Born: 1828-09-09 Died: 1910-11-20
Leo Tolstoy was a Russian writer, best known for his novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina. He is considered one of the greatest authors of all time, renowned for his realistic fiction and complex exploration of morality, spirituality, and human nature.
Born: 1821-11-11 Died: 1881-02-09
Fyodor Dostoevsky was a Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, and philosopher. His most famous works include Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, and The Idiot, which examine human psychology and morality.
Born: 1889-06-23 Died: 1966-03-05
Anna Akhmatova was one of Russia’s most prominent poets of the 20th century. Known for her poignant, lyrical poetry, she wrote about themes of love, loss, and the struggles faced by her country during times of political upheaval.
Born: 1860-01-29 Died: 1904-07-15
Anton Chekhov was a Russian playwright and short story writer. His works, such as The Cherry Orchard and Uncle Vanya, are considered masterpieces of literature, known for their depth of character, wit, and understanding of human nature.
Born: 1873-04-01 Died: 1943-03-28
Sergei Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of all time and composed numerous works, including his famous Piano Concerto No. 2 and Symphonic Dances.
Born: 1934-03-09 Died: 1967-03-27
Yuri Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space and orbit the Earth aboard Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961, making him an international hero and a symbol of Soviet space achievements.
Born: 1899-04-22 Died: 1977-07-02
Vladimir Nabokov was a Russian-American novelist, poet, and entomologist, best known for his controversial novel Lolita. He wrote in both English and Russian and was praised for his literary technique, wit, and mastery of language.
Born: 1890-02-10 Died: 1960-05-30
Boris Pasternak was a Russian author and poet, best known for his novel Doctor Zhivago, which was banned in the Soviet Union but later won the Nobel Prize for Literature. His works explored themes of love, revolution, and personal freedom.
Born: 1891-05-15 Died: 1940-03-10
Mikhail Bulgakov was a Russian author and playwright, best known for his novel The Master and Margarita. His works often explored themes of good and evil, using fantasy and satirical elements, reflecting his experiences in Soviet Russia.
Born: 1881-02-12 Died: 1931-01-23
Anna Pavlova was a famous Russian prima ballerina, widely regarded as one of the greatest classical dancers in the history of ballet. Her performances in The Dying Swan are legendary, and she played a key role in popularizing ballet worldwide.