Gerold Karlovich Belger (pseudonym Harry Carlson) is a well-known Kazakh writer and translator. Born in the city of Engels, in the Saratov region. Date of birth - October 28, 1934. He died at the age of 81 on February 7, 2015 in the city of Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan.
Herold Belger: biography
Born in a family of German settlers from the Volga region. Father - German Karl Friedrichovich (since 1931 - Fedorovich), worked as a military paramedic, was the head of the paramedic and obstetric center. It is noteworthy that the surname Belger became a household name, the locals said so - they were with the regional Belger (=doctor). Mom Anna Davydovna worked as a nurse in the first-aid post. Gerold Karlovich had 3 sisters: Elma, Rosa and Alma. Alma Karlovna now lives in Germany.
In July 1941, the mass expulsion of Germans to special settlements under the supervision of the NKVD began. The family of Gerold Karlovich was deported to "fertile lands" and ended up on the banks of the Ishim River. Settled them in the collective farm. Lenin Oktyabrsky district of the North Kazakhstan region. The little boy went to study at the Kazakh secondary school, eventually mastered the locallanguage. Love for the Russian language led Belger to his Russian teacher Egorova Maria Petrovna.
I left for Alma-Ata to enter the university. Gerold Belger was not wanted to be admitted to the university for national reasons. He entered it twice. And he was expelled the next day. But there was a teacher - Turkologist Sarsen Amanzholov, who stood up and helped the young talent to enroll in the Faculty of Philology. Belger studied exclusively in the library, he had free access to lectures. In 1958, Belger graduated from the Kazakh National Pedagogical University named after Abay (formerly the Kazakh Pedagogical Institute). He went to work as a Russian language teacher at the Baikadam secondary school, which was located in the Dzhambul region.
In 1963 he graduated from graduate school and got a job in the socio-political, literary and artistic magazine "Zhuldyz". In 1964, he began to engage in creative work - he published his translations and articles. In 1971 he became one of the members of the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan. In 1995, he took over as editor-in-chief of the German almanac "Phoenix".
Herold Belger books
Belger knew three languages perfectly: German, Russian and Kazakh. He has published more than 1800 translations from different languages. Gerold Belger created 53 books, the leitmotifs of which are completely different, but at the same time intertwined.
- Collection of stories "Pine house on the edge of the village" - 1973. Stories about ordinary people and ordinary values. Nostalgia for homehome, childhood Light melancholy envelops after reading this collection.
- Philosophical reflections on poetry, the unity and harmony of souls, the magical thread of the spiritual closeness of two geniuses - this is what the book "Earthly Chosen Ones (Goethe. Abai)" is about. 1995
- “Remember your name” - 1999 The book contains the author's articles on the literature and culture of Russian Germans over the past 12 years. The author's main idea is to remind ethnic Germans of their roots. Belger is against assimilation and the loss of the moral guidelines of his people. This theme has become the main motif that runs like a red line through many of his essays and articles.
- "Kazakh word" - 2001 Belger describes the speech of the Kazakhs. He directly says that the culture of this people has become native to him, and he is grateful for this.
- Roman "Tuyuk su" - 2004 In his book Gerold Belger collides and compares two cultures - Kazakh and German. The common theme unites the novels "Discord", "The Call", "House of the Wanderer". Belger constantly talks about the literary connection between Kazakh and world.
He is the editor, compiler and co-author of over 100 collections and 20 books.
Private life
Belger married Khismatulina Raisa Zakirovna, they met in their college years. She is also a teacher by training and has worked at the school for over 50 years. In 1959, on August 9, the daughter Irina was born, who later became an actress and film director, since 1976 she has been living in Moscow. Herold Belger has a grandson, Vsevolod, born in 1988, and Yuliana, a great-granddaughter, was born in 2005.
Merit
Gerold Karlovich Belger was awarded several orders, 8 medals, 6 prizes. Among these awards, it is worth noting the Order of Merit for the Federal Republic of Germany, the Presidential Prize for Peace and Spiritual Harmony, and also became a laureate of the Prize of the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan named after. B. Mailina.
Herold Belger proved himself not only as a high-class translator, excellent writer and fair critic, but also stood out in political and social activities. The deputy of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan de alt with the problems of modern corruption, met personally with voters and helped them solve their vital issues.
One of the most important tasks as a person, writer and politician has become the task of telling the truth, not promising what is impossible to fulfill. With his work and service to people, he proved that the former countries of the USSR and their peoples should not be separated from each other. Life and literature are closely linked. Russian culture consists of the collective creativity of different peoples. If they are separated, not only the culture will be impoverished, but also the person himself.
Tribute to memory
In Alma-Ata, in honor of Gerold Belger, his memorial office-museum was opened. The cabinet is made up of the personal belongings of the writer. Furniture, books, awards, pen collection.
A 40-minute documentary "Belger" was filmed. It was told about the childhood of the writer and his father.
Gerold Karlovich Belger is a man who, with his life and work, provedworld that all people are brothers, regardless of creed, race or other outward signs of difference.
