Isaac Babel met Antonina Pirzhkova in 1932. She was a young engineer, born in Siberia. She had moved to Moscow and was working on the metro system. He was an imaginative, bold Jewish man born in Ukraine. He was determined to capture the world around him through stories. Although the two differed in many ways, they shared the desire to understand what it means to be human.

Pirzhkova’s love knew no bounds. After Babel’s death, her unceasing love for him fueled her efforts to preserve his name and works until her death. Many of Babel’s stories that had been destroyed or seized were found and published with Pirzhkova’s guidance. As a result of these efforts, we are left with dozens of stories, reminisces and letters that we would not have otherwise. These tellings and re-tellings form a vivid approximation of Babel’s character, allowing us to remember the great author as if we once knew him, too.

The story of Babel’s and Pirozhkova’s love, in Russian:

“Моя жизнь с Бабелем была очень счастливой. Мне нравилось в нем все, шарм его был неотразим, перед ним нельзя было устоять. В его поведении, походке, жестикуляции была какая-то элегантность. На него приятно было смотреть, его интересно было слушать, словами он меня просто завораживал, и не только меня, а всех, кто с ним общался. К Бабелю тянулись разнообразные люди, и не потому только, что он был человеком высокой культуры, великолепным рассказчиком, но и благодаря свойствам его характера. Женщины были в него влюблены и говорили: «С Бабелем хоть на край света». Бабель познакомил меня со многими мужчинами: писателями, поэтами, кинорежиссерами, актерами, наездниками, но никто из них не мог сравниться с Бабелем.” – Antonina Pirozhkova

“My life with Babel was very happy. I liked everything about him…his charm was irresistible, it was impossible to say no to him. In his behavior, his walk, his gesticulations, there was this sort-of elegance. It was pleasant to look at him, interesting to listen to him; he bewitched me with his words, and not only me, but everyone who spoke to him. All sorts of people gravitated to Babel, and not because he was a person of high culture or a wonderful storyteller, but because of the virtues of his character. The women were all in love with him and would say: “With Babel, to the end of the world.” Babel introduced me to many men: writers, poets, directors, actors, jockeys, but not one of them could compare to him.” – Antonina Pirozhkova