15 Facts About Olga Ivinskaya

Olga Vsevolodovna Ivinskaya was a Soviet poet and writer.

Olga Ivinskaya is best-known as friend and lover of Nobel Prize-winning writer Boris Pasternak during the last 13 years of his life and the inspiration for the character of Lara in his novel Doctor Zhivago.

Olga Ivinskaya was an admirer of Pasternak since her adolescence, attending literary gatherings to listen to his poetry.

Olga Ivinskaya married twice: the first time to Ivan Emelianov in 1936, who hanged himself in 1939, having one daughter, Irina Emelianova; the second time in 1941 to Alexander Vinogradov, producing one son, Dmitry Vinogradov.

Olga Ivinskaya met Boris Pasternak in October 1946, in the editorial office of Novy Mir, where she was in charge of the new authors department.

Olga Ivinskaya was romantically involved with him until his death, although he refused to leave his wife.

Olga Ivinskaya took up a role as his secretary instead.

Olga Ivinskaya collaborated closely with Pasternak on translating poetry from foreign languages into Russian.

In October 1949, Olga Ivinskaya was arrested as "an accomplice to the spy" and in July 1950 was sentenced by the Special Council of the NKVD to five years in the Gulag.

At that time of her arrest, Olga Ivinskaya was pregnant by Pasternak and miscarried.

Doctor Zhivago was published in Italy in 1957 by Feltrinelli, with Olga Ivinskaya conducting all negotiations on Pasternak's behalf.

Olga Ivinskaya was one of nine "prisoners of conscience" featured in Persecution 1961, a book by Peter Benenson that helped launch Amnesty International.

Olga Ivinskaya was accused of being Pasternak's link with Western publishers in dealing in hard currency for Doctor Zhivago.

Olga Ivinskaya served four years of an eight-year sentence, apparently to punish her for the relationship.

Olga Ivinskaya spent several years in litigation trying to regain them.