When and where was Bulat Okudzhava born?
Bulat Okudzhava was born in Moscow on the 9th of May 1924. His parents were Georgian and Armenian communists who had moved to the capital from Tbilisi.
Questions about Bulat Okudzhava
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What happened to Bulat Okudzhava's family during the Great Purge?
The Great Purge shattered this family in February 1937 when Shalva Okudzhava was arrested and shot on August 4 along with his two brothers. Bulat's mother Ashkhen Nalbandyan was arrested in 1939 for anti-Soviet deeds and spent time in the Gulag system before being released in 1946.
How did Bulat Okudzhava learn to play the guitar?
Okudzhava learned basic guitar skills through friends rather than formal instruction. He initially taught himself just three basic chords and claimed to know seven total by life's end while tuning his instrument to Russian tuning.
Why did Bulat Okudzhava volunteer for the Red Army?
At age seventeen in 1942, Bulat Okudzhava volunteered for the Red Army infantry to fight against Nazi Germany from that year onward. His service ended when he was discharged in 1944 after fighting against Nazi Germany.
When did Bulat Okudzhava die and where is he buried?
He died in Paris on the 12th of June 1997 at age seventy-three. His body was buried in Vagankovo Cemetery back in Moscow.