Ivan Hemnicer Russian poet and translator Date of Birth: 16.01.1745 Country: Russia

1. Early Life
2. Military Service and Career Change
3. Literary Pursuits
4. Contribution to Russian Literature
5. Themes and Style
6. Legacy

Early Life

Ivan Ivanovich Khemnitser, a renowned Russian poet and translator, was born on January 4, 1745, in the Yenotainaya Fortress (now the city of Yenotainsk). His father, a staff doctor of Saxon origin, played a significant role in his son's upbringing.

At the age of six, young Khemnitzer began his education under the tutelage of Pastor Neibauer in Astrakhan. His father also ensured that the boy received instruction in Russian.

Military Service and Career Change

In 1755, the family relocated to St. Petersburg, where Khemnitzer was entrusted to a teacher at the Medical College. However, his father's aspirations for a medical career for his son were thwarted. Inspired by an officer's tales of military life, Khemnitzer enlisted as a soldier in the Noteburg Infantry Regiment.

He served for 12 years before transitioning to the mining department. In 1776, he accompanied his superior, Soimonov, on a trip abroad. This experience had a transformative effect on Khemnitzer.

Literary Pursuits

Upon his return to Russia, Khemnitzer published a revised version of academician Lehmann's German treatise on mining, "Cobaltology." His work was notable for its attempt to establish Russian scientific terminology in the field.

In 1779, he released his first collection of fables. The following year, Soimonov resigned from his post in the mining department, prompting Khemnitzer to do the same. In 1782, he was appointed vice-consul in Smyrna, where he tragically passed away in March 1784.

Contribution to Russian Literature

Khemnitzer gained literary fame through his fables, totaling 91. Approximately one-third were translations from authors such as La Fontaine, Gellert, Voltaire, Dorat, and Nozhan, while the remaining two-thirds were original works.

Although not considered the founder of Russian fable writing, Khemnitzer's influence on Krylov, the celebrated fable writer, was undeniable. Krylov often borrowed themes and expressions from Khemnitzer's works.

Themes and Style

Compared to Krylov's fables, Khemnitzer's lacked the same vivid imagery and лукавый юмор. His works exhibited a certain elegiac tone uncharacteristic of the genre. Nonetheless, he was a prominent figure in the development of Russian fable writing.

Like Krylov, Khemnitzer addressed contemporary issues and broader philosophical questions in his fables. However, his moral insights were distinct, often revealing a sense of disappointment but not despair (as seen in his fable, "The Good King").

Legacy

Khemnitzer's fables enjoyed significant popularity during his lifetime, with three editions published before his death and a fourth soon after. Numerous editions followed in the 19th century. Besides fables, he wrote epigrams and an ode celebrating the Russian victory over the Turks at Zhurzha.

The most authoritative edition of his works is the academic edition published in 1873, featuring a scholarly article by Grot. Khemnitzer's literary legacy continues to be recognized in anthologies of Russian poetry.