Chingiz Aitmatov and the Qazaq world. 10 interesting facts.

This article is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the writer.

Chingiz Aitmatov (1928 - 2008) is a world-known Kyrgyz writer, author of many works, winner of the most prestigious literary awards. His books have been published in the world more than 650 times in 150 languages.

The writer was born in the village of the Sheker of the Talas region of Kyrgyzstan, bordering with Qazaqstan on December 12, 1928. Both parents were public figures, his father had a prominent position in the political establishment of the Kirghiz SSR. Chingiz Aitmatov’s farther in 1937 was arrested and then had been shot.

Below you can find interesting facts from the life of the great writer Chingiz Aitmatov, related to Qazaqstan.

1. Chingiz Aitmatov’s given name was given by a famous Qazaq scientist Beysembay Kenzhebayev.

2. After completion of the secondary school, Chingiz Aitmatov came to Qazaqstan to have the elementary vocational training in veterinary. He did it in Zhambyl town (now the town is called ‘Taraz’). He successfully graduated from this educational institution with a degree in Veterinary Medicine.

3. After the graduation from the university in Kyrgyzstan, Chingiz Aitmatov came to work in Qazaqstan, he got a job as a zoo technician at an experimental farm of the Qazaq Zoo Veterinary Research Institute. He worked on this position from 1953 to 1956.

4. The name of Chingiz Aitmatov became famous thanks to the assistance of the outstanding Qazaq writer Mukhtar Auezov, who wrote the preface to his work ‘Jamilia’, published in the journal ‘New World’ in 1958. Mukhtar Auezov had a very high opinion of the work of the young writer.

5. Almost 70% of events in the works of Chingiz Aitmatov take place on the territory of Qazaqstan.

6. The idea of writing the first novel of ‘The Buranny Railway Stop’ came to Chingiz Aitmatov’s mind while his visit to Qazaqstan. The novel was published in 1980.

7. The novel “The Red Apple” was written by Chingiz Aitmatov thanks to efforts of his friend from Qazaqstan, academician, scientist and writer Zeinulla Kabdolov.

8. The script of the legendary Qazaqstani feature film ‘Kyz Zhibek’ was approved in Moscow thanks to the efforts of Chingiz Aitmatov.

9. One of the streets of the capital of Qazaqstan, Astana, was given the name of Chingiz Aitmatov.

10. Chingiz Aitmatov had a lot of friends among prominent figures and writers of Qazaqstan.