En name	Tver
Ru name	Тверь
Federal subject	Tver Oblast
Adm ctr of	Tver Oblast
Urban okrug jur	Tver Urban Okrug
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Vladimir Ivanovich Babichev
Representative body	City Duma
Area km2	152
Pop census	407254
Pop census rank	45
Established date	1135
Prev name1	Tver
Prev name1 date	1931
Prev name2	Kalinin
Prev name2 date	1991
Postal codes	17xxxx
Dialing codes	+7 4822
Website	http://www.tver.ru/
Date	May 2010

Tver () is a city in Russia, the administrative center of Tver Oblast. Population: 405,500 (2007 est.); 408,903 (2002 Census). Tver, which is north of Moscow, was formerly the capital of a powerful medieval state and a model provincial town in Imperial Russia with population of 60,000 on 14 January 1913. It is at the confluence of the Volga and Tvertsa Rivers. The city was known as Kalinin () from 1931 to 1990.

Medieval origins

The first written record of Tver is dated 1135. Originally a minor settlement of Novgorodian traders, it passed to the Grand Prince of Vladimir in 1209. In 1246, Alexander Nevsky granted it to his younger brother Yaroslav Yaroslavich (d. 1271), from whom a dynasty of local princes descended. Four of them were killed by the Golden Horde and were proclaimed saints by the Russian Orthodox church.

Formerly a land of woods and bogs, the Tver principality was quickly transformed into one of the richest and most populous Russian states. As the area was hardly accessible for Tatar raids, there was a great influx of population from the recently devastated South. By the end of the century, it was ready to vie with Moscow for supremacy in Russia. Both Tver and Moscow were young cities, so the outcome of their rivalry was far from being certain.

Grand princedom

Mikhail of Tver, who ascended the throne of Vladimir in 1305, was one of the most beloved of medieval Russian rulers. His policy of open conflict with the Golden Horde led to his assassination there in 1318. His son Dmitry "the Terrible Eyes" succeeded him, and, concluding an alliance with the mighty Grand Duchy of Lithuania, managed to raise Tver's prestige even higher.

Exasperated by Dmitry's influence, Prince Ivan Kalita of Moscow engineered his murder by the Mongols in 1326. On hearing the news of this crime, the city revolted against the Horde. The Horde joined its forces with Muscovites and brutally repressed the rebellion. Many citizens were killed, enslaved, or deported. This was the fatal blow to Tver's pretensions for supremacy in Russia.

In the second half of the 14th century, Tver was further weakened by dynastic struggles between its princes. Two senior branches of the ruling house, those of Kashin and Kholmsky, asserted their claims to the grand ducal throne. The claimants were backed up by Moscow and eventually settled at the Moscow Kremlin court.

During the Great Feudal War in Muscovy, Tver once again rose to prominence and concluded defensive alliances with Lithuania, Novgorod, Byzantium, and the Golden Horde. Grand Prince Boris of Tver sent one of his men, Afanasiy Nikitin, to search for gold and diamonds as far as India. Nikitin's travelogue, describing his journey from 1466 to 1472, is probably the first ever firsthand account of India by a European. A monument to Nikitin was opened on the Volga embankment in 1955.

Later history

At last, on September 12, 1485, the forces of Ivan the Great seized the city. The principality was given as an appanage to Ivan's grandson, only to be abolished several decades later. Last scions of the ruling dynasty were executed by Ivan the Terrible during the Oprichnina. At that turbulent time, Tver was ruled by Simeon Bekbulatovich, a former khan of Kasimov. The only remnant of his ephemeral reign is a graceful tent-like church in the village of Kushalino, 28 km north-east of Tver.

The city's decline was not irrevocable, however. With the foundation of St. Petersburg, Tver gained importance as a principal station on the highway (and later railway) from Moscow to St. Petersburg. It was much visited by Russian royalty and nobility travelling from the old capital to the new one and back.

Following a great fire of 1763, the city was rebuilt in Neoclassical style. Under Catherine the Great, the downtown was thoroughly reconstructed. Crumbling medieval buildings were razed and replaced with imposing Neoclassical buildings. The most important of these are the Travel Palace of the Empress (designed by the celebrated Matvei Kazakov), and the Ascension church (designed by Prince Lvov and consecrated in 1813).

In 1931, the city was renamed Kalinin, after a notable Soviet leader Mikhail Kalinin who had been born nearby. A last vestige of the pre-Petrine epoch, the Saviour Cathedral, was blown up in 1936. In 1940 the NKVD executed more than 6,200 Polish policemen and prisoners of war from Ostashkov camp.

