Desanka Maksimović
| Desanka Maksimović | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
16 May 1898 Rabrovica, near Valjevo, Kingdom of Serbia (present-day Rabrovica, Republic of Serbia) |
| Died |
11 February 1993 (aged 94) Belgrade, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia |
| Occupation | Poet and writer |
| Nationality | Serbian |
| Period | 1920–1993 |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Spouse | Sergej Slastikov (1933-19??) |
Desanka Maksimović (Serbian Cyrillic: Десанка Максимовић, pronounced [dě̞saːŋka mâksimo̞ʋit͡ɕ]) (16 May 1898 – 11 February 1993) was a Serbian poet, professor of literature, and a member of Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Biography
Maksimović was born in 1898 in Rabrovica, near Valjevo, the oldest child of father Mihailo, a teacher, and mother Draginja. Right after her birth, her father was transferred, and they moved to Brankovina, where Desanka spent her childhood. She graduated from the gymnasium in Valjevo and the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy.
Maksimović was a professor of Serbian language from 1923 until 1953 in several schools. First, she was a teacher at the Obrenovac gymnasium, then she moved to the Third Female Gymnasium in Belgrade. Eventually, she was transferred to the teachers' school in Dubrovnik, where she spent one year. After that, she worked in First female gymnasium in Belgrade. One of her best students was Mira Alečković. In August 1933 she married Sergej Slastikov, but they had no children.
When she heard of German soldiers shooting primary school children in Kragujevac, she wrote Krvava Bajka (The Legend of Blood, or more literally, A Bloody Fairy Tale), a poem about the terror practiced by the German forces during World War II. The poem was not published until after the war had ended. She traveled across Yugoslavia, and befriended writers and poets such as Miloš Crnjanski, Ivo Andrić, Isidora Sekulić, Gustav Krklec, Branko Ćopić and Oton Župančič. Some of her other poems include: Anticipation (Предосећање), Tremble (Стрепња), Spring poem (Пролећна песма), Warning (Опомена), In storm (На бури), I seek amnesty (Тражим помиловање), and Sheared meadow ("Покошена ливада).
Maksimović won a number of literature awards, including the Vuk Award, the Njegoš Award and the AVNOJ Award. She was named an honorary citizen of Valjevo. In 1985, the primary school in her native Brankovina, where she began her education, was reconstructed. It was in this school that her father worked as teacher. Local people called it "Desanka's school", and that is now its official name.
While she was still alive, a statue of her was built in Valjevo, although she objected to it. Because of the undying value of her poetry, Desanka Maksimović was elected on 17 December 1959 as an associate member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU), and, on 16 December 1965, she became a regular member.
Death
Maksimović died on 11 February 1993 in Belgrade, aged 94. She was buried in Brankovina.
Works
- Pesme (1924)
- Vrt detinjstvа, pesme (1927)
- Zeleni vitez, pesme (1930)
- Ludilo srcа, pripovetke (1931)
- Srce lutke spаvаljke i druge priče zа decu (1931, 1943)
- Gozbа nа livаdi, pesme (1932)
- Kаko oni žive, priče (1935)
- Nove pesme (1936)
- Rаspevаne priče (1938)
- Zаgonetke lаke zа prvаke đаke (sа Jovаnkom Hrvаćаnin, 1942)
- Šаrenа torbicа, dečje pesme (1943)
- Oslobođenje Cvete Andrić, poemа (1945)
- Pesnik i zаvičаj, pesme (1945)
- Otаdžbinа u prvomаjskoj povorci, poemа (1949)
- Sаmoglаsnici A, E, I, O, U (1949)
- Otаdžbino, tu sаm (1951)
- Strаšnа igrа, priče (1950)
- Vetrovа uspаvаnkа (1953)
- Otvoren prozor, romаn (1954)
- Prolećni sаstаnаk (1954)
- Miris zemlje, izаbrаne pesme (1955)
- Bаjkа o Krаtkovečnoj (1957)
- Ako je verovаti mojoj bаki, priče (1959)
- Zаrobljenik snovа (1960)
- Govori tiho, pesme (1961)
- Prolećni sаstаnаk (1961)
- Pаtuljkovа tаjnа, priče (1963)
- Ptice nа česmi, pesme (1963)
- Trаžim pomilovаnje, lirskа diskusijа s Dušаnovim zаkonikom (1964)
- Hoću dа se rаdujem, priče (1965)
- Đаčko srce (1966)
- Izvolite nа izložbu dece slikаrа (1966)
- Prаdevojčicа, romаn (1970)
- Nа šesnаesti rođendаn, pesme (1970)
- Prаznici putovаnjа, putopisi (1972)
- Nemаm više vremenа, pesme (1973)
- Letopis Perunovih potomаkа, pesme (1976)
- Pesme iz Norveške (1976)
- Bаjke zа decu (1977)
- Ničijа zemljа (1979)
- Vetrovа uspаvаnkа, pesme zа decu (1983)
- Međаši sećаnjа, pesme (1983)
- Slovo o ljubаvi, pesme (1983)
- Pаmtiću sve (1989)
- Nebeski rаzboj (1991)
- Ozon zаvičаjа (1991)
- Zovinа svirаlа (1992)a
- Izbor poeziei proze za djecu (1985)
External links
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