The twelve chairs and The little golden calf remain the defining contributions of Iehiel-Leyb Aryevich Faynzilberg, known globally as Ilya Ilf. Operating from within the Soviet Union, this journalist and writer built a career around sharp social observation and satire. His collaborative output with Yevgeny Petrov transformed the landscape of Russian literature during the 1920s and 1930s.
Early Life and Industrial Work
Born in Odesa in 1897, Ilf was the third of four sons in the family of bank clerk Ariye Benjamin Faynzilberg and Mindle Aronovna Faynzilberg. He completed his education at a technical school in 1913. His professional life began in diverse industrial roles, including positions at a military plant and a telephone company. Following the Russian Revolution, he transitioned into journalism, where he edited humor magazines and engaged with the Odesa Union of Poets.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →The Collaboration of Ilf and Petrov
In 1923, Ilf relocated to Moscow, securing a position at the railway workers' newspaper Gudok. It was within this environment that he formed a partnership with Yevgeny Petrov. Their joint literary output gained prominence with the publication of The Twelve Chairs in 1928 and The Little Golden Calf in 1931. Between 1932 and 1937, the duo contributed regularly to major outlets such as Pravda, Krokodil, and Literaturnaya Gazeta, while also documenting a 1935–1936 journey through the United States in the book Odnoetazhnaya Amerika.
Photography and Personal Life
Beyond his writing, Ilf maintained a dedicated interest in photography. In 1929, Yevgeny Petrov provided the funds for Ilf to purchase his first camera. While his photography was not widely recognized during his lifetime, his daughter later discovered and published approximately 200 of his images. In his private life, Ilf married Maria Nikolayevna Tarasenko in 1924, following their 1921 meeting in Odesa, and they had a daughter named Aleksandra in 1935.
Health Struggles and Final Years
Ilf suffered from tuberculosis throughout his career, a condition diagnosed in the 1920s and which reappeared during his American travels. He died in Moscow in 1937 at the age of 40 and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery. Following his death, the Nazi propaganda publication Der Angriff falsely claimed that Ilf had committed suicide. Petrov publicly refuted these claims in Pravda, citing the documented medical reality of his partner's decline.
Fast facts
- Born: 1897, Odesa
- Died: 1937, Moscow
- Notable works: The Twelve Chairs, The Little Golden Calf
- Collaborator: Yevgeny Petrov
- Spouse: Maria Nikolayevna Tarasenko
- Occupations: Writer, journalist, photographer, screenwriter, playwright
- Burial site: Novodevichy Cemetery
- Citizenship: Russian Empire, Soviet Union
Questions readers ask
What was the nature of Ilf's collaboration with Yevgeny Petrov?
They operated as a writing duo known as Ilf and Petrov, producing satirical novels and travelogues for Soviet publications throughout the 1920s and 1930s.
Did Ilf really commit suicide?
No. While Nazi propaganda claimed he committed suicide, his partner Yevgeny Petrov published a denial in Pravda confirming that his death was the result of a long-term battle with tuberculosis.
Achievements
- Notable work: The Twelve Chairs
- Notable work: The Little Golden Calf
- Worked as writer, journalist and mechanic