The Wehrmacht occupied Kalinin for two months in 1941, leaving the city in ashes. A large-scale resistance movement in the city and the region resulted in over 30,000 German soldiers and officers being killed during the occupation of the city. Kalinin was the first major city in Europe to be liberated from the Wehrmacht.

During the Cold War Kalinin was home to the air base Kryuchkovo, which is no longer in service. The historic name of Tver was restored in 1990.

Apart from the suburban White Trinity Church (1564), there are no ancient monuments left in Tver. The downtown is graced with Catharinian and Soviet edifices, bridges and embankments. Tver's most notable industries are a railroad car plant, opened in 1898, an excavator factory, and a glass making factory. Tver is home to Migalovo, which is one of Russia's biggest military airlift facilities.

Education

Tver is home to Tver State University, the most highly rated university of the region. It is also home to the Tver State technical university, medical, and agricultural academies and more than 20 colleges and lyceums, branch campuses of some Moscow higher educational institutions and more than 50 high schools.

The Tver State Medical Academy is a medical school located in Tver, one of the largest and most reputable in Russia.

Tver also houses the Zhukov Air and Space Defence Academy the main college of the Voiska PVO

Tver also has around 50 secondary schools, a private school (lycee) and a Suvorov military school

Religion

Tver has 4 functioning Russian orthodox cathedrals, 15 orthodox churches, a catholic church, the Tver central mosque and a synagogue

Transport

Tver is on the main railway line and the main motorway linking Moscow and St Petersburg. There is a river boat terminal on the River Volga. Local public transport consists of buses, trolleybuses, trams, and suburban trains.

Culture

Tver is home to:

*Tver Oblast Academic Drama Theatre

Tver State Youth Theatre

Tver State Puppet Theatre

Tver State philharmonic orchestra

Tver State Circus

The Tver Oblast Art Gallery

The Tver state Art architecture and Literature Museum

Sport

The city football team, FC Volga Tver, plays in the Russian Second Division.

Notable natives

Embankment in Tver]]

Igor Aksyonov, footballer

Anastasia Dobromyslova, professional darts player

Vladimir Gardin - actor and film director

Ilya Kovalchuk, NHL professional hockey player

Mikhail Krug, singer

Miron Akimovich Ljubovsky, surgeon

Afanasy Nikitin, merchant and explorer

Boris Pugo, politician

Nadia Russo, pioneering aviatrix

Alexander Smirnov (figure skater) - ice skater

Andrei Tupolev, aircraft designer. Born in the region and went to school in Tver

Viktor Troicki, professional tennis player. Competitor for Serbia

Yuri Zhdanov , chemistry professor and husband of Svetlana Aliluyeva

Twin towns — Sister cities

Tver is twinned with: Bergamo, Italy Kaposvár, Hungary Osnabrück, Germany Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria Besançon, France Lublin, Poland Hämeenlinna, Finland Buffalo, USA Yingkou, People's Republic of China

References

* This article incorporates material translated from Russian Wikipedia

Category:Populated places on the Volga Category:Former countries in Europe Category:Cities of Military Glory *

Name	Ros Serey Sothea
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Ros Sothea
Born	1946
Died	1977(note: records from this time are not clear, but it is very likely that she was murdered by the Khmer Rouge)
Origin	Battambang, Cambodia
Genre	Psychedelic rock Garage rock Kbach Romvong Saravan Blues Bosanova Film Music Classical Khmer Music
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1967–1975
Associated acts	Sinn Sisamouth Eng Nary Im Song Seum In Yeng Chea Savoeun Pan Ron Dara Choumchan

Ros Serey Sothea () (1948 – 1977 ) was a famous Cambodian singer during the nation's thriving cultural renaissance. She sang from a variety of genres but romantic ballads emerged as her most popular works. Despite a rather short career she is credited with producing hundreds of songs and even starring in a few movies. Details of her life and fate during the Khmer Rouge is relatively unknown but it is generally accepted she did not survive.

Biography

Early life

Ros Sothea was born in 1948 to Ros Sabun and Nath Samean in Battambang Province. Growing up relatively poor, Ros Sothea was the second youngest of five children and displayed vocal talent around the age of three or four. Her talent would remain relatively hidden until she was persuaded by friends to join a regional singing contest in 1963. After winning the contest she gained the attention and praise of the province and was invited to join Lomhea Yothea (a musical troupe) which regularly performed at Stung Khiev Restaurant in Battambang. It is believed that Im Song Seurm, a singer from the National Radio heard of Sothear's talents and invited her to the capital, Phnom Penh in 1967.

Music career

In Phnom Penh, she adopted the alias Ros Sereysothea and became a singer for National Radio performing duets with Im Song Seurm. Her first hit, Stung Khieu debuted the same year and she quickly attracted fans with her clear and high pitch voice. Eventually she became a regular partner with Sinn Sisamouth another famous singer of the era and they were a smashing success. She also performed with other prominent singers of the era such as Pan Ron, Houy Meas, and Sos Mat.

Recognized as a national treasure she was honored by King Norodom Sihanouk with the royal title of "Preah Reich Theany Somlang Meas", the "Golden Voice of the Royal Capital".

The style of music early in her career is characterized by traditional Cambodian ballads and duets. She would eventually shift to a more contemporary style by combining romantic ballads drenched in loss, betrayal, and death with Western instruments. This change of style is most likely be attributed to her traumatic marriage with fellow singer, Sos Mat.

By the 1970s, Sothear began experimenting in other genres. Her high, clear voice, coupled with the rock backing bands featuring prominent, distortion-laden lead guitars, pumping organ and loud, driving drums, made for an intense, sometimes haunting sound that is best described today as psychedelic or garage rock. And like the leader of the music scene, Sinn Sisamouth, Sothear would often take popular Western rock tunes, such as John Fogerty's "Proud Mary" and refashion them with Khmer lyrics.

Her career would continue until the Khmer Rouge captured the beleaguered capital, Phnom Penh in April 1975.

Personal life

Sothea's personality is invariably described as modest and reserved. She is known to have been involved in a few relationships throughout her life. When she arrived in Phnom Penh, she eventually caught the eye of fellow singer Sos Mat who was already legally married to two other wives but wanted her hand in marriage. This eventually came to be but their marriage lasted only a short six months. Sos Mat became insanely jealous of her success and of the men who came to watch her perform. Traumatized by the emotional and physical abuse since she was a constant envy of both of his wives, as well as domestic violence from Sos Mat, she then fled to back to her native Battambang. It wasn't until Sinn Sisamouth vowed to protect her did she return to Phnom Penh to resume her career.

Her next relationship was with the son of the famous Van Chan theatre owner. Their marriage resulted in a son but for undocumented reasons they separated. It is believed a general of Lon Nol's government who was insanely in love with her, kidnapped and held her against her will. She is also noted to have had a relationship with a parachutist of the Khmer Republic.

The Killing Fields

Like everyone else when the Khmer Rouge took over, she was forced to leave Phnom Penh. There are many speculations regarding her fate from a variety witnesses.

Some say Sothea was forced by Pol Pot to marry one of his assistants in 1977 who was said to have argued with her and beaten her often. She then disappeared under typically mysterious circumstances and is almost certainly dead. Other accounts believe that she died from being overworked in a Khmer Rouge agricultural camp. Another account said that she was still alive when the Vietnamese invading forces arrived in Phnom Penh and died of malnutrition shortly after in a hospital.

Finally, her sisters insist that Sothea along their mother and children were taken to Kampong Som province and executed immediately following the Fall of Phnom Penh.

Legacy

With the cultural upheaval by the Khmer Rouge, scant evidence of Ros Serey Sothear's life remains. However, many recordings have survived and have started to gain exposure through reissues on cassette and CD.

Songs by Sothea, Sinn Sisamouth and other Cambodian singers of the era, Meas Samoun, Chan Chaya, Choun Malai and Pan Ron, are featured on the soundtrack to Matt Dillon's film City of Ghosts. Tracks by Sothea are "Have You Seen My Love", "I'm Sixteen" and "Wait Ten Months". Also "I'm Sixteen" was taken for the soundtrack of the 2010 movie of Detlev Buck "Same Same, but different"

The Los Angeles band Dengue Fever, which features Cambodian lead singer Chhom Nimol, covers a number of songs by Sothea and other singers from the short-lived Cambodian rock and roll scene.

Partial discography

Rock

"Chnam Oun Dop Prum Mouy (I'm 16)

"Cry Loving Me"

"Don't Be Mad"

"Hair Cut, Hair Cut"

"Have You Seen My Love"

"I'm So Shy"

"Phey! Phey!" (Scared! Scared!)

"Since When You Knew Me"

"Wait Ten Months"

"Wicked Husband"

"Mdeth gall daltarm kyum?(why do you follow me?)

"Klein jurp nersa (The fragrant that lasts with me)

"Rom Woolly Bully

"Bong Srolań Oun Ponman Der (Tell Me How Much You Love Me)

"Po Pruk Po Lngeach

"Penh Chet Tae Bong Muoy"

Romvong

"Kaduk Dol Heuy"

"Komping Puoy"

"Rolum Saen Kraw"

"Sarika Keo Kauch"

Saravann

"Sra Muy Keo" (One Shot)

Slow

"Bopha Akasajal"

"Jomno Pailin"

"Kom Plich Oun Na"

"New Year's Eve"

"Pink Night"

"Pga Reige Leu Maik"

"Pruos Reing Awej?"

"Lort sene duong chan

"Chross O'yadao

"Somnerng Bopha prey phnom(songs of the jungle girl)

"Sralmall sene khyum(Shadow of my love)

"Chmreing sene khyum(Story of my love)

"Alay bong cher net(always misses you)

"Teurk hoe teu (river flow)

"Bong ban sonyah(You've promise)

"Soum ros khbere bong

"Oun soum angvall (I beg of you)

"Oun neul tharl rong jum (I will still wait)

"Complete men ban ( Can't forget)

"Oun smak bong smoss

"Oun sralnane bong nas( I love you so much)

"San nuk alay

"Men gor sralane bong( I shouldn't love you)

"Chup sralane men ban (Can't stop loving you)

"Jum neu tharl jum

"Oun jum bong cher neth

"Pros bondoll chiet

"Kum keng oun na bong

"Rom cha cha cha

"Jum loss sone

"Bong tvere eouy oun yume(You made me cry)

"Yume samrapp thngay ness

"Sall anosaovary

"Lane khume teu (let me go)

"Bondam stung keiv

"Reastrei buth sene (missing lover of the night)

"Pkah orchid

"Auh! seneha khyume

"Verjah boross (the word of men)

"Popol gomah

"Prote svamei

"Oun soum phneu chheung

"San klotpsa

"Chhba mon reing khyum

"Norok lokei(The sin of man)

"Ahso kasalmerlerr

"Rolok songka therm svamei

"Thmnorng leakina

"Thgnay lett oun sralnoss(When sunset,I miss u)

"Tropeang Peay

"San chok chem

"Pathchere sralnoss

"Gonsan nisei

"Machass sene oun

"Chmreing avasane

Konsaeng Krohom(Red Scarf)

Pros Del Ka'bor Chet (Man who betrays)

Veal Srey Sronoh

Duets with Sinn Sisamouth

"Ae Na Promajarey"

"Bos Choong"

"Chom Chait Pesaey"

"Chor Louch Jet"

"Have a Caramel"

"Jong ban pka avey?"("What flower do you want?"

"Kay Tha Kyom Jass"

"Konarb snaeha" ("Love poem")

"Komnoch veyo"

"Pneik Kmohuoch"

"Nao Tae Srolan

"Oh! snaeha euy!" ("Oh! Love...")

"Oun Rom Som Tae"

"Sronos Oh Jrov"

"Soniya 3 Tngai"(A Promise for 3 Days)

"Tesepheap Prolim"

"Tiev Euy Srey Tiev"

"Tmor Kol Sromol Snae"

"Tok Bong Om Skat"

"Yaop Yun Thun Trojeak"

"Yerng Kom Plich Knear"

Duets with Other Artists

Kmao Euy Kmao(Em Song Seum-1972)

Komloss Kromum Heu Ha(Em Song Seum-1972)

Komloss Kromum Srok Srae

Hann Pnal Da Ey(Eng Nary)

Soll Tae Card

Pka Sarai

References

A Voice from the Killing Fields

Queen of Golden Voice: A Biography of Ros Serey Sothear

An Interview with Ros Serey Sother's Sisters (in Khmer)

External links

The Golden Voice, short film about Ros Sereysothea by Greg Cahill

Don't Think I've Forgotten - A documentary about the Khmer rock and roll scene.

Ros Sereysothea - Biography, Videos, Music, Pictures - A fan site.

Freedom Deal - Dramatic feature film with Cambodian rock and roll soundtrack elements

Category:Cambodian singers Category:Cambodian musicians Category:1948 births Category:Khmer female singers Category:Murdered entertainers Category:1970s deaths Category:Year of death unknown