In and out of Socialist Realism

CEU eTD Collection In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts I N AND M ILAN T Supervisor: BalázsSupervisor: Professor Trencsényi HE Central European University O K UT OF UNDERA AND UNDERA I Department of History NTELLECTUAL C Budapest, Hungary Budapest, ZECHOSLOVAKIA 1949-1956 Submitted to Submitted Pavol Kutaj S 2011 OCIALIST By D OMINIK J OURNEY OF T R ATARKA EALISM , CEU eTD Collection M Supported by: Dedicated to: ILOŠ H i AVELKA CEU eTD Collection accordance with such instructions may not be made without the written permission of the Author. permission written the without made be not may instructions such with accordance the from form librarian.must a partof This page made.Further such copiesmadeinany copies obtained be may Details Library. European Central in the lodged and Author mayin part, be full madeor in theinstructions with by only accordance given the Copyright in the text of this thesis rests with the Author. Copies by any process, either Statement ofCopyright ii CEU eTD Collection Czechoslovak Stalinism. Czechoslovak of discourse cultural for the were formative that concepts and channels debates, Thus, essay the is an forattempt areconstruction of intellectualthe journey through Milan space. such cultural a transforming inside weredoing KunderaDominik Tatarka and that interventions continuous and realism socialist of transformations between also known as historical contextualism, allows grasping of the ongoingmethods and theories of Cambridgethe intellectual school of history. interaction This approach, itslocal therepudiationmademade basic ashifttoward of premises. useof I the statements theirintellectual of public nature the of six years course the In realism. as of 1949. Both underof started convincedsocialist supporters study authors the in began which Party Communist the inside conflicts the from only derived were realisms socialist local of these aspects key the And that realism. socialist of versions and Slovak, Czech peculiar, the wereinteracting with both authors these that I argue space of (1949-1956). andSlovakof Stalinistperiod respectivethe Czech the cultural chosen representatives are (1913-1989) andKundera Tatarka Milan Dominik (1929-) realism. socialist Czechoslovak of study case is a essay in this attempt shall I What Abstract iii CEU eTD Collection of help.of great followingfriendship pages.Their critics madethemhonest lay critiqueand their was Rench and Madalinawritings Toca. contradict factsThey both gave writingmy and plentybelief inofresign general.system.their is he history more, question ofobjectivity clarity. challenged meon of of But what the improvement the regarding free helpful immensely I were Let chapters believetime several on comments theon to listen readerthatcommitment, the tochallenging decide.jobthemy style andmy stance, I of historianthankProfessorto Lastly, Miklos subjectthe of socialist realism, Lojko. intellectual of the pre-history PragueSpring.the For His (or I an thankwhereasaspirant) cultural history PragueSpring.the of With guidancethe ofmy I supervisor, shifted to Michael is tosupervisor strive professor for this essay depended. For changingmy mind andteachingme I amethod, thankmy ProfessorI wouldlikeexpress my to friends toteachersgratitude and advice onwhose generous LojkoBalázs Trencsényi.is telling The theme me of thatthe thesis my was originally the Acknowledgements iv CEU eTD Collection BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………………………………119 CONCLUSION …………………………………………………………………………………………..112 DOMINIK TATARKA 1954-1956………………………………………………………………..82 REPUDIATION:CONTENTION, AMBIVALENCE, MILAN KUNDERA 1954-1956……………………………………………………………………58 CONTENTION, AMBIGUITY,REPUDIATION DOMINIK TATARKA 1949-1953………………………………………………………………..34 EXCLUSION,CONFORMITY AFFIRMATION, FOUNDATION, MILAN KUNDERA 1949-1953……………………………………………………………...... 19 EXPULSION, FOUNDATION,AFFIRMATION THEORY...... 10 1 INTRODUCTION...... TABLE OF CONTENTS...... V ...... IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS III ABSTRACT...... II STATEMENT OF COPYRIGHT S C S D R D A D C M R M A M C D F D A M A M E ECONDARY LOVAK OUNDATION ZECH ONTENTION ONTENTION XPULSION AND EPUDIATION MBIVALENCE EPUDIATION MBIGUITY FFIRMATION FFIRMATION OMINIK OMINIK OMINIK OMINIK OMINIK ILAN ILAN ILAN ILAN ILAN P K K K K K P RIMARY UNDERA UNDERA FOR UNDERA ON THE UNDERA UNDERA AGAINST THE AGAINST UNDERA UNDERA NEAR THE T T T T T RIMARY ATARKA ATARKA FOR ATARKA ATARKA AGAINST THE ATARKA EXCLUDED AND RETURNING IN CONFORMITY ATARKA S OURCES F S A OUNDATION S OURCES OURCES BOUT THE BOUT B W ETWEEN THE ETWEEN ...... 122 ...... I INNING NTIMATE L IBERALIZATION AND N ...... 120 ...... EW ...... 119 ...... C AMPAIGN AGAINST D R Table ofContents P R ECOGNITION ISPUTES OF ISPUTES S LATFORM OF ADICALS P OCIALIST OSITIVE T WO C 1952-1953...... 27 ONGRESSES H I R v NHERITANCE 1950...... 37 ERO AND EALISM T C HE OLLECTIVIZATION R ADICALS N EW 95...... 67 1955 , S A OCIALIST PRIL C 1955-1956……………………...75 OURSE 1949-1952...... 21 1956………………………101 1951-1953...... 44 1954...... 61 C , 1955...... 88 RITIQUE 1954...... 84 CEU eTD Collection totalitarian thesis. This cataclysm affected the whole of East-Central Europe; itstarted Europe; East-Central whole of the affected cataclysm thesis.This totalitarian for the evidence body provides the of cataclysm, which irrefutablethe regional forget Czechoslovakia. in totalitarianism of concept the of validity the about debate the of complexities avoid the deliberately is it to possible by its application essay.However, academic degeneration intoidle chatter, but also to the loss of the consciousness of doom. of threat the notto is only it exposed literature, socialist of Czechoslovak firstthe half Beingof focused1950s. dealing sources closely on the with qualitiesthe is in sametime, sayin tookplaceat the that approximately change to that discourse isthe study case following the of theme the Moreover, moment. present the to up from value-neutrality.from – the idealof Thus, Adorno’s water 1951 holds remark cultural history 20 the of is a cultural history into acultural each andeveryprobe the critique. Especially War. this ranks of Headdressed tothe warning critics. Onecultural could arguethat idle chatter Totalitarismus?” in des Epoche eine Geschichte tschechischen neuesten der esin Gab Oder: Unvergleichbaren. Also mostof followingthe data are taken from his analysis. See MilošHavelka, “Vergleich des 1 totalitarianism thesis cannot be defended in this research. this in be defended cannot thesis totalitarianism against dominant Stalinism at least since 1954, which is the reasonwhy the validity of his Miloš Havelka, who is an inspiration for the present essay, happens to be a defender of this assertion. Adorno’s term “doom” seems possibly far-fetched to be employed in an into degenerate to threatens doom of consciousness extreme most the “Even , ” wrote Theodor W. Adorno shortly after the end of the Second World Second the of end the after shortly Adorno W. Theodor wrote 1 Bohemia Simultaneously, “consciousness of doom” 2 (2009). As it will be shown however, there were public contentions th century should attempt for – but will always stay far away Introduction 1 is a memento not to not memento is a CEU eTD Collection Communism (New York: Rowman &Littlefield Publishers, 2004): 10. 3 between Hitler and Stalin 2 was wholenothing region. It likelargely an butearthquake, abundle of rationally the of history in the unprecedented almost change, mental and social cataclysmic analysis. main well become of following might the the and agency assertion periodization both The skeptical of reevaluation Stalinistcultural discourse). desolated Czechoslovakwas1956 on (itthe Sovietsculture official whounpredictably tanks). “national alibism” (it was the Soviets whobrought state-socialism on the back of their studies, which historical regional of beginmajority the of validity the challenges Abrams onlyBradley takeover. with the end of the Second yearsthe andthe Communist following The Republic Czechoslovak (1945-48) Third World War or later, callingyears years the isof war of the historical treatment (1939-1945), thought aseparate it counterparts. Party-State in theelites first half of 1956, Czechoslovakiawellreaches its end It atrocities. the of War continuity the and of consequences immediate beingprepared a stable state-socialist to country, namely the ofdeparture, point regardsthe essay’s the Czechoslovakia.opening This postwar – avoidwith whoseconcerned is it area the of frame themental and sociological turmoilgeneral the of its Polish and Nazism, deepinto continuing 1950s. Hungarianand hatchet the burying with cease not did it and War; the of outbreak the before even Bradley F Abrams, Arecent vocal historical reminderof kindthis was done by Timothy Snyderin 3 The outbreak of World Second The outbreakof Warthe aprocess stirred of sudden, deepand of fixations the Among Such atime breaks a periodization. frame conventional The purpose introductionof the giveof essayis this asuccinctto account of In samethe vein,about doubt pagesbring following theabrupt the impact of The Struggle for theSoul ofthe Nation. (New York: Basic Books, 2010). 2 2 Czech Culture the Riseand of Bloodlands: Europe CEU eTD Collection pattern of change, always with its ownparticularities. This was not of course a Czechoslovak exclusivity, but thesituationinthe whole regionfollowed the Ji property becameproperty a second stigma, which by healed decrees, nationalization four the Private Germans, and Hungarians capitalists. Roma onto Jews and guilt from shifted Hungarians tostay refused totheirand returned homes previous by 1949. Slovaks Hungarians were sent to colonize The Sudetenland. However, most of these 000 Slovak applied Slovaks. Around Hungarians and 45000 declared themselves 400 Circa Hungarians. of ethnic massive reslovakization by of program the suceeded itwas but never and hold completed on put was Theprogram Slovakia followed. expulsion toHungary Hungarians 90000 Slovak to of and 72000Hungarian Slovaks The reciprocal of Germans. houses lands and vacated tothe were transported Bohemia and 156 000from In Slovakia. about 1.1 millionturn, citizens from inland justified by mounted charge.a collective upto2.256million That Collaboration. from almost alltheir guilt against national honor. Second, inGermans the course of the three succeeding waves immediately German the after 38000 Czechs capitulation andfor about werewere punished expelled from the state territory. Both measures were fulfillment of Stalin’svision, proclaimed already in 1929 traditional ethnic mapand social was“moving full asif steam ahead”, being the 4 million citizens. inhabitants were fivemillion about Czechoslovakia, theemphasize continuity structural uprootingthe VE-day.of after Regarding power. With organized state the atrocities warin throughout the mind,letus state orthat this of baton the intobeing operations,under conducted came which Milan Ku Milan Ĝ í Musil,ed. First, the impulsive the First, Aryanization turned into collectivization. The continuous concept of of collective concept continuous The collectivization. into turned Aryanization þ era and Zden and era 4 (Budapest:Central EuropeanUniversity Press,1995): 29-31, passim. The programmed eradication of the deepest sediments of its Č k Pavlík, “Czech and Slovak Demography,” in Demography,” Slovak and “Czech Pavlík, k campaign against national campaign againstnational began collaborators 3 on themove . The ofCzechoslovakia,End in a state of 12.5 state in a CEU eTD Collection time was twice ashigh as that of the Western part of Europe; thereby the simple force (b. 1936). generationalcohorts, applying it toa 1969 debate betweenMilan Kundera (b.1929) andVáclav Havel Horizonthe of Generational Expectation 5 economically flourishing 1920s. radicalizedA Stalinism. of players key the of one became pandemonium, homogenizing generationsocialist order. was law231/1948. no. 2000 of them in died ageof the foundationthe of new the state- a fruit famous sadly the to according theRepublic of betrayal for the sentenced discourse, of the demographicwas emigration; tomention not were, in 83 000that an established collaboration labor. reaction ofFebruary yet The another 60000citizens the takeover 1948 on vitalmanualinto were degraded bureaucrats bureaucracy,administration 77 000 while and revolution intoswiftly membersmobility, classwere promoted working 000 of 250 cities. social Regarding from to countryside the forcibly 000 peopletransferred were of the In Cooperatives Act. beginningthe in industrialization fashion, of the Stalinist 380 Agricultural February beginning Unified the of 23, 1949with adoption the on followed in suit, collectivization nine new1948. Forced acts Nationalization and Constitution Ninth-of-May The by declared was that industry of nationalization the total to way peoplepaved property the Massivemigration of and mills, etc. companies over 500 employees exception,only while without nationalized andbankswere Cinematography were taken from theirdegrees. invarying production fields of different to targeted Decrees were owners in the case of cotton- months 1945. a couplein hisreturn after to Czechoslovakia October of glorious were outlined by Communistthe Party andsigned by president Beneš. This placetook Miloš Havelka is also the original author of this idea. Inthis unpublished essay Young adults, who grew up under the influence of andsocial- grew upunder influenceof the ethno- Youngthis adults, who 5 The birth rate of the Eastern-European region at that at region Eastern-European the of rate birth The he draws a line between intellectuals from different from a draws intellectuals he between line 4 The Prague Springin CEU eTD Collection 1950). joyful proleptic cultural discourse of Stalinism is the actual subject of this essay. It is Optimism. discourse: realist theessenceof socialist the adopted of war” “children the of firstall communists, of ranks the among were accepted that Writers voice! health /Tothe days future the of /letpoetry sound, poetry new andstrong!” Fill housewith the soundthe of poetry with/ fillmanufacture it with /sing full the of was intotal The cultural imperative to the opposite reality Czechoslovakia. poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric.” inwrite “To Adornoyet 1951: wrote Theodor subscriptionanother sentencethat to But his ethical ban on poetry had been in fact a financialthe expenditures onthe army skyrocketed in 1950 by increase.a 400% in of horizon expectation, eventthe was setasapossible confrontation global armed withconflict by Yugoslavia in1947andre-affirmed 1950warinKorea.the New by invigorated Soviet was the eventually militarism. It spearheaded thecontinuous the change of historical memory. The young Stalinist “children of with war”hand in only hand went Republic First the of liberalism the from away turn massive The Czechoslovaks. all of mentality new the about a conclusion into inferred be can years, when the opportunity to fight for something presented itself at last.” postwar first those into us with mentality wartime our brought anyone, against fought 1997). Inhis they ownwords were the “children havingof actuallywar who, not 7 6 Zden ex-Stalinist an memoirs of the of in openingpages found the of their numbers was outstanding. The poignant grasp of their specific mentality is IvanSkála, “Letterto Poets,” in Zden Č k Mlyná k First the process of affirmation and second the subsequent contention of this contention of andsecond the subsequent of process Firstaffirmation the Intuitively speaking,logical theconclusion would haveitas a cultural ofstructural elements Combined the insight pinpointed this with revolution, Ĝ , Nightfrost in Prague: The End of Humane Socialism Máj Zem Č [The [The May Earth] (Praha:of the 5 (London: C. Hurst, 1986). ý eskoslovenský spisovatel, Č k Mlyná k 6 Ĝ (1930- “ Sing! 7 CEU eTD Collection much earlier than the show-trial. It was the so called “Pamphlet affair” of spring 1949. came radicals against firstassault ideology. The Stalinist of thepurity of observation the was it contrary, the To transformation. infrastructural of implementation minister of information, Václav Kopecký, their priority was notprimarily the practical of realists.Beinggroup socialist older to the surrounding generation opposed the was hanged,a means. young Slánský, who radical of the other supporter Rudolf with communists eleven fourteen the of top executed 280punished andyet by another largest post-war trial leadingthe of members of Communist Party in Sovietthe bloc, collaboration led by center “anti-state Rudolf inthe fall Slánský” of It was 1952. the the against show-trial last atthe was consummated conflict This circles. political in conflict in highest the to occur the sphere of 1949reflected since culture the andbetween youngmoderate old Suddenevents ofStalinists. thatbegan radical wings Party which in launched1949 amassive persecution itsof members. own Party the Both its traitors. as were swept away by the collision inside Communistthe by inaccused Communism were peak Atthey the trust their of writing. oppositionist a similarity to large determined laterKundera‘swhich, both and extent, Tatarka’s socialism. However, itis centered on a common crucial analogy, an uncanny addition, In realism. it of versions Socialist of Czech Slovak and the local the peculiarities exposes with deals first The parts. of two consists both of author each study case the hinted above, authors intellectual history follows analysis,the whichis totheyearsconfined 1949-1956.As as supporters of field the from taken tools analytical the which outlines chapter theoretical After the of this(1913-1989), coming from Czechthe of parts and Slovak country the respectively. art of the a caseconstruction study dealing with authors Milantwo Kundera (1929-)and Dominik Tatarka of The Czech version of the persecution stemmed from innerconflict the stemmed persecution of the version The Czech 6 CEU eTD Collection unleashedhis against Communist comrades. Khrushchev Communistshocked the public with exposureof the Stalinviolence that movedchild of ideological all war, across positions andcampsthree long before Congress Second inof Union Writer’s The Czechoslovak spring 1956.Kundera, the - the inCzechoslovakia of destalinization event culminating the at discussion for the tone he setthe Moreover, moderates. of master-narrative the delegitimized he totally first peakofhis his contention. seminalessay“About In the Disputes of Inheritance,” of issue Christmas In the tradition. of national subject to the forming cultural discourse of Marxist revisionism is analyzed mostly on the Domu follows beginsanditessay Kundera a for asawriter new magazineplatform the of half second the point this At changed. Czechoslovakia of landscapes social tradition With ofculture wasinits theboth core. beginning mental the of 1954, and inter-war the with limited continuity of Thetheory Stalinism. version of moderate Kunderainclinations modified his tothe isi.e. Ithow shown 1949-1953. cessationinCzechoslovakia, of the trials political indevelopment its that firsthalf spreadsbetween breakingthis eventlifehis of and Czechoslovakia. nest calledof party upin land The Communist promised cuckoo’s the andwoke colleagueshismembership party lost sleep aswell.Children of warto went in the with his of together three Kundera Milan correspondence, private surveilled inhis note a trivial of because time, same the At overnight. membership their lost group membersleading radical of the Seventy severely repressed. Nezval, was The harshly ironical attack on the poet and leader of on Vít and ironical leader of The harshly attack moderates, poet the cultural (Guest to the House) to the (Guest The analysis continues with the treatment of Kundera’s ideological Kundera’s of treatment the with continues The analysis . His separation from the dominant discourse of moderates radical ideological position the and adopted 7 Host dodomu, Host he reached the reached he Host do Host Č slav CEU eTD Collection were being published and they are analysed up to the aforementioned Second areanalyseduptothe were beingpublishedand they case, contentions inTatarka’s hisfirst begins 1954.Asin Kundera’s writings also inter-war, but war traditionthe question of national autonomy and the tradition of the Nationalstandson based isUprising. Not counterpart Slovak its tradition, ininter-war with the continuity of controversy centre. The second partis around discourse inthe While structured socialist Slovakia. Czech the realism of the analysis of until 1954. articles conformist writing was he Kundera, to similarly and however, membership, lose hisparty hedid not From (unknown) reasons well.harsh critique as came under among following the accused.The book of was awardedwriter the nextdestroyed, his was Tatarka inSlovakia. nationalism bourgeois against thecampaign lauched Široký, Viliama Czechoslovakgovernment, the of premierSlovak 1950 the inresult, May As Warsaw. from came samepressure the Later, Party. the inside organization CzechoslovakRákosi M. leader a Hungarian Yugoslavia. with Tito’s conflict Soviet the of consequence wrote Ministry first to Stalin of the and Interior then to Klement of covering Gottwald. up He theaccused nationalistic the spy sentenced in Poland, László Rajk in Hungary, Traj in Hungary, Rajk László in Poland, sentenced year of regional trials against bourgeois nationalism. W nationalism. bourgeois against trials regional of year Republic) in novel he acanonical that published 1948 is difference 1944. Thesecond he of Uprising National say, intheSlovak participated 15-year Kundera’s grow upinsenior, hedidnot war.Hefoughtthe in it. Thatis to is by of inevents Party the and persecuttion his formative also accusation case.Being In sum, the first part of Tatarka’s analysis is focused on the specific variant of variant specific the on focused is analysis of Tatarka’s part first the In sum, Dominik Tatarka’s Dominikdevelopment Tatarka’s cannot be totally identified, though even the , which in 1949 received a state prize for literature. However, that was However, prize for literature.that the which in astate 1949 received 8 Farská Republika þ o Kostov in Bulgaria, all as all inBulgaria, Kostov o á adys á aw Gomu aw (The Parochial á ka was ka CEU eTD Collection Tatarka, itTatarka, summons needs revision and that (socialist realist) poetry is barbarous. In the words of Dominik culture (socialist) postwar that too They diagnosed verdict. Adorno’s with agreement a partial is contention their of point The establishment. the against contentions published their follows analysis of the secondpart The andrejected. discredited books his saw and self-criticism of a process underwent nationalism, bourgeois with charged Tatarka, Party. the of membership the