“Journey to the Edge of the Soviet Night”: Towards the History of the Publication of L.-F. Céline’s Debut Novel in the USSR

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22455/2541-8297-2024-33-416-436
EDN:

https://elibrary.ru/VFKFFO
УДК / UDK: 821.131.1.0
Issue:

2024. no. 3 (33) 
Author: Dmitry M. Tsyganov
About the author:

Dmitry M. Tsyganov, Researcher, Manuscripts Department, А.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Povarskaya St., 25A, bld. 1, 121069 Moscow, Russia.

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6633-3401

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Abstract:

The article focuses on the translation and publication of L.-F. Céline’s debut novel Voyage au bout de la nuit (1932) as an example from the history of Soviet cultural diplomacy in the 1930s. So far, the specialized literature has not given unambiguous answers to several questions related to the appearance of the incomplete Russian-language version of the text. The analysis of primary sources and book statistics, materials from central periodicals, and archival documents allows us to restore this unclear episode in the history of Stalin’s cultural diplomacy. The present study aims not only to restore the international context of the reception of Journey in the 1930s and to point out the probable motives behind the hastily realized translation but also to clarify the formal aspects of this enterprise — the number of editions, the dates of signing for printing and the actual print runs, their quantitative values, and formal and substantive differences. The article examines all three Russian-language editions (two editions by GIKhL and Goslitizdat and one another by Zhurgaz, which appeared from February 1934 to July 1935) and reveals structural and content differences in the introductory articles to the first two editions. In addition, the article traces the non-linear trajectory of Céline’s literary reputation in the pre-war USSR. It shows what factors influenced the attitude of the Soviet party and literary figures toward the French writer.
Keywords: Western-Soviet literary relations, Louis-Ferdinand Céline, Voyage au bout de la nuit, soviet publishing, Ivan I. Anisimov, Serge Romoff, Elsa Triolet, cultural diplomacy.
For citation:

