The Modern Novel

Biography

Konstantine Gamsakhurdia was born in 1893 in Abasha. After studying in St Petersburg, he went to Europe during World War I and took a doctorate from Berlin University, despite being briefly interned as a Russian national. He started writing poetry and then articles for the German press at this time and was involved in the Georgian liberation movement. He became the Georgian attaché in Berlin after Georgian independence in 1918. He was opposed to the Soviet takeover of Georgia and was involved in anti-Soviet demonstrations. Eventually, he was arrested and exiled. On his release, he had to remain silent. He started writing, with the protection of Beria. He published several novels and, in order to keep in with the authorities, even wrote one on the childhood of Stalin but it was soon banned. He turned to historical subjects, producing his masterpiece დიდოსტატის მარჯვენა/Десница великого мастера (The Hand of a Great Master). He continued writing historical novels. He died in 1975.

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Konstantine Gamsakhurdia
Konstantine Gamsakhurdia