lost Stalinists convinced with other Tatarka much sooner and more KunderaParty inside and of Communist the affected and collision the consequences intensively than the nuancedbut problem,this much confidently I would affirm: thecharges unexpected events of 1956. Kundera, along its assumptions. basic all attacking an allegory published also buta giverealism, socialist against speech highly critical Writer’s not thisopportunity only Congress Tatarka to Union (April used 1956). of Altogether I dare not presume to express a definite opinion about such a The DemonofConformity 9 . CEU eTD Collection History 1948-1989], differentiated from the discursive bundle categorized as from bundle categorized discursive the differentiated level general most the on system that of discourses distinct many among one asserts socialist realism as a “metaphysical nonsense.” realism asa“metaphysical socialist asserts share. Absurdity. Because The Terminological Handbook of Czechoslovak History is they appearto that in acertain quality dregs. However there itsspeaking, deepest lies,issocialistrealism topographically that there culture, aconsensus European SĜ case of being on good case ofbeinggood on termsanachronism. with deceiving not in is the ofanalogy only nornewspeak.Theappearance absurdities, In otherDadaists. but everything were realists Socialist assertion. that with disagreement the words, not theyaim at any rejuvenation themselves of the forgotten value of socialist realism, were it is based on actually not after any kind of cultural underpinning – scientific communism – political economy. These three sub-discourses were conceived were sub-discourses three These economy. – political communism scientific – underpinning 9 28, 2011). the development for of contemporary barriers created literature.”clearly which metaphysics, equaled endeavor scientific in it use to therefore needs, 8 Stalinism is aproject of the universal integral Marxism-Leninism with three units: the philosophical Itreads that socialist realism was conceived “voluntarily, itstemmed from political and ideological íru þ ka k ka If the character of If Carrin of play Dada character E.H. the Tom peakof on the puts Stoppard’s Let us suppose that socialist realism is the þ eskoslovenským d eskoslovenským the high point of Western European culture - I well remember as though it were yesteryear were it though as remember well - I culture European of Western point high the how Hugo Ball - or was it Hans Arp? - yes! - no - Picabia, was it? -no, Tzara - yes! – http://www.usd.cas.cz/UserFiles/File/Publikace/Prirucka48_89.pdf To those of us who lived through itDada was, topographically speaking, Č jinám 1948-1989 jinám wrote his name in the snow with a walking stick and said: Theory See MilanJungman “Socialist Realism“ in 10 [The Terminological Handbook of Czechoslovak of Handbook Terminological [The cultural 8 Even though Even paperthough this does science There! I think I'll call it The Alps. itThe call I'll Ithink There! discourse of Stalinism. It is It Stalinism. of discourse Oh, the yes-no's ofyesteryear. yes-no's the Oh, (oh, where are they now?) they are where (oh, 9 Tom Stoppard, Travesties Stoppard, Tom (judicial, economic, (judicial, (accessed May (accessed Slovníková CEU eTD Collection 1992): 63. innocent enterprise. innocent an as seen been never has it but absurdity, a worthless as discredited rightfully) way some has been (in Socialistrealism phenomena. depoliticized understood/studied as power mechanisms in aesthetic spheres that would have been heretofore hidden upon adiscovery of set a foucauldian isitendeavor not Second, are still alive. been studied already, all of them are easily available and even some of their authors have sources Mostof probably ofthe matter past. the factual the proverbial gap of 11 148. architecture andmusicarchitecture compositions. even visual or arts cinematic and literature, terms of into the ideology (scientific) socialist realism is exposed there asthe there is exposed realism socialist 10 Book], Nad knihou Michala Kope Michala knihou Nad political science were legalized or only in 1960s.psychology See sociology, Milošas such Havelka, “RevisionismusDisciplines society. any jako guide osud and rule hnutí: to knowledge complete a as its aboutin aestheticmonograph written features the 1990s. of Sovietthe Writers’ Union (1934). statutes in founding already the of workers education and transformation ideological historians dealing with the subject. Socialist realism was charged with the mission of present-day founding from and fathers Soviet the statements of historical definitethe intensity of forcepolitical bymeans of cultural production. same the transmit to intended originally was realism socialist that unquestionable is It such. as studied logically are and discourses political primarily course of were Stalinism of discourses Scientific etc.). discourse, organizational historical, Regine Robin, Adam Terzt, Soudobé d What does this claim this does What Socialist realism is a political discourse. This fact can be inferred both from both beinferred can fact This discourse. a political is realism Socialist Trial Begins & On Socialist Realism Č Socialist Realism: AnImpossible Aesthetics jiny, 1-2 þ (2010) ka [Revisionism as the Fate of Movement: Above Michal Kope Above Michal ofMovement: Fate the as [Revisionism ka : 173-188. not entail? First, it does not aim to fill any kind of a 10 In samethe vein itis grasped in seminalthe 11 (Berkeley: University of California Press enforced (Stanford: Stanford University Press, University Stanford (Stanford: translation 11 Impossible aesthetics of the Stalinist þ ek’s New ek’s , 1960): of CEU eTD Collection process to exchange Kohout’s for Tsara’s political to exchange stick. Kohout’s aesthetic walking process revolver a long took asdelegitimizationnonlinear realism. It socialist of practice isunderstood “hold This inmission artwork. a revolver” and each to every emancipating discursive from prescribed the emancipation adoption of aswell as of 1956 sawprocess the isHowever, it onlyhalf hypothesis.the of The second half thatyearsassumes 1949- revolver,” seriousnessPavel declaredpoet with young (1954). utmost Kohout first assignment. first enemies? antagonistic different two are there that itassert Does condition: single this only under political is realism socialist concept, famous his to According notion. applicable the into diversity this of simplification the with help shall Schmitt Carl realism. socialist of priority political the at hinting expressions of list the is Endless subjects… infantile socialism, translation of the commands of political economy intometaphors for embrace that, hopefully, will prove to justify its appearance. 13 University Press, 2009): 87-106. in practice,” 12 thesis. in this embraced approach contextualist the to according least at discourse, political of history the isalways history intellectual and discourse political is realism socialist Hence history. intellectual for more even but culture, and art of history for only not matter subject appropriate is the realism socialist that follows it presuppositions, commonplace above-mentioned the from Still, thesis. Carl Schmitt, Carl on consideration Some d'historien’. ‘mérier the and of alanguage concept “The Pocock, A. G. J. It is the hypothesis of this thesis that the friend-enemy distinction was their Ideological transformation of masses, education of workers in the spirit of The newchances of things under the Sunbeing discovered arebleak in this 13 Political Thought andHistory: groups in real life? Did poets assert real-life friends and real-life The Concept of the Political of the Concept The “ I am writing verses with one hand / in the other I am holding a (Chicago: University of Press,Chicago 1996). Essays Method, onTheory and (Cambridge: Cambridge 12 12 It is this It first a CEU eTD Collection Uprising (1944). platform founded asa herold of traditionthe of independentthe resistance of Slovak The National profoundly political different environment. writing publishing and lengthyworks, authorscouldthe found have themselves in a between months the During be momentary. should ontheaudience andits effects act makespeech a to political decision the between interval is ideal large.The publication and anovelits or (Tatarka) write apoem (Kundera) gap betweenadecision to socialist realism were publishing of preference the However, rules of form always of time. in thecourse mighthaveacquired they that relevance nor size genre, the on servingnot and theappearance their of order politicschronological the on is put relevance The Tatarka. of content, the time unceasingly in realms.changing Sources spaces. aloneSources suffice.not do reconstitute The analysismutually must two dependent, against “titoism“ and “bourgeois nationalism“. And edition was promptly pulverized. That is to say, it was published in the space of the new campaign wave post-warof the changes regime forming inthe Bloc.Eastern Butpublished when in1951,the platform newspaper the from 14 delegitimization. its of process the and realism socialist of nature political primary the of explanation the for away with the assignedget to wanted snow, melting the into writing duty of value the like tosomething delineatelegitimize friends and enemies Ata about. both Milancertain wanted to do Kundera Tatarka point, in Dominik and the real life. came literature So far depoliticized writing justify to intention an affirmation initial the After E.g., Dominik Tatarka was at one moment compelled to publisha collectionof his 1945-1948 essays Spaces denote the realm of various contexts that were originally surrounding that wereoriginally contexts various realm the of Spaces denote signify written Sources To analyze adiscourse itas To Národná obroda and published by texts Milan Kundera and Dominik means to deal with it as a over artwork must be admitted. Even though in though Even be admitted. must artwork over . Inthem. heasa convincedcommunists affirms the 13 14 Národná obroda [National revival] was the continuous interaction . CEU eTD Collection textual publishedtextual reading inscription.that of imagined would analyst into the would doall before of this aclose intra- immersed substantiallyhad Dada of (language) dimension symbolical the that third, And reader. implied not onlyin neighborhood the but physical mostin probably also mindTsara’s ashis tactileliving time that at was Lenin that snow; the into name his wrote Tsara Tristan where (snow),itbe in direction: that stressed early it environmentthe 1917 Zürich was of would theatrical (stick) realm spaces. of and extra-textual the sources of realm intra-textual the between interaction The them. between interaction continuous the on insist to and and ironicTo summarize: to study socialist realism as discourse requires to focus (Alps)on two realms writing table). The sum of itsinstitutions, platforms and events is its practical context. qualities. the on onceagain bedone?” was has to “What question popular and the in 1953 die unexpected Stalin eventshappenedto (e.g., andmeetings), exposedto (magazines The channels; andit lastly, was spacethe determined byits institutions and platforms its discursive – itsof itterritory coordinates spatial was thespacethathad third, determined the intelligibility the determined and that itby of was thespaceprinciples a cluster second, concepts governed as audience; referred to readers, implied, actual population own of and reacting origin. Socialist realism is an environment. of space their with interaction their question to is necessary it asa discourse, texts It was the space that, for starters, had its institutions. Speaking of spaceto another his term – context, whichPocock limits shouldto the dimensionof symbolical political language. Theory andallow Method to into ‘métieraccountd'historien’ : some considerationonpractice,” in not only 15 symbols and ideas but also of practice and anddelivered. formulated were athand,as they sources The notion of space is adopted from J.G.A Pocock’s essay “The concept of a language and the The first steps The first steps of discoursea curious would analyst thereby went this ( Cambridge: Cambridge University 2009): 87-106.Press,It is howeverpreferred and legality of writings – let us design it as ideology; 14 Political Thoughtand History: Essayson 15 Reading socialist realist socialist Reading CEU eTD Collection mountains.” See “Alps” entry in by Alps is generally understood thelatter mountains. But geographers apply the name to any high tops were covered with snow, and hence appropriately applied to the mountains of Switzerland; so that 17 Method Regarding 16 Strauss Leo of followers the of obsessions empiricism and Austinian pragmatism. motto,His directedown against perennial historiography:did what happen? actually is indeedSkinner anheir of Rankian against 19 the In interpretation. is history acorrect intellectual theinspired bythelinguistic pragmatism of John Austin. goal Theutmost of Skinner’s romantic arein and methodological practice turn vocabulary textual conceptual realm. His interpretation Their follows the intra- guidelinesof the Quentin approach to Skinner's speculations of Hegelians and coined the motto of the world independently of the spatial situation and of its intended audience. intended its of and situation spatial the of independently world the in referent the identifies which locution, as designs Austin that dimension language in dictionaries. Meaning as meansreference in “content itself”pertains It toa sources. for of sequence intra-textual the analysis provides amethodological three-step comingthe of (optimally) Thedefinitions meaningintention; order iseffect. third, is meaning second, is reference; meaning first, dimensions: different its delivers the hecrucial linguistic adopts question - what is of meaning meaning the contexts, but they are often evaluating them as it suits their own ideological theirsuits asit own but them evaluating they are often contexts, this only from dimension.of texts theirquoting Not arethey 1950s out original whoare disregarding socialist realism asametaphysical nonsense are staying only in E.g, Alps: “A high mountain. The name, it issupposed, was originally givento mountains whose Quentin Skinner, “Meaning Understanding and the inHistory of in Ideas,” Particular sources are the second and the more evident realm of discourse. realm of evident more the and second arethe sources Particular First, the referential dimension of meaning is commonly fixed as a definition a as fixed commonly is meaning of dimension referential the First, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002): 57-58. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 15 16 , reads: what was actually meant? Thus, th century, Ranke stood up century, stood Ranke Visions of Politics. 17 Those – and – Vol. 1 Vol. . CEU eTD Collection 20 Method (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002): 92. sort be. can notion of useful the perlocution how shows, poignantly it However, one. this like study a case not and theory grand frustrations. long-term writersunrealistic ofstate during suggestions Praguespring the drawsfrom their irrationally almost fierce, the of explanation One its actualization. without expectation canbecontaminated with authorial below). Asource probably this saddening, see aremost effects actual the though (even heightened concentration surprise, thus was some bringreflection, perlocutive the to intention about Stoppard’s the quote of 19 Stalinist,” Young a as Kundera Milan Garden: aWide “Man, Culik, see Jan reading ‘reference-only’ problematic removedfrom theirposts by theirolder, more powerful, yet more moderate political rivals. Fora actually intended an identificationof referential a provide just they And anti-Stalinism. lifelong his about evidence an as it reading are They ‘gloomy priests who shutthemselves in Marxism,in theold citadel.’ Joke, novel chances, but more itone time divided Czech public sphere into itspro-Kundera half(i.e.,you like his agent of 1950s.secret Yes, policein perhapsthis discovery amateurof historianan reduced his acquired scandalous connotations. Kundera, adept forNobel for Prize Literature, was revealed asan 18 istext “bring thoughtto something about” orientation. Intended it “intention puts by consequences.Skinner asan a source. of publication after the effects authorialof expectations regards that dimensions, known as perlocution and illocution. As for perlocution, itis the intention sub- has meaning two authorial this forspecific, Tobemore author’. ‘content about. as an is source what the enemy, to referred momenta and particular at Petr Pithart, Petr Quentin Skinner, “Motives, intentions and interpretation,” in interpretation,” and intentions “Motives, Skinner, Quentin Let usnot pretend that since 2008 the combinationof socialist realism and Milan Kundera has not of final written outcome. This expectation is present during the actual of present isprocess during theactual finalof outcome. written Thisexpectation 1967). point The footnoteof this istorememberKundera’s 1952polemic phrase against some The UnbearableLightness ofBeing, Illocution is an intention that regards authorial expectation that specifies the specifies that expectation authorial regards that intention is an Illocution Second, the intentional dimension of meaning is the meaning as intention, as intention, as meaning is the meaning of dimension intentional the Second, http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/3806/1/Milan_Kundera.pdf 18 Osmašedesátý That leads to the questioning of who was who, what kind of was kindof was what leadsgroup who, questioning tothe Thatwho of gloomy priests affirmative 20 [1968], (Praha: Rozmluvy,1990). Frustrations from enforced political discourse. That is That discourse. a Frustrations political from enforced with Stalinists in general. As it is shown later, Kundera’s verse was statement writtenagainst radical Stalinists that were being swiftly 1984 ) and itsanti-Kunderaand half(i.e.,you hisnovel like 16 19 . To illustrate it with a line of self- (accessed June 3, 2011). Visions of Politics. Pro-Kunderists like this line a lot. writing ”, where a piece of apiece where Vol.1. Regarding The CEU eTD Collection to establish to unfolds axiom. ausable approach that that from makes This approach practice (awards and punishments, offers, stipends, threats, etc). ideology (replies, inspace of the symbolical bequestioned both reactions shall publication. Consequent by be actualconsequences caused shall by (perlocution) followed about question the reviews or intended significantreaction. consequences about an Theof question author exchanges)by a followed is often reception As case, is the itfor reader. is content then effect as well as reactions from the space of Method (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002), 92. 22 1988): 122. definition source: “Actions textinvolvedsource: to inresponding cognitive 21 realism. socialist of environment inthe discredited important Czechromantic poet, mostKarl Macha, the Hynek evaluate to in of poem order epic andfeatures allusivetitle the Heemployed thesis. Kundera’s audience. intentionality, by if actorin uttered a proper space, by populated a proper a proper authorial serious very with invested be can separate” man not let together, hasjoined God what suchas“Therefore speechacts True of types utterances. other an do explication. supposed to with a walkingname his writing Tsara stick Tristan of account The doing). immediately itis (what intoaction the snow is in thisisMoreoverwriting it being aparticular (what intendedmoderegards written). of text intended as an aphorism and it is QuentinSkinner, “Motives, intentions and interpretation,” in “Aphorism. From Greek the word aphorismos, meaning ‘definition.’ Socialist realism is a political discourse. The aim of these notes on theory ontheory was of notes these The aim discourse. isapolitical realism Socialist The third and last dimension of meaning is effect , ” in ” effect that appears in a mind of a concrete reader after the reception of of a the reception after reader inminda appears of aconcrete that effect Milan Kundera, “Sixty three Words,” in Words,” three “Sixty Kundera, Milan The Last of May of The Last 21 Surely, illocutive intention is much more evident in evident more much is intention illocutive Surely, (1955)is anexample useofillocution inthe the 17 The Art ofthe Novel ” (Wolfgang Iser). Visions of Politics. , which is at first only a Aphorism: poetic form of (New York : Grove Press, 22 Vol 1. Regarding Meaning as Meaning CEU eTD Collection texts, texts, nor refuses question intentions to of under authors the study. insignificant deal not does to with seemingly resign that approach realms,of the these Itis sources. history intellectual seeking foraninteractive between relationship both particular reading of the to it proceeding the allows Onlyafterwards practical spaces. methodologically that inquiry is this It discourse. political of history the of subject the realism socialist requires as its first step a reconstitution of the ideological and 18 CEU eTD Collection Štolla” [From Correction to Ideological Norm: Of the Backgrounds of Ladislav Štoll's ‘30 Years of Years ‘30 Štoll's Stuggle’], of Ladislav Backgrounds the Of Norm: Ideological to Correction [From Štolla” the moderate Stalinists inside theCPC. Stalinists moderate the 24 pamphlet. the behind those as so radical wasnever Kundera that and Nezval,” against pamphlet anti-Party “the around scandal the to link any without occurred it that suggests correspondence mail 23 entitled January 20 ideological doctrine thatwould codify a 30-year tradition ofCzech poetry.On an elaborate to poet the on attack interpersonal and cross-generational, inner-Party measures [expulsions].” organizational then more much solution ideological an I of. emphasize out grew idea to“not grind [the affair]into trifles, but to concentrate on ideological sump that it Laco Novomeský – himself nota Czech, and alater victim – was the first who had the realism. socialist Czech of space the of event a foundational into germinating was year. daily page of the front appear on wouldthe “Valediction” Majakovskij’s of rendering his enough, Fittingly poetry. of translations his a publish his studies and continue however Kundera could youngsame age. The of Czechoslovakia began. Most of those whofollowed a similar route were about was only years old20 whenhis with relationships problematic CommunistThe Party Kundera Milan summer, in the members its hit that Party the from expulsion of wave Ji A detailed account of Kundera’s expulsion from the Party has not yetbeen given. Michal Bauer in e- Ĝ í Knapík, “Od korektury k ideologické norm Expelled in independently 1949, At the same time, the affair of the anti-Party pamphlet against Vít 30 Years of Struggle for Czech Socialist Poetry, Czech Struggle for of Socialist Years 30 Soudobé d th 1950, the idea came into being and Ladislav Štoll intobeingLadislav Štoll delivered aspeech and ideacame 1950,the Č jiny Expulsion, Foundation, Affirmation 1 (2005): 62-84. 