Tsyganov, D.M. “ʽJourney to the Edge of the Soviet Night’: Towards the History of the Publication of L.-F. Céline’s Debut Novel in the USSR.” Literaturnyi fakt, no. 3 (33), 2024, pp. 416–436. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2541-8297-2024-33-416-436
References:
  1. Dialog pisatelei: Iz istorii russko-frantsuzskikh kul’turnykh sviazei XX veka 1920–1970[Dialogue of Writers: From the History of Russian-French Cultural Ties of the 20th  1920–1970]. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2002. 954 p. (In Russ.)
  2. Dobriashkina, V. “ʽEstety v Sovetskom Soiuze’: A. Zhid, L.Feikhtvanger, M. Kol’tsov” [“ʽAesthetes in the Soviet Union’: A. Gide, L. Feuchtwanger, M.Koltsov”]. Rossica: Literaturnye sviazi i kontakty, no. 1, 2021, pp. 79–111. (In Russ.)
  3. Dokuchaeva, V. “Sovetskaia khudozhestvennaia kul’tura 1920–30-kh godov i russko-frantsuzskie sviazi” [“Soviet Art Culture of the 1920s–30s and Russian-French Relations”]. Iskusstvoznanie, no. 3–4, 2014, pp. 473–490. (InRuss.)
  4. Konets institutsii kul’tury dvadtsatykh godov v Leningrade. Po arkhivnym materialam: sbornik statei [The End of the Cultural Institutions of the Twenties in Leningrad. On Archival Materials: Collection of Articles]. Moscow, Novoe literaturnoe obozrenie Publ., 2014. 490 p. (In)
  5. Kraeva, V. “Frantsuzskie levye intellektualy i sovetskii Soiuz: Mekhanizmy vzaimodeistviia i literaturnye kontakty v 1920-kh – seredine 1930-kh gg” [“French Leftist Intellectuals and the Soviet Union: Mechanisms of Interaction and Literary Contacts in the 1920s – Mid 1930s”]. Vestnik Permskogo universiteta. Seriia: Istoriia, no. 2 (22), 2013, pp. 97–106. (InRuss.)
  6. Liukashin,A.“Mezhdu siurrealizmom i sotsrealizmom: Stat’i i sud’ba Sergeia Romova” [“Between Surrealism and Socialist Realism: Articles and the Fate of Sergei Romov”]. Iskusstvoznanie, no.1, 2023, pp. 180–217. (In Russ.)
  7. Maksimenkov, V. “Ocherki nomenklaturnoi istorii sovetskoi literatury: Zapadnye piligrimy u stalinskogo prestola (Feikhtvanger i drugie)” [“Essays on the Nomenclatural History of Soviet Literature: Western Pilgrims at Stalin's Throne (Feuchtwanger and Others)”]. Voprosy literatury, no. 2, 2004, pp. 242–291; no. 3, 2004, pp. 274–342. (InRuss.)
  8. Nedoseikin,N.“Puteshestvie v SSSR: Céline” [“Travelling to the USSR: Céline”]. Navazhdeniia: K istorii “russkoi idei” vo frantsuzskoi literature XX veka [Obsessions: Towards a History of the“Russian Idea” in 20th-Century French Literature]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 2005, pp. 223–234. (In Russ.)
  9. Papernyi,Z. “Vera i pravda: Andre Zhid i Lion Feikhtvanger v Moskve” [“Faith and Truth: André Gide and Lyon Feuchtwanger in Moscow”]. Neprikosnovennyi zapas, no. 4 (30), 2003, pp. 167–176. (In Russ.)
  10. Platonova, V. “Tvorchestvo frantsuzskikh pisatelei na stranitsakh sovetskikh literaturnykh zhurnalov v 1930-e gg.” [“Creative Work of French Writers on the Pages of Soviet Literary Magazines in the 1930s”]. Galkina, Iu.M., et al., editors. 130 let franko-russkomu al’iansu: Problemy i vyzovy dvustoronnego sotrudnichestva [130 Years of the Franco-Russian Alliance: Problems and Challenges of BilateralCo-operation]. St. Petersburg, Nestor-Istoriia Publ., 2022, pp. 271–288. (In Russ.)
  11. Razumova, N.E. “Roman -F. Selina ʽVoyage au bout de la nuit’ vrusskikh perevodakh” [“The Novel ʽVoyage au Bout de la Nuit’ by L.-F. Céline in Russian Translations”]. Tekst. Kniga. Knigoizdanie, no. 1, 2012, pp. 52–66. (In Russ.)
  12. Selin v Rossii: sbornik materialov i issledovanii [Céline in Russia: Collection of Materials and Studies]. St. Petersburg, Obshchestvo druzei -F.Selina Publ., 2000. 143 p. (In Russ.)
  13. Selin, L.-F. “Bezdelitsy dlia pogroma: Leningrad 1936 goda glazami pisatelia Lui-Ferdinanda Selina” [“Trinkets for Pogrom: Leningrad 1936 Through the Eyes of the Writer Louis-Ferdinand Céline”], trans. from French by T.N. Kondratovich and V. Kondratovich. Nevskii arkhiv: Istoriko-kraevedcheskii sbornik[Nevsky Archive: Historical and Local Lore Collection], no. 2. St. Petersburg, Feniks Publ., 1995, pp. 95–122. (In Russ.)
