Who Is Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn? Age, Biography and Wiki
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was born on December 11, 1918, and passed away on August 3, 2008. As of 2025, he would have been 106 years old. A renowned Soviet-Russian author, historian, and dissident, Solzhenitsyn gained acclaim for his works that criticized the Soviet regime and highlighted the plight of political prisoners. His most notable works include "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," "The Gulag Archipelago," and "Cancer Ward." His writings played a pivotal role in unveiling the reality of life in the Soviet Union and have continued to inspire activists and writers worldwide.
| Occupation | Philosophers |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 11, 1918 |
| Age | 89 Years |
| Birth Place | Kislovodsk, Russian SFSR |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Country | Russia |
| Date of death | 3 August, 2008 |
| Died Place | Moscow, Russia |
Popularity
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While there are no verified records of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's exact height and weight from his lifetime, it is known that he had a robust physique, typical of someone who endured many adversities. His literary spirit was powerful and enduring, reflecting resilience through adversity.
In The Gulag Archipelago, Solzhenitsyn wrote, "There is nothing that so assists the awakening of omniscience within us as insistent thoughts about one's own transgressions, errors, mistakes.
After the difficult cycles of such ponderings over many years, whenever I mentioned the heartlessness of our highest-ranking bureaucrats, the cruelty of our executioners, I remember myself in my Captain's shoulder boards and the forward march of my battery through East Prussia, enshrouded in fire, and I say: 'So were we any better?'"
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Solzhenitsyn married twice in his life. His first marriage was to Natalya Svetlitskaya in 1940, but the couple divorced in 1945. He later married his second wife, Natalia Zeltina, in 1973, and they remained together until his death in 2008. Together, they had three sons: Ignat, step-son Vasily, and Stepan. His family background and relationships deeply influenced his perspectives and literary works, although specific details about his romantic relationships beyond these marriages are not publicly detailed.
His father, Isaakiy Semyonovich Solzhenitsyn, was of Russian descent, and his mother, Taisiya Zakharovna (née Shcherbak), was of Ukrainian descent.
Taisiya's father had risen from humble beginnings to become a wealthy landowner, acquiring a large estate in the Kuban region in the northern foothills of the Caucasus and during World War I, Taisiya had gone to Moscow to study.
While there she met and married Isaakiy, a young officer in the Imperial Russian Army of Cossack origin and fellow native of the Caucasus region. The family background of his parents is vividly brought to life in the opening chapters of August 1914, and in the later Red Wheel novels.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing in 2008, Solzhenitsyn's net worth was estimated to range from $1 million to $5 million. Much of his income stemmed from his successful writing career, in which he garnered significant royalties from his numerous published books, essays, and speeches. His impact on literature and social thought has secured his place as a significant figure that continues to be revered in classrooms and forms the basis for further discussions on civil rights and freedoms.
Career, Business and Investments
Solzhenitsyn's career as a writer post his time as a political prisoner launched him into international prominence. He was not only a novelist but also a playwright and essayist, engaging with deeply philosophical topics that examined the human condition, freedom, and government oppression. Additionally, he participated in various intellectual discussions and supported movements that echoed his literary themes. His investment in the preservation of human rights and his continuous critique of totalitarianism build a legacy that remains influential.
All of Solzhenitsyn's sons became U.S. citizens. One, Ignat, is a pianist and conductor. Another Solzhenitsyn son, Yermolai, works for the Moscow office of McKinsey & Company, a management consultancy firm, where he is a senior partner.
Social Network
Though Solzhenitsyn lived in a time before the social media boom, his works and ideas have transcended time and continue to resonate through various platforms and forms of media. Today, many quotes and excerpts from his writings circulate widely on social media platforms, offering inspiration to those who advocate for freedom and truth.
While serving as an artillery officer in East Prussia, Solzhenitsyn witnessed war crimes against local German civilians by Soviet military personnel. Of the atrocities, Solzhenitsyn wrote: "You know very well that we've come to Germany to take our revenge" for Nazi atrocities committed in the Soviet Union.
The noncombatants and the elderly were robbed of their meager possessions and women and girls were gang-raped. A few years later, in the forced labor camp, he memorized a poem titled "Prussian Nights" about a woman raped to death in East Prussia.
In this poem, which describes the gang-rape of a Polish woman whom the Red Army soldiers mistakenly thought to be a German, the first-person narrator comments on the events with sarcasm and refers to the responsibility of official Soviet writers like Ilya Ehrenburg.
Education
Solzhenitsyn attended Rostov State University, where he studied mathematics and physics. His education played a substantial role in shaping his analytical mind and written works. Later, during his prison term, he pursued literature and writing, honing his craft in one of the most challenging environments for an intellectual.
As early as 1936, Solzhenitsyn began developing the characters and concepts for planned epic work on World War I and the Russian Revolution. This eventually led to the novel August 1914; some of the chapters he wrote then still survive. Solzhenitsyn studied mathematics and physics at Rostov State University.
At the same time, he took correspondence courses from the, which by this time were heavily ideological in scope. As he himself makes clear, he did not question the state ideology or the superiority of the Soviet Union until he was sentenced to time in the camps.