24 Novomeský designed the solution. His idea was to use an Milan Kundera 1949-1953 23 19 of, but simultaneously with the first Czech first the with simultaneously but of, Č . Ze zákulisí vzniku ‘T Lidové Noviny Lidové ensuring the domination of domination ensuring the on November 29 of that 29of on November Ĝ iceti let boj Č slav Nezval Ĥ ’ Ladislava CEU eTD Collection teacher won a nomination to the membership of CSWU. the of membership tothe anomination won teacher intertwined as they were with pursuitthe of Stalinists,radical beginning the university reintegration hiswith the official culture. Asaconsequenceof poetic achievements, full toward made afirst step expelled Kundera announced in initially 1952, the Biebl. Konstantin poet suicidal of chase intheir specifically radicals, Stalinist of guilt monopolous moderate discourse moderate definedmonopolous by socialist statements aboutandtherefined poems were supportive. His realism hand, contemporary at Kundera’s sources of With scarcity the December 1952. published first his books of poetry shortly the hangmanafter finished in his work Kundera speaking, Historically poet.” the with in hand hand ruled hangman “the when 1952-1953. Muchlater, in 1952-1953. with the compilation of the volume of his edition of Ukrainian poetry, occured in after graduation as well as the publication of his first volume. These two events along a histeachingposition risingand poet, toward future translator, student, university Following thepartial Party’s excluded ofpreviously writers tolerance Although expelled from from expelledAlthough the in Party,Kundera wasstill even 1950 as tolerated Life isElsewhere, Life 20 Kundera would write concerning theera concerning wouldKundera write 30 Years of Struggle 30 Years of both asserting the asserting both CEU eTD Collection 1984): 104. 26 and publisher Josef Škvorecký (1924-); writer Jaroslav Šabata (1927-). (1932-); poet Jan Skácel (1922-1989); writer Jan Trefulka (1929-); poet Karel Šiktanc (1928-); writer Ji 1971); writerIvanKlíma (1931-); critic MilanJungmann (1922-); critic Oleg Sus (1924-1982); critic Lubomír Sochor(1925-1987); sociologist Pavel Machonin (1927-2008); writer Jan Procházka (1924- (1924-1983); philosopherIvanDubský Sergej(1926-); writer Machonin (1918-1995); philosopher philosopher Ladislav Hejdánek (1927-); writer Antonín J. Liehm (1924-); sociologist Radovan Richta Sobotka(1927-); medievalist František Šmahel (1934-) and modernKarel historian Kaplan (1928- Dubská (1924-2010); philosophers Karel Kosík (1926-2003),Machovec Milan (1925-2003) and Milan Mlyná (1928-); leading politican and authorof one of the most important memoirs inCzech literature Zden policy of party policy beginning publicinvitation ranks and wide the of to intensive the the of end the meant it struggle,” class the of intensification “the and Course” Sharp “The to directives Stalinist the under realized as recruitment Party: the of strategy a of episode an as beexplained also membershipcan of in the shiftlarger in by surveillance uncovered firstcorrespondence, half the deprivation 1949. This of immediacy of participation. one year after the Communist party came to power, Kundera was expelled and lost – Jan Trefulka,Kainar, Jan Skácel, Josef translatorAdolf Kroupa. and Kundera in the capital affiliated with other young Moravians with the similar outlooks in in interested Prague Already movedKundera tostudy.Brno to poetry, from order in landscape 20th Czech landscentury.of the intellectual the defined later and (CPC), Czechoslovakia of Party Communist of The 25 war” (Zden 1949-1952 Radicals against Campaign the near Kundera Milan Foundation Expulsion and Alfred French, Ĝ 25 í Brabec (1929-); Josef (1928-);Zumr critic Kv Justfor illustration, some of the leaders of this generation were: poet dramatist and Pavol Kohout Ĝ (1930-1997) andhisspouse afounderof and Sociological already Magazine 1963, Irena in The immediate cause was his then intolerable utterances in private in utterances intolerable then his was cause immediate The Born Born on April Kundera1, 1929,Milan was one of prodigous“childrenthe of Č k Mlyná Czech Writers and Politics, 1945-1969 Ĝ ), many of whom joinedranks many the warenthusiastically the after whom ), of 21 Č toslav (1930-); Chvatík sociologist Ivo Možný 25 Around the time ofjoining the CPC, (New York: Columbia University Press, University Columbia York: (New 26 However, Č ); k CEU eTD Collection in 29 Czechoslovakia,1945-1956] 28 68] Czechoslovak Communist Party: Changes the in Numberof Members and Social Composition, 1948- the spite against his defense of the elements of inter-war Czechoslovak Left culture. in mounted summerthe Vítpoet of 1949 ontheinter-war heritage and foreign models were only beto provided by the Soviets. The assault they cultural the of legitimacy the liquidated War a them slate. for blank was realism petty-bourgeois humanism of Masaryk.Tomas Garrigue Czech Otherwise, socialist supposed whowere the to replace and of Czechnational the representatives tradition, the true whowerereckoned movement, revolutionary intheinternational engaged were directly century,19th who of writers “plebeian” Czech with only counted First Czechoslovak Republic; regarding the cultural past of the Czech nation, radicals Tvorba among by others Karel Kosík (1926-2003) 27 radicalsKusák (1929-), upheld Alexej historian/contemporary of terminology the In culture. socialist of tradition particularities of the theoretical dimension of the local cultural space. birth newtension demandedto In radical-moderate wasgiving arguments. all, the the and ensued, A rivalry institutions.competition power unabashed of situation cultural State inchargeof mostly were moderates while of Party, the structures the occupation of different structures of Czech socialist realist space. Radicals controlled significant collision between the two major groups of the new Czech Stalinist culture. in. already ofthose screening Karel Kosík, Karel “T Alexej Kusák, Ji Tvorba Soudobé d Ĝ í Ma . Perhaps the most significant among these particularities was the notion of the of notion the was particularities these among significant most the Perhaps the as as well aspect in a generational They differed moderates. and Radicals 29 , 35-36 (1948). Ė In its core, it declared zero tolerance towards everything connected with the ák, “Vývoj po Č jiny Ĝ ídní bojeídní v 4 (1999): 460-478. Kultura apolitika v þ (Prague: Torst,1998): 264-267. etního etního stavu asociálního složení KS þ eské revoluci 1848”[Class Struggles the inCzechRevolution of 1848], 27 Simultaneously with his expulsion occured the first the occured expulsion his with Simultaneously the theory of discontinuity the theoryof ý eskoslovensku, 1945-1946 22 on the pages of the radical party party platform radical pagesof the the on Č ý slav Nezval slav sprang outof Nezval v letech1948-1968,” [The . 28 [Culture and Politics in This This was articulated CEU eTD Collection translation of translation Lenin’s of founding of CPC andfinally,the as aconsequence (1920); Czech of first the of the effect the as secondly also (1917); Revolution the October of effect necessary USSR. And the original be claimedmechanical in by governed echoof and to social the cultural processes foundation was Bohemia of culture The in Union. Soviet the located was history of epicenter of Czech socialist poetry was interpreted as a 1947): by founding Neumannfigure ofsocialistpoetry, alleged the Stanislav Kostka (1875- to terms with the fact the law of history is revolves around the sun, 1950 Czechoslovakia had no other option but tofinally come definition of the law of history. Just as it was not known for ages that the Earth and poetry art of decades previous three that follows It mechanisms. politico-economic in into general was wedged poetry the that was theory of Štoll’s axiom The legitimate. politically had been a to as under the title the under at meetingabout plenary the CSWUinJanuary 1950,andwasduly published the of his came speech socialist realism, version of Czech of distinctively the speech act Štoll decisively codified the tradition of Czech socialist realism.Ladislav The foundational Nezval, of insult their to due expelled were radicals of number a after a year andseconded byJi implications for literary the by tradition elaborated were Ladislav Štoll (1902-1981) it on 1962) articulated large the history, of whileits political scale Czech conventional 30 Years Struggle of Selected influences of the culture of influences implemented of of as culture Republic Selected The Firstthe were Moderates upheld 30 Years forCzech30 ofStruggle SocialistPoetry Ĝ í Taufer, who focused on the contemporary even focused onthe Not whosituation. contemporary í Taufer, The State andRevolution The ) . the theorylimited of continuity. Whatwas its basic idea? necessary 23 dialectical materialism consequence of Marxist-Leninist the of consequence (1920). This translation achieved Thiswas translation (1920). Zden (from now on on referred now (from Č . Thelast and final k Nejedlý(1878- CEU eTD Collection of the of the 1950s] (Prague: Akropolis, 2009): 381. [Implications of theLabyrinth: The Codificationof theIdeologic-Aesthetic Norm inCzech Literature Lidové noviny magazine weredissolved. Their apparatus Kultprop his Party- and Bareš, Gustav of radicals, leader The performed. were swiftly party moderates through vehementmeasures, wide personal and institutional changes in the Ladislav Štoll and a poet Vít Souvislosti labyrintu. Poetry], editedversion of stenographic the protocol of the speech published inMichal Bauer, Ji social historian far that wentso Measures Zden moderates: older trio of aforementioned yetanother monopoly of the into collision the resolved Slánský Rudolf with trial The lands. Czech in trials Neumann – Ji Kostka Stanislav trio of the establishment and theory radical of was amarginalization January contemporaries. the 1950 friendships, capital andthesocial of affiliations, older on also but Party, the to loyalty of histories personal on only not based a To limited.it was was brutally the largetradition zero but radical tolerance, degree, was not It poets. as socialists Czech accepted therefore were writers older only these thestate inof against theSovietshow trialsaffairs 1930s,and accepted 1949, the of 30 new order Only inter-war cultural actors who had been “struggling“ with the realization of the Ladislav bojŠtoll, “30 let The final collision occured in 1952, as an outcome of wave ofshow- of in last 1952,asan the outcome The final occured collision realization of the old dreams of poetry. dreams old of the realization SovietUnion. This struggle of the world proletariat is at the same time the struggle forthe class, but the new,highersocial order,also itis strugglethe that was fought not only by [Czech]our working by thelawful,even thoughextremely complex, reflectionofproletariat grand struggle.the It is and strugglethe forpeculiar is a stake at that clear than more is it I today think norms. aesthetic and Beauty of the inthe wholeautonomous spiritual sphere. It is not some kind of isolated struggle forworldthe principles of thatstress I don’tsome mean kindof self-enclosed process developingand, independently lifeon firstI speak spiritualaboutdrama the ofStruggleCzech for poetry. socialist the I do havenot to of all, by the workers of the all theway Ĝ í Wolker –Július Fu (People’s News) was renamed to Kodifikace ideologicko/estetické normy v Ĥ to the state of affairs in 1950, only poets who onlydidprotest state to the of in1950, poets not affairs za þ eskou socialistickou poezii“ [30Years of for Struggle CzechSocialist Č slav Nezval. Young radicals were removed by þ ík asicons of the space. 30 24 Ĝ í Knapík asserts that “The earthquake in that“The earthquake í Knapík asserts Literární noviny Tvorba þ eské literatu (Creation) was stopped. was (Creation) Ĝ (Literary News) (Literary e 50. let 20. Století Č k Nejedlý, . CEU eTD Collection Sectarianism and Liberalism – For the Prosperity of our Literature], our of Prosperity the –For Liberalism and Sectarianism 32 translated French modernist poetry and thus imported into modernistimported CzechlandsAppolinaire,and French poetry thus translated as a Periodization Point of Czech Literature?], of Czech Point aPeriodization as (1890-1938). In illustrated by the new tolerance of the well-known Masarykian author Karel were limits of personal, not of ideological ideological tolerance of not limits of personal, were Literature under title the “AgainstSectarianism andLiberalism –For Prosperity the of our limited continuity longer way“ no anideological was premise. “all –theloyalty the of tolerance modified limits the Thisreassertion programs.” andgroups, even ifformalist, false,that anddecadent time at they declared [noncommunist] separated particular, members of evenif were they class, working firstyearsloyal “since the their of bourgeois republicthe the to proved relationship who personalities more of defense the into discourse their moved They discontinuity. publishednew on pagesof the magazine platform Janoušek, “Proces se Slánským jako periodiza jako Slánským se “Proces Janoušek, Power: Cultural Politics, Systemits Agents, and 1948-1956] (Prague: Libri, 2006):141. Also Pavel of the authors article ofimportant by the about brought was It modifications. significant very but slight 31 in literature. of history Czech the 1952asa suggests Janoušek historian Pavel point periodization literary elite,” while the personnel theof apparatus of the Central Committee created basically a new Party Ladislav Štoll, Ji See Ji Ĝ Following Kusák’s terminology, it seems proper Followingmaintainitseems Kusák’sterminology,to proper that A reassertion of the codified socialist-realism program followed, bearing quite bearing followed, program socialist-realism codified the of A reassertion í Knapík, . ” 32 The authors repeated the strict rejection of the radical program of V Zajetí moci: Kulturní politika, její systém a akté Ĝ 30 Years Struggle, of í Taufer, “Proti sektá 30 YearsofStruggle, had enwidened limits. its 31 Ĝ ství aliberalismu –za rozkv Tvar þ ní mezník v mezník ní Ladislav Štoll and Ji and Štoll Ladislav ý 25 apek was unequivocally excluded. Hehadapek wasunequivocally 48(1992): 1, 4-5. But, to speak my own language,speak these my to own But, þ eské literatu eské Literární noviny Literární noviny . Ĝ i, 1948-1956 The change can be can change The Ĝ Ĝ e?” [The Trial with Slánsky with Trial [The e?” Č í Taufer. The text was text The í Taufer. t našeho um (Literary News) (Literary [In the Captivity of 19 (1952): 5-6. the theoryof Č ní” [Against ý apek well CEU eTD Collection (Prague: 34 in 1950s.] the (Prague:Akropolis, 2009): 389. [Implications of the Labyrinth: The Codificationof the Ideological-Aesthetic Norm in Czech Literature Souvislosti labyrintu. Socialist Poetry], edited version of the stenographic protocol of the speech published in Michal Bauer, the development of art. That was one of their weapons. Most of all, they discarded the in epochs whole discarding been have “simplifiers sectarian radical hand, other the On cubism.” of representatives great “is the he of one that wrote Nezval Emil Filla, occasion the of 70 the at article cubism. Inhiscongratulatory evident from the rejection of the attempt of of Vít attempt the of from rejection the evident could beincluded,but still liberalism his outside stood limits the of space.Thisthe is sectarianism coined was of radicals approach suppressed the article, of the from title the enemy of the people, but a mistaken defenderbelonger “rehabilitated.”nofirst He politically the to 1953, hewas the wasamong of the Czech proletariat. As is evidentIn 1949-1952, introduction, Soviet critic S. V.Nikolskij described the book in the following terms: his novel of by re-publication the realism Czech socialist 33 or avant-garde for allmodernist term as umbrella the interpreted from present.Insum, wasnecessarily Soviet Union the Parnas.” decadent the of name rotten “most that S. V. Nikolskij, “P Nikolskij, V. S. Ladislav Štoll, “30letboj political questions. and economic crucial the it processed as Nations United of the “peacefulness” and evasiveness the He rejected of people. elimination the of ways new the for looking was which science, on in the 1930s. It is a satire on the exploitationThe authorwrote a versatile satire of on capitalist Ford, society a satireand onbourgeois international on politics Anglo-American racism and On the other side of the spectrum was a different enemy: adifferent was side spectrum of the On theother ý eskoslovenský spisovatel,1953). . ý apek was among the first to be excluded from befrom excluded to apek wasamongfirst official the culture. In Ĝ edmluva” [The Preface] in Karel Karel in Preface] [The edmluva” Kodifikace ideologicko/estetické normy v 34 Ĥ za þ eskou socialistickou poezii” [30 years of Struggle forthe Czech 26 ý Č 33 apek, slav Nezval for a new reappraisal of for anewreappraisal Nezval slav The help of The help of asupporting impulse Válka smloky þ eské literatu War with the Newts ý apek was included into wasincludedapek th Liberalism. birthday of painter of birthday [The War with Newts] with War [The movements Ĝ e 50. let 20. století. It can be . . In its ý apek CEU eTD Collection Sectarianism and Liberalism – For the Prosperity of Our Literature], Our of Prosperity the –For Liberalism and Sectarianism offers a slight suggestion. Looking at his translations, it seems possible that in his that possible seems it translations, his at Looking suggestion. aslight offers iswe doknow.not answer that Even on Kundera Bauer only asMichal such expert 1952-1953 Radicals the against Kundera Milan Affirmation radicals, came the flow of the writings of expelled Milan Kundera. Course change fromTheSharpCoursetoNew “ was called shiftvocabulary, this Inthecontemporary were only reaffirmed. of tradition limits ideological the but realism, socialist enter spaceof the to persons revered poet of periodthe –Vladimir Mayakovskij. hadledCzech to important1951, the sameauthor the most oneof decision as the in allegedly, past mistaken the forget to sectarians of inability The suicide. his for of asbeingfierceradicals responsible propaganda the radicals article, they accused the snobbish New York vernissages.” at fashion greatest is the today surrealism) to cubism painting (from abstract that fact andhis surrealist They period. concluded: “Nezval himself notwantwill todeny the to his of ability exactly but grounds the Filla: on the personof tolerated 1950. Yes,they defense of cubism in the above-mentioned article. Itwas a restatement of the limits of 36 noviny 35 20 artof the modern Ladislav Štoll, Ji Vít escape Č slav Nezval, “K sedmdesátinám Emila Filly” [To the 70 10 (1953): 10. Prior to 1952, was Milan Kundera nearer the radicals or the moderates? The moderates? radicalsthe the neareror 1952, wasMilan Kundera to Prior All invictory radicalsallowedthe all,of moderates the new the against Finally, Štoll and Taufer addressed the suicide of poet Konstantin Biebl. In the from modernist cubism. They claimed that this was also the case of Nezval Ĝ í Taufer, “Proti sektá th century.” 35 Ĝ Štoll includedtheresponseand Taufer tothis ství aliberalismu –za rozkv 36 27 .” After the ebb of persecutions of th Birthday of Emil Filla], Literární noviny Č t našeho um 19 (1952): 5-6. Č ní” [Against Literární the CEU eTD Collection to stress that these [Communist] peculiar pseudo-revolutions, imported from Russia and carried out labour. Kundera himself addresses thequestion forced to sent a mostly and from as an also omniscientuniversity expelled were narrator,Kundera e.g., with “It is together important expelled colleagues Poetry and Plays] and Poetry 39 38 [Milan Kundera as a Translator atthe Turn of 1940s-1950s], the a Party! Becher, J.R.: Becher, a direct employment at same university. employment the a direct Academythe of inPerformingArts Prague until his successful ingraduation 1952 and FilmFaculty of atthe studies his and pursue could university tone same affirmative publish in to the however, Hecontinued, a for recognition. larger chance before hegot admiration for Moscow than Taufer.” agreater chose Kundera surprisingly showsthat both of translations of “Comparison Ji ideologue, moderate and key Mayakovsky translator 29, 1949) “Valediction” poem the he translated expulsion the after yearinyoungradical 1949.Probably the platform same of Party apparatchiks, right poem “Reply to the Imperialists” the to “Reply poem militant Mayakovsky’s of translation the expulsion, his Before history. publication space. realism socialist in the perceived faults the of all for responsible officially accusation of is, moderate the That theysupported 37 realism. socialist of tradition the question on about the statements open madehis first signature “translated by Milan Kundera.” At least six of them appeared even before he with the werepublished poems party-outsider status, hisRegardless of post-1949 years he havewith not radical earliest might beenthe instandpoint. disagreement total SeeHybner, Martin “Zapírané básnické a divadelní dílo Milana Kundery”Kundera’s [Milan Denied Ibid, 1. Majakovski, V.: (1952). See Michal Bauer, “P Mayakovsky was the poet who Kundera translated in beginningwhoKundera of his very the Mayakovsky poet the was translated 37 However, the initial ideas Kundera put forward were clearly clearly affirmative. were forward put ideasKundera initial the However, . Michal Bauer compares his translation with one written by the established the by written one with translation his compares Bauer Michal Two Germanies Valediction Proglas 6 (2007): 25–33.Hybner cannot stress enough thatthe two otheryoung (1951); Rylskij, M.: (1949), Ĝ ekladatelská Reply tothe imperialists appeared in one of appeared in oneof Maythe issues of 38 Theyoungand poet studentwasexpelled 28 Immortal Lenin þ 39 innost Milana Kundery p na sectarians, (1949); S Tvar 9 (1952); Botvinnik, S.: ( Ĝ Lidové noviny, (1998): 6-7,passim. í Taufer. Heconcludes, í Taufer. þ ipa who came to be held þ ev, Š.: Ĝ elomu 40. a 50. let.” Tvorba Mi There is such þ November urin (18) (1950); , a CEU eTD Collection his ‘Iron hisPsalm,’ ‘Iron in abbreviatory wondrous this image of Ukrainianthe revolution, or juvenilein nature either in verses poet’s music revolution the asoundof orthe of the sources of “Itcould folk peripheral of the pre-modern enrichmentsocialist be art: voice. contemporary Kundera’s to peculiarity some given have might This times. folklorepre-modern of inthe findits sources needsto national tradition the poetic forthWith in Kundera Slánský’s). set claimed that categories introduction, these the cosmopolitanism was internationalism proletarian bourgeoise nationalism (Yugoslavia and Slovaks), and thesome negative of proletarian internationalism. affirmation of two core concepts of contemporary Stalinism: “glorification companionship.”Ukranian-Sovietof realist discourse. realist phase his of public the existencewhen hereigning version supported of socialist a short entered trials. Kundera demonstrably 1952show the itwasafter remodified as limited slightly moderate of continuity, theory the of imperatives with the accord in full The itwas because Czech graduate. noticingyoung by the is worth preface main textare from introduction.his (29 out of 40 pieces). ý 40 Pavlo Ty poet byUkrainian poems “Preface,” in Milan Kundera, Milan in “Preface,” managerhad changed last theprogram the moment at andsubstituted a trivialfarce,” MilanKundera, were playing their customary gloriousin the part European drama had and no inkling that theater the absolutelyan in new world.faith Poets foundeschatological themselves and on the enthusiasm, proscenium pathos, for grand the lastthe time.with They them thought they experienccd adherents their and psychology revolutionary authentic of full were police, the and army ofthe protection the under eskoslovenský spisovatel (1953). Kundera translated 29 out of 40 poems; quotes the that follow in the Pavlo Ty The Ukrainian element was identified with the Moravian one, since both were both since one, Moravian the with identified was element Ukrainian The He stressed He stressed Ty In 1953, Kunderatogether In put 1953, þ yna, Ocela n Č þ ha yna’s “arduous love of native Ukraine,” not contradicting not the love Ukraine,” native yna’s “arduous of : Výborz poesie [Steel and Tenderness. ACollectionof Poems] (Prague: Life is Elsewhere The implicit negative of socialist patriosm was naturally was patriosm socialist of negative implicit The þ yna was introduced as well as mostly as mostly translated introduced well as yna was (London: Penguin Books, 1986): v-vi. Steel andTenderness. 