Gafur Kulahmetov (из цикла "Их именами названы улицы Казани")

Kulahmetov Street is one of the most famous and beautiful parts of Moscow and Kirov districts. It is really part of both districts of the capital of Tatarstan

Kulahmetov Street is one of the most famous and beautiful streets of Moscow and Kirov districts. It is really part of both districts of Kazan.

Kazan.

The street was named Gafur Unussovich Kulahmetov to honour

Gafur Unussovich Kulahmetov

♦ is one of the most outstanding personalities of Tatar culture.

♦ is widely known as a playwright, an interpreter and the first Tatar proletarian writer.

♦ is also famous for his revolutionary activity.

Gafur Unussovich Kulahmetov was born on the 4-th of May 1881. His place of birth was the town Penza .

His father was first an artisan and later a co-owner of the small soap factory. There were two children in the family. The both brothers got good education.

In 1902 Gafur graduated from Kazan Teachers School and from 1902 till 1912 was teaching Russian in Kazan Gunpowder Sloboda. Without a doubt, he was an excellent teacher and a favorite of students. They absolutely adored him for interesting lessons, tolerance and democratic nature.

♦ Gafur Kulahmetov was an active member of the revolutionary movement in Russian Empire.

♦ Since 1902 he participated in the illegal meetings, read the Lenin’s “Iskra”, and studied Marx’s works.

♦ Kulahmetov also translated revolutionary literature into Tatar and spread it among workers.

♦ In 1905 he was arrested by the police for the first time.

Gafur Unussovich Kulahmetov was one of the closest friends and the most faithful comrade of Yamashhev who became editor of the first Tatar Bolshevists’ newspaper “Ural” in 1907.

Kulahmetov’s literary work started during the Revolution

in 1905.

• His first play “Two thoughts” was written in 1906. It told about class struggle of two ideas which ended with the victory of the red thought. The play was banned by the government and published only in 1929.

• His play “Who is guilty?” wasn’t allowed by the censorship, too.

• In 1908 Kulahmetov published his play “Young life”. In this work the life and fight of young revolutionists are shown truly .

It is interesting to know that at the same time Gafur Kulahmetov was writing a drama “Abyjahel” where he described the prophet Mohammed’s fight for spreading Islam and destruction of paganism leading to the new and happier life.

Unfortunately because of his incurable disease in 1916 Gafur Unussovich Kulahmetov had to leave Kazan for the village forever.

Clean air, calmness, fresh dairy products helped continue his life for two years. The famous Tatar playwright and teacher died in 1918 far from friends and his hometown in the village Yunky . His contemporaries wrote that he spent his last days reading Tatar poetry.

Gafur Unussovich Kulahmetov greatly enriched Tatar literature with his witty and unforgettable works.

Famous Tatar writers G. Tukai, G. Gaziz, G. Kulahmetov 1910 .

In Kazan Kulahmetov lived in a wooden house in Yagodnaya Sloboda

in 1902 – 1912 (Now it’s

House № 17

in Kulahmetov street)

Until 1919 this part of Yagodnaya Sloboda was called Tsaryovokokshaiskaya as it led to Tsaryovokokshaisk (now it’s Yoshkar-Ola).

It was a direct extension of Bolshaya street in Zarechye (now Frunze street), and with it together made a single line linking the Western edge of this District with the city centre.

Before the revolution it was one of

the most uncomfortable parts of Kazan.

In rainy seasons it was extremely dirty here.

Earlier there were also a lot of small and smelly swamps and lakes in this area. Single-floor houses were built in a mess  here.

Now it is a broad and clean street with modern tall buildings.

There are also cafés, department-stores and different corner-shops: Florist’s, Butcher’s, Baker’s, Greengrocer’s and others.

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One of the well-known in Tatarstan emergency department training centers is also located in Kulahmetov Street.

It’s very nice to turn up in a hot summer day here as the street becomes green and shadowy because of many old trees and beautiful bushes.