Mikhail Matusovsky
Mikhail Matusovsky was born in 1915 in a Jewish family in Luhansk and spent his childhood and youth in that city. After finishing a construction technikum in Luhansk, he began to work at a factory. Despite his chosen profession, Mikhail wrote poetry, took part in literary gatherings in his native city, and contributed to local newspapers and magazines.
Later, Mikhail Matusovsky moved to Moscow, where he enrolled in the Literary Institute. In the course of his studies, he developed a passion for old Russian literature. In 1939, after graduating from the Institute, he stayed on as a postdoctoral student, pursuing his studies of old Russian literary texts. Alongside his scholarly work, he continued to write poetry. 1940 saw the publication of his poetry collection My Pedigree.
In late June 1941, the Soviet-German War broke out, and Matusovsky enlisted in the Red Army. The defense of his dissertation took place in his absence, and he was informed about it in a telegram. During the war, Mikhail Matusovsky served as a military correspondent on the Western, Northwestern, and the 2nd Belorussian Fronts. He was wounded once, but returned to frontline duty after being treated at a hospital. In those years, he was a prolific contributor to the military press, and also published two poetry collections, The Front (1942) and When Lake Ilmen Is Restless (1944).
In the course of the war, Mikhail Matusovsky was awarded the Orders of the Red Star and the Patriotic War, 1st class, as well as some medals.
After being discharged from the military at the end of the war, Matusovsky returned to Moscow and continued his writing career. He became particularly famous as the lyricist of numerous patriotic songs, many of which were performed in popular movies. Some of his most renowned songs are: "School Waltz", "Moscow Nights," "On the Nameless Height", and "What Does the Motherland Begin with?"
Mikhail Matusovsky died in Moscow in 1990.
A monument in his honor has been erected in Luhansk, near the Luhansk State Academy of Culture and Arts.
