Boris Yefimovich Yefimov (; ,The birth record of Boris Fridlyand (Boris Yefimov) in the metric book of the Kiev rabbinate for 1900 ( ЦГИАК Украины. Ф. 1164. Оп. 1. Д. 454. Л. 435об—436.) (rus) – October 1, 2008) was a Russian

political Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...

cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently Animation, animated, in an realism (arts), unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or s ...

ist best known for his critical political

caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...

s of

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

and other Nazis produced before and during

the Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising ...

, and was the chief illustrator of the newspaper ''

Izvestia ''Izvestia'' ( rus, Известия, r=Izvestiya, p=ɪzˈvʲesʲtʲɪjə, "The News") is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Russia. Founded in February 1917, ''Izvestia'', which covered foreign relations, was the organ of the Supreme Soviet of th ...

''. During his 90-year career he produced more than 70,000 drawings.

Early life

Yefimov was born in

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

as Boris Fridlyand, the second son of a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

shoemaker. His father was Khaim Movshevich (Yefim Moiseyevich) Fridlyand (1860–1945); his mother was Rokhlya Shevakhovna (Rakhil Savelyevna) (1880–1969). Shortly after his birth, his family moved to

Białystok Białystok is the largest city in northeastern Poland and the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is the List of cities and towns in Poland, tenth-largest city in Poland, second in terms of population density, and thirteenth in area. Biał ...

, where he grew up alongside his older brother Mikhail (who became the famous journalist

Mikhail Koltsov Mikhail Efimovich Koltsov () (The record of the birth of Moisey Fridlyand in the metric book of the Kiev rabbinate for 1898 ( ЦГИАК Украины. Ф. 1164. Оп. 1. Д. 442. Л. 138об–139.) – February 2, 1940), born Moisey Haimovic ...

, arrested during the

Great Purge The Great Purge, or the Great Terror (), also known as the Year of '37 () and the Yezhovshchina ( , ), was a political purge in the Soviet Union that took place from 1936 to 1938. After the Assassination of Sergei Kirov, assassination of ...

and executed in 1940). During the First World War, his family fled the advancing German armies and returned to Kyiv, where he pursued legal studies. He began to express his emotions through caricatures of politicians, the first of which were published in 1919 and circulated in the Kievan Red Army.

Career

From 1920 to 1921, Yefimov designed posters and brochures for the communist organization

Agitprop Agitprop (; from , portmanteau of ''agitatsiya'', "agitation" and ''propaganda'', "propaganda") refers to an intentional, vigorous promulgation of ideas. The term originated in the Soviet Union where it referred to popular media, such as literatu ...

, finally moving to Moscow in 1922 after his brother, who worked as an editor for ''

Pravda ''Pravda'' ( rus, Правда, p=ˈpravdə, a=Ru-правда.ogg, 'Truth') is a Russian broadsheet newspaper, and was the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, when it was one of the most in ...

'', offered him a job drawing political cartoons. His artistic talent, directed mainly against

the West West is a cardinal direction or compass point. West or The West may also refer to: Geography and locations Global context * The Western world * Western culture and Western civilization in general * The Western Bloc, countries allied with NAT ...

, gained him prominence, and his work started appearing in such titles as ''

'', ''

Krokodil ''Krokodil'' ( rus, Крокодил, p=krəkɐˈdʲil, a= Ru-крокодил.ogg, ) was a Humor magazine , satirical magazine published in the Soviet Union and later Russia. The first issue was published on 27 August 1922 as the satirical supp ...

'' and ''

Ogoniok ''Ogoniok'' ( rus, Огонёк, Ogonyok, t=Spark, p=ɐɡɐˈnʲɵk, a=Ru-огонёк.ogg; pre-reform orthography: Огонекъ) was one of the oldest weekly illustrated magazines in Russia. History and profile ''Ogoniok'' was first issue ...

'', a magazine founded by his brother Mikhail Koltsov (1898–1940). The year 1924 saw the publication of his first book, ''Political Cartoons'' (, ''Politicheskiye Karikatury''), which included a foreword by

Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky,; ; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky'' was a Russian revolutionary, Soviet politician, and political theorist. He was a key figure ...

