Literaturnaya Gazeta
Encyclopedia
Literaturnaya Gazeta is a weekly cultural and political newspaper published in Russia
and Soviet Union
.
, Belinsky, Nekrasov
and many other well-known Russian authors.
After the Russian Revolution
, the Soviet literary establishment decided to resume Pushkin's venture on April 22, 1929, and the paper has been published regularly ever since. From 1929 to 1932, Literaturnaya Gazeta was the official organ of the Federation of Unions of Soviet Writers, which had as its stated aim "...to foster in the area of creative writing the principle of free competition of the various groupings and tendencies". In 1932, however, Literaturnaya Gazeta became the official organ of the Union of Soviet Writers, the government-controlled organization responsible for most literary publication and employment of writers in the USSR
.
In 1947, the format of Literaturnaya Gazeta was changed from a purely literary publication into a newspaper with political and social content as well. It was published weekly in an edition of 16 pages, the first "thick newspaper" in a country most of whose newspapers were 4-8 pages in length. The expanded newspaper not only took on a new look, but also acquired greater influence - becoming one of the most authoritative and influential publications. Though Literaturnaya Gazeta, like all newspapers during the Soviet period, faithfully reflected government policy (both political and literary), it showed, as much as possible, the human face of Soviet society, and was the national paper most likely to "push the limits" (though those limits were fairly severe). The newspaper published stories and poems that were often mundane and unimpressive, but occasionally published poetry and prose of quality. Most interesting to its readers were reports on the international political scene, and especially on cultural life in countries outside the Soviet sphere of influence.
Especially popular was the last page of each issue, which contained a variety of satirical articles and cartoons under the rubric "Twelve Chairs
Club" (an allusion to the well-known comic novel by Ilf and Petrov
). Under the protective guise of good-natured, constructive satire, various frustrating and unsavory aspects of Soviet life could be discussed that were scarcely acknowledged in other publications.
In 1990, with the end of the Soviet Union, the newspaper became an independent collective, and in 1997 formed itself into a publicly traded company.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
Overview
The current newspaper bears a name with proud literary roots dating back to the nineteenth century, and claims to be a continuation of the original publication. The first paper to bear the name of "Literaturnaya Gazeta" was founded by a literary group led by Anton Delvig and Alexander Pushkin, whose profile to this day adorns the paper's masthead. The first issue appeared on January 1, 1830. The paper appeared regularly until June 30, 1831, reappearing in 1840-1849. Pushkin himself published some of his most famous works in this paper. Literaturnaya Gazeta was the first to publish Gogol, and published works by BaratynskyEvgeny Baratynsky
Yevgeny Abramovich Baratynsky was lauded by Alexander Pushkin as the finest Russian elegiac poet. After a long period when his reputation was on the wane, Baratynsky was rediscovered by Anna Akhmatova and Joseph Brodsky as a supreme poet of thought.- Life :Of noble ancestry, Baratynsky was...
, Belinsky, Nekrasov
Nekrasov
Nekrasov, also Nekrassov , or Nekrasova , is a Russian last name and may refer to:-People:*Aleksandr Nekrasov , Russian mathematician and academician...
and many other well-known Russian authors.
After the Russian Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
, the Soviet literary establishment decided to resume Pushkin's venture on April 22, 1929, and the paper has been published regularly ever since. From 1929 to 1932, Literaturnaya Gazeta was the official organ of the Federation of Unions of Soviet Writers, which had as its stated aim "...to foster in the area of creative writing the principle of free competition of the various groupings and tendencies". In 1932, however, Literaturnaya Gazeta became the official organ of the Union of Soviet Writers, the government-controlled organization responsible for most literary publication and employment of writers in the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
In 1947, the format of Literaturnaya Gazeta was changed from a purely literary publication into a newspaper with political and social content as well. It was published weekly in an edition of 16 pages, the first "thick newspaper" in a country most of whose newspapers were 4-8 pages in length. The expanded newspaper not only took on a new look, but also acquired greater influence - becoming one of the most authoritative and influential publications. Though Literaturnaya Gazeta, like all newspapers during the Soviet period, faithfully reflected government policy (both political and literary), it showed, as much as possible, the human face of Soviet society, and was the national paper most likely to "push the limits" (though those limits were fairly severe). The newspaper published stories and poems that were often mundane and unimpressive, but occasionally published poetry and prose of quality. Most interesting to its readers were reports on the international political scene, and especially on cultural life in countries outside the Soviet sphere of influence.
Especially popular was the last page of each issue, which contained a variety of satirical articles and cartoons under the rubric "Twelve Chairs
The Twelve Chairs
The Twelve Chairs is a classic satirical novel by the Soviet authors Ilf and Petrov, released in 1928. Its main character Ostap Bender reappears in the book's sequel The Little Golden Calf.-Plot:...
Club" (an allusion to the well-known comic novel by Ilf and Petrov
Ilf and Petrov
Ilya Ilf Ilya Ilf Ilya Ilf (Ilya Arnoldovich Faynzilberg and Evgeny or Yevgeni Petrov (Yevgeniy Petrovich Kataev or Katayev were two Soviet prose authors of the 1920s and 1930s...
). Under the protective guise of good-natured, constructive satire, various frustrating and unsavory aspects of Soviet life could be discussed that were scarcely acknowledged in other publications.
In 1990, with the end of the Soviet Union, the newspaper became an independent collective, and in 1997 formed itself into a publicly traded company.