Grigore Vieru (; 14 February 1935 – 18 January 2009) was a Moldovan poet, writer and unionist advocate, known for his poems and books for children. His poetry is characterized by vivid natural scenery, patriotism, as well as a venerated image of the sacred mother. Vieru wrote in the Romanian language. In 1993 he was elected a correspondent member of the Romanian Academy.
Early life
He was born in Pererîta village, Hotin County, at the time, part of Romania (today part of Briceni district, Moldova). His parents, Pavel and Eudochia Vieru (née Didic) were farmers.
In 1950, he graduated from the 7-grade school of his native village, after which he attended the middle school in Lipcani, which he graduated in 1953.
Personal life
Vieru had been married to Raisa Vieru since 1959; they had two sons, Teodor and Călin Vieru.
Creative work
His first publishing debut was in 1957, a booklet of poems for children, «Alarma» («Alarm»), appreciated by literary critics.The following year, Vieru graduated from the Ion Creangă Pedagogical State University in Chișinău with a degree in history and philology. He was employed as an editor in the magazine called «Scînteia Leninistă» («The Leninist Spark») designed for children, currently it is called «Noi» («We»), and the newspaper «Tînărul leninist» («The Young Leninist»), currently «Florile Dalbe» («Glowing Flowers»).
In 1959, he became editor at the «Nistru» («Dniester») magazine, currently «Basarabia», a publication of the Writers' Union of Moldova.
From 1960 to 1963, he served as editor in chief of the «Cartea Moldovenească» («Moldavian book») publishing house.
In 1967, Vieru's book «Poetry for Readers of All Ages» (published in 1965) was awarded the Moldavian Prize for Youth Literature. The following year, his book «Your Name» became part of the contemporary literature curriculum in Moldavian universities
He wrote another children's story/picture book «Bread and Dew» which features Doru, a 4 or 5-year-old boy who lives in Chișinău with his parents.
Many moldavian composers were inspired by the poetry of Grigore Vieru (songbook «Poftim de intrați», «Cine crede» etc.), the poet himself is the author of a lot of melodies («Să crești mare» etc.) and since 1964 he began to collaborate with composer Yulia Tsibulskaya («Soare, soare», «Clopoțeii», «Stea-stea, logostea», «Ramule-neamule», «Cîntînd cu iubire» etc.).
He was a frequent guest of the «Poetry House»in Cociulia village, Cantemir District. The famous book for preschoolers «Albinuța» was also written here.
1968 was turning point for the poet's destiny; this year became remarkable by the volume of lyrical «Numele Tău» («Your name»), with an introductory written by Ion Druță. The book was appreciated by literary critics as the most original poetic appearance. In the year of it publishing, it became a subject of the study at the university within the courses designated for the contemporary national literature. Three poems in the volume are entitled: Tudor Arghezi, Lucian Blaga, Brâncuși, and another two are dedicated to Nicolae Labiș and Marin Sorescu. For the first time, in the post war period, such dedications has appeared in the Bessarabian lyrics.
Political activity
Since 1971, Grigore Vieru has been a member of Komsomol Organisation, the youth division of the Communist Party.
In 1973, Grigore Vieru has passed the Prut within a delegation of Soviet writers. He participated in the meeting with the editors of the «20th Century» magazine: Dan Haulică, Ștefan Augustin Doinaș, Ioanichie Olteanu, Geo Șerban, Tatiana Nicolescu. At his request, he has visited monasteries of Putna, Voroneț, Sucevița, Dragomirna, Văratec. He returned to Chișinău with a bag of books. Later the poet makes the following confession:
In 1974 and 1977, invited by the president of the Romanian Writers' Union, Vieru visited Bucharest, Constanța, Iași, and cities in Transylvania.
In 1978, the «Junimea» publishing house printed «The Friday Star», Vieru's first work published in Romania.
In 1989 he was elected member of Moldova's Parliament and campaigned for the unification of Romania and Moldova. The following year he was elected Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy. In 1992, the Romanian Academy recommended Vieru for the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 1995, he became a member of the Board of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company, and in 1996 he won several Romanian literary awards.
In 2000, Vieru was awarded the «Eminescu» Medal by the Romanian government.