AI
Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
26quotes
Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
==========================
Full Name and Common Aliases
Aleksandr Isaevich Solzhenitsyn was commonly known as Olesha or Sasha.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on December 11, 1918, in Kislovodsk, Russia; died on August 3, 2008, in Moscow, Russia.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Russian writer, philosopher, historian, and dissident. He was a prominent figure in the Soviet Union's literary scene and later became a vocal critic of the communist regime.
Early Life and Background
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was born to a family of Russian nobility during World War I. His father, Isaak Alexandrovich Solzhenitsyn, was a professor at the University of Kislovodsk, where Aleksandr spent his early years. The young Solzhenitsyn's life took a dramatic turn when he joined the Soviet Army in 1941 and participated in World War II. He served as an artillery commander on the front lines, witnessing firsthand the atrocities committed by the Soviet regime.
Major Accomplishments
Solzhenitsyn's writing career began in the late 1950s, but it wasn't until his novel _One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich_ (1962) that he gained widespread recognition. The book exposed the harsh realities of life in a Soviet labor camp, known as a gulag, and marked a turning point in Solzhenitsyn's career as a writer and dissident.
Notable Works or Actions
Some of Solzhenitsyn's notable works include:
_The First Circle_ (1968), a novel about life in the Moscow Mathematical-Technical Institute during Stalin's rule.
_Cancer Ward_ (1968), a novel exploring themes of illness, suffering, and human relationships.
* _August 1914_ (1971), a historical novel depicting the outbreak of World War I from the perspective of the Russian army.
Solzhenitsyn's most notable actions as a dissident include his criticism of Soviet policies and his calls for democratic reforms. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970, but he refused to travel to Sweden to accept the award due to concerns about being deported back to the Soviet Union.
Impact and Legacy
Solzhenitsyn's writing had a profound impact on the world, exposing the atrocities committed by the Soviet regime and inspiring others to speak out against human rights abuses. His legacy extends far beyond his literary works; he played a significant role in shaping the course of modern Russian history. In 1974, Solzhenitsyn was deported from the Soviet Union to West Germany, where he lived in exile for several years before returning to Russia in 1994.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Solzhenitsyn's quotes and writings continue to resonate with people around the world due to his unflinching portrayal of human suffering and his unwavering commitment to truth and justice. His words serve as a reminder of the importance of standing up against oppression, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.
As Solzhenitsyn once said, "The line between good and evil is permeated by chaos, and every person must choose which side he will be on." This statement encapsulates his unwavering dedication to exposing injustice and promoting human rights.
Quotes by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
"
Should one point out that from ancient times decline in courage has been considered the beginning of the end?
"
A decline in courage may be the most striking feature that an outside observer notices in the West today. The Western world has lost its civic courage . . . . Such a decline in courage is particularly noticeable among the ruling and intellectual elite, causing an impression of a loss of courage by the entire society.
"
My wish for you... is that your skeptic-eclectic brain be flooded with the light of truth.
"
The Western world has lost its civil courage, both as a whole and separately, in each country, each government, each political party and of course in the United Nations. Such a decline in courage is particularly noticeable among the ruling groups and the intellectual elite, causing an impression of loss of courage by the entire society.
"
The communist regime in the East could stand and grow due to the enthusiastic support from an enormous number of Western intellectuals who felt a kinship and refused to see communism's crimes. When they no longer could do so, they tried to justify them.
"
It is here that we see the dawn of hope: for no matter how formidably Communism bristles with tanks and rockets, no matter what successes it attains in seizing the planet, it is doomed never to vanquish Christianity.
"
It is feasible and easy everywhere to undermine administrative power and, in fact, it has been drastically weakened in all Western countries. The defense of individual rights has reached such extremes as to make society as a whole defenseless against certain individuals. It is time, in the West, to defend not so much human rights as human obligations.
"
Nos instruyen y preparan en la juventud para una profesión, para cumplir los deberes ciudadanos, para el servicio militar, nos enseñaban las reglas del aseo, a comportarnos bien y hasta a comprender lo bello (esto último no tanto). Pero la instrucción, la educación, la experiencia, no nos preparan en absoluto para la gran prueba de nuestra vida: para el arresto por nada y para el sumario sobre nada.
"
Hastiness and superficiality are the psychic diseases of the twentieth century.
"
The belly is an ungrateful wretch, it never remembers past favors, it always wants more tomorrow.
Showing 1 to 10 of 26 results