29 This leddoublet Kundera to the and zionism socialist patriotism 40 This (Israel and the collection of and CEU eTD Collection difficult to it rather cope found reviewers Stalinist the which with event rebellious provocative, major, a as seen indeed need to reevaluate’ (Janoušek, 2007-2008,202); finally “the publicationof ‘ attempt to assert individual and polemical terms” (Bauer, 2003,16) oras a‘declarative gesture of the 1982, 100) or as a poetry of between“tension a need to comply with pressure the of(French, the norm and the fifties” the of sloganry theversified to than 'twenties of the poets 'proletarian' early of the that 43 Liberation celebrations, rallies, meetings,” May Day, (ibid. present. 122). the from come would latter The work. dances, carnivals, Harvests, past. of communal rites. They would by create dozens their ownbe united collective would they customs. more, TheOnce formermerge. would would lives come frompublic and the private Their isolation. their man lived cut off from man, everyone for himself. But socialism had liberated menfrom the yoke of function. There wouldhave been point no in trying to resurrectit while socialconditions were such that “Capitalism had destroyed the collective way of life. Folk art had lost its footing, itssense of itself, its explanation of the suicide of Konstantin Biebl. Konstantin of suicide the of explanation Štoll andagreement Taufer’s with by his verbatim be almost 1953 could proved in limited continuity of theory the of embrace Kundera’s a production, contemporary its freshness for to affirmation compared of when space.Interesting the his first bookof nothing butan own poetry contemporary explanations, was (Jaroslav) from anovel may contain at least characters some of the ofone of his viewsA fromreflections the time of of Kings”. Ride “the custom, particular ofa mainly traditions, 1984): v.However, self-same inthe preface Kundera expresses long-term his fascinationwithfolklore Joke Joke realism. socialist a Kundera’s of space re-established freshly the against contention first 42 41 the complex counterpoint of the poem ‘The Funeral of a Friend.’” village. Ukrainian/Moravian the of space the to related was realism socialist of space from further any kindmodernist of tradition unsucessfully defended by Nezval. The “plebeian” democrats veneered by the young radical it from –is far this Czech view subject on of official Kosíkthe scene isan articulations on one side, but itliterary is the to even contribution this art, socialist of orientation historical the of question Ithasbeendescribed as Communist poetry “witha difference. Its socialism was closerspiritin to “When in 1980, during a television panel discussion devoted to my works, someone called ‘ called someone works, my to devoted discussion panel television a during 1980, in “When Ibid. ’ amajor indictment of Stalinism,’ I was quick to interject, ‘Spare me your Stalinism, please. is a love story,” Milan Kundera, “Preface” in Milan Kundera, Milan in “Preface” Kundera, Milan alovestory,” is 42 Then came 43 But from But intellectual from viewpointhistory, of the byKundera’s triangulated , ” ( ý ulík, 31). Man, a Wide Garden, Man, a regarded by many purely literary bymany literary scholarsregarded as purely 30 The Joke ý (London: PenguinBooks, lov Steel and Tenderness Č 41 k zahrada širá Regarding the ’ was The The : CEU eTD Collection Writers’ Union], the the Publishing House ý on Poems in the Circle of Young Poets – Stenographic Protocol of the Debate], the of Protocol Stenographic – Poets ofYoung Circle the in Poems on 46 45 49-51. 44 reviewers). be later to happened (whoalso for publication thebook of recommenders evidence. The Biebl as poem amongabout official anti-sectarian recognized was also a comment particularly about this poem. In turn, he is reported to state: give Kunderathat stenographic waspressedto meetingstates this of protocol The young poets. circle of the debateof the invective at andexplained the repeated ideological ship. would like An toimplied have target it. are radicalsAt this and not point,socialist realists Kundera in their entirety, and Štollas statement: a polemical andbegins with deceased poet scholars were still on the same Garden. eskoslovenský spisovatel” [The Preparation of the Publication of Milan Kundera’s Books of Poetry in Poetry of Books Kundera’s of Milan Publication of the Preparation [The spisovatel” eskoslovenský Michal Bauer, ed., “P Michal Bauer, ed., “Diskuse o básních Milana Kundery v Kroužku za vKroužku Kundery Milana obásních “Diskuse ed., Bauer, Michal Kundera, That, only That, recently published doesnot remark (2003), exhaust all the methods of Partythe – methods introduced by Slánský. withby a motto whichclearly states introduced therecipient. are they Thepoems are collection whole the in polemics – hand at against wrong selection limited the of because clear not who...” and his poem “About Biebl.” Comrade KunderaComrade explains poemhis enemy “Comrades, the isnotautomatically a man,such Kundera claims that the meaning the poems is In December 1952,amonth after of showtrialthe KunderaSlánský,with poetry its of Those, who want to turn socialism into / same. hostile the and deserts one are / thosepoetry and are the oflife first who Enemies sheer the locksKonstantine:/ premonition, this had You citadel…. old the in Marxism, in themselves shut who priests Konstantin, you neverbelieved /thatCommunist is a man who does not like people / gloomy is One indeedto the memory the of inhisbook of dedicated poems the Z.K. and Jan Jaroslav Slabý Z.K. Slabý andtime again stressed Kundera’s valuable polemic young voice Man, aWideGarden 46 Tvar 44 12 (2001): 11,14-15. . . ý Ĝ íprava jednotlivýchvydání básnickýchknih Milada Kundery v nakladatelství eskoslovenský spisovatelReprint – ofArchives the of Czechoslovakthe [Man, aWideGarden] (Prague: Ĥ declared mostly positive mostly declared views of 31 45 ý eskoslovenský spisovatel,1953): þ ínajících autor ínajících Tvar 14(2003): 18-19. Man, a Wide Man, Ĥ ” [The Debate ” [The CEU eTD Collection 1940s-1950s] (Jino SĜ 49 noviny 48 (1953): 4. the membership in the prestigious CSWU. double actof affirmation of space the socialist yielded realismof structural results – histhe nevertheless, the was reminded, inconcretenessbut of invective reverberated, subjectivism...” and individualism with himself not pretentiousheleaving – because isnot and inside out anything heisfighting a he has already newspaper, large Heis in criticised onhisside. book the advantage wrote in his letter: “Even though Kundera made some ideological mistakes in his membership of the CSWU (July 1, 1953). Michal Sedlo Michal membership (July1,1953). CSWU the of by recommenders and reviewers of the volume. also but him, by only not confirmed thus was poems in Kundera’s indictment Štoll’s of Therestatement brought.” poems his [Kundera’s] that contribution and positive 47 tone.” book] permeated[the by lofty shadowof a small generalizes his polemic on the whole of socialist criticism and aesthetics. Thereby itis ‘Gloomy whopriests shut themselves in Marxism,in the oldKundera citadel’, of rejection “By meansofmetaphorical ofKundera’s polemic: nature inspecific vermin” and againstmounted namely“Slánský, radicals, Šling, other poetry. Jaroslav Jan andanti-war in artof the Konstantin Kundera’steacherpolemics Biebl as described The letter of Michal Sedlo Jan Jaroslav Z.Slabý, K. knížkaMilana “První Kunderu” [MilanKundera’s First Book], elomu elomu 40. a50.let 20.století 36 (1953): 6 48 Besides these positive two public receptions, MilanKundera wasnominated to Yet,in general, Jan Ĥ , “O citu a myšlence v lyrice” [Of Emotion and Thought in Lyric Poetry], Lyric in Thought and Emotion v [Of a myšlence lyrice” citu “O , þ any: H & H, 2003):footnote no. 1024. Ĥ , however, did not limitpraises, did, however, not himself and to thetoo criticized Ė is quoted in Michal Bauer, [Ideology and Memory: Literature and Institutions at the Turn of the Turn the at Institutions and Literature Memory: and [Ideology Ĥ is willing to “signis Z.K. willing to analysis Slabý’s of hopeful the 32 Ideologie apam 49 , The fact of Thehis factof expulsion past individualistic, if not anarchistic if not individualistic, Ė , a member of a memberof Presidium, , ČĢ : literatura ainstituce na Literární noviny 47 . Slabý even Literární 35 CEU eTD Collection situation in the structures and personnel of the Czech cultural sphere. changed of the theconsequence inturn was which personaltolerance, degrees of officialthe were andinasmuch beingmodified itcultural allowedpolitics as new as inasmuch only then innovative, were they If realism. socialist of delegitimization writingsrecommendationsfor hisinclusion in theWriters’ itisUnion, this arguable that at this beingreactionsliberal, even of and series the positive through of too and time cannot he (Ty author edited the made about he commentaries the Through it. from removed being were yet Stalinism of proponents be understood as the first steps towards the Milan Kundera entered Communist culture at the time when the fiercest atthe when thetime culture Communist entered Kundera Milan þ yna), through his self-defense against the chargethe histhrough yna), against self-defense 33 CEU eTD Collection Gutenberg, 2001). (Prague: Writer] of a Birth ofthe Story The Paris. and Prague, home, Between Tatarka. [Dominik grain of grain by its realism, insistenceSlovak of which was typifiedon extra-textual social Skhlovskij againstthe invoked andwent manifestoes theformalist of Victor doctrine Miraculous Virgin See Zden See post-1969) into Czechlanguage. Both of quite factsexceptional are these phenomena. Czech, by translatorof Slovak the his Czech prose into the language (officially asdissidentpre-1969, 50 story collection short the fiction, two relevantliterary manifestoes, and started to write reviews of books. While of books Hepublishedtwo writer. as begin hisa managed career Uprising to he the Before hometown. own his from away far too not movement, national Slovak the of Žilina, hometowns and the Martin in up ofhigh teacher post school andthe took inBratislava wherehegraduated finally state, the newlyfoundedSlovak returned to in andParis literature Prague French Czechoslovak and Drienové, asmall village incentral inFrom 1913. 1939he Slovakia, 1934 to studied novel winning in fiction category of the was achievementscomplementary realities. Among other things,of this occasion to highlightthe the cultural new as experienced socialist were Czechoslovakia thepost-1948 of celebration and the epoch.Slovakia independent wartime the of denunciation the Prestigious holiday: national defining the celebrations. fifth anniversary The to of dedicated Slovakthe was National Uprising state prizes were presented, and the Theonly available biography of Tatarka is limited to this early period of hislife. Itwas written in At that moment, its author Dominik Tatarka was 36 years old. He was born in In theSlovak part lateof Czechoslovakia, the days of were August 1949 Č k Eis, k Affirmation, Foundation, Exclusion, Conformity Dominik Tatarka (1944) were based on either existentialist or surrealist premises, his Dominik Tatarka 1949-1953 Tatarka Dominik In the Anxiety of Searching In theAnxietyof . Mezi domovem, Prahou, Pa Prahou, domovem, Mezi . 34 The Parochial Republic. The Parochial Ĝ íží. Vypráv íží. (1942) and the novella(1942) and the 50 , in , 1939 heabruptly Č ní o zrodu spisovatele. o zrodu ní The CEU eTD Collection section of The Czechoslovak Slovak of the secretaries he of the wasone alsothat us ittells heritage; national Writers’ UnionSlovenská (CSWU), and that he was presently a 1949, 8. Pravda National thathe inPrize won 1949, aconcise biography inwas published daily the supported Communistthe of takeover inpower February 1948. Atthe occasion of The Tatarka joined socialisminstallmentof state in in1948.Besides thethis, course of Uprising,the the after disbanded was newspaper The TheAssembly. National Slovak The of platform Communistthe magazineParty ofof TheSlovakia Communist (CPS) Party ofand Slovakia without (CPS), hesitation but rather the official 52 by leading Slovak Communist Laco Novomeský. However, this byjoining track the position of editor of the bulletin in hiscareer, of journalist Herebegan Uprising. the headquarters urban the Bystrica, partisan in the mountains joinedUprising came aboutin as a andactively Tatarka fought1944, Dominik of Central aspirantSlovakia. He also for spent the some leadership time in Banská of socialist literature in Slovakia. However, when the [Against the Demons] (Bratislava: Slovenský spisovate See “Neznáma Dominik Tatarka, tvár(1940)” [The UnknownFace (1940)], in tragic effort and of toil, wants expense the to at realize even who, himself man, according to hisnon-existing a ownis idea man and faith.” real most the that understand not does man 51 estrangement of notion the of herald modernist a himself The Parochial Republic in atthetimestory of the which Tatarka, in storytelling. commitments national and “Arguably, the reality of art is more truthful than the reality of history ornature. Only the limited “ Slovenské národné ceny na rok 1949” [The Slovak National Prizes 1949], Prizes National Slovak [The 1949” rok na ceny národné Slovenské . Existentialism, surrealism, and formalism: Not a promising beginning for the for beginning a promising Not formalism: and surrealism, Existentialism, 52 It informs us that since 1948, Tatarka had held a contract with held had acontract informssince 1948,Tatarka usthat It , a major cultural institution located in Martin dedicated to the cultivation of cultivation tothe in Martin dedicated located institution major cultural , a Národná obroda was situated (i.e. the wartime Slovak state, 1939-1945),was (i.e. wartimethe state, Slovak was situated Hlas Hlas [The National founded newspaper National Revival], the [The Đ 35 udu Đ [The Voice of the People]. He followed , 1968):, 21. . 51 Národná obroda Pravda, Proti Démonom 27 August, was not Matica CEU eTD Collection a general state a general state beinginof Czechoslovakthe sphere, public 1951-1953). however was (which Stalinism of praise conformist indistinct, an into years following although only for ashort time. writings after in His his for return the 1952 turned two enemies whohad beenin suddenlydetected theranks of Party.the excluded, Hewas against bourgeois inwashit nationalism by pursuit 1951.Tatarka of political the campaign the was Slovak particularly realism socialist Slovak made what specific, be definedwould spaceof To socialistSlovak realism. byaconflict. It bedefined precisely not yet of the supporter affirming and recognized, ambitious, ardent, the beforehe was will in 1951 1949-1953.I socialistclaim that the period culture realist publicly of with expressed Dominik thought Tatarka changingspace the Slovak of vitaecurriculum thatwaspregnant futurewith problems. full-time writer. In other words, Tatarka was a prominent Communist artist with a What I shall attempt in this chapter is an account of the interaction of the of interaction of the is an account in chapter this attempt I shall What 36 CEU eTD Collection and it comes forth in nonlinear and discontinuous sentences that produce unclear in sentences produce nonlinearand that forth discontinuous itcomes estrangement for desire the from stems It occasionally. only but present, still is form the vestiges of Tatarka's However, class. working the of ideology the with identification author’s the toward formalist past werenovel, been that and a progressive not unnoticed: “The impact of the old section section CSWU,of in claimed his that review Slovak the of chairman the Chorváth, Michal scene. literary Slovak the of head how year.in trace this unfolded process course of the the život platform magazine on the place mostly took reception of process interactive In insideitdanger this 1950, was generallybook. readasasocialistrealist The tome. no and would one wasany there havesuspectedthat codified, potential political circulating already was nationalism bourgeois of notion the though even Still, 1951. in some of ensuingthe condemnations ascending from widereception prefigured the ideas the also, year. Presumably of the literary event on andcommented observed 53 novel, post-war second itwas theyear Firstandforemost, his of andaccumulated. nationalism appeared also bourgeois of accusations later of fragments the time same the at while culture, official 1950 Recognition Winning Tatarka Dominik Affirmation occasion of the first anniversary of the Uprising. After the founding First Congress of The Congress First Czechoslovak founding Writer’sthe Union,After it continued Uprising. to exist the of an official magazine anniversary of its Slovak first section.of the occasion Kultúrny život 53 [The Cultural Life], and in significantinstance alsoin the daily The first, and a very positive, reception of the novel came directly from the from directly came novel the of reception positive, very a and first, The In the course of 1950, Dominik continued Tatarka towin inrecognition the , the single most important platform of Slovak literary wasculture, founded at the The Firstand the Second Strike. The First andtheSecondStrike 37 The Parochial Republic Presumably, it was the was it Presumably, was the next step was the next Pravda had already Kultúrny . Let us most CEU eTD Collection The event was by The event organized Miná with went Tatarka membersfollowedpublic Again,trip literary of with byaliterary the elite, debate. student too. Together with Vladimír Miná too. colleague roughen textual the of surface his stories. as is and interpreted Tatarka discourse, andreadable transparent is a realism of novel.the Socialist aspect negative skin.” newhimself a forsay, is,so to acquiring us. He of one andevery byeach approved Thematerialist... struggles way the be with vestigeshis must training Tatarka old of the process is in “Tatarka writers: than other development more complicated hadamuch Tatarka of trackof in isalso hisfocusingtrodden argumentation present onthefactthat review, transformation.welcomed and Chorváth by set tone the joined Matuška Alexander scholar literary Prominent writer. From a spiritualist, headformal of literature. national the ascentto Tatarka’s fiction recognizedthe by of leadership was confirmedSlovak the he is Slovakimportant poetin early the and1950s thewinner of Statethe Prize in 1950. turningChorváth compares the significance of the novel to the poem Jánof Kostra – the most out to be a 55 Kultúrny život 54 meaning. Alexander Matuška, “Tri nové romány” [The Three NewNovels], Three [The romány” “Tri nové Matuška, Alexander Michal Chorváth, “Nový Román Dominika Tatarku”[The New of Novel Tatarka], Dominik 55 The time went on, and the public activities Tatarkaof – a Stalinist writer – did The second reflection that appeared in July came as well from the eminent graduates next(July week (July in 22, 1950);the participated a 30, 1950)he Only the opaque nature of his language and style are, again, underlined asa are,again,underlined andstyle language his of nature opaque Only the 54 ” The intention of the highest praise is evident from the conclusion, where conclusion, the from is evident praise highest the of intention ” The 9 (1950): 5. The First and the Second Strike the Second First and The þ and also with the aforementioned and renowned Ján Kostra. Ján renowned and aforementioned the with also and Pravda dashing against in cooperation with the Union, and was called 38 þ his own inclination to formalistically as a proper socialist realist novel. The , he organized a public debate with he debate apublic organized , Kultúrny život 14 (1950): 3. CEU eTD Collection into aweekly in 1951) namesuttered. yet are noconcrete However, nationalism. bourgeois of and speaksof danger impending the also literature collectivization of the publicly supports Tatarka nationalism side other.” andthe on against There is ademand bourgeois againstsocialistof cosmopolitanism on patriotism one has asit is that a writer demand everbeen. Thepressureisashigh a self-imposed of tradition:“Togrow more consciously from Slovakthe environmentandits people – makes Tatarka a ignorancebourgeois nationalism, critique of of general national the of enemy the to referring By conscience. of examination the 1950: since realism Slovak socialist of discursive practice another yet was allegedly recalls what Tatarka practice. everyday an is also it demand; conceptual a only not is realism socialist evident: It structures is structural, People'sRepublic.the Tatarka sociological The almost sensibility of the time,themselves short- and long-term plans.behavior, All of this under the auspices of the Party and They were studying Stalinistideology, getting to know each andother, setting for social claimed, weekstogether. of tens Tatarka werespendingSlovak two literature, writers capital Slovak of history in the time first the For about. brought had realism socialist of a writer. system i.e. that institutional the life, literary of transformation structural affirmed the Finally, 56 život the western region of Záhorie. He wrote a report thatfilled the front page of spent the first two weeks of July at the political-professional trainingin Budmerice,in Book ofthe Friends the Sundayof The SecondSummer Dominik Tatarka, “Spisovate . It was not on the pages of the relatively elitist bi-weekly The article was entitled “The Writer as Collective as Writer “The entitled was article The where the first open rejection of Tatarka’s work appeared. work rejection firstof open whereTatarka’s the Đ ako kolektív“ [The Writer as Collective], 39 . Shortly before that, Tatarka Kultúrny život . ” Kultúrny život Kultúrny 56 It pinpointed and pinpointed It 14 (1950): 1. Kultúrny (turned CEU eTD Collection ironic tone, perhaps understanding that Rozner had undermined hisrecognized Rozner hadundermined that perhaps understanding ironic tone, response. withopens Hedefends angrily,in himself Tatarka’s and almost a bitter of the Slovak section of CSWU. baton 20,1950, underthe October on secretary Bratislava of Ctibor Štítnický, another in Club novelthe inWriters a publicdebateaboutthe of was organized Slovak the of concept of the bourgeois nationalism linkedwith and was his Tatarka second novel. construction in the utilized regress of notion the with, linked he was that nationalism andis village. Butita novel not aworker.”about is “It Roznersummarizes: of factory, anovelfrom period. environment a worker, the sensual similarly portraying workers ofTatarka’s bohemians wartimeto the surrealist class-conscious enough, and he was indicted for the insulting the working class by condemn in condemn becomes a transmitter himself enough. with wascharged regress Tatarka – his protagonist socialist not they Rozner,were in to According a novel. of nature characters the of the with specifically content, of question the with old concerned he was large and By style. Slovak mentality that theaccusation for drawingbourgeois arguments nationalism.of Tatarkain utilized months in upcoming the were that discourse of sources tothe contributed is saidsignificantly Rozner Still, problems. aesthetic to limited to clearly is quite it and aptly Second Strike and aboutand Critique], 58 Second Strike’], 57 Instead, “Verejná diskusia o Tatarkovom románe a kritike” [The Public Debate about Tatarka’s New Novel New Tatarka’s about Debate Public [The kritike” a románe o Tatarkovom diskusia “Verejná the and First ‘The Novel Tatarka's [Of úder’” druhý a ‘Prvý románe “O Tatarkovom Rozner, Ján Rozner’s article was immediately read as seminal and as a direct consequence, a direct and as as seminal read immediately was article Rozner’s For the first time, Rozner’s did not solely criticize Tatarka’s unintelligible Tatarka’s criticize solely not did Rozner’s time, first the For Pravda The Parochial Republic The . But even the critique of Ján Rozner was not yet essentially political, essentially yet not was Rozner Ján of critique the even But . Pravda, was used as the platform for the first dismissal of Kultúrny život 30.9. 