The Role of Neoclassicists in the Literary Discussion of 1925-1928 and the Policy of Magazine Publications

Abstract

The article is devoted to the Literary Discussion of 1925–1928 in soviet Ukraine, the role of Kyiv neoclassicists in it, the search for ways to develop Ukrainian writing. This discussion was a manifestation of a clash of ideas and declarations about the orientations and the search for ways that Ukrainian artistic literature, Ukrainian culture in general, should follow. The aim of the research is to study the role of Kyiv neoclassicists in this discussion and to present this group in the discussion and media space.
In the Literary Discussion of 1925–1928, the VAPLITE and neoclassicist groups jointly tried to define new ways for Ukrainian literature – oriented towards Europe. Khvylovyi called to Europe – because it expresses the experience of centuries and is the heart of a separate rich civilization. At the same time, it is a symbol of opposition to massism. To Khvylovyi’s question “Where are you going?” Zerov gave the answer of all neoclassicists: “Ad fontes!” – “To the sources”. The ideas of these two groups were a declaration that Ukrainian literature had begun the search for its own self-definition, individual identification in the context of European literature and culture in general.
Permissions to create literary and artistic magazines, as well as funding were issued only to left-wing, “proletarian” writers’ associations. Outside this circle remained organizations or associations that were not proletarian, were considered “fellow travelers” (Aspis, Lanka, MARS) or even hostile (neoclassicists) to proletarian literature. Therefore, in the history of the Kyiv neoclassicists there were no attempts to create their own literary and artistic magazine.
Based on the analysis of contemporary magazine and newspaper publications, involving published documents of secret services, it was found out that this discussion was controlled not only by state institutions and communist organizations, but also by the influence of punitive bodies on them.