11 Facts About Evgeny Schwartz

Evgeny Schwartz was born in Kazan, Russia, into a physician's family.

Evgeny Schwartz's father was baptized and was of Jewish origin and his mother Russian.

Evgeny Schwartz was drafted into the army at the end of 1916 to serve on the front.

Evgeny Schwartz suffered injuries and shell-shock during the storming of Yekaterinodar in 1918, lost several teeth and acquired a tremor of the hands that plagued him for the rest of his life.

In 1924, Evgeny Schwartz returned to Leningrad to become an employee of Gosizdat, Children's Department of State Publishing House, under the administration of Samuil Marshak.

Evgeny Schwartz became an author of the children's magazines Hedgehog and Siskin.

Evgeny Schwartz wrote children's books, including The Story of Old Balalaika, The Adventures of Shura and Marousi, Alien Girl and First Grader.

In 1929 Evgeny Schwartz began collaborating with Nikolay Akimov at the Leningrad Comedy Theater, writing contemporary plays based on the folk and fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen.

At the beginning of World War II, Evgeny Schwartz wrote Under the Linden Trees of Berlin with Zoschenko.

Evgeny Schwartz completed film scripts for Cinderella, First Grader, Don Quixote and Ordinary Miracle.

In 1944, Evgeny Schwartz completed the satirical play The Dragon, which was seen as subversive in the political climate of post-war Russia.