  14. Selin, -F. “Natali: Otryvok iz romana” [“Natalie: Excerpt from a Novel”], trans. from French by E.G. Rodriges and S.S. Iur’enen. Strelets, no. 2 (72), 1993, pp. 242–258. (InRuss.)
  15. Selin, -F. Podrugi Selina [Céline’s Friends], trans. from French by I. Fedotov. St. Petersburg, because AKTPubl., 2024. 166 p. (In Russ.)
  16. Selin, L.-F. Puteshestvie na krai nochi[Journey to the End of the Night], trans. from French by E. Triole. [1st ] [Moscow, Leningrad], Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo khudozhestvennoi literatury Publ., 1934. 280 p. (In Russ.)
  17. Selin, L.-F. Puteshestvie na krai nochi[Journey to the End of the Night], trans. from French by E. Triole. [2nd ]. [Moscow], Goslitizdat Publ., 1934. 296 p. (In Russ.)
  18. Selin, -F. Puteshestvie na krai nochi: <Otryvki iz romana> [Journey to theEnd of the Night: <Excerpts from the Novel>], trans. from French by S.M. Romov. Moscow, Zhurnal’no-gazetnoe ob”edinenie Publ., 1935. 48 p. (In Russ.)
  19. Selin, -F. Mea culpa [Mea Culpa]. Moscow, Opustoshitel’Publ., 2021. 236 p. (In Russ.)
  20. Uchitel’,A.“Feerii i katastrofy: Ob odnom razgovore L.-F. Selina I B.E. Khaikina i putiakh razvitiia muzykal’nogo teatra XX veka” [“Fairies and Catastrophes: On One Conversation Between L.-F. Céline and B.E. Haykin and the Ways of Development of 20th-Century Musical Theatre”]. Opera musicologica, no. 1 (15), 2013, pp. 21–35. (In Russ.)
  21. Fokin, S.L. “Russkaia ideia” vo frantsuzskoi literature XX veka[“The Russian Idea” in French Literature of the 20th Century]. St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg State Univesity Publ., 2003. 209 p. (In Russ.)
  22. Fokin, S.L. “Snova o puteshestvii Selina v Leningrad” [“Again about Céline’s Trip to Leningrad”]. Obraz Peterburga v mirovoi kul’ture [The Image of St. Petersburg in World Culture]. St. Petersburg, Nauka Publ., 2003, pp. 160–176. (In Russ.)
  23. Frezinskii, B.Ia. Nash zhestokii XX vek[Our Brutal 20th Century]. Moscow, Agraf Publ., 2016. 639 p. (In Russ.)
  24. Frezinskii,Ia.Pisateli i sovetskie vozhdi: Izbrannye siuzhety 1919–1960 godov [Writers and Soviet Leaders: Selected Stories, 1919–1960]. Moscow, Ellis Lak Publ., 2008. 668 p. (In Russ.)
  25. Iur’enen,S.“Selin v SSSR: Istoriia pravogo perevorota” [“Céline in the USSR: A History of Right-Wing Revolution”]. Strelets, no. 2 (72), 1993, pp. 259–263. (In Russ.)
  26. Céline, Louis-Ferdinand. Journey to the End of the Night, trans. by H.P. Marks. London, Chatto and Windus, 1934. 543 p. (InEnglish)
  27. Céline, Louis-Ferdinand. Lettres, ed. etablie par H. Godard et -P. Louis.Paris, Gallimard, 2009. 2080 p. (In French)
  28. Céline,Louis-Ferdinand.Reise ans Ende der Nacht, übersetz. von  Grünberg. Mähr.-Ostrau, Kittl, <1933>. 599 S. (In German)
  29. Chtcherbakova, Olga. “Traduction en russe de ʽVoyage au bout de la nuit’ par Elza Triolet.” Céline et la guerre: Actes du seizifme Colloque international Louis-Ferdinand Céline. Paris, Societe des etudes celiniennes, 2007, pp. 67–92. (InFrench)
  30. Gibault, François. Céline: 1932–1944. Délires et persécutions. Paris, Mercure de France, 1985. 372 p. (InFrench)
  31. Jobert,Véronique,et Lorraine de Meaux, èditeurs. Intelligentsia: Entre France et Russie, archives inedites du XXe siècle. Paris, Beaux-arts de Paris, Institut français, 2012. 534  (In French)
  32. VonBitter, “Ein wildes Produkt”: Louis-Ferdinand Céline und sein Roman Reise ans Ende der Nacht im deutschsprachigen Raum: Eine Rezeptionsstudie. Bonn, Romanistischer Verl., 2007.384 S. (In German)
  33. “Voyage au bout de la nuit” de Louis-Ferdinand Céline: Critiques, 1932–1935, textes réunis et présentés par A. Derval. Paris, Domaine français, 2005. 364 p. (InFrench)
  34. Tihanov, Galin, Anne Lounsbery, and Rossen Djagalov, editors. World Literature in the Soviet Union. Boston, Academic Studies Press, 2023. 292 p. (InEnglish)