Moris Davydovich Simashko (real surname is Shamis – was born on March 18, 1924 in Odessa, died on December 15, 2000, in Tel-Aviv) – Russian writer, the author of many works on the Central Asian and Russian history (the most famous work of him is “Mazdak” about government and revolution in Sasanid’s empire). His works were translated into more than forty languages.
He is the national writer of the Kazakhstan. The winner of the Kazakhstan Presidential award of the world and spiritual consent. Winner of a literary award named after Abay of 1986 for the translation into Russian of I.Yesenberlin’s trilogy “The Nomads”.
Moris Simashko was born on March 18, 1924 in Day of the Commune of Paris therefore he received the French name. His father – the microbiologist, the doctor of biological science – David Lazarevich Shamis (1902 — 1972), he was the corresponding member of KAZUSSR (1958); the founder and the first director of Institute of microbiology and virology of KAZUSSR in Alma-Ata, the honored worker of science in Kazakh the Soviet Socialist Republic (1966). Moris did military service in the years of war on the Turkmen-Iranian border near the ancient city of Merv (Mary) that was reflected in his literary addictions later. When he started writing, he took himself a nickname, which turned his surname. After the war he graduated from the Odessa teacher's institute (1946) and a correspondence department of journalism faculty of the Kazakh university named after Kirov (1950).
After the termination of teacher's institute he worked as the school teacher — at first in native Odessa, and then in the Turkmen city of Mary. After receiving journalistic education he worked as the special correspondent of "The Turkmen spark", and then the staff reporter "The Soviet culture", "The teacher's newspaper".
Having moved to Alma-Ata, he began to work in “Prostor” magazine and publishing house called “Zhazushy”. He was the member of the Union of Kazakhstan’s writers, and directed the Kazakh PEN club. He became the prominent Kazakhstan’s writer, and the translator from the Kazakh language. Especially he is known for his historical novels about the Central Asia.
In 1999, at the age 75 he moved to Israel, where lived his daughter. After a year passed away. Was buried in Netan.