1950, 8. 20 (1950): 5,passim. Kultúrny život . Thereby, the author himself was allegedly not allegedly was himself author the Thereby, . 40 gave the report from the session. 57 Although it was not yet not was it Although The First andthe The Štefan Reptiš Štefan 58 It CEU eTD Collection See ElizabethAstrid Papazia, the establishment of the monopolybefore i.e. of Union, socialist Soviet The in realism Plan in 1934.Five-Year first ofthe time the during genre literary substantial a (DeKalb: Northern Illinois University Press, 2009): 15-16. the expression of his isonly critique thatRozner’s andhisreadership convince audience to the attempted personal taste, and critique Tatarka of hesaidwas subjective. the Rozner purely Nonetheless, mistakes. he did it by pointing were his incoherency agreedthat the sizeand yetTatarka arrived. to hadnot novel the allegedly non- 59 hecalled“novels–sketches.” now written until learn the new skill of writing according to a socialist plan.intention Therefore to compare his work to the univocal contemporary praise of poetJán Kostra. what hadimplicit the sense can one beenpoint, this At novel. epic a full-fledged not but year, halfin asocialist a poem epic is write it to asserted that manageable stipend. Tatarka institutional imposed bysocialisti.e.conditions in realist, the courseofa six-month that it had been impossibleswitched thejudgmental value. of Instead praise, heintended toconvince the audience to satisfyCollective” as “Writers the his in covering was Tatarka requirements problems the with for continuity some see we Here argued. he thenovels, realist socialist epic novel under the literature could understand one socialist of dimension practical understanding the by writing. Only of thepractice of elements established newly explore had to Writers caused by the havebeen to These wereclaimed novel. of the weaknesses the towere admitted Novomeský. Laco against mounted charges nationalist bourgeois the with resonated leadershipin the field of Slovak perhaps fiction, already or knowing that the argument Sketch is a genre typical of Russian literature, where it is known as In saidaddition, Tatarka that Slovak writersin 1950 wereonly beginning to he had himself byexplaining what Rozner his opened Tatarka to reply weaknesses Manufacturing Truth: TheDocumentary Moment in Early Soviet Culture of the new institutional structures of socialist realism. socialist of structures new institutional the of 41 59 The time for the new grand realist . However, at the debate he debate the at However, ocherk and was acknowledged as CEU eTD Collection also known as aconfession. also accountideological practicalof and self-critique dimensionsa Bolshevik and givesan its both enriches and He embraces discourse. realist socialist of praise creative Kultúrny život Miná Present was also yet anothercomplaints againstit, it is preciselysoon-to-be because itis the best Slovak post-war novel.” victim of Second Strike bourgeois nationalism – Vladimír and aboutand Critique], 60 “The Confession of the Child of(1949). the Epoch, aboutby of changes CSWU the brought the founding the compared to difference first enemyinmade the of events not discourse, agreat 1950 did political the the as nationalism bourgeois of introduction the after even and in Slovakia, literature hisresponses understood novel second post-war as the breakthrough of socialist as one of the most prominent figurescritique was mostthe importantcritique. of Slovak socialist Strike Firstand theSecond realism. The majority of argument self-conscious and authoritative, fearless, Tatarka’s debate confirmed the to contribution Alexanderyear. Matuška’s the of events major were reflection subsequent the and novel the both that suggested scientific quality hisof argument. 61 “Verejná diskusia o Tatarkovom románe a kritike” [The Public Debate about Tatarka’s New Novel New Tatarka’s about Debate Public [The kritike” a románe o Tatarkovom diskusia “Verejná Dominik Tatarka, “Spove þ . He defended Rozner's critique with a reply to Matuška. In his view, if view, Inhis Matuška. to a reply with critique Rozner's . Hedefended In the Christmas issue of issue Christmas In the inhadSince hisposition thespring, Tatarka thenovel’spublication reaffirmed The majority of other participants agreed with Tatarka, and all of them 24 (1950): 11. is the best Slovak post-war novel, and even if Rozner raised so many so raised Rozner if even and novel, post-war Slovak best the is Kultúrny život ć die The sketch itself is a narrative situated in a classroom of a 20 (1950): 5,passim. ĢDĢ is the most important post-war novel, then Rozner's then novel, post-war important most the is a svojej doby”Confession [The ofChild the of Epoch], the Kultúrny Život, 42 . Matuška asserted, “ ” 61 Tatarka published a sketch called sketch a published Tatarka which was the culmination of his of culmination the was which The First andthe The 60 The CEU eTD Collection foundational of act Slovak socialist realism in spring the of 1951. nationalism. (Tatarka Many amongsupporters them)became soon victims in finalthe bourgeois of notion the of incorporation the with simultaneously discourse the entered confession and self-critique, critique, of notions the Slovakia, In foundation. its in realism socialist of discourse the to contribute to willing also he was third, occasion when first, it was possible to contribute; second, he was the on able and tocontribute;recognition his of point highest the at subject this about write to chooses achieve meansgoal. this to Tatarka is Confession primary human the consciousness. of newdefinition the of alsobut bringers materialists, only not are Communists maintains equal histhesaid andefficiency. productivity contrary,to Tatarka Tothat care aboutman for thesakeonly as and of workforce the meaningthe ofhis lifeis argument of an implied enemy. In the enemy’s perspective, meaningfor the thetrue oflife.obtaining communists are said practice is Party members asanecessary upheld in of other presence the confession to Anda Party. is the consciousness of this cultivation of agent The consciousness. way communistlifethe a of consciousness of produces i.e. newthe class epoch, by senseless events,in anindividual iswhich byachance. governed contrary, Onthe life dark driven a confusion, a non-reflective is as portrayed The former communist. confession of putthepractice her.Tatarka comrades,keep questioning to who biography out her is reads intofigure main the time, a long For novel. last in his element female a of the contrasting theabsence hadfollowed about of one Tatarka the previousthe Matuška’scomments the confession perspectives of listen to to gather organization local Party the members of where village, a nonspecific new female member. The Party leaderof is thealso a woman,life as if of a bourgeois and a Tatarka concludesTatarka existential almost this of apology socialism by recalling the 43 CEU eTD Collection confession: “The list attested, and Rákosi was eager to explicitly stress this fact, that fact, this stress toexplicitly eager andRákosi was attested, “The list confession: Czechoslovak June with broughtAuthority, Gábor(21-24 alistof 1949).They them alleged Péter collaborators Protection State the by leaderof the arrived inPrague,assisted Mátyás Rákosi andleader Communist Hungarian inmotion. Subsequently, setevents and irreversible spies, torture; hisa after return heabjure eventried to its his effects confession, were but list whichpolitical elite. Hedid this duringininterrogations, a foreign andstate, under the was the outcome of Pavlík’sby László Rajk. trial of headedpreparation Communistswith show the group the Hungarian of group of the Hungary as part to and transferred Czechoslovakia in was kidnapped Pavlík in Hungary. held and arrested been had who Communist, American an Field, Switzerland in workingWorldWar Second the spent Agency, Travel International The Czechoslovak for the Unitarianhis wife, had been sentenced tofifteen years of prison. Pavlík, an attorney and chief of Service with together Gejza Pavlík, Dr. Communist June1949,Slovak in In Czechoslovakia. Committee alsoTito its had campaign roots struck Sovietinternational anniversary. against The (USC), and knew of the celebrations before the month placetwo taken literary had culture Stalinist Noel 1951-1953 inconformity returning and excluded Tatarka Dominik Foundation Gejza Pavlík was the first person that criminalized the contemporary Slovak contemporary the criminalized that person first the was Pavlík Gejza The initializing event of the aforesaid completion of the foundation of Slovak 44 CEU eTD Collection 1945-1992] (Prague: Ústav T.G. Masaryka,1998): 146-169. ý 64 11. Slánský” See Ji the Party. And only 6% those executed forpolitical crimes were Communists. were members of the CPC, which is0.3 % ratio. At the same time, 12% of the whole population was inlike to recall the fact thatout of circa 100,000 political prisoners in Czechoslovakia, only 280 of them 63 Secretary] Mladá (Prague: Fronta, 1992): 55. 62 Soviet-Yugoslavin clash thesummer 1948. of whatdidit contain? Novomeský exactly of this ideological syndrome. So what was its genealogy and indicted “theyoung generation” led byVladimírClementis, Gustáv andHusák, Laco Central Committee inof CPS the April1950.Leader Viliam Široký unexpectedly The of meeting the was notion to this related event watershed The (CPS). Slovakia term – bourgeoisin nationalism – in inner-party struggle the Party The Communistof key the apply to entrant opportune an was Clementis Pact. Molotov-Ribbentrop the detailed confession hisconcerning mainly activitieswartime and his of disapproval Clementis hadresign his to in position 1950,and March was towritea charged attention of interrogators to Slovak foreign minister Vladimír Clementis. As a result, Pavlík, totheLöbl Slovak pointed suspected dimension the called the treason. of Communist Party first(CPC). The onetoendin up wasprison EugenLöbl likewho, space. political andcultural forwhole consequences dire the begun and its Slovak were in resistance.” domestic the fighting were they or West in the either war the spent persons incriminated the of all esko-slovenské vztahy 1945-1992 [Czechs and Slovaks the 20 in Jan Rychlík, “Problém tzv. slovenského buržoázneho nacionalismu,” in nacionalismu,” buržoázneho slovenského tzv. “Problém Rychlík, Jan This sentence naturally relates to the official culture. To put things in aproperperspective, Iwould Karel Kaplan, Karel Ĝ í Pernes and Jan Foitzik, eds. Foitzik, Jan and Pernes í 63 The crystallization of the concept of bourgeois nationalism can be traced tothe canbetraced nationalism bourgeois of concept the of The crystallization The “Czechoslovakchase on Rajk”, asKarelKaplan putsit, had thereby Next came the first waves of arrests of the members of the Czechoslovak [Political Trials Czechoslovakiain after1954 and Slánský“the (Prague:trial”] Prius,2005): Zpráva ozavražd 62 Č ní generálního tajemníka Politické procesy v 45 64 At that time, the so called “First socalled time, the that At ý [The Report of the Murder of the General of the Murder the of Report [The eskoslovensku poroce 1945a “p th century. Czecho-Slovak Relations Czecho-Slovak century. ý eši a Slováci ve 20. století Ĝ ípad . CEU eTD Collection classes of Slovak national culture and thereby leaders of the nationalist movement and not socialism. earlier,Even Mach. Alexander fascist leading convinced with cooperation contained Husák Novomeský and Novomeský his supportand of the imperialists, his cooperationthewith the Allies exile,in etc. The pasts of both whole DAV65 group came to be interpreted as the synthesizers of all the one. Czech the than political more even moment this at became cut thepoint to To discourse. cultural official the into nationalism bourgeois of transplantation immediate the about brought Slovak elite of the character undifferentiated the spheres, economical and in political contained were they Bohemia in while However, indictment. Široký’s followed and Purges screenings Munichagreement. the Slovakafter separation with wasthehistorical experience there Inthebackground, apparatus. Communist Slovak the of circles nationalist the by raised been have may that autonomy for by evidence historical of a present-day with cooperation enemy. supported wasalways nationalism bourgeois of diagnosis The of Prague. cost at the Bratislava of autonomy the meant it Czechoslovakia, of territory the in contained and Transmitted Moscow. of cost the at Belgrade of autonomy the meant this Originally, had appeared. centre costs the of power forthe at where aautonomy demands the circles among Party, especially Communist wereinsidethe targets charge whose regress was in the alliance back working-classnational into consciousnessTheconsciousness. this proof of of class enemies interpretedSoviets behaviorthe of CommunistsYugoslav as a regressionfrom in the national interest. interpretation of political in decision-making of terms consciousness i.e.and identity, In all,nationalism.” itbourgeois to was democracy from a Yugoslaviaresolution about E.g., Clementis was accused on the basis of his critique of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, because of In the core, the horizon of suspicionIn the thehorizon by of dominated core, was possiblethe demands ” , I claim that asserted “The transition of clique Tito-Rankovic “Thethe of transition asserted 46 the Slovak cultural discourse of Stalinism of discourse cultural Slovak the Bourgeois nationalism is a Stalinist is nationalism Bourgeois 65 CEU eTD Collection Communists. He reclassified the mistakes atthe of mistaken the He reclassified Communists. pinpointed – already the Slovak enemy among occult the fully revealing career, hisof political highlight the the Central Committee of the CPC took place in Prague. Štefan Baš Štefan Prague. in place took CPC the of Committee Central the of meeting a 21, February On treason. of construction first the of body the constituted were assembled in the prison of the State castle State Kolod the of prison were assembledinthe on the following day. Baš Until February 21, more then fifty top membersdisappeared. of the partypermanently it enrich to willingness his and realism socialist in position leading his isFollowing a with reconstruction three-stepprocess this both of conclusion the that of the show trialmonths amongmanual laborers. Finally, a as consequence of shiftthe in the concept at the May he was1951, officially ofbourgeoisaccused nationalism for and worked several end of the year, he could novelist. of a celebrated recognition enjoyed the return amongreplaced bythe of spring the hadcharge Zionism.all, of In until 1951, Tatarka public Trial figures. with consummated that secondconstruction by the 1951 andreplaced of half second in the abandoned was Clementis) by (headed nationalism bourgeois original Czech cosmopolitanismtwo-foldby scheme of (headed and Slovak Šling) Happily forenough all included Slovaks, except executed Vladimír the Clementis, unrealizedof first butconcept the and publicfigureof stage early regime.the of Communist Thisfall was abyproduct Ģ ovanský, the general secretary of the CPS. The same fate befell Laco Novomeský . The ideological priority of bourgeois nationalism/cosmopolitanism was finally On February 6 1951, Gustáv Husák was arrested in On February office of the Štefan Husák wasarrested 6 1951,Gustáv Second called The After anevent 1951 saw Tatarka's sudden fall from status the mostthe of prominentnovelist of the show trials with the “Czechoslovak Rajk”. 47 Aktív of the Slovak Section of CSWU in Č je near Prague. They je nearPrague. Ģ ovanský enjoyed ovanský The Slánský The CEU eTD Collection It was the day of the verdict for Slánský and Co. second halfof yearwasNovemberthe Zionism. On 1952, 27, ŠtefanBaš Baš However, at the time when Tatarka fell, Baš fell, Tatarka when time the at However, Secondly paradoxically,and like Tatarka Baš [Recordings] (Cologne: Index, 1987): 81. There was the only single hero – Šmidke.“ See Dominik Tatarka, Eva Štolbová, Eva Tatarka, Dominik See Šmidke.“ – hero single only the was There Communists the during Uprising were very quickly arrested by State Police.the Baš Široký, I but way...So,I a suchinwrite actually did becamebourgeoisnationalist.Why?a Because all what classwhat conscious look comrades like?“ [asked Baš sentences.of me And what did in front it it mean? What was through in there?...:browsing ‘Is was this he whatand the working classhardcover, in look like,already is this Baš about avisit of the Baš states that during warthe hewas hiding his Jewishwife Magda Karpáty. He summons an anecdote writings published before 1948 on beforewritings published pages the 1948on of disbanded the journalistic his of was acollection fall.It Tatarka’s to pretence another yet became president of the Slovak section of the CSWU, Matuška a leading critic, Tatarka a aleading critic, Matuška Tatarka of CSWU, section presidentthe Slovak of the be elites of the Party, then the expansion affirmed this pattern. Chorváth was a Štefan Baš Štefan the General Secretary] (Prague: Mladá Fronta, 1992): 55. Miná Vladimír Chorváth, wereMichal members Its section. Slovak of the core nationalist Reiman. "Poly" Pavel Stalinist radical leading and of Czechoslovakia chiefcensor bythe was given The main speech organization). on March 21,him, occurred first and it was against motive forverdict book the firstthe Indeed, the 1951, month. ina in Bratislava periphery cultural the in to Prague headquarters political the at a session in pursuitparty-wide initiated February bourgeois nationalists, late of of the Central Edition Council (a censorship 66 stupid Populist Fascist!” political fashion, what awaits us underneath, what will spring out rightin our faces? A IX. Congress of the CPS – as the crimes of criminals: “When we strip Husák in Quoted in Karel Kaplan, Karel in Quoted Ģ Ģ ovanský killed himself. As mentioned, his wife was Jewishand the main ideological charge in the ovanský ovanský came to his bookshelf and took out my book, exactly my ownpoor Parochial Republic, þ , Alexander Matuška, and Dominik Tatarka. If the victims of wereto trials victims If the the of Tatarka. and Dominik Matuška, , Alexander Early in 1951, Tatarka publishedEarly in book, a new1951, Tatarka A newly formed group offourA newlyformed Slovak was bourgeois group writers upheld asthe Ģ ovanský was recounted in Tatarka’s oral memoirs. In memoirs. oral Tatarka’s in recounted was ovanský Ģ ovanský family right after Zpráva o zavražd 66 The party-wide political hadcampaign beenlaunched. Č Ģ ní generálního tajemníka Ģ ovanský ovanský went from to riches the incourse rags of 1951. ovanský rose, and at the time when Tatarka returned, Tatarka when time the at and rose, ovanský 48 The Parochial Republic Ģ ovanský] I was speaking not like that publicly, Recordings (Navráva People andDeeds, [The Report of the Murder of Murder of the Report [The . Ģ Every page hadunderlined ovanský committed suicide. Národná obroda was published , expanded from þ : ky Navráva “The great “The Ģ ), and it and ovanský. Tatarka . The . þ ky CEU eTD Collection Power: Cultural Politics, its System Agents. and 1948-1956] (Prague: Libri,2006). Literature], See Ji posts. insignificant into scattered were Reiman “Poly” Pavel or Bareš Gustav because it was a Party (not State) structure strongly affiliated with Slánský. Leading figures such as Bohemia it was the home 68 of the most radical Stalinist group. It was dissolved after the Slánský Trial surprise that Tatarka had inserted “my had phraseinserted the employees” Tatarka that surprise critique and Novomeský debate).and arguments revived against thecharacters in his novel (Rozner's He camecommunist to the conclusion as alife non- re-narrated of now the biography was Tatarka’s because Logical, thatin humanity. newCommunist the of underestimation logical asavery atinterpreted the this point,Communist Epoch of the it was of no of Child the “Confession his by Christmas-time criticizing of accusation Tatarka the Party. ŠefranekKultprop, stressed Germany.” Hitler's waragainst the of his time the from truths historical about lies contains it Tiso, arch-murderer of activity past alliance containsbook anti-fascist gossips itis about workers, downplaysof criminal the Novomeský.traitor This by bourgeois wassetnationalist magazine Obroda] [Národná with literatúry” [Against Bourgeois Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism: Forthe Higher Slovak Writers (known as The Second The as (known Writers Slovak “The edition of his book in of session wrote report this the who position of the leader of Slovak literature was 25-year-old Milan Laj Milan was25-year-old literature of Slovak leader the of position 67 Miná novelist, leading Kultprop was a Party structure officially called The Department of Culture and Propaganda. In Propaganda. and of Culture Department The called officially structure aParty was Kultprop Milan LajMilan Ĝ í Knapík, Later on, Július Šefranek, who was the leader of the Slovak section of 68 Kultúrny život Kultúrny stepped in and made the situation even worse. At the meeting of the þ iak, “Protiiak,buržoáznemu nacionalizmu a kozmopolitizmu,vyššiuza ideovos V zajetí moci . ” Tatarka's life versus Communistopposition Tatarka's was Bourgeois of 13 (1951): 1. þ a leading satirist. The person to replace Chorváth in the replace Chorváth to person The satirist. aleading People andDeeds . Kulturní. politika,její systéma akté 67 Aktív Kultúrny život 49 had to destroyed, because the tone of of the destroyed,because thetone to had ) on March 30,1951,Šefranekelaborated ) on . Regarding Tatarka, he stated: Tatarka, . Regarding Ĝ i, 1948-1956 [In theCaptivity of in the mouth of one of one of mouth in the þ iak. It was he iak. It Ideovost Ģ of our našej CEU eTD Collection questions pertaining of to the list ofconsisted mandatory that exam an literaturepassing thatafter a candidate received student had a to that have read. prizes were Badges respectively. 