Veronika Polonskaya is a Soviet actress of theater and cinema. Veronika Polonskaya and Mayakovsky

Veronika Polonskaya is a Soviet actress of cinema and theater. Her fate is closely connected with Mayakovsky. It was Polonskaya who was the last love of the great poet. And she is the last person who saw Mayakovsky alive. Veronica witnessed his suicide.

Biography of Veronika Polonskaya

Veronika Polonskaya was born June 6, 1908 in the family of Russian actors of the Maly Theater. Her father, Witold Polonsky, was known and popular in the Russian pre-revolutionary cinematography. Mother, Olga Gladkova, also acted in film. Veronica Polonskaya relatives and friends called affectionately Nora.

Where Polonskaya studied

When Veronika Polonskaya turned 16 in 1924, she entered the Moscow Art Theater. After the termination Nora remained to work in it. But the study did not end there. She took acting lessons from Konstantin Stanislavsky and Nikolai Batalov.

Career of Polonskaya

Veronika Polonskaya is an actress of Soviet cinema. Her career began with childhood. For the first time she starred in cinema as a child, along with her father, in the movie "When the Lilacs Bloom", which was released in 1917. In the film, Veronica played the part of Alla. The screen adaptation was performed based on the novel "Pan" by Laurich Bruun. After the first shootings, Veronica was fascinated by the magic of the cameras and decided to devote her life to the cinema.

In 1918, Father Polonskaya signed a very profitable contract with Hollywood. And Veronica had to leave with her parents in the US. But on January 5, 1919 Witold Polonsky died suddenly. As a result, Nora and her mother stayed at home.

Many people remember the performance "Our Youth", in which Veronica played. The debut of Polonskaya in Soviet cinema took place in the film "The Glass Eye". This was the first picture in which the matured Veronica played. From 1927 to 1935 Polonskaya constantly played in the plays. The last place of work of the actress - the theater. Ermolaeva. In 1973, Polonskaya retired.

Roles in films played by Veronika Polonskaya

1. "When the Lilacs Bloom" - the role of Alla.
2. "Swamp mirages". Played Lisa's sister - Faith.
3. The "Glass Eye" is the main character.
4. "Conveyor of Death" - the role of Eleanor.
5. "Three comrades" - played the wife of Latsis, Irina.
6. "War and Peace". Role in the episode.
7. "Smile at the neighbor." She played Varvara Vershinin.
8. Mother Mary. The role of Sophia Pilenko.

Personal life of an actress

In 1925 Veronika Vitoldovna Polonskaya married the actor Mikhail Mikhailovich Yanshin. Despite her love affair with Mayakovsky, she could not admit to her husband of treason. And for many years he was in ignorance. The whole truth about the love affair between Polonskaya and Mayakovsky surfaced after the suicide of the poet, thanks to his farewell note, in which he recognized Veronica as his heir along with his relatives. Polonskaya was disgraced throughout the country. When the betrayal was opened, a divorce followed.

Polonskaya second time married Valery Alexandrovich Azersky. In 1936 he gave birth to a son. It was named after Vladimir Mayakovsky. Then Azersky was repressed, and Polonskaya got married for the third time for the Soviet actor Dmitry Pavlovich of Thebes. He adopted her son, who eventually went to live in the US.

Introduction to Mayakovsky

With Mayakovsky Polonskaya met in 1929. Nora at that time was already 21 years old. After filming the movie "Glass Eye" Veronica was invited to run by her husband Lily Brick. There she first saw Mayakovsky. Later they met at a party with Kataev. And after that they began to see each other more often.

After a while, Veronica began to often visit his apartment on the Lubyanka. There was a working room of the poet. Mayakovsky showed Veronica many books. He captivated her by reading his poems and interesting stories about abroad. Often they walked around the city and talked. Veronica Polonskaya and Mayakovsky became close after a short time after acquaintance. The apartment on Lubyanka became their place for love meetings.

How the novel of Polonskaya developed with Mayakovsky

Polonskaya and Mayakovsky met secretly in the apartment. The husband of Polonskaya did not know about this. In one of the meetings, Mayakovsky confessed to Veronica in love. She responded to his feelings, but was very jealous of other women. She did not leave her husband. Perhaps she had a premonition that the connection with Mayakovsky would not last long. Veronica came to see him almost every day for several hours before the theater. And then went to work.

Mayakovsky did not like actors, but Veronica was an exception for him. Although over time he began to demand that she leave the theater. But Polonskaya refused. After her confession to her in love, Mayakovsky began affectionately calling her "bride".

At the same time, he tried to meet his former love - Tatyana Yakovleva, but before her came the rumors of his new novel with Polonskaya. Yakovleva got married. Mayakovsky was experiencing this event. He immediately began to require Veronica to legalize their relationship. But Polonskaya was married and did not intend to confess to her husband that she was betraying him.

Sharp corners in relations with Mayakovsky

Mayakovsky always had a very complex and difficult character. The poet was haunted by frequent mood changes. The society was rumored that he was sick. Recently, their relationship with Veronica Polonskaya was very strained in an emotional sense. He then graciously persuaded her to marry him, then tried to achieve her positive decision by threats.

In 1930, Polonskaya had many difficult rehearsals, and there was less time for frequent meetings. Because of this, he with even greater ardor insisted on leaving Veronica from the theater. They often quarreled, often on trifles. At the meetings Veronika Polonskaya often was late or appeared on them together with her husband. Sometimes she did not come at all.

Mayakovsky was previously very hot-tempered. And for some time before suicide he became even more angry, irritable. April 12 Mayakovsky decides to speak with Polonskaya for the last time. He called her at the theater, they agreed on a meeting. On this day, Veronica asked him to leave for a short rest, for a couple of days. Mayakovsky promised, but stayed home.

The next day they met again. The conversation turned into regular clarification of the relationship. It was then that the veil fell from Veronica's eyes. She saw a weary and sick man in front of her, tried to calm him down. But Mayakovsky took out his revolver and promised to kill Polonskaya, even put a muzzle on it. But he did not shoot.

The tragic death of beloved Polonskaya

Veronika Polonskaya, whose biography is closely connected with the name of Mayakovsky, is the only one who saw the poet on the day of suicide. On April 14 he brought her to his room. He locked the door with a key. He cried, did not let go of her, and demanded that she no longer return to the theater. But I did not achieve anything. Polonskaya took from him twenty rubles for a taxi and went to the exit. Suddenly I heard a shot behind me. Rushing back, Veronica saw Mayakovsky with a wound in his chest. They could not save the poet. He died almost immediately.

At the funeral Polonskaya did not go, although their connection was still known to the whole world. Mother and sisters of Mayakovsky considered her guilty of his death. And he made Veronica his heir.

last years of life

According to the actress, this last year of the novel with Mayakovsky was for her the happiest and most unhappy at the same time. For many years the society about her preferred to forget, she was considered guilty of the death of the poet. Veronica no one was interested, even the press did not ask questions. And only after many years the history of her life became interesting to the world, and in particular the affair with Mayakovsky. Veronica Polonskaya died in September 1994.