Boris Pasternak.

Борис Леонидович Пастернак Борис Исаакович Постернак

Boris Pasternak — Musician

Born 10 Feb 1890 Moscow, Russia

Died 30 May 1960 Peredelkino, Russia

Citizenship Russia

10 min read

Reading time

1,875

Words

Mar 28, 2026

Published

2

Film credits

46

Books

4

Awards

TL;DR

Boris Pasternak was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958 for his novel Doctor Zhivago, but Soviet authorities forced him to decline it. The novel had been smuggled out of the USSR and published in Italy in 1957 after being rejected by Soviet publishers. Pasternak died in poverty in Peredelkino in 1960, and his son accepted the Nobel medal posthumously in 1989.

Identity & family.

KIN · 8

Names, aliases, and relatives of Boris Pasternak — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Birth Name Борис Исаакович Постернак

Native Name Борис Леонидович Пастернак

Aliases B. Pastenak, B. Pasternak

PARENTS: Rosa Kaufman Leonid Pasternak
SPOUSES: Zinaida Nikolaevna Neigauz Yevgenia Vladimirovna Lourie
CHILDREN: Yevgeny Pasternak
SIBLINGS: Alexander Pasternak Josephine Pasternak Lydia Pasternak Slater

At a glance.

STATS

Boris Pasternak by the numbers — life, work, and family.

70 Years lived

2 Film credits

46 Books

4 Awards

2 Marriages

1 Child

Who was Boris Pasternak?

BIOGRAPHY

Boris Pasternak — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

The Pasternak home in Moscow was a salon for artistic and literary figures: composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, poet Rainer Maria Rilke, writer Leo Tolstoy, and others gathered there. Boris Pasternak, born February 10, 1890 into a Russian-Jewish family, was the son of painter Leonid Pasternak and concert pianist Rosa Kaufman. He studied music at the Moscow Conservatory and philosophy at the University of Marburg in Germany from 1910 to 1913. After returning to Moscow in 1914, he published his first collection of poems.

Career

Pasternak’s first major poetry collection, My Sister Life, written in 1917, brought him international recognition and influenced Russian Symbolist and Futurist poetry. The Great Terror of the 1930s brought political attack; Pasternak turned to translations of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear, as well as Goethe’s Faust. His translations of Georgian poets saved his life when Stalin removed his name from an arrest list in 1934. In the 1940s and 1950s, Pasternak wrote his autobiographical novel Doctor Zhivago, which first appeared in Italy in 1957 after being rejected in the USSR. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958 but forced to decline it amid a state persecution campaign.

Personal life

Two marriages: first to Yevgenia Lourie 1922-1931, then to Zinaida Neigauz 1934 until his death. He had one son, Yevgeny. Olga Ivinskaya, his longtime companion and the model for Lara in Doctor Zhivago, was an editor at Novy Mir magazine. She was arrested twice by the KGB due to her relationship with Pasternak, once in 1949 while pregnant, and spent years in labor camps. Pasternak suffered a heart attack after learning of her arrest and lost their unborn child.

Legacy

In 1989, his son Yevgeny accepted the Nobel Prize medal on his behalf in Stockholm. A year earlier, Doctor Zhivago had been published in the Soviet Union by Novy Mir, following Pasternak’s posthumous rehabilitation in 1987. He is remembered as one of Russia’s greatest literary figures, whose work defied Soviet censorship and gave voice to individual freedom and love.

Filmography.

FILMS · 2

Browse the complete filmography of Boris Pasternak — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.

Movie

Remembering Boris Pasternak

1990
Movie

I Invite You to My Execution

2019

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 4

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Boris Pasternak — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

Nobel Prize in Literature
Medal For the Defence of Moscow
Medal For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945
Bancarella Literary Prize

Bibliography.

BOOKS · 46

Boris Pasternak's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

Amazon

I Remember

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

Pasternak

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

Prentice Hall Literature – World Masterpieces

by Burton Beers et al.
Amazon

Boris Pasternak

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

Sobranie Sochinenii V Pyati Tomakh

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

The Poems of Dr. Zhivago

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

The Poems of Doctor Zhivago

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

My Sister – Life – And, a Sublime Malady

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

Doctor Zhivago [Adaptation]

by Nancy Stanley et al.
Amazon

The Voice of Prose

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

Doktor Jivago

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

Vtoroe Rozhdenie

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

Second Nature

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Amazon

Letters to Georgian Friends

by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak

Could not load more books.

Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 2

A wall of memorable lines from Boris Pasternak — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

Man Is Born to Live, Not to Prepare for Life.
But It Turns Out That Those Who Inspired the Revolution Aren’t at Home in Anything Except Change and Turmoil, They Aren’t Happy with Anything That’s on Less Than a World Scale. for Them Transitional Periods, Worlds in the Making, Are an End in Themselves. They Aren’t Trained for Anything Else, They Don’t Know Anything Except That.

Did you know?

FACTS · 6

Little-known facts about Boris Pasternak — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

A poem by Pasternak opens the film Parajanov: The Last Spring 1992, which also features poetry of Sayat Nova.
The model for Lara in his novel Doctor Zhivago was his longtime companion Olga Ivinskaya, who died at the age of 83 in Moscow in 1995. Ivinskaya was thrown into Soviet prison-camps twice because of her relationship with Pasternak, whom she met when she was an editor at literary magazine Novy Mir.
Pasternak should have received the Nobel Prize for his novel Doctor Zhivago in 1958, but the Soviet regime forced him not to accept it.
He graduated from Moscow Editorial Worker’s Institute.
Doctor Zhivago was rejected by Soviet publishers and was published in Italy in 1957.
He studied philosophy at the University of Marburg in Germany between 1910 and 1913. After the revolution in 1917 he worked as a librarian, writing poetry in his spare time.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 40

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Boris Pasternak.

When was Boris Pasternak born?

Boris Pasternak was born on February 10, 1890 in Moscow, Russian Empire now Russia. He grew up in a highly intellectual family surrounded by artists and writers.
Where was Boris Pasternak born?

He was born in Moscow, Russian Empire, which is now part of modern-day Russia. His birthplace was a cosmopolitan home frequented by famous composers and writers.
When did Boris Pasternak die?

Boris Pasternak died on May 30, 1960 in Peredelkino, Moscow Oblast. He was 70 years old at the time of his death.
How old was Boris Pasternak when he died?

He was 70 years old when he passed away. He died in Peredelkino, a writers’ colony near Moscow.
Where did Boris Pasternak die?

He died in Peredelkino, a village in Moscow Oblast that was home to many Soviet writers. It is now part of Russia.
How did Boris Pasternak die?

Pasternak died from a combination of heart ailment, lung cancer, and stomach bleeding. He had suffered a heart attack years earlier and his health declined under persecution.
What was Boris Pasternak's birth name?

His birth name was Борис Исаакович Постернак Boris Isaakovich Posternak. He later used the Russified form Boris Leonidovich Pasternak.
What was Boris Pasternak's native name?

In Russian, his native name is Борис Леонидович Пастернак Boris Leonidovich Pasternak. He is known by that name in Russia.
What was Boris Pasternak's occupation?

He was primarily a writer poet and novelist and also worked in music crew roles. His literary work includes poetry, translations, and the novel Doctor Zhivago.
What nationality was Boris Pasternak?

He was a Russian citizen, born in the Russian Empire and later living in the Soviet Union. He never emigrated despite his family leaving.
Who were Boris Pasternak's parents?

His father was Leonid Pasternak, a renowned painter, and his mother was Rosa Kaufman, a celebrated concert pianist. Both were of Jewish descent.
Who was Boris Pasternak married to?

He was married twice: first to Yevgenia Vladimirovna Lourie 1922–1931 and then to Zinaida Nikolaevna Neigauz 1934 until his death.
Did Boris Pasternak have children?

Yes, he had one child: a son named Yevgeny Pasternak. Yevgeny later accepted the Nobel Prize on his father’s behalf in 1989.
Did Boris Pasternak have siblings?

Yes, he had three siblings: Alexander Pasternak, Josephine Pasternak, and Lydia Pasternak Slater. His parents and sisters emigrated to Europe in 1921.
Where did Boris Pasternak go to school?

He studied at Moscow State University Faculty of Law, University of Marburg in Germany philosophy, Lomonosov Moscow State University, and Imperial Moscow University.
What awards did Boris Pasternak win?

He won the Nobel Prize in Literature 1958, the Medal for the Defence of Moscow, the Medal for Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945, and the Bancarella Literary Prize.
Why did Boris Pasternak decline the Nobel Prize?

The Soviet authorities launched a persecution campaign against him after the award was announced in 1958, forcing him to publicly decline the Nobel Prize. He feared imprisonment or worse.
What is Boris Pasternak known for?

He is best known for his novel Doctor Zhivago, which was published in Italy in 1957 and later adapted into a film. He also wrote acclaimed poetry collections and translations.
Who was the real-life inspiration for Lara in Doctor Zhivago?

The character Lara was inspired by Olga Ivinskaya, Pasternak’s longtime companion and an editor at Novy Mir magazine. She was arrested twice due to their relationship.
Why was Doctor Zhivago not published in the Soviet Union initially?