71 život 1963. Unlike the suicide of Baš contemporary Slovak leader, Viliam Široký, who managed to keep hispost of prime ministeruntil spisovateproblémy našej literatúry Dominik Tatarka, “Spove Tatarka, Dominik time. Until now, Ihave not succeeded inunable to vitalizing the conditions in the factory demonstrate foremployees, peace,only three of us are Communists. My situation is difficult.they When I asked my employees to toldideologically well-off,me my behaviorthat isimpossible. I am the directorthey of factory.a Out of sixty are willing70 to demonstrate held the position of rector(1956-1960). for peacethe Departmentof of Marxism dean and Leninism a became he only atthe Comenius of Kultprop, University end the Bratislava, and in campaign and laterinof the on, he cessation theirthe After career. conspicuous work 69 Czech territory. the upheld asfounding figures Júliussimilar Fu to Urx were Edo critic and Jilemnický Peter writer Only culture. the reactionary of head spring of year, followingthe Novomeskýlinked toClementiswas and revealed asthe foundingNovomeský of as a literature. figureof tradition the In socialistSlovak the literature. socialist Slovak years lastthe thirty of tonarrate time attempted Struggle limitedadmitted continuity with In avant-garde. the March 1951, with moderateideology by version and a Štoll.Stalinist Hehadspearheaded of Ladislav Czech comparison, the norm of had already beentradition incodified January 1950 solve the pressing problem tradition the of of socialistliterature to opportunity a was fieldas inseen great thecultural nationalist against bourgeois identity. true mouth bourgeoisie-nationalistslipoccult revealedTatarka’s that of in the his“Confession” Comrades E.g., the campaigns of mandatory reading were called were reading ofmandatory campaigns the E.g., Hiswas speech published even asa hardcoverbooklet. Šefranek, Július. The passageThe in question comprised thefollowing monologue: “Itseems tomethat eventhough Iam 24 (1950): 11. In the course of In of course the 1950, itskipwould havebeenincomprehensible to Laco of campaign expansion the The more became complicated. even And thecase Đ , 1951). The career of its Slovak leader, Július Šefranek, went in the direction of a as a paradigmatic model provided by the centre, Július Šefranek for first Július the by as a model Šefranek provided centre, the paradigmatic 71 ć All of them were dead. The initial narrative was completed at completed was narrative initial The All dead. them of were die [Several Ideological Problems of Our Literature] (Bratislava: Slovenský ĢDĢ Ģ a svojej doby“ [The Confession of the Child of the Epoch], of the Child of the Confession [The doby“ svojej a ovanský ovanský degradationorthe Reiman,of Bareš and Šefranek hada text. 69 For Šefranek, this was fissurea of the text, a 50 þ ík Kostka andStanislav Neumann in Fu þ ík’s Badgeík’s and Niektoré ideologické Jilemnický’s Badge, in Slovakia. 30 Years of Kultúrny 70 In . CEU eTD Collection (1954). What I know now is only that he was physically there during the second half of 1951. promise promise was published in to visit the construction withborders Soviet The Žilinaand Union central inthe territory. known TatarkaIt is that planned had and write about it – he promised it for IX. Congress of the CPS in 1950. The Companionship] was aproject ofbuilding the second track betweenof rail question(“Everybody condemned meand Iwas sent tothe shovel” Reading through the harsh indictments, I am inclination to trust Tatarka’s memoirs on this specific Drúg ed., (Bratislava: Ústav slovenskej literatúry,2001): 17-39. Changes[The of Cultural Life after 1948,in ArtThe thatServed Totalitarianism, 1948-1956] workers to “collect the material for his next book.” railway among was dispatched but laborer, becomeforced not a he did degradation the Committeein membership whose one only the was He construction. railway specifically labor, of CSWU was preserved. Štefan Drúg even writes that after his had to leavehad to publishinghouseof the 72 of of president Slovakthe the section,Miná was forged during that normative tradition accusations. the In thecourse of two months, Tatarkanot only accused butalso excludedfrom the summer: later in JánRoznerwrote from whole tradition. the same removed was atthe time butŠpitzer, nothing original reception the regarding of writingsTatarka’s was added. Július speaker was The CSWU. the of section Slovak the meetingof Plenary the Štefan Drúg, Štefan “Premeny umeleckého životapo roku 1948,” in Tatarka’s trajectory toward the leadership of Slovak socialist realist fiction had fiction realist socialist ofSlovak leadership the toward trajectory Tatarka’s As a result of The Plenary meeting, Chorváth was dismissed Chorváth meeting, of As aresultThe Plenary the socialist realist writer. theirloudmouthedand programs. Jilemnícký posed own,party-minded, his combative of art literature had its Peter Jilemnický.He knew very well the squalor of coffee-shop intellectuals instead of revolutionary attitude. As Czechpoetry had its Stanislav Kostka Neumann, Slovak decadence wasthat turningaway from reality, was despisedpeople, the full and ofphrases people. They imported cosmopolitanism into Slovak culture – that dull admiration of western group ledby Novomeský]. of hisgroup, Instead Teige and was there Novomeský his and of [Czechavant-garde group ledby Teige] Dev lot. Itcould have quickened theideological struggle also in Slovak literature as well. Instead Plenaryat the of writersmeeting [JanuaryCzech 1950]. Štoll'sbook could usa have taught It has to be pitied that Slovak writers did not pay attentionto the report of Ladislav Štoll given he writer, as asocialist credit lost only not Tatarka speeches, three After these Kultúrny život . The result was a short novel, a short was result The . Pravda 51 þ had to leave and hadits Matuška Committee to . As for Tatarka, he had to enter manual Č tsil, we the tsil, DAV [Slovakhad avant-garde 72 Umenie vslužbách totality 1948-1956 ) . Tra The Years of Companionship Ģ Družby ý ierna nad Tisou onthe from the position the from [The Railway of , Štefan CEU eTD Collection discriminated Tatarka with risingthe Tatarka He discriminated compare the daredto even epilogue, of the author the Oktavec, František novels. defending acertainepilogue and of post-war explaining to Tatarka’s both point rehabilitation. The book was newly dedicated to wasnewly dedicated The book rehabilitation. statement about their correction. trial, both second the editions of of post-warnovels Tatarka's were published with a andthe his Simultaneously with for colleagues. Tatarka paradoxical rehabilitation a broughtabout 1951), November 23, on Secretary Rudolf (arrested Slánsky Slánsky as a Milestone in the Periodization of Czech Literature?], ofCzech Periodization in the aMilestone as Slánsky new priority of things,meanta watershed not foronly Czech, butalso for Slovak literature. and,among wasexecuted, other appeared, construction The second issue.secondary becamea nationalism bourgeois and construction, had first the trials discarded CSWU. of the Slovakthe Section helater followingthe MilanLaj succeeded year and 73 He František in Czechoslovakia, writer fiction single As the realism. socialist Slovak of prototype unequalled an as novel this to Wooden Village. of (March writers It during1951 -February 1952). thisHe time that anewgeneration train andliterature to calls Soviet of translations mostly with filled Competitor František He a definitecome he Asfast to was ashehadbeenexcluded, halt. replaced. also without debate; the number of debate;the numberwithout of pages Pavel Janoušek, “Proces se Slánským jako periodiza jako Slánským se “Proces Janoušek, Pavel This corrected edition of edition This corrected The exclusion of Tatarka was relatively short-lived. The preparation of show of preparation The short-lived. relatively was Tatarka of exclusion The From From its publication until today, textbooks of Slovak literature refer the notion of notion the þ ko took the imaginary throne. The rest of 1951 was a period The Second Power Centre The Second The Parochial Republic Kultúrny život 52 þ ko. Specifically,ko. þ þ ní mezník v mezník ní ko won The State Prize for literature Prize for won The State ko Alexander Matuška. Alexander þ iak in the post of of iak of president the inthe post Tvar was considerably was considerably reduced and þ eské literatu eské 48 (1992): 1, 4-5. The ParochialRepublic is a first sign of his headed by the General the by headed þ ko publishedko Ĝ e?” [The Trial with Trial [The e?” It contains an 73 The The CEU eTD Collection participant in these exchanges. Tatarka did not join any. join not did Tatarka exchanges. these in participant Peter Karvaš, Peter 75 Dominik Tatarka (Martin: Matica Slovenská): 257. relatively small meeting of Union elite (with excluded writers invited and present), breakthrough text that modified Slovak socialist realism. It was a report from a He and theSecondStrike, claimedOktavec thatboth of ideologicalthem mistakes, contained and of the casethe in 1950. meansno innovative, enriching polemicizing monopoly or ashad the discourse, been Tatarka's of in became texts fully notonly course the 1952-53 by affirmative butalso Slovak writer. reputed – TheWooden Village.” 74 was puton samefootingthe asHe scene was relativelyliterary the on participation active from exclusion Tatarka’s though short-lived,even And culture. František He verdicts, joinedand leading radicalStalinist Pavel Reiman. This followed by was condemning with the attempts him action harsh cost by chiefdearly would the of – Czechoslovakia criticism censor to codify the January,he wasable publishto acollection of his pre-1948writings.tradition Thiswas an of Slovak life. way of In of cultivation a meaningful forthe as the bestpractice confession socialist realist written by someone else. narrative foramajor epic as was a stepping-stone interpreted now book cherished The first debates appeared in this period – there were a long conversation about the new novel of František Oktavec František þ ko would have been unable to write “the [first epic] Slovak socialist realist novel realist socialist epic] Slovak “thewrite [first to been unable would have ko An editorial in the first February issue of issue February first the in editorial An To conclude, Dominik Tatarka ended 1950 with a defense of adefenseof communist endedconclude,Tatarka To 1950with Dominik TheOffspring Striking, 75 , “Doslov,”in However, in light of this process hisrehabilitation, and after process in of lightthis However, he asserted that without the impact of this novel, František novel, this of impact the without that he asserted 74 Tatarka was back Tatarka his publishing among but writers, once- Farská Republika ora debate about satire. VladimírMiná þ ko's previous novel previous ko's 53 þ ko had filled the vacuum of the most [The Epilogue, in The Parochial Republic], Parochial The in Epilogue, [The Kultúrny život The Red Wine. The Red can be considered as a þ was already a In addition, In The First The CEU eTD Collection speakers at the cultural protest against “the bacteriological war against Korea” that Korea” against war “the bacteriological against protest cultural the speakers at again.Dominik April Tatarka Then,on 1, 1952,heisalreadyamong listed the key changes followed ideological ones: the editorial board of In yetMarch plenary another 1952, meeting camewriters of and about institutional pages of magazine:the from year Tatarka's ownwords later, one of spring the 1951 arepublished on the publish affected not openly of mistake self-critiques the to Notwithstanding promise this legal of Laj security, press: official of culture contended the implausible, negative, intolerable silence in the pages of the the broadfront, Secondly, Laj under the banner of the Party," from impact from "theirunfavorable banner under Party," of the the "sentence against traitors and spies: Clementis, Novomeský et. al., who were hiding nationalists. who hadbeen so harshly excluded inthe bourgeois persecution previous of Slovak Section of the CSWU], of the Section Slovak 78 77 76 Milan author of 1951. The Laj report, the in place last showtrial the December Czechoslovak after which immediately took Ibid. Ibid. Laj Milan tears from the public, who may sigh about the execution of several Slovak writers. Slovak of several execution the about sigh may who public, the from tears understand my mistakeComrade Šefranek was andgood correct forthis also reason: to Thanks critique, his Ifinally and I feeldeep andpiercing critique of at workmy which I have been doing until now. critiqueease. The of Moreover,I thank I rejectthe Party any forexpressions her care about of pity the developmentor false of Slovak literature. I thank her for the of the People's Democracy where there is total freedom for any critique. any for freedom total is there where Democracy People's the of be reassured that nothing bada of will course the in happendiscussion).false be to Those out to who turns criticize them. inopinion good faith and Quite their thoseif who(or fight openly the correct their opinionscontrary: totally must not is that opinion It is only in the regime People do not feel certainty. They think that they will be existentially affected if they utter an þ iak, “Správa o zasadnutí slovenskej sekcie S sekcie o slovenskej “Správa iak, zasadnutí He did this, turning to Tatarka personally, by the separation of the þ iak brought about the new key notion aboutiak newkeynotion the of brought post-Slánský resp. the unitedforces. Kultúrny život Kultúrny 6 (1952): 1. Looking backat 1951,even officialthe voice 54 þ iak, welcomed thefouriak, colleagues back ý SS” [The Report of the Meeting ofthe Meeting of the Report [The SS” þ iak addedthatitwas a grave authors. Therefore, almost Therefore, authors. Kultúrny Život Kultúrny on several writers". several on 77 socialist realism: 78 hired 76 CEU eTD Collection section, as Podmaník states: asPodmaník section, 79 exclusion. put ontheassertionfollowedany shouldbe by self-critique Communistthat At this time, confession is still seen as a legitimate practice. However, the weight is Laj by Milan article programmatic the echoes wavering. Tatarka of future.the The most positive Party hero, instructor Podmaník,instructs him in his allow himself resignto from hisfunction. He is told to go on and conduct the big plan cannot but mistakes own his admit to resolves Mäsiarik point: main the with case leader.Communist Mäsiarik collectivization, of pressure the under now, And Party. Communist in the communist made The father-in-law amistakebygranting wasanon- himamembership. had Mäsiarik past, the In father-in-law. his is enemy class the time, same at the but change. The local is pub owner declaredaby enemy class protagonist, a Communist social of favor in bonds family break to need the around revolves narrative The leader Mäsiarik. local of Communist character on the focuses and collectivization, under title the “BreakingBonds” sketch hisafter appeared in rehabilitation.issueAugust It last the of culture. official the of main stage the on was back He in Bratislava. Theater in National the occurred Dominik Tatarka, “Putá sa trhajú” [Breaking bonds], anything.... rich man, and self-pity because of fact,this astab with aknife yourin belly will not solve confession] comrades are going to hurt my pride.... But even ifyou are still brute a are …you Biographical resonances are perhaps not a matter of chance, as may bethe as of a matter chance, not areperhaps resonances Biographical largerinfirst, his published practice asapraised Self-critique reappeared is eager to undergo a self-critique and step down from from hisa self-critiqueaslocal down undergois position andstep eagerto 79 . Let it be said – you are a jack-ass...filled with self-pity: oh, now [after . It is situated in a village on the verge of 55 Kultúrny život 35 (1952): 8. þ iak, that opens this opens iak, that having a pity on a Kultúrny život CEU eTD Collection inspirationbecause of his demand forthe financial autonomy of Matica from the wartimeof SlovakTatarka's state.ideological orientation in the 1960s. By that time, he was openly presenting HronskýSlovenská as an during the war. His managerial skills played animportant role laterthe in revisionist phase (1953): 3. Hronský actually died in hisArgentineanexile only 1962. Hein waschairman the of Matica have realigned him with bourgeois nationalists. Novomeský was still imprisoned and imprisoned still was Novomeský nationalists. bourgeois with him realigned have could congratulations andavoided that any opportunity andcondolences He wrote became more much conforming andmuch less modifying thanhis writings of 1950. OravaReservoir: The region, northern the in situated industrialization Stalinist of successes acclaimed the of one of launch the his sketch “Lights in Orava were Turned On” inhis sketch“Lights were Turned Orava the ideology of passivity allegedly asserted by Slovak clergy. This was the agenda of 80 Fra Jilemnický, Workers – With a Soviet Book of Initiative Creative the Awaken “To issue the of article main in Revolution October 19 in major article Hehada public commentators. codified names in the Czechoslovak socialist realist canon: Július Fu Július canon: realist socialist Czechoslovak in the names codified Firstthe of importantMay holiday– the most –unambiguously allthe praising of an celebration editorial to the Then hewrote KlementGottwald.and dedicated to Dominik Tatarka, “Rozžali sa svetlá Orave”na [Lights inOrava were Turned On], th Congress of CPSU. In the next number, he welcomed the anniversary of the To summarize, during the twoyears after his return, Tatarka’s expressions had question. NeitherBut where will Jozef Mak arrive, this man-in-a-million,the with his truly inhumane patience? priestYou have survived so many governments and so many states,you will survive this one, too.” buriedand Hronský writer J. C. told hispeople:had Jozef “Suffer man-in-a-million.Mak, a in Ústie,of patience.” I figured that the priest from Ústie was telling me the same thing what the nordead The priest from Ústie told me without hesitation:the “We pray at every liturgy forthe sacred gift writer Hronský were able to give an answer to this In the following months, Tatarka acted as one of the main socialist realist socialist main the of one as acted Tatarka months, following the In 80 Ė o Krá o Đ . He attacked, as if recalling lines from lines if as recalling attacked, He . . ” In the following year, he wrote condolences Stalinto 56 , which waspublished which Kultúrny život The Parish Republic 44, writing about the about writing 44, at the occasion of Kultúrny život þ ík, Peter ík, 19 , CEU eTD Collection Stalinization Slovakiaand (1953-1957)] (Brno: Prius, 2002): 30. Barnasovský, See Michal Presidium, this was the case only with 2 members out of of 13. remained members 18 only the 79 1953, members In who had been insecurity. to on due the Centralconformity Committee ofTatarka’s the CPCabout in1945. claim the Looking support at the 81 trial. a judicial for waiting A look the into numbers regarding personal changes afterthe arrivalof bourgeois nationalism might Prvá vlna destalinizácie a Slovensko (1953-1957) 81 57 [The First Wave ofDe- Wave First [The CEU eTD Collection traditionally expressing opinionsits onthe on subject pagesof the inter-warthe was heelite claimed, which,as cultural of the and consideration debate public Whathemissed wasa in his hometown. buildings were erected the apartments ways historicalagainst material. published Kundera some concrete the In March aprotest of exclusion. experience the repeat to nevermore he spaceverywell wasresolved the maneuvered that and Milan Kundera that it that was already possible open a polemicrisk to one’s andyes, and position Iargue aside),Kundera exclusive measures butalso on editorialthe board. kept Yes,Iargue (Milan state realist debate in socialist the great first the only not was what ensued but thename provided mostyoung of recognizedthe socialist realist Kohout), (Pavel his contention his repeated JanTrefulka when colleague unspecificity. However old mentionhim in broughtdid charge particular, notanyonewhich of a repeated but servility bordering on and of repetitiveness critics poets He chargedestablished realism on the grounds of the