Kolas, Jakub

Kolas, Jakub yäˈko͝ob kōˈläs [key], 1882–1956, Belorussian poet and novelist, whose original name was Konstantin Mitskevich. With Janka Kupala, he was a leading figure in Belorussian national and literary life. Among his many works are novels concerned with moral themes, such as Through Life (1926), with collectivism, and with war themes, among them The Fisherman's Hut (1949). Kolas is best known for his stirring patriotic poems, including New Earth (1923).

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