Literary Magazine “The Present” and Maxim Gorky: To the History of the Conflict

Abstract

The article discusses the history of the conflict between the literary magazine “The Present” and Maxim Gorky. It is shown that the attitude towards Gorky on the pages of the magazine was not always critical (but at first completely complimentary) and changed over time. The starting point of the conflict is the controversy around Gorky’s review in the “Izvestia” newspaper of Nikolai Aseev’s book “The Make-up Beauty”. A possible reason for Maxim Gorky’s sharp reaction to Aseev’s criticism is indicated: in a discussion with Gorky of modern Soviet literature Aseev chooses a mentoring tone. The further development of the conflict is traced on the pages of periodicals (Gorky’s article “The working class must educate its masters of culture”). The sharply critical reaction of the Novosibirsk Proletkult to this article, which also affected the authors of “The Present”, is shown. The reaction to the conflict of Robert Eikhe at the plenum of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (VKP(b)) is shown. It can be seen how the magazine is trying to soften its policy. It is indicated that these attempts were belated and did not succeed. It is shown how the resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks “On the speeches of a part of Siberian writers and literary organizations against Maxim Gorky” of December 25, 1929, draws a line under the conflict.