The State Museum of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan has a unique copy of a collection of poems by Makhtumkuli Fraghi. This is reported by Asmannews online edition.
The peculiarity of this volume lurks in its history. In 1942, 18-year-old junior lieutenant Seyitniyaz Ataev took a collection of Makhtumkuli's poems with him to the front. Between battles, he read the classic poem to his fellow soldiers. After one of the battles, the soldier found a bullet mark on the collection, realizing that it had saved him from death. From that moment on, Makhtumkuli's collection of poems became his talisman.
Subsequently, the young soldier became a holder of four orders: "Red Banner", "Alexander Nevsky", "Patriotic War" of the 2nd degree, "Red Star". In peacetime Seyitniyaz Ataev became a prominent public figure, writer, publicist, linguist, translator, novelist, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. He is the author of a number of novels, essays, and a movie script.
The war veteran was awarded the State Prize of Turkmenistan named after Makhtumkuli, the titles of Honored Worker of Culture of the country and Honorary Elder of the Nation. March 19 marked the 100th anniversary of Seyitniyaz Ataev's birth.
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