Vera Inber Poetess, prose writer Date of Birth: 28.06.1890 Country: Ukraine

1. Early Life and Education
2. Literary Beginnings
3. Constructivism and Prose
4. Soviet Period
5. Post-War Writing
6. Legacy

Early Life and Education

Vera Inber, a renowned poet and prose writer, was born on June 28 (July 10 N.S.), 1890, in Odessa, Ukraine. Her father was the owner of a scientific publishing house. Vera began writing poetry at a young age.

After graduating from high school, Inber enrolled in the Historical and Philological Faculty of Odessa Higher Women's Courses. However, she soon left for Western Europe, spending approximately four years there (one year in Switzerland and the remainder in Paris).

Literary Beginnings

In 1912, Inber's first collection of poetry, "Sad Wine," was published at a Russian printing house in Paris. Upon her return to Russia in 1914, she settled in Moscow and published two more poetry collections: "Bitter Delight" (1917) and "Mortal Words" (1922).

Constructivism and Prose

In the mid-1920s, Inber became associated with the Constructivists. During this period, she began writing prose, essays, and articles. Her extensive travels as a journalist took her throughout the USSR and abroad. In 1927-29, she published the essay collections "Thus Begins the Day" and the travelogue "America in Paris." Her autobiographical chronicle, "A Place in the Sun," was also published in 1928.

Soviet Period

In the 1930s, Inber published the poems "Travel Diary" and "Ovid." She continued writing prose and essays during this time. During World War II, Inber remained in the besieged city of Leningrad (1941-44). Her experiences there inspired her collection of poems, "The Soul of Leningrad" (1942), the poem "Pulkovo Meridian" (1943), and the Leningrad diary, "Almost Three Years" (1946).

Post-War Writing

In the post-war years, Inber wrote works for children and published several collections of poetry, including "The Way of Water" (1951), "Book and Heart" (1961), and "Inquiry of Time" (1971). In 1957, she published a collection of essays on literary work entitled "Inspiration and Craftsmanship."

Legacy

Vera Inber continued to travel extensively throughout the Soviet Union and abroad as part of delegations of Soviet cultural figures. She passed away in 1972, leaving behind a significant legacy of poetic and prose works that captured the tumultuous times she lived through.