necessity for a continuous experiment within the space. tradition. of established limits the to begun articles journalistic his when Domu firstCSWU,butalso a After in position the establishment publishing sector. in Kundera its editorialItwasunder Brno, board. conditions appearedon these The theory of limited continuity was nonetheless contended and finally with finally and contended nonetheless was continuity limited of theory The of socialist instead “creative” issue Kunderawanted first in Already the The New Course Contention, Ambiguity, Repudiation of Party the Kunderaof brought not only a membershipin Milan Kundera 1954-1956 for the first time openly challenge and push the push and challenge openly time first the for 58 Host do CEU eTD Collection Published not inPublished not peripheral realism. socialist Czech of premises in the had he confidence of depth the to comes Kundera’s preparations tothe contributions of Writers’the congress itfinal,and when socialism. life under private of topic theme all-important reglemented the also concerning not to ignoranceought modernistinter-warmovements shouldbe entirely not ignored, Kundera added that upon ongoingthe about value the debate intimate poetry. his of To 1954-claim that the at a came contention and book published affirmation his second of betweentheunivocal intellectual stance catapulted into the central institution.commity of and The strange this ambigous in was hesuceededand which elections 1956CSWU himatthe won nomination the it that matter inand no 1956 party the ranks of among the role inhisre-acceptance enjoy a allowed playeda itprobably to matter that noinRomania, stipend positive was Kundera thetime when around published was of May“ “The Last of excerpt first previous year that twists the obvious conformism into ambiguity, nomatter that the space. the with conformity of act Kundera’s was this that a in conclusion unite historians in a poem and best contemporaries the clearly both and as recognized competition the officialthe winner wasnever announced, his realist socialist prestigious most the challengingly touched upon a question of tradition of Czech socialist culture. journal About the Disputes of Inheritance About theDisputesof the of statements contentious the with is a continuity But there an underlying These demands did not Kundera to realize his creative potential by entering by potential creative his realize to Kundera not did demands These Index. In rather a small an unnoticed article Kundera for the firstfor time the Kundera article anunnoticed asmall In rather Conference aboutPoetry Conference Host dodomu, Július Fu 59 was the final intervention. Final, regarding Final, intervention. final the was but in more prestigious þ ík‘s Literary Competition The LastofMay in where hereflected 1955, June Nový život was univocally was . Although in a CEU eTD Collection repudiation acquiredrepudiation coherency. Kundera’swall socialistnothing fact. realist aboutthe change of spacecould outcomes had nevertheless already found their ways of influence and the ideological is to say, theŠtoll’s theory of limited condemnationcontinuity had to be reappraised and all limits abolished. That Struggle Years of of modernist movements had to stop. Anyway, their symbolical Christmas issue of Christmassymbolical issue of 1955, invalid stated“50years andinstead overcome of it, To recession”. About the DisputesofInheritance About 60 declared 30 CEU eTD Collection Libri, 2006): 235. 1948-1956 cultivation of genres until then until ignored then or mistakenly discredited. tobea supposed These dedicated to newdemanded platforms. magazine were persons (living asMilanKunderadead as or Karel new accepting of and tradition thelimits for same the pushing demand repeated also need for changes also in the practical dimension of the introduced in1952, Kopecký already the TheNewCourse ideologically prefigured socialist realist space. Yes, he meeting of the Central Committee of CPC on December 3-5, 1953. Václav Kopecký minister of (then placeculture). His speech took during the large symptomsthe of approachingthe changes. Modified limits of tolerance, concerning the space of official culture, were but one of was so to say genetically related. Ji 82 Ji - Gottwald and Stalin of followed death the that liberalization first a was there Second, trialsthe most of the radical fierce with connected elimination group of Stalinists.the of consequences immediate were the there First, elements. of composed two its nature wascalled, of as policies official general the strategy Course, Czechoslovak New 1954 Course New The of Platform the New on Kundera Milan Contention “The trials had basically wholly recreated the garniture and it were the trials, to whichthis garniture Ĝ í Knapík designs its results as the liberalization in the shadow of gallows. of shadow the in liberalization the as results its designs í Knapík The New Course of the Czech socialist realism was formally declared by The New Course New The [In the Captivity of Power: Cultural Politics, its System Agents, 1948-1956] and (Prague : replaced the sharp one. Unlike in Hungary or Poland, The Ĝ í Knapík, V Zajetí moci: Kulturní politika, její systém a akté 61 ý apek), butpredominantly heapek), If Štoll and Taufer Ĝ 82 i, CEU eTD Collection critics wasKunderacritics contending? andbegsstatement a poets That andwhichconcrete specific group What question. of affairs dominant state the againt intervention critical a was isanswer his short half of almost year), harshly in previous the reviewers (noticedway bythe Notwithstanding his unconcreteness byhisalso contemporary authors. or values lineage, historical particular the to reference omitan explicit realism creative of a up notion made he Kundera realism, socialist of notion the of Instead “Survey about Realism,” about “Survey 1954 exactly on the pages of 1954 exactly pages the on Magazin promladouliteraturu in Kundera’s hometown Brno, with itsissue first published in January 1954. Literature) Magazine for Young 84 Ibid., 240. acceptable, as acknowledged domu among them were significant most hasit) andthe caricature contemporary a mushrooming (as were here.Newplatforms matters arewhat Magazines publish, Vít expatriation with threatened more no was Nora A.C. writer comeback, 83 factories, the composers like Antonín Dvo Antonín like composers the factories, theatrical productionceased with the productionof “Anketa o realismu” [The Survey about Realism], E.g., In terms of new personal tolerance: famous conductor Václav Talich was able to make a (Guest to the House) and House) the to (Guest . declare those without any mistakes as models of realism. those of our critics - who are only capable of playing the role of pointers of poets’ mistakespray – to God alley narrow own, noton their walk They to mistakes. any make step not do they that is merit main Their truths. well-known of list official the in attired are verses whose poets of poetry is it describing]: here until was [he realism creative such except else something also is There The first no doubt Kundera’s contention came about in the (new) course of The declaration of The New Course TheNew of The declaration Regarding the question of traditionthe of hecultural discourse managed to Č slav Nezval evenmade proposals to Catholic WriterJakub Deml to publish his works, organized aside. Since God here and there hears of their pleads, it happens, that it happens, pleads, oftheir hears there and here God Since aside. Host dodomu. Host began its public existence in January 1955. . Kv The former one was not even located in Prague, but in Prague, located even not was one former The Č Ĝ ák, Leoš Janá ák, ten –Magazinpromladouliteraturu in the very first number of 62 plays about rebuilding the country conqueringand Host do domu The first among them was his reply to the has þ ek, Zden ek, its tangible cultural consequences. cultural tangible its : Č 1 (1954): 13-14. k Fibich and others were others and Fibich k and was engaged to write and write to engaged was and Host dodomu (May – The – (May Kv Host do Host and Č ten – they . 84 83 CEU eTD Collection 177-209. Czech Thought about Literature 2, 1948-1958] face of Pavel Kohout: Pavel of face upKundera’s Trefulka vaguethat took anddeliveredthem objections in directly the came about later in the year, thus after Kundera’s reply to the survey.It can be argued poetsstep whoGod not aside.”“pray about to to a hestatement uttered mind when Kundera’sin a put author the fingerpossible to on See Michal P See Michal socialist realism from officially Czech onpublishing authors. assault first very a as described also It is articles. of contemporary chapter whole a issue one of the most eminent poet of the foundational period of regime memberThis an town (Brno). Trefulka mounted unprecedented assault ex-party on occured on the pages of the same magazine ( magazine same the pagesof the on occured 85 a Garden Man, Wide Kundera samethe Party dedicated(summerman of his one whom 1949), in poems Jan Trefulka who had been together with Kundera simultaneously expelled from the year. of the conflict in cultural major the of perspective and contextually the concreticized interpreted fact that his answer provides neithernames of peoplenor that of groups,it still can be in 1952 and1953.In 1954, radicals hadbeen already passé for Kundera. Despite the A lengthy debate unfolded and with them, but these generic future-oriented wrong proclamations nothing is there have speaking been indifferentobjectively yes, variations Well verses. good are these say, will people the creativesparkling over our heads / the world is widely opening up / neverending seas are eternalawaiting us / stays aplayerin the highpositions of monumental perspectives, where ‘the Milky Way is work awaits / and is founding the glory of the years to come.‘ Many from the arena of fests, from the windows of ongoing train or from a flying airplane, from airplane, flying a newspapers from or and bulletins. train His fierceongoing activityof – praisworthy windows the it is as from fests, of arena the from to perform with his [folklore] ensamble. He perceives reality from the tribunes of celebrations, [Pavel Kohout] perceives reality as if he were standing on a stage, astage on which he is used to place. Pavel Kohout has no time for aquiet poetic walk or awise pause worth of a poet The identical his are not in Implied abovespeechact the with targets intellectuals Ĝ ibá Struggle aboutPavel Kohout Ė et al., eds., etal., (“Italian,” 1953) (“Italian,” Z d Č jin jin The Anthology of the Czech Thought about Literature þ eského myšlení o literatu (Prague: and finally the one who came from the same the from came who one the finally and 85 63 started by an article from Jan Trefulka. It Host dodomu Ústav pro TheStruggleaboutPavel Kohout Ĝ e 2, 1948-1958 þ eskou literaturu AV ) and it was the self-same the was it and ) – is chasing him from place from him chasing is . [The Anthology of the With his help, it is it help, his With ý R, 2002): dedicates the dedicates . He CEU eTD Collection do domu “inheritance” by calling for the “return tradition” to the “return for the by calling “inheritance” For firstthe timeinhis journalistic writings Kundera opened question the of tradition. inter-war of the part a prohibited was then what the he recalled But realized. which intensive building the process flatin apartments of suburbs Brnoof wasbeing in ways insensible against protest irrelevant aseemingly hewrote March, year. In 87 two following articles that appeared in following thatappeared articles two who did praise as well as objected to his first book. vagueby noticed quite butway andmemorable acritic and earned an reply equivocal in it did realism, socialist of concept reaffirmed recently just with dissatisfaction his of Heexpressed Kundera. Milan initial month of the January contention 1954 wasthe is his Kunderaunspecificthat In andhe sum, exaggerating. conclusion repeated writings,in butbreath the same raised ideasby objections againsthis calling them Polemically], 86 Same asin Jan “theidentified growingwave against concept narrow polemical the of realism.” written by Jaroslav Jan was his1954. It survey the andonly hisreply to that board. editorial made atthe wereeven on,changes Later exercised. self-critique a wide debate but what is more, the political intervention was made and a pressure for Jaroslav Jan Jaroslav Jan Trefulka, “O nových verších Pavla Kohouta – polemicky” [Of Pavel Kohout’s New Verses – Positive historical exempla for “the creative realism” Kundera provided in the provided Kundera realism” creative “the for exempla historical Positive It was noticed that Kundera pinpointed the problem at hand already inJanuary handalready at theproblem pinpointed Kunderawas noticed that It Such a statement was beyond the border of tolerance, widened or not. It stirred revolver.‘ question The might rise,which of these things he is doing with lefthis hand. speakshe programatically:‘I amwriting verses with one other / inthe hand I am holding a uttered milion times already...In the first poem of Kohout’s,‘The in Time of Love Fight‘and 4 (1954): 171. Host do domu Ĥ , “Zhodnocení ankety o realismu” [The Evaluation of the Survey about Realism], about Survey the of Evaluation [The o realismu” ankety “Zhodnocení , Ĥ ’s review of Kundera’s of ’s review 11 (1954): 505-508. Ĥ . By means of quoting Kundera’s contention the critique Host dodomu Host 64 Man, aWideGarden was largely in quoted a summary in March and June of the same of of magazinethe , he, welcomed his Index. Index Index. 86 Host 87 CEU eTD Collection 281. is to be Returned as Soon as Possible (At 60 60 the a of occasion the at congratulation seeked second Kundera’s forcontending article comprising sources specific of innovations now the socialist realist space. This piece of writings was intented as Bed Kundera’s apologist Kv long Czechoslovak de-stalinization in toits end,i.e.came Long-lasting1962 through. incorporated into group the of intolerable.politically Hewasrehabilitated only a after František Halas (1901-1949). Kundera’sFrantišek Bed (1901-1949). model Halas 89 Neumann, Ji of SK archenemies as specific, Tobe realism. socialist of Czech enemies dangerous inŠtoll’s were Culture Left The representing ideas people and Fascists, but nor light. Catholics, neither Plus, to trials came conflict about the relationship to the SovietCzechoslovak Republic. Union after the revelation of Culture The First beenusedby Left such hadThe already thatapractice said about show- participation on decision-making is process with supported an historical Itisevidence. [visual]sphere?” public artistic such a withof allfirst the ofwide the participation sphere, public public debate, after only accepted be town a particular of plan urban final a “…shouldn‘t contended: 88 Bed vocalcritiquethe Communist Brno-based Firstbaton in Republicwas Czechoslovak of the time underthe of onepublished the Milan Kundera, “Dluh, jehož splátka sp Milan Kundera, “Mluvte o domech” [Speak about Houses], Ĝ ich Vaclávek and the Development of Marxist Aesthetics of ich VaclávekandtheDevelopment “The Debt to be Returned as Soon as Possible” asSoon be Returned to “The Debt But the inter-war Czech avant-garde had also been dissolved due to the inner- the to due dissolved been also had avant-garde Czech inter-war the But Ĝ í Wolker Július Fu and Č toslav toslav Chvatík then published a monographsignificant 88 Č chá (k 60. Výro This quite striking suggestion of a of suggestion striking quite democratic This þ th ík were presented Karelík and werepresented (1900-1951) Teige Birthday of Josef Kopta)], 65 th birthday birthday Josef of writer (1894– Kopta 30 Years of Struggle 30 Years of Ĝ ich Vaclávek (1897-1943). Kunderaich (1897-1943). Vaclávek þ í narozenin Josefa Kopty)” [The Debt that Host do domu Ĝ ich Vaclávek be be can also 89 was a pregnant title of the . Host do domuHost 3 (1954): 143. chosen asamost chosen 6 (1954): 280- CEU eTD Collection False Realism:” False for Zden realism. of basic socialist the premises the directly contradicting actually not concepts the i.e. style, classical and trilogy epic of elements the but were “creative“ as assessed Kundera elements hand other the on while Culture), Left The of tradition the on literary tradition that was leftoutside theof codified borders of the space (specifically Czech inter-war the about concerned wasgradually handKundera on one Therefore 90 texts: Kopta‘s infoundbeen have coulda that formal furthermore a aesthetic,qualities about claim pragmatic use of in this second contention. Not in discord with with the ideology was made a Kundera was what his exclusion verdict definite the leadto automatically work over.” totalk this erudition enough was not because there also maybe And history. political personal Kopta’s of sommersaults several of reflection many were enraptured because hasa silence “There been oeuvre: 1962). Kundera’s withdrawwish wasto the reigning ignorance ofKopta‘s inter-war Ibid. like... There is some hierarchy even in the art and it can’t stand equal status of everything. Not of everything. status equal stand can’t it and art the in even hierarchy some is There like... place...A muddy puddle staysa muddy puddle, nomatter how realistic itistrying tolook Realistic art isconceivable only as a real art, not asa bungle. That must stressed atthe first value core astaple namely were art asocialist of nationalism and Classicism structure... sentence classical a to revive attempt beautiful and metaphoricalsimilarlybeautiful languageand Van and Czech to makes its malignant penetration into the language of fiction, Kopta writes withplastic, inventions and writes three vast, rich trilogies. Atthe time, when naturalistic journalism novel led to the minimalizationof the art of fabulationKopta governs with the unseenepical the average of fictionthe of the First Republic. Atthe time when subjectivistic psychological It isa powerfull veininthe modern Czechprose. Itisthe work with qualities that raise above The New Course topos that the personal past of the author should not Č k Nejedlý who expressed their essentiality in “Ofand essentiality k Nejedlýwho expressedtheirTrue his1948article 66 90 þ ura he made a made ura he fruitful y a by dumb CEU eTD Collection (Prague: Akropolis, 2009): 329-330. the Labyrinth: The Codificationof the Ideologic-Aesthetic Norm in CzechLiterature of the 1950s] labyrintu. The Cowards 92 232. do domu. a great whole.a great Fu ‘Theof May’ isparticipating Last literary inthe the lifecompetition about Július 1955 Realism Socialist Intimate for Kundera Milan Ambiguity articulated. timefirst publicly for the been had of established the challenge the as critical Jan was not Trefulka, as he though Even be reappraised. to had that tradition cultural inter-war leftist the to not only to express his unsatisfaction with the state of socialist realism, but also point young around new writers Magazine doDomu inHost tryingBrno, for first the time a as Kundera, Milan was a founded, memberbeingof only which were of group being allowed andeven invited back tothe official institutions,cultural someof 91 Cowards Josef around Škvorecký‘s as late1958-59with which aroused scandal the new –andstruggle about order finally buildingit. The trilogy wasappeared argument positive hero had to undergo the arc of confrontation with capitalism - winning a A novel. socialist realist of great structure formal thebasic was trilogy Plus, the “[At the meeting of the presidium of CSWU] Writer Marie Majerová announced that after reading after that announced Majerová Marie Writer of CSWU] presidium of the meeting the “[At Zden þ ík.”appeared on Thiscomment frontpageof the 1954Christmasthe issue Č k Nejedlý, “O realismu pravém a nepravém” [Of True and False Realism], False and True [Of a nepravém” pravém “O realismu Nejedlý, k “The name of can “Theissue nameof author inthe becausebe disclosed only thenext poem To sum up: Inthecontextwhere many were previously excluded authors what style, can be in turn again only art. because of some aristocratic abberation, but because of the simple fact that art, no matter of Kodifikace ideologicko/estetické normy v . He defended himself. He bysayingdefended that Above it was an excerpt of a poem entitled “The Last of And above of May”. Last “The entitled of a poem Above itwas anexcerpt the first thing she had to do was to clean her hands.” See Michal Bauer, 92 91 67 þ eské literatu The Cowards Ĝ e 50. let 20. století. [Implications of were only firstthe part of Var 8 (1948): 225- Souvislosti of Host The CEU eTD Collection univocally praised by an appointed jury univocally byanappointed praised as wellby three going through reviewers, freedom for abetrayal and confession.Kundera’s work turned out to be great success, is a scene of temptation where member of Gestapo Böhn offers CommunistFu is an elaboration of the single scenefrom of single is the an elaboration in ever Czech written book widely translated provingCzech literature by it whethera simple factthat not likesit one or is “amost Written the from Gallows. imprisoned inFu Prague,Július a 1950s, While 1943. in captivity German in executedjournalist Communist society of figureinCzech nationalhistorical singlemost deathof celebrated the this occasion of the of anniversary tenth at organized the festivities andconferences long University Press, 2000): 95. ideal living personalization of the positive hero of socialist realism. socialist of hero positive the of personalization living ideal Zden and Štoll Ladislav ideologues master contemporary with cooperations pre-war close 93 wasMilanKundera. contender inwaving a by squall, an version enlarged accompanied of a Undisclosed peace dove. over his head,victoriously stomping onan obviously banner,Nazi hislong hair and aSlovak highwayman, clasping a rifle inhisleftand a shepherd’s axe inhis right it, figure,realist anprototypical muscular drawing:a socialist a a hybrid a partisan of PeterSteiner, Č k Nejedlý and his steady loyalty to The Soviets, Fu Kundera accepted all all this. Kundera accepted The Literary Competition abouttheLife of Július Fu The Deserts ofBohemia. Peter Steiner stresses its exceptional place in the history of in thehistory place exceptional its stresses Steiner Peter þ ík write (1903-1943)managed to The LastofMay, CzechFiction Social andIts Context (Ithaca:Cornell The Reportage: Written from the WrittenThe Reportage: from 68 . ” 93 By of By virtue martyrdom,his very published in first halfthe of 1955, þ þ ík was celebrated as the ík fell 1953year-under The Reportage: Gallows. þ It ík CEU eTD Collection Czech LiteratureCzech of the 1950s] (Prague: Akropolis, 2009): 253-254. let 20. století. [Implications of the Labyrinth: The Codificationof the Ideologic-Aesthetic Norm in See Michal Bauer, See Michal 95 Books,1984): 165-167. highwaymana Slovak song soundon