Rūdolfs Blaumanis

Kārlis Rūdolfs Leonīds Blaumanis (1863–1908) was a Latvian writer, journalist and playwright. He is a renowned writer in Latvian history and a master of realism. The building of a flat in Riga that he once lived has been converted to a memorial museum named partially in his honor, the Janis Rozentāls and Rūdolfs Blaumanis museum.

Biography

Rūdolfs Blaumanis was born in Ērgļi, in the Governorate of Livonia (now Latvia) on December 20, 1862. His father Matīss Blaumanis was a cook in the local manor and his mother Karlīne was a housemaid. He loved writing ever since he was a little child. Blaumanis started his education in a private school in the Ogre parish. He studied there until 1875. Then he traveled to Riga and started studies in a German merchant school until 1881. After graduation he started to work as a clerk in a trading enterprise. During this period he started to write his first works. First publication- a story ''Wiedergefunden'' was published in 1882 in erman languagenewspaper ''Zeitung für Stadt und Land''.

In 1882, he returned to his native ''Braki'' homestead and lived there until 1885. In this period he deepened his Latvian language knowledge. In 1885, he became a secretary in the Koknese manor and studied to become a steward. He spent there two years. In 1886, was published his first work in the Latvian language — the poem ''Nakts'' (Night).
From 1887 until 1889 he again lived in the ''Braki'' and wrote several novels in Latvian and also German languages.

In 1889, he moved to Riga and after two years started to work in editorial office of ''Zeitung für Stadt und Land'' where he wrote about Latvian cultural life. In 1890, his first play ''Zagļi'' (Thieves) was staged in Riga. In the following years several more of his plays was staged with good success. In 1892 collection of his novels was translated into Estonian and later several more of his works was published in Estonia.
After father's death in 1894 he again lived in ''Braki'' homestead in his native Ērgļi parish for four years and tried to become a farmer. Later he briefly worked in the New Current's main newspaper ''Dienas Lapa'' where he published satire against romanticism. In 1898 he returned to Riga and together with Aspazija and Jānis Poruks worked in one of the biggest journal (home guest'' In 1900 he together with his friend Andrievs Niedra published collection of poetry.

In 1901, he moved to St.Petersburg, where he worked as journalist and editor in Latvian newspaper ''Pēterburgas avīzes''. He led a satirical section of the newspaper. In 1904 due to the financial and health problems he returned to Latvia and until 1906 lived in ''Braki''. In this period he wrote some of his most famous plays. He was not directly involved in the Revolution of 1905 but supported writers who were.
In 1906, he again moved to Riga and started to work in the newspaper ''Latvija'' where he led satirical section. During this period, he shared a flat in Riga with his close friend painter Janis Rozentāls.
In 1908, his health started to decline. Due to the financial problems he was not able to undergo treatment. However, several fellow Latvian writers started a fundraising campaign and in late summer with the help of painters J. Rozentals Finnish wife Blaumanis was able to go to Finland.
However that was too late and he died on 4 September 1908 in the Punkaharju sanatorium for tubercular patients in Finland. He was buried in his native Ērgļi village.

His homestead in ''Braki'' has been turned into a museum and memorial.

Bibliography

Translations

* ''In the Lap of Happiness'', Translation by Tamāra Zālīte. Moscow: Foreign Languages Pub. House, 1969, 204 p.

Tales, short stories and noveles

* "Nezāle" (1887)
* "Pērkoņa negaiss" (1887)
* "Paradīzē" (1887)
* "Aizvien lillā" (1888)
* "Spijēnos" (1888)
* "Kā vecais Zemītis pašu nelabo redzējis" (1889)
* "Raudupiete" (1889)
* "Īstā līgaviņa" (1890)
* "Stāsts par cūku, kura runājuse" (1895)
* "Laimes klēpī" (1898)
* "Purva bridējs" (1898)
* "Salna pavasarī" (1898)
* "Andriksons" (1899)
* "Nāves ēnā" (1899)
* "Mopsis jeb Nelaime Tērbatas ielā" (1900)
* "Dziru Miķelis" (1901)
* "Stulbenis" (1904)
* "Vecais cenzors" (1907)
* "Mēmais precinieks" (1907)
* "Kā Jānis mācījies par kalēju" (1907)
* "Koka krusts" (1907)
* "Velniņi"

Plays

* "Zagļi" (1891)
* "Ļaunais gars" (1892)
* "Pazudušais dēls" (1893)
* "Maija" (1893)
* "Zelta kupris" (1895)
* "Trīnes grēki" (1897)
* "Potivāra nams" (1897)
* "No saldenās pudeles" (1901)
* "Skroderdienas Silmačos" (1902)
* "Indrāni" (1904)
* "Ugunī" (1905)
* "Sestdienas vakars" (1908)

Poetry

* "Tālavas taurētājs" (1902)
* "Kā zagšus"
* "Mana lūgšana"
* "Memento!"
* "Pērkons"
* "Renatus"
* "Šūpuļa dziesma"
* "Tautasdziesma"
* "Vēl tu nezini"
* "Zelta jaunība"
* "Ziedonis klāt"
* "Ziema"

Feuilleton satirical prose

* "Labāko famīliju dzejnieks" (1894)
* "Īsa pamācība mīlēšanā" (1907)
* "Jocīgi kapu uzraksti" (1907)

Memory

* A museum dedicated to Rūdolfs Blaumanis, "Braki," was opened in 1959.
* There is the Janis Rozentāls/Rūdolfs Blaumanis Museum (memorial apartment) in Riga on Alberta Street 12.
* In Sigulda, at the crossroads of Darza and Parka Streets, a monument was built in 1988 by the sculptor I. Dobychin.

File:Braki - R. Blaumaņa muzejs 1999-08-16.jpg, "Braki"
File:Piemineklis rakstniekam R.Blaumanim, Rīga.JPG, Monument in Riga Park
File:Pilsētas kanāla apstādījumi, piemineklis Rudolfam Blaumanim Rīga.JPG,
File:The Soviet Union 1963 CPA 2837 stamp (Writers and poets of our Motherland. Rūdolfs Blaumanis (1863–1908), a Latvian writer, journalist and playwright).jpg, Postage stamp of the USSR, 1963
File:Stamps of Latvia, 2013-28.jpg, Postage stamp of Latvia, 2013

References

External links

Baltics Online profile of the Janis Rozentals and Rudolfs Blaumanis Museum

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blaumanis, Rudolfs
1863 births
1908 deaths
People from Madona Municipality
People from Kreis Wenden
Latvian dramatists and playwrights
Latvian journalists
Latvian writers
19th-century dramatists and playwrights
Writers from the Russian Empire
Dramatists and playwrights from the Russian Empire
Journalists from the Russian Empire