On September 20, 1916, Ivan Vazov was nominated for 1917 Nobel Prize for Literature
However, the prize was awarded to Werner von Heidenstam from Sweden.
One of the most famous Bulgarian writers – Ivan Vazov was born on July 9, 1850.
His work left a bright mark in native literature, and during his lifetime he earned the definition of “Patriarch of Bulgarian literature”, not by chance. In his long creative career, Ivan Vazov managed to cause a revolution in Bulgarian literature. Today he continues to be one of the greatest and most successful Bulgarian writers.
Ivan Vazov was born into the family of a wealthy merchant. His mother is a prominent public lady who enjoys great respect among her fellow citizens. The writer has three brothers. Two of them are military figures and the third is a politician. From an early age, Vazov showed his love for Bulgarian literature and foreign languages.
The writer graduated from the local grade school, studied Greek and Turkish at the Kalofer school, and in 1866 enrolled to study at the gymnasium in Plovdiv. Vazov's literary preferences were formed there. He began to show an interest in Russian and French authors, and in parallel, he indulged himself more and more often in creative activity. In 1870, the first poem of Ivan Vazov was published – “The pine”. It is published in “Periodical Magazine” of the Braille Book Society.
The same year Vazov's writing activity was interrupted. His father decided to send him to Romania so that the young man could learn the ins and outs of the trade from his uncle. True to his freedom-loving spirit, the writer fled to Braila and spent several months among the Bulgarian hush. There he got the inspiration for the story "Unloved-unloved". and began to publish patriotic poems in the magazine “Chitalishte”, newspaper “Otechestvo” and others.
During the Russian-Turkish war, the writer worked in Svishtov under Governor Nayden Gerov. In 1879 he was appointed chairman of the District Court in Berkovitsa. The judicial activity he engaged in during this period inspired him to write the poem “Gramada”. In 1880, Vazov moved to Plovdiv, the capital of Eastern Rumelia. There he held the position of deputy of the Regional Assembly of the People's Party. At the same time, the writer did not abandon his journalistic activity. Together with his friend Konstantin Velichkov, they started editing the newspaper "Narodniy glas". The two are engaged in publishing the magazine "Zora", which is the first literary magazine in Bulgaria. During his stay in Plovdiv, Vazov created some of his most successful literary works. It says “Epic of the Forgotten”, “The Bulgarian Language”, “The New Cemetery above Slivnitsa”, “Is He Coming?”, “Chichovtsi” and others. In 1886, the writer decided to visit the country of his dreams – Russia. He left for Odessa, where he created one of the most emblematic novels in Bulgarian literature – “Under the yoke”. This is the first Bulgarian work for which a Bulgarian publisher agrees to pay a royalty to the author. The novel “Under the yoke” was published in Bulgaria by Todor Chipev.
After returning home, in 1889, Vazov moved to Sofia. He started publishing the magazine Dennitsa, and his stories appeared in two volumes under the title Draski i sharki. In 1894, Ivan Vazov was elected as a representative of the people, his candidacy being nominated by the People's Party. In 1897, he held the position of Minister of Public Education in the government of Konstantin Stoilov. He left this post in 1899. The tragic end of the First World War for Bulgaria made the writer rethink his value system. Vazov took the failure of his beloved homeland hard. Despite everything, in 1920 he solemnly celebrated his 70th anniversary by receiving the distinction of “people's poet”. Ivan Vazov died on September 22, 1921, having shortly before become an honorary member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
The creativity of Ivan Vazov contributes to the development of Bulgarian literature. His works are distinguished by their realism, exciting descriptions of nature and a subtle sense of humor. Ivan Vazov was designated as the first professional writer in our country, and his works are a benchmark for quality.