Shtein, Aleksandr Petrovich

Born Sept. 15 (28), 1906, in Samarkand. Soviet Russian playwright. Member of the CPSU since 1930.

Shtein, the son of office workers, has worked as a journalist since 1923. His plays, which are mainly devoted to military and revolutionary history, include The Spring of ‘21 (1939), which deals with the tragic events of the Kronstadt Anti-Soviet Rebellion in 1921 and the defeat of the counterrevolution, and The Admiral’s Flag (1950; State Prize of the USSR, 1951), which is about the Russian naval commander F. F. Ushakov. Shtein’s best plays are characterized by sharp conflicts and complex psychological characterizations. Openly tendentious, they are notable for their social commentary. They include Talent (1936), The Ocean (1961), Between Downpours (1964), and Applause (1967). The plays A Personal Case (1954) and The Hotel Astoria (1956) focus on the dramatic fates of people and the restoration of Leninist norms in party life. Shtein has also written literary-biographical dramas and screenplays, including The Court of Honor (1948; State Prize of the USSR, 1949), Admiral Ushakov (1952), The Ships Storm the Bastions (1953) and A Version (1977), as well as short stories. He has been awarded two orders and several medals.