Pet Slovak folklore tradition – legendary national hero Jánošík – was unavoidable: “Tolet proverbial ”May melancholy never taint my name”). See Milan Kundera, See Milan my name”). taint never melancholy ”May proverbial in drawn (as almost apage-long quotations exactly from people! Ahealthy atmosphere stinks of stupidity! Long live Trotsky!”) at histrial are confronted with that caused protagonist Ludvík Jahn the membership of the party (“Optimism isthe opium of the correctness of Kundera’s identification of Fu identification of Kundera’s correctness of Antonín HepraisedJelínek (1930-2003). itin weekly recognition. a successful significant career andwinning been doing had since1953 Kundera aspace where was realism socialist The space of after 94 stated: nomination The victory. election an into turned eventually which Union, Writers’ of Committee Central the himnomination to cultural the nomination elite, secured highest the among poetry him was secured in membership thework the CSWU, of 1955 securedhima a WideGarden Man, May Last of appeared,eveninaccounts Kundera’s own oeuvre. re-editions 1963 when up to cultof the Fu Unfortunately there is no reference to a concrete writer of this judgment, nor its particular date. particular its nor judgment, of this writer concrete a to reference is no there Unfortunately Anachronic note: In its preface, novel preface, its In note: Anachronic The LastMay, of Folkloric identity of Kundera’s positive hero found applause at young critic Writers‘ Union and at the Festival of Youthin Warsaw, where it wona gold medal. contemporary poetry general.in The poem was awarded bothat the competitionof the significant works about Fu fulfilled the hopes that have been invested to Kundera. This book is not only one of the most [Kundera’s] second book Fu represented Regarding its exclusively it consequences,practical would was indeed the best quality affirmative act of the year. The scenario of scenario of year.The the act affirmative quality best was indeedthe Host doDomu Souvislosti labyrintu. Kundera’s praise of Fu of praise Kundera’s repeated itself on a higher level. If Kundera’s first volume of firstvolume Kundera’s level.If ahigher itself on repeated ). The link with famousa most popular figure of the þ ík, but also it ranks among the most significant books of The Joke Kodifikace ideologicko/estetické normy v þ The Reportage: Written from Gallowsthe ík turned to mockery. The three lines on the postcard the on lines three The mockery. to turned ík is said to be writtenbetween 1962-1965. Sevenyears 69 Ĝ þ ínhill timethe [German] Prague]at of [in ík asatype ofcontemporary communist It hero. þ íkfinally faded away harsh first and the þ ík with a plebian figure of íkhighwayman figureof with a plebian 94 Literární noviny, Literární The Joke seem that the that seem þ (London: Penguin eské literatu claiming the 95 (e.g. the Ĝ e 50. The CEU eTD Collection irrevocably irrevocably his Kundera’s upwardmobility, with continuous Together denied. ý the also attended were characters Miroslav and of qualities review The second year of poem the firstcame inout 1955, secondin 1961 andfinally lateas as i.e.in1963, the was a pure conformist statement. In the publishing house publishing In the was a statement. conformist pure in general. Stalinism under everyman of in consciousness granted for and taken literary texts realist wereinsocialist they required as collectivist, a hero with decisive mental process in authors in themselves: authors process with mental a herodecisive Štoll did in did Štoll Vít Kv in Review newthe positively at magazine time appeared publication.reviewed the of 97 (1955): 6. preface to in his already introduced affirmatively tradition ofsocialist source as anauthentic 96 Fu of image of in the creation he succeeded the hero people’s agelong with connection the the occupation was an act of courage on the side theof poet. And the truth is that through Miroslav Antonín Jelínek, “Pathos hrdinského života” [The Pathos of the Heroic Life], Heroic ofthe Pathos [The života” hrdinského “Pathos Jelínek, Antonín ervenka stressed the priority of cognitive struggle between individualistand between struggle of cognitive priority ervenka stressed the Č Č ten slav Nezval’s work aboutslav Nezval’sFu work that we must do it repeatedly and painfully, facing the new demands and challenges oflife. challenges and demands the new facing painfully, and it repeatedly do we must that that we must earn and fight for our balance and our freedom in the world of neccesity. And Finally, the publication history of what is more: Kundera’s Fu Kundera’s more: is what knowledge...And his reaches hero the which through development difficult a is It process. which thispoemtakes place.The dialogue Pet on The author is able to stress the conflict in Fu The overcoming of inner-struggle was a second aspect of Fu aspect of wasasecond inner-struggle The of overcoming (May)Miroslav and Laughable Loves ý Steel andTenderness ervenka, “Dvojí Fu þ 30 years of Struggle, years of 30 ík 96 . Kundera persisted with the notion of essentiality of folklore that he þ , when the legitimity of socialist realism had been had realism socialist of legitimity the when , ík" [Double Fu ý þ ervenka (1932-2005)united his acclaim of with that ík proves that the voice of temptation shall never cease, it proves it cease, never shall temptation of voice the that proves ík in 1952. þ ík. i.e. the interconnection of an internal conflict of internal conflict an of interconnection i.e. the ý þ ervenka pointed outin pointed ervenka 1956 whatLadislav The LastofMay ík], 70 Kv þ Č ík’s inner world even in such a short time in ten 8 (1956): 216-217. Ĝ ín hillis only an abbreviationof the supplement the claim that it ý eskoslovenský spisovatel eskoslovenský Literární Noviny þ ík’s character ík’s 97 37 CEU eTD Collection Sciences. It was Sciences. this It historian in Zden and politician one a as also hewas 1952-1962 Academy of Czechoslovak founded of then president Between post. that minister or this of hold in always Stalinism Czech of personage theory of limited continuity. Since the end of the war until his death he was a cultural 1950s. Its chief inventor wasZden chief inventor 1950s. Its therefore resonate. And resonate it still.does, And resonate resonate. therefore lay.” Kundera’s title lay.” Kundera’s the time of love / Meltingly called the turtle-dove / Whereby most of the richCzechs by heart: “Lateand evening, on sweetthe first of May / The pinewoodstwilit May — Mácha’s Kundera older used this lexicon, outsidera dailyCzech of Second, opening the too. of Mácha used the older Latinized term for May poem for the and May term entitled Latinized older Mácha usedthe ( actually the name of the second of the new magazines coming out of The New Course century. In contemporary Czech language the term for May May for is “Kv language term the Czech In century. contemporary 19th of movement national Czech the of poem romantic important most single reference if if poem reference the title in itself is an its space.of allusive it positivecould reviews, seemthathewrote this hit 20-pageslong poem asanappraisal right between the eyes of a Czech man. The (accessed June 3, 2011). 98 about write to willingness Host doDomu Karel Hynek Mácha, There was a ban on Although the contemporary reviewers mostly strangely silent about the fact, the about silent strangely mostly reviewers contemporary the Although May belongs to the most famous verses in Czech culture and they are known was the first one). It alluded to The Day of Victory (May 9 Máj The Last of May The Lastof Máj, (May) by Karl by Karl (May)Hynek Mácha(1810-1836),in likelihood the all translated by Pargeter,Edith the May emblem of socialist realism and consequent univocal consequent and realism socialist of emblem included into Czech historical master narrative of narrative master historical Czech into included Č k Nejedlý, a top proponent of moderate’s proponentof the a top Nejedlý, k as the contrast to contrast the as 71 98 http://www.lupomesky.cz/maj/may.html Č k Nejedlýwhodesigned the The FirstMay of Č ten” . Kv Máj - have had have Č th ten 1945). was and CEU eTD Collection mainly 104-117. CzechCulture and the Rise of Communism (New York: Rowman& Littlefield Publishers, 2004): Reorientationof the CzechNation,” inBradley F. Abrams, see Nejedlý’s reinterpretationBradleyof history the and reasons forits great success among post-warintellectuals CzechLiterature, 1945-1989](Prague : Academia, 2007-2008): 591.a more detailed For account of F. Abrams, “The Interpretation and Reinterpretation of Czech History and the point that he modeled his Nazi policeman Böhm on Mácha’s hero Vilém: fully ignorant of social, political, economic andinternational usefulness up to the Mácha’s weretobe anddiscourse one worldview Kundera samething. the opposed Mácha wasMay affirmative with socialist realist discourse. Cultural and political designed the character of character the designed 99 was. verdict his nation,“ the of property “Theliterature. history of villain Vilém and anonymous Jarmila not becomedid the socialist of tradition Czech established newly the from forefront the to poem the revived a prevailing pre-1848Czechhostility Mácha’s May towards and didnotselect also ideologue pacesetting the is that herematters What class. of category itthe with functioning literature as mainthe instrument of and interests Czech national upgraded By the same token he adopted the early 19th century nationalist criterium about Czech Jirásek andin(1851 -1930) this second Dark Age wasplaced of between revolutions. these Alojs writer fiction nationalist from Age Dark of notion the adopted Nejedlý revival. national CPC asecond rule of under the experienced which Czechoslovakia to according narrative historical and as the opposition tothe as theopposition and Zden was done by Peter Steiner who repeats the assertion that Kundera’s refutation of refutation Kundera’s that assertion the repeats who Steiner Peter by done was Č k Nejedlý quoted in Pavel Janoušek ed., Janoušek Pavel in quoted Nejedlý k stances, two attitudes toward thanatos. For Vilém –bereft of any transcendental ideals – death Throughsuch ananalogy Kundera is able to draw a distinctionbetween two existential The intratextual confrontation of Mácha’s of confrontation The intratextual Curious parallels between and parallelsCurious revolution the of of between that 1848 1948 appeared; Július Fu First of May First of þ ík. 99 72 Kundera agreed with Nejedlý on Kunderaagreed withpointthis Nejedlýon 'Č and jiny Vilém þ eské literatury, 1945-1989 The Struggle forNation.The Struggle the Soulthe of May he wrote and Kundera’s The Last of May The Lastof [The History of History [The The Last of The Last and CEU eTD Collection Czechoslovak Writers Union, The Conference about Poetry] (June, 4, 1955): 27/1. 1955): 4, (June, Poetry] about Conference The Union, Writers Czechoslovak of spoke highly justJelínek, whohad recently Antonín of writings reproached the latest for acontention: preparation hisan addresswas of affirmative opening in adefense of The Museum of Czech Literature, fond fond Literature, of Czech Museum The 102 the issue. to address 101 University Press, 2000): 211-212. CzechoslovakWriters’ Union (April 22. –29.1956). 100 defense of the conflicting notion of at given speech His realist. socialist a fully-fledged was not the case that after initial contentions expressed in 1954 he would turn into important and as it later turned out also the groundbreaking 2 also groundbreaking the out turned later itandas important foritfunctioned all- the as preparation NeumannKostka the Stanislav (1875-1947), the scandalousthe critique of Kohout. Pavel Conference1955). Moreover,itwas permeated (June6-7, with of repercussions the Milan Kundera, “Speech at The Conference about Poetry” [Originally untitled]. Literary Archive of Archive Literary untitled]. [Originally Poetry” about Conference The at “Speech Kundera, Milan E.g., Jan Trefulka’s speech was ordered immediately after the speech ofPavel Kohout and both had PeterSteiner, The LastofMay The turn into ambiguity appeared after this acknowledgement. Kundera acknowledgement. this ambiguity into after The turn appeared poet. of a goal highest the theme that isparexcellence political and I have no doubtswith that the deal civic poems poetry these all is still the Dream, Czech The Love, Great The Worries, Without Country, the Thank youRed Army, Toyou, Bread andSteel, Job Night, Stalin, The Song of Peace, From Panichida, regard: this in so fertile been have would poetry our that inhistory time any in been 1945 Since appeared ahandfulworks of great about civic political and subjects it not has and The Last of May The Lastof While Kundera’s second published book was a great socialist realist success, it success, wasasocialist realist great book published second While Kundera’s of the collective Cause outside of which life is meaninless. of historical optimism, deathis merely a personal sacrifice, a contribution to finalthe victory month] only reminds him how cruel punishment his is.For the Communist Fu is the ultimate horror, gate to the void of nothingness, and the buoyant nature of May [the The ongoing about debate intimacy The Deserts of Bohemia. . Jelínek’s assaults on private and depoliticized themes were was the best the was as a necessary but missing part of socialist realist space. The space. realist socialist part of missing but as anecessary 102 ý civic intimate poetry. eskoslovenský svaz Spisovatel svaz eskoslovenský civic poem Czech Fiction and Its Social Context (Ithaca: Cornell (Ithaca: Context Social Its and Fiction Czech versus 101 73 Organized at the occasion of 80 intimate poetry of of up yearandyetspoke the Kundera 1955 was yearthe of ambiguity. Conference aboutPoetry Conference 100 Ĥ , dominated the summer the dominated Konference opoezii nd Congress of The of Congress þ ík, the herald th birthday was a [fond CEU eTD Collection This ambiguous tension between his poem ideology. upon inpolitical spacebuiltsolely theabsence of the privacy pinpointed he being time same At the realism. socialist in affairs of state the with discontent itinbetween read assuch. came But about his processthe of 1954-1955, growing It wasread as it haseverbeenconsensually is public hisonly such and work work. into account, everything intimacy was “vulgar”? without realism socialist whereas Mácha’sintimacy KunderaDid haditwas“bourgeois” that Kitch: Banality. sentimentality. Bourgeois feelings. Bourgeois itin places Kundera which identified as Bourgeois mostthe dangerous. thought. firstof reach absence wasseenas all forout direbecause readership to young tended Worries a “book not of Biebl’slove a contemporary poetry bewhich would to equal perform? action to vulgar most Poetry], 104 103 exposed “vulgaras positions.” identification of Mácha’s protagonist with a Nazi policeman in policeman aNazi with protagonist Mácha’s of identification have a bear directnot do they that political grounds the on simply desires private most and emotions fruition. intimate of It is vulgar, claimed Kundera. But was not than Milan Kundera, “Diskusní p “Diskusní Kundera, Milan 27/5. Host dodomu Ambiguous notion of Ambiguous notion ‘full-bloodied realism‘of vulgarising rubbish that some diligent journalists are throwing underour feets. shall embrace the wholeinour effort. Onlyof then, whenour literaturehuman and poetry paves a waylife. full-bloodedto realism it In orderserious There is a of danger bourgeois andfeeling thought in unite our of itmust life all and us to take this road, we need to remove all that Vulgar demands supposedly led a regretful state of cultural space. There was There of space. cultural state led aregretful supposedly Vulgar demands or Nezval’s 7 (1955): 307-309. Song of Peace Song of The LastofMay Ĝ ísp Č 103 vek na Konferenci o poezii” [The Speech at the Conference about Conference the at Speech [The opoezii” Konferenci vek na Socialist poetry cannot any longer ignore the themes the ignore longer any cannot poetry Socialist ” (both political poems) political ” (both 74 was the highpoint of Kundera’s affirmative Kundera’s of highpoint the was The Last of May The Lastof and the contention that it that contention the and a a Taking was solution. . The danger of The such danger of The Last 104 of May of the No CEU eTD Collection again the symbolical Christmas date when the important Kundera’s text appeared on Kundera’s text important the datewhen Christmas symbolical again the not appear in appear not Struggle incontradicted Štoll’s intervention that process second Kundera’s the itis a aspect itthis and Congress Writer’s the for preparations inthe of done was It Inheritance” by setting new the in Kundera’s pointof “About departure theDisputes 1956. text of be overshadowed Writers‘ Congress. continuity could prefiguredCertain debates the groupingsideology. and Pre-1956 of legitimate status official the been the eroding for had some time. voices These already hadbeen growing voices contending there space realist of channels insocialist papersays that the hypotheses discoursive of the arerevolveor aroundits meaning. numberloaded with one However of the begin endby upside ofCzechoslovakia often or date this turned The histories down. evaluation historical implicit with time this role, political and important immensly Stalinism. Writers at The 2 at Writers Stalinism. of short-lived but rejection straightforward open first asthe is that considered event 1955-1956 Inheritance of Disputes the About Kundera Milan Repudiation find it? Christmas 1955 broughtaboutanother 20-pages long statement. question of tradition,if Mácha and romanticism was not the answer, where was one to would be the most vulgar to have all poems like poems all have to vulgar most be the would It is possible to surmise that he outfaced the core concept of socialist realism. 1956 is a historical milestone.In terms itof was Czechoslovakia, culturalthe (first being the defense of apolitical poetry, see above) see poetry, apolitical of defense the being (first is an instance of this continuity. this of instance is an Host dodomu nd as most of his previous articles. On the other hand it was Congress of CSWU in April 1956 are seen to play an 75 The Last of May. The Lastof . The repudiation did Regarding the 30 yearsof CEU eTD Collection written written of by author award-winning the with illocution the Kundera text the openingobservations of a practical presented charge of an assault ontext. This is the ideology in general (which the terms. in concrete cause his text of rejection the anticipated ineven end fact was). In the invoked space,the uncontestable andauthorities throughout the andatpropositions of praise the poetry, with he article began the about Conference the in hisspeech at process of writing is situated at the very conclusion of the text: afraidideological ofpossible mistakes and the tolerability inof faults thepolitical alreadypracticing in poets his tobeanswer not survey inJanuary 1954 encouraged or less have the nature of the personal confession of a practitioner.” more which thoughts, fragmentary some express simply would I and ‘untheoretically’ of this nature polemical waswell the aware of He tradition. literary negative terms and moreover, he outspokenly rejected the ideological limits put on the of nationalthe history. Tobe specific,Kundera’s explicitly yearstreated 1948-1955in Host dodomu 106 1290-1306. 105 monthly above). hisbeing poetry see the to pagesof winningcontribution the competition, (first press Ibid., 1290. MilanKundera, ”Osporech d Negative identity was one of the means by which Kundera legitimized the legitimized Kundera which by means the of one was identity Negative be angry if am not agreed with. Moreover,a theoretician. I I am speakingam outlittle myfeelings about things as a practitioner.worried Therefore I won’tif I have notI expressedwonderingI ammyself at that entagledmuchtheoreticizing.someso inendedup I of notam “About the Disputes of Inheritance” appeared in the twelfth issue of issueCSWU twelfth the in of appeared ofInheritance” Disputes the “About Nový Život Nový not publishedKundera’slonger first essay disputing thenarrative dominant a socialist critique, he wrote. Why? It could be an attempt to avoid the (The New Life). Č dických” [About Disputes the of Inheritance], 105 The LastMay The more prestigious magazine platform as platform magazine prestigious more The 76 : “I would approach : “I subject the would approach 106 Nový život Dispute Kundera called Kundera . Same as . Same 12 (1955): CEU eTD Collection ideological move. Stalin’s/Zdhanov’s authority became move.authority ideological amatter of Stalin’s/Zdhanov’s past andfaults. became major is Congress where in Writer’s the away upcoming the preconfigured vulgarity his of rebuff used, Kundera strategy discursive acommon was Leninist classics and precise and to be preferred. To attire one’s statement in quotations of Marxist- primitive, metaphysical,in sum political With borders. helpthe Lenin, of Kundera distinguished between rough, argumentabout the impossibility ofaestheticimmobility inventions of the across of periods dark age. absorptionthe innovationsof made by enemy reactingclasses, cultures orduring the accordingwhich to neitherideological nor institutional limits are in fact to stop potent assertion realist non-socialist utterly an defended vein was same the In Sholokhov. 107 praisefor he being received “a practitioner” wrote who hisinKunderalegitimized by reflective writings contention evidentstate-widethe of Shostakovich, poetry of Pavlo Ty Pavlo of poetry Shostakovich, of genres: various most of works art realist socialist Soviet revered by backedlast sentenceoriginality highly most of the nodoubt the essay,of the art cannot and will not resign on the concept of innovation and originality was, at very authorities unquestionable Soviet E.g.,thesocialist assertion of time-period. the that quotationsnumerous discourse. of employed standard device He of pre-constructed Ibid., 1306. The lengthy quoteThe lengthy inserted of Lenin alonesupport the wasdeployed to prophetic tone immensely…. my propositions with avoice too sovereign and apodictic. Because I dislike suchan apodictic, The second grounds Kundera laid in order to be able to outface was the in tobeableoutface was Kunderalaid order The second grounds came about already in June at the poetry conference but his stress of of his Lenin butstress poetry the already inJuneconference at about came 107 vulgar materialism þ yna, novel yna, 77 And QuietFlows Don and materialism that is that and materialism The Last The Last of May. The TenthSymphony by Mikhail by dialectical CEU eTD Collection 1291. 109 the Great Traditions of CzechNation] (Prague: Secretariat of CPC, 1946). while all progressive epochs are directed objectively.” