Unknown Letters from R. Rolland to the Siberian Writer G. Vyatkin (Based on the Materials of the Department of Manuscripts of the IWL RAS)

Abstract:

Rolland’s greeting to the Congress of Siberian Writers and letters to Siberian writers written by Rolland in 1928 are a little-known but significant episode in R. Rolland’s relations with the USSR. They were written at Gorky’s request in a letter to Rolland dated March 23, 1928. Gorky’s request was connected with a scandal that broke out in the émigré press in Paris in 1927–1928 in connection with the publication of an anonymous appeal to “Writers of the World” on the situation of writers in the USSR. Rolland’s greeting was supposed to draw the attention of the West to the literature of Siberia, which was known to Rolland only from German geographical atlases. In response, Rolland received several letters from Siberian writers who were grouped around the “Siberian Lights” magazine. In particular, Georgy Vyatkin (1885–1938, repressed), a Siberian poet, writer, playwright, publicist, an active participant in the literary processes in Siberia, one of the founders of modern Siberian literature, entered into correspondence with Rolland. The Department of Manuscripts has preserved two letters from Rolland to Vyatkin, written six years apart. In them, Rolland touches on important topics that were at the center of attention of the world community at that time, related to the discussion of the results of the October Revolution and what is happening in the USSR, in particular, Panait Istrati’s trip to the USSR, and also shares his understanding of the main principles of literary creativity.

REFERENCES

1. Arias-Vikhil’, A. “Privetstvie R. Rollana S”ezdu sibirskikh pisatelei (1928)” [“R. Rolland’s Greeting to the Congress of Siberian Writers (1928)”]. Sibir’ kak pole mezhkul’turnykh vzaimodeistvii [Siberia as a Field of Intercultural Interactions]. Moscow, Azbukovnik Publ., 2021, pp. 476–494. (In Russ.)
2. Arias-Vikhil’, A. “Rollan i Gor’kii: vokrug puteshestviia R. Rollana v SSSR (1935)” [“Rolland and Gorky: Around R. Rolland’s Journey to the USSR (1935)”]. Postizhenie Zapada. Inostrannaia kul’tura v sovetskoi literature, iskusstve i teorii. 1917–1941 gg. [Comprehension of the West: Foreign Culture in Soviet Literature, Art and Theory, 1917–1941]. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2015, pp. 59–118. (In Russ.)
3. Arkhiv M. Gor’kogo [Archive of A.M. Gorky], vol. 14: Neizdannaya perepiska [Unpublished Correspondence]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1976. 532 p. (In Russ.)
4. Arkhiv M. Gor’kogo [Archive of A.M. Gorky], vol. 15: M. Gor’kii i R. Rollan. Perepiska (1916–1936) [M. Gorky and R. Rolland. Correspondence (1916–1936)], part 1. Moscow, Nasledie Publ., 1995. 543 p. (In Russ.)
5. Goethe, W. Poeziia i pravda: iz moei zhizni [Poetry and Truth: From My Life], trans. by N.A. Kholodkovskii, introd. and comm. by E.M. Braudo. Peterburg; Moscow, Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo Publ., 1923. 188 p. (In Russ.)
6. Kozhevnikov, S.E., and Koptelov, A.L., editors. Gor’kii i Sibir’. Pis’ma, vospominaniia [Gorky and Siberia: Letters, Memories]. Novosibirsk, Novosi- birskoe knizhnoe izdatel’stvo , 1961. 463 p. (In Russ.)
7. Dubrovskii, “‘Dik i chuden Altai…’ (po materialam Arkhiva G.A. Viatki- na v IRLI RAN)” [“‘Wild and Wonderful Altai…’ (Based on the Materials of the Archive of G.A. Vyatkin in IRL RAS)”]. Sibir’ kak pole mezhkul’turnykh vzaimodeistvii [Siberia as a Field of Intercultural Interactions]. Moscow, Azbukovnik Publ., 2021, pp. 450–475. (In Russ.)
8. Ivanov, Vs. “Bronepoezd 14-69”. Konteksty epokhi [“Armored Train 14-69”: Contexts of the Epoch]. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2018. 736 p. (In Russ.)
9. Legen’kova, A. “Puteshestvie v Rossiiu 1928 g. glazami Eleni Samios- Kazandzakis: v zashchitu Panaita Istrati” [“The Journey to Russia in 1928 through the eyes of Eleni Samios-Kazandzakis: In Defense of Panait Istrati”]. Noveishaia istoriia Rossii, no. 3, 2015, pp. 110–120. (In Russ.)
10. “Literaturnaia stolitsa Sibiri” [“Literary Capital of Siberia”]. Istoriia goroda: Novonikolaevsk — Novosibirsk. Istoricheskie ocherki [The History of the City: Novonikolaevsk — Novosibirsk; Historical Essays], vol. 1. Novosibirsk, Istoricheskoe nasledie Sibiri Publ., 2005, pp. 505–564. (In Russ.)
11. Arias-Vikhil’, A., editor. “Pis’ma Romena Rollana (1928–1936)” [“Letters from Romain Rolland (1928–1936)”]. Postizhenie Zapada. Inostrannaya kul’tura v sovetskoj literature, iskusstve i teorii. 1917–1941 gg. [Comprehension of the West: Foreign Culture in Soviet Literature, Art and Theory, 1917–1941]. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2015. 872 p. (In Russ.)
12. Sumatokhina, V. M. Gor’kij i pisateli Sibiri. [M. Gorky and Writers of Siberia]. Moscow, INFRA-M Publ., 2013. 235 p. (In Russ.)
13. Kharitonova, Iu. “Ot revoliutsionera k renegatu. Transformatsiia obra- za Panaita Istrati v tsentral’noi sovetskoi pechati kontsa dvadtsatykh — nachala tridtsatykh godov” [“From revolutionary to renegade: Transfor- mation of the Image of Panait Istrati in the Central Soviet Press of the Late Twenties — Early Thirties”]. Novye rossiiskie gumanitarnye issledovaniia, no. 10, 2015, pp. 20–30. (In Russ.)