Gorky

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

MAXIM, the pseudonym of a whose real name is Alexei Maximovitch Russian novelist and short story writer, Pyeshkov, born in Nizhni-Novgorod, 1868. He was of humble parentage, and, being an orphan at nine, became a shoemaker's this trade, nor at any trade, in fact, but pprentice. He did not remain long at wandered about the country doing odd jobs and tramping between whiles. Thus he became intimately acquainted with the class of people, outcasts and beggars, who are the chief characters of his stories and novels. Gradually his experiences found expression in literary form and by 1905 Gorky was one of the most popular writers of Russia. was in close sympathy with the Russian He revolutionary parties, and was twice arrested for his revolutionary activities, but his prominence as a literary man, abroad as well as in Russia, made it inadvisable for the Czar's Government to punish him severely. In 1906 he visited the United States to raise money for the Russian revolutionary movement, but his mission failed because of the fact that the Russian Church had not legalized his marriage to the woman who accompanied him. For some years he lived in Italy, P GÖRLITZ in delicate health, but during the World War he returned to Russia, to participate in the general effort to crush German Imperialism. He supported the Russian Revolution of March, 1917, enthusiastically, but bitterly opposed the Bolsheviki when they came into power in the following November. Later he co-operated with them, but continued his criticism of their principles and tactics. Gorky's fame as a writer is particularly strong in this country, and England. His short sketches of the Russian underworld are powerful, if crude, but his novels and plays show less virility, while his political and economic essays betray his lack of early training and education. Almost all his writings are available in English. Among his best known collections of short stories are: "Orloff and His Wife" (1901), and "The Outcasts and Other Stories" (1902). Among his best known novels are: "Mother" (1907); "The Spy" (1908); and "A Confession" (1910). His plays are not popular in this country, but "A Night's Lodging" (1905) has been much commented upon. GÖRLITZ (ger'lits), a town of Prussian Silesia, on the left bank of the Neisse, 49 miles W. of Liegnitz. Among its beautiful Gothic churches is that of St. Peter and St. Paul (1423-1497). Outside the town is the Kreuzkapelle (1481-1489), an imitation of the Holy Sepulcher at Jerusalem. A railway viaduct, upward of 2,720 feet in length and 118 feet high, here crosses the valley of the Neisse. Görlitz has manufactures of cloth, its staple; cotton, linen, and fictile wares, with iron foundries and machine shops. Here Jacob Boehme spent most of his life and died. Görlitz was taken and held alternately by the Swedes and the Imperialists during the Thirty Years' War. Pop. about 86,000.