Mirdza Ķempe (later Naikovska) ( – 12 April 1974) was a Soviet and Latvian poet, writer and translator. She was a recipient of the State Prize of Latvian SSR (1958),

USSR State Prize The USSR State Prize () was one of the Soviet Union’s highest civilian honours, awarded from its establishment in September 1966 until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. It recognised outstanding contributions in the fields of science, mathem ...

(1967), and the

Order of the Red Banner of Labour The Order of the Red Banner of Labour () was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and services to the Soviet state and society in the fields of production, science, culture, literature, the arts, education, sports ...

Biography

Mirdza Ķempe was born into a working-class family in

Liepāja Liepāja () (formerly: Libau) is a Administrative divisions of Latvia, state city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea. It is the largest city in the Courland region and the third-largest in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. It is an ...

, Latvia. From 1914 to 1926, she lived in Tosmare at Ģen. Baloža st., 47; later she and her family lived at Bernatu st., 41 in Liepāja. In 1915–1919, she studied at the 1st Liepāja primary school (now the 5th Liepāja school). Ķempe graduated from the 1st Liepāja secondary school in 1925. Her first verse, ''"Ne jums!"'', was published in the "Kurzemes Vārds" newspaper in 1923. In the same year, she translated Pushkin's '' Mozart and Salieri'' into the Latvian language. In 1927, she entered the

University of Latvia University of Latvia (, shortened ''LU'') is a public research university located in Riga, Latvia. The university was established in 1919. History The University of Latvia, initially named as the Higher School of Latvia () was founded on Se ...

in Riga. Because of lack of money she had to drop out of the university and in 1928 Ķempe started to work as a

continuity announcer In broadcasting, continuity or presentation (or station break in the U.S. and Canada) is announcements, messages and graphics played by the broadcaster between specific programmes. It typically includes programme schedules, announcement of the ...

for Rīgas radiofons. In 1931, she married writer Eriks Ādamsons. She translated works from Russian, English, German, Spanish and French. During World War II, she was evacuated to Moscow,

Astrakhan Astrakhan (, ) is the largest city and administrative centre of Astrakhan Oblast in southern Russia. The city lies on two banks of the Volga, in the upper part of the Volga Delta, on eleven islands of the Caspian Depression, from the Caspian Se ...

and

Ivanovo Ivanovo (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Russia and the administrative center and largest city of Ivanovo Oblast, located northeast of Moscow and approximately from Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Russia, Vladimir and Kostroma. ...

. She wrote plays, lyric miniatures and verses.

Death and legacy

She was buried in Līvu cemetery in Liepāja. On 9 February 1989 a monument to Mirdza Ķempe was opened in Liepāja (architect Ligita Ulmane), another in

Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...

. A street in Ezerkrasts district of Liepāja is named after her.

Poetry

Mirdza Ķempe published 15 collections of poetry, including "Rīta vejš" (1946), "Gaisma akmenī", "Ērkšķuroze" (Dog-rose, 1972), "Mīlestības krāšņais", "Dzintara spogulis" (1968), "Mirkļu mužiba" etc. :Ne jums! :"Ne jums es vaicāšu: kas grēks, kas kauns? :Par velti draudiet man ar tumsas baismu! :Es pati savu dzīvi celšu – :Vienalga man, kur ceļam reiz būs gals..." :Manai Liepājai :"Jūras meita, Zemes māsa. :Mana Liepāja, ko mīlu. :Tavām acīm dzelmes krāsa, :Kurā atspīd debess dzīle."

Awards and honours

She was awarded State Prize of Latvian SSR (1958),

(1967) and the

. In 1971 she received

Visva-Bharati University Visva-Bharati (IAST: ''Viśva-Bhāratī''), () is a public central university and an Institute of National Importance located in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it ''Visva-Bharati'', which ...

honorary doctor diploma for her works on

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

language.

Selected works

* *

References

External links

* http://liepajasteatris.lv/25-septembri-roze-bez-erkskiem/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Kempe, Mirdza 1907 births 1974 deaths People from Liepāja People from Grobiņa county 20th-century Latvian poets Pseudonymous women writers Socialist realism writers English–Latvian translators English–Urdu translators Translators from French Translators from German Translators from Russian Translators from Spanish Translators of Alexander Pushkin Translators to Latvian Latvian translators Latvian women poets Soviet translators Soviet women poets 20th-century pseudonymous writers University of Latvia alumni People's Poets of the Latvian SSR Recipients of the USSR State Prize Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour