‘Either Die or Write’: Yuli Chepurin and the Story of the Stalingraders

Pictured: Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov, Colonel-General of the 62nd Army (right), among the participants of Yuri Chepurin’s play “Stalingradtsy”: in the center is A.P. Khovansky, performer of the role of the army’s Chief of Staff; next to him is A.E. Khokhlov, performer of the role of Army Commander Dybin. The production was staged by A.D. Popov. Red Army Theatre, April 1949.

Yuli Chepurin’s life brings together his passion for the arts with his firsthand experiences during the war. Born in 1914 in Saratov to a working-class family, he began his career in the arts after graduating from a theater technical school, working as an actor at the Saratov Drama Theater while also writing plays. His path shifted during the Great Patriotic War, when he became a war correspondent for the army newspaper Stalinskoye Znamya, spending extensive time on the front lines and producing a significant volume of reporting and creative work.

Chepurin’s writing was deeply shaped by the realities of war. During the defense of Stalingrad, he stood alongside its defenders, documenting the courage and resilience of soldiers through articles and essays published in front-line newspapers. His experiences inspired some of his most notable work, including the play Stalingraders, which was based on the heroic defenders in the famous battle.

Pictured: Yuli Chepurin during the Great Patriotic War.

When interviewed about Chepurin’s account of the fierce defense of the famous Pavlov’s House in Stalingrad, Yuli’s wife Taisiya Sergeyevna Chepurina shared the following:

“The fact that Pavlov was the first to break into this house and managed to defend it with his comrades in the first days surrounded the sergeant with an aura of soldierly glory. And there's no need to diminish the heroism of the Pavlovites with various theories and speculations, citing the system! […] How many ill-wishers Yuli Petrovich had when, during the Battle of the Volga, he decided to create a play, ‘Stalingraders,’ about the city's defenders! They thought he was crazy; they wanted to court-martial him...

Pictured: Cover page for Yuli Chepurin’s play Stalingraders.

By decision of the Front Military Council, he was relieved of his current duties at the newspaper Stalinskoye Znamya (Stalin Banner) for a month and, on 13 January 1943, sent to Akhtuba [the Akhtuba River is a distributary of the Volga – MK] to write a play about the Battle of Stalingrad. A month had not yet passed, only half of the play was written, when he received an order from Ilya Izrailevich Troskunov, editor-in-chief of Stalinskoye Znamya and Khrushchev's ally, to return to the newspaper immediately.

I remember Yuli Petrovich's reasoning: ‘For disobeying orders, I face a court martial. But if the play is a success and I secure positive reviews from those who fought in the Battle of Stalingrad, perhaps they'll grant me leniency. And so I decided: either die or write the play.’

Upon learning that Army Commander Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov had arrived at the Akhtuba Rest Home, Chepurin approached the general and asked to hear the scenes related to the Military Council of the 62nd Army. Here's how Yuli Petrovich himself recalls the army commander's reaction:

'Where were you sitting, under your bunk, when the Military Council met, or did you have spies? Where did you get this material, I wonder?' Chuikov asked, surprised.

'Comrade General, this is a writer's intuition, speculation, fantasy.’

'Fantasy... Is this what fantasy is about? Who are you? Where did you come from with your fantasy? No, you're a fine fellow, a fine fellow. What do you want from me?’

'Nothing, Comrade Commander. Just your kind word, if you approve.'

Chepurin's case had already been tribunaled, but he didn't mention it to Chuikov, didn't use his name. [Yuli Petrovich] was saved by Lieutenant General Kuzma Gurov [who served in the Military Council of Chuikov’s 62^nd Army – MK], who was soon appointed to replace Khrushchev as a member of the Southern Front's Military Council. And Konstantin Simonov ‘gave’ [Chepurin] a commission from a Moscow theater for a play about the Stalingraders.”

Pictured: Cover page for the program for the Stalingraders play.

When the play was complete, he dedicated it to Gurov, who did not live to see the end of the war—he passed away in September 1943.

After the war, he continued to write and was recognized with prestigious awards for his contributions to literature. Chepurin lived a long life dedicated to storytelling and remembrance. He died on 14 September 2003, leaving behind a legacy that preserves the human experience of war through both journalism and theater