Aco Shopov Bust

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Aco Šopov, a Macedonian poet, left his mark on Yugoslavian literature as one of its most influential figures. Born in 1923, he served in World War II's Yugoslavian front from 1941 to 1945 and published his war-time poems under the title "Pesni" (Poems) in Belgrade, Kumanovo, and Štip between 1944 and 1945. These collections marked a historic moment as they were the first poetry volumes to be released in Macedonian language post-war. Šopov held esteemed positions within prominent organizations such as the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (1967) and the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts as a corresponding member (1968). His educational background included graduating from Skopje's University Philosophy Department and Belgrade's Higher Political School. Furthermore, he served as the president of the Translators' Union and Writers' Union in the Socialist Republic of Macedonia during the 1950s and 1960s, and of Yugoslavia's Writers' Union between 1965 and 1969. Between 1970 and 1977, Šopov worked as a diplomat. Šopov's early life was marked by an atmosphere of illness, loss, sadness, and loneliness - themes that would later permeate his poetry. He referred to this period as the "Hundred-headed monster." His mother died prematurely when he was just eleven years old due to a serious illness. Šopov began writing poetry at fourteen in a school notebook. In 1943, at nineteen, Aco Šopov joined the Yugoslavian Partisans' resistance against Nazi occupying forces. During this period, he continued writing poetry and found inspiration in his personal experiences. His poems proved to be highly personal even when addressing social or patriotic themes, as seen in his description of fellow partisan Vera Jocić's death. Šopov's departure from socialist realism with the publication of "Verses of Suffering and Joy" was initially met with criticism but later recognized for its authenticity. Speaking with his own voice, Šopov charted a unique path in poetry without being a dissident. He stated, "The greatest challenge and the greatest moral responsibility of the poet is to find the right words to express the contents and ideas he wants to convey in an authentic and inimitable way." If this fails, the poem becomes distorted, the word loses its meaning. In 1967, Aco Šopov became a founding member of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts. He received the AVNOJ Prize in 1970, which is the highest recognition in science and art within the former Yugoslavia.