglər" ("Colors") is also well known.

In the 1950s, R. Rza's creativity became a vibrant carrier of diverse philosophical motifs. In 1961, he dedicated the poem "Xalq həkimi" (“The People's Doctor”) to Nariman Narimanov, and in the 1970s, he wrote several more poems including "Dünən, bu gün, sabah" ("Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow"), "1418," and "Üzü küləyə" ("Towards the Wind"). R. Rza also authored poems and stories for children, scientific and journalistic articles, and essays. He translated works by several poets, including H. Longfellow, J. Byron, Lope de Vega, S. Petőfi, A. Blok, P. Éluard, A. Pushkin, M. Lermontov, N. Nekrasov, T. Shevchenko, and M. Mayakovsky into Azerbaijani. Rasul Rza's works have been translated into several foreign languages.

Rasul Rza actively engaged in public and political activities and held various state positions throughout his career. He served as the head of the script department at the Baku Film Studio (1937-1938), director of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic (1938), chairman of the Union of Soviet Writers of Azerbaijan (1938-1939), director of the Baku Film Studio (1942-1944), head of the cinematography department (1944-1946), Minister of Cinematography of the Azerbaijan SSR (1946-1949), chief editor of the Azerbaijan Soviet Encyclopedia, a member of the Executive Committee of the World Peace Defense Committee, a member of the Executive Committee of the Soviet Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee, and chairperson for the republic, member of the Presidium of the Union of Soviet Writers, head of the Azerbaijan branch of the Novosti Press Agency, deputy of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan (VII convocation), and a member of the inspection commission of the Azerbaijan Communist Party. He was also a member of the Lenin and USSR State Prize Committee. His contributions were highly recognized, earning him honorary titles, three times awarded the Order of Lenin, and various medals.

The prominent poet Rasul Rza died in Baku on April 1, 1981, and was buried in the Alley of Honor.

Recommended literature:

1. Rəsul Rza xatirələr işığında: Rəsul Rza haqqında xatirələr, məqalələr, çıxışlar / tərt. Anar ; red. İ. Vəliyev. - Bakı : Azərbaycan Milli Ensiklopediyası Nəşriyyatı, 2001. - 508 s.
2. Ulusel, Rahid. Ustad Rəsul Rza : fəlsəfə və poeziya: dünya və Azərbaycan klassikasında onların vəhdəti / R. Ulusel ; elmi red.: İ. Ə. Rüstəmov, N. Q. Cəfərov ; red. S. Süleymanlı. - Bakı : Letterpress, 2010.
3. Zamanov, Abbas Fəttah oğlu. Bu dünyadan Rəsul Rza gəlib keçdi : məqalələr, xatirələr / A. F. Zamanov ; tərt. O. M. Seyidov ; elmi məsl. B. Ə. Nəbiyev ; red. A. Əzimov. - Bakı : "MBM" MMC, 2008. - 72 s.
4. Vəliyev, Məsud Əli oğlu. Rəsul Rza: monoqrafiya /M. Vəliyev, Q. Xəlilov; red. Ə. Ağayev. - Bakı: Azərnəşr, 1960. – 110 s.