Ilya Shtemler

Ilya Shtemler (Russian: Илья Штемлер; bornJanuary 18, 1933)is a Soviet and Russian writer.

Shtemler was born in Baku, graduated from the Baku Industrial Institute in 1957 and then worked as an engineer, first in the oil industry in the Volga region and then on the "Geologorazvedka" factory in Leningrad, city which eventually became his second home.Shtemler's novels “Univermag” (“The department store”), “Poezd” (“Train”), “Utrennee shosse” (“Morning highway”) are assertively realistic description of the life in 60s, 70s and 80s Russia. His first novel “The Grandmaster’s Mark” was published in 1965 in the Yunost literary magazine and brought immediate recognition to its author.

Ilia Shtemler is an active campaigner for the protection of Russian historical heritage. In 2006 Shtemler became vice-president of the St. Petersburg division of the PEN club.