Karlis Ernestovich Kundzin

Kundzin’, Karlis Ernestovich 

Born July 14 (27), 1902, in Sasmaka, now Valdemarpils, Talsi Raion. Soviet historian of literature and theater; doctor of art studies (1969).

Kundzin’ graduated from the University of Latvia in 1941 and began teaching there, as well as at the Latvian Conservatory. In 1949 he became head of the section for the history of Latvian literature in the Institute of Language and Literature of the Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR.

Kundzin’s Latvian Theater (1963) is the first work in Soviet theater criticism to investigate the development of Latvian theater from its origins to the 1960’s. His other works include The Repertoire of the Latvian Theater Up to 1940 (1953), History of the Latvian Theater (vols. 1–2, 1968–72), and chapters in such collective works as History of Latvian Literature (vols. 1–6, 1956–63) and History of Soviet Dramatic Theater (vols. 1, 4, and 5, 1966–69). He was awarded the State Prize of the Latvian SSR in 1972.