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Honecker, Erich

(Encyclopedia)Honecker, Erich āˈrĭkh hônˈĕkər [key], 1912–94, East German political leader. From a Communist family, Honecker was imprisoned by the Nazis for 10 years for party activities. After the war he...

Weidman, Charles

(Encyclopedia)Weidman, Charles, 1901–75, American modern dancer and choreographer, b. Lincoln, Neb. Weidman performed with the troupe formed by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn from 1920 to 1927, when he and Doris Hu...

Russian art and architecture

(Encyclopedia)Russian art and architecture, the artistic and architectural production of the geographical area of Russia. Around the turn of the century Mir Iskusstva (World of Art Group) was initiated, a movemen...

Alexy II

(Encyclopedia)Alexy II or Aleksy II əlyĕkˈsē [key], 1929–2008, 15th patriarch of Moscow and all Russia (1990–2008), b. Estonia, as Aleksey Mikhailovich Ridiger. He spent 11 years as a Russian Orthodox paris...

Voinovich, Vladimir Nikolayevich

(Encyclopedia)Voinovich, Vladimir Nikolayevich, 1932–2018, Russian satirist and political dissident. His father was dissident journalist who was jailed for his activities. Voinovich served in the army (1951–55)...

Pavlova, Anna Matveyevna

(Encyclopedia)Pavlova, Anna Matveyevna pävlōˈvə, Rus. änˈnə mətvyāˈəvnə pävˈləvə [key], 1881–1931, Russian ballerina. In 1892 she entered the Imperial Ballet School, St. Petersburg. She made her d...

Kramnik, Vladimir

(Encyclopedia)Kramnik, Vladimir, 1975–, Russian chess player, b. Tuapse. Kramnik started to play chess at the age of four, and at eleven began studying with both Mikhail Botvinnik and Garry Kasparov. Deeply verse...

Rutskoi, Aleksandr Vladimirovich

(Encyclopedia)Rutskoi or Rutskoy, Aleksandr Vladimirovich ŭlˌyĭksänˈdər vlŭdˌyĭmĭrˈəvyĭchˌ ro͞otskoiˈ [key], 1947–, Russian politician, b. Ukraine. A Russian nationalist and former air force offic...

Akhmadulina, Bella

(Encyclopedia)Akhmadulina, Bella (Izabella Akhatovna Akhmadulina), 1937–2010, Russian poet, b. Moscow, grad. (1960) Gorky Literary Institute, Moscow. Her first poem was published in 1955 and her earliest collecti...

Kuznetsk Basin

(Encyclopedia)Kuznetsk Basin, coal basin, c.10,000 sq mi (25,900 sq km), W Siberian Russia, between the Kuznetsk Alatau and the Salair Ridge. Its abbreviated name is Kuzbas. With extensive coal deposits, particular...