. In 1937 Boris Yefimov covered the Show Trials and drew cartoons against people like

Nikolai Bukharin Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin (; rus, Николай Иванович Бухарин, p=nʲɪkɐˈlaj ɪˈvanəvʲɪdʑ bʊˈxarʲɪn; – 15 March 1938) was a Russian revolutionary, Soviet politician, and Marxist theorist. A prominent Bolshevik ...

and Leon Trotsky. During this period Yefimov drew political cartoons against those he had previously admired within the Soviet leadership. Following the war, Yefimov traveled to the

Nuremberg trials #REDIRECT Nuremberg trials {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from move ...

with the task of caricaturing the Nazi defendants. He was then ordered to poke fun at the Western powers in what was transforming into the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

. He went on to become the chief editor of

, and cooperated with ''

'' until the 1980s. He published an autobiography, ''Moy Vek'' (''My Century''), for his centennial, and resided in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

. Yefimov received the Stalin Prizes in 1950 and 1951 and was named People's Painter of the USSR in 1967. In 2002 he became chief of the Political Propaganda Department of the Russian Academy of Arts. In his old age, his vision began to deteriorate. In 1999, he underwent

cataract A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens (anatomy), lens of the eye that leads to a visual impairment, decrease in vision of the eye. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colours, blurry or ...

surgery, which at least partially restored the vision in his right eye. In a 2005 interview with Russian TV, Yefimov recalled his experiences in

Petrograd Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...

during the

Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...

, admitting that he had changed his real name in order to conceal his Jewish origins. On September 28, 2007, his 107th birthday, he was appointed to the post of the chief artist of the ''

'' newspaper. In 2008, Yefimov was still working, primarily writing memoirs and drawing friendly cartoons. Also, he was active in public life: he attended memorials and anniversary meetings, soirees and other functions up until his death in Moscow on October 1, 2008, only three days after what was initially reported as his 108th birthday; his age was subsequently reported as 109 based on information from his family. However, records back up that he was born in 1900. Boris Yefimov is buried in

Novodevichy Cemetery Novodevichy Cemetery () is a cemetery in Moscow. It lies next to the southern wall of the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, which is the city's third most popular tourist site. History The cemetery was designed by Ivan Mashkov and inaugurated ...

Family

Yefimov was married twice. His first wife was Rosaliya Borisovna Koretskaya (1900–1969). He was survived by his son Mikhail (born in 1929), a grandson, and two great grandchildren. Yefimov was a cousin of the famous Soviet photographer and journalist Semyon Fridlyand.

Bibliography

Books in English

* ''Hitler and his Gang''. Cartoons by Boris Efimov with a foreword by David Low. Alliance Press, 1944.

References

External links

1998 Interview for Red Files, a PBS Documentary
* ttp://www.peoples.ru/art/painter/efimov_b/efimov_200802141110061_middle.jpg Picture at 107br>At his 107th birthday (video 1)At his 107th birthday (video 2)
* Метрическая книга Киевского раввината за 1900 год, рождение // ЦГИАК Украины. Ф. 1164. Оп. 1. Д. 454. Л. 435об—436. Запись 721. (rus) {{DEFAULTSORT:Yefimov, Boris 1900 births 2008 deaths Artists from Kyiv Burials at Novodevichy Cemetery People from Kiev Governorate Full Members of the Russian Academy of Arts Full Members of the USSR Academy of Arts Heroes of Socialist Labour People's Artists of the USSR (visual arts) Recipients of the Stalin Prize Recipients of the Order of Honour (Russia) Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Recipients of the USSR State Prize Jewish caricaturists Jewish socialists Jewish centenarians Russian caricaturists Russian political artists Russian editorial cartoonists 20th-century Russian illustrators Russian Jews Russian men centenarians Soviet artists Soviet caricaturists Soviet illustrators Soviet Jews Ukrainian caricaturists Ukrainian men centenarians Ukrainian editorial cartoonists 20th-century Ukrainian illustrators Ukrainian Jews