The novel was rejected by Soviet publishers because it was critical of the Bolshevik Revolution and Soviet totalitarianism. It was first published in Italy in 1957 after being smuggled out.
When was Doctor Zhivago finally published in Russia?

After being banned for three decades, Doctor Zhivago was published in the Soviet Union in 1988 by Novy Mir magazine, a sign of the changing times under perestroika.
Did Boris Pasternak ever leave Russia?

No, he never left the Soviet Union. He studied in Germany at the University of Marburg from 1910 to 1913 but returned to Russia before World War I and spent the rest of his life there.
What did Boris Pasternak do during World War I?

During WWI, he worked at a chemical factory in the Urals. His experiences there later provided material for his novel Doctor Zhivago.
What was the relationship between Boris Pasternak and Joseph Stalin?

Stalin spoke with Pasternak by phone in 1934 regarding the poet Osip Mandelstam. Stalin later reportedly said, Don’t touch this cloud dweller, sparing Pasternak from arrest due to his translations of Georgian poets.
What translations is Boris Pasternak famous for?

He translated major works including Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Goethe’s Faust, and poems by Paul Verlaine and Rainer Maria Rilke. His translations of Georgian poets pleased Stalin.
What was Boris Pasternak's first poetry collection?

His first collection of poems was published in 1914 after he returned to Moscow from Germany. The collection My Sister Life 1917 brought him international fame.
Did Boris Pasternak have any pseudonyms?

He sometimes used the pseudonyms B. Pastenak and B. Pasternak. His birth name was actually Boris Isaakovich Posternak.
Was Boris Pasternak ever arrested?

No, Pasternak himself was never arrested, but his lover Olga Ivinskaya was arrested twice. Stalin crossed his name off an arrest list in the 1930s.
What was the political climate for Pasternak during the 1930s?

During the Great Terror of the 1930s, Pasternak came under severe political attack for his independent views. He survived by focusing on translations and was protected by Stalin’s personal intervention.
How did Boris Pasternak's childhood influence his work?

Growing up in a home filled with artists and intellectuals like Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, and Tolstoy gave him a rich cultural foundation. This environment fostered his literary and musical talents.
What did Boris Pasternak study at the University of Marburg?

He studied philosophy at the University of Marburg in Germany from 1910 to 1913. He also studied music at the Moscow Conservatory earlier.
What medal did Boris Pasternak receive for WWII?

He was awarded the Medal for Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945 for his work during World War II. He remained in the Soviet Union during the war.
Where is Boris Pasternak buried?

He is buried in Peredelkino, the writers’ colony near Moscow where he lived the last years of his life. His grave is a site of literary pilgrimage.
What poem opens the film Parajanov: The Last Spring?

A poem by Boris Pasternak opens the 1992 film Parajanov: The Last Spring, which also features poetry of Sayat Nova. The film is about Armenian filmmaker Sergei Parajanov.
When was Boris Pasternak rehabilitated?

He was posthumously rehabilitated in 1987, clearing him of the charges of treason that had been used to persecute him after the Nobel Prize.
Who accepted the Nobel Prize for Boris Pasternak?

His son, Yevgeny Pasternak, traveled to Stockholm in 1989 to accept the Nobel Prize medal on his father’s behalf. The award was originally declined in 1958.
Did Boris Pasternak have a relationship with the poet Osip Mandelstam?

Pasternak was associated with Osip Mandelstam, and Stalin questioned Pasternak about him in a phone call in 1934. Mandelstam was later executed on Stalin’s orders.
What was the Bancarella Literary Prize?

The Bancarella Literary Prize was an Italian award that Pasternak received for Doctor Zhivago after its publication in Italy in 1957. It is a prestigious Italian literary award.
Why was Olga Ivinskaya arrested?

Olga Ivinskaya was arrested by the KGB on false accusations of espionage because of her relationship with Pasternak. She spent four years in a prison camp and lost their unborn child.
What was the name of the magazine that rejected Doctor Zhivago?

The Soviet literary magazine Novy Mir rejected the manuscript of Doctor Zhivago for publication in the USSR. It was later published by the same magazine in 1988.

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Audited & updated by

Sophia has 4 years of editorial experience and a habit of becoming the person any team leans on when they need to know where something stands. At Famousy, she manages the content pipeline, coordinates reviews, and handles the detail work that keeps a large editorial operation from falling apart. She reads a lot of profiles in the process and she's developed a sharp instinct for when something doesn't feel right. She flags it. It usually is.

Published on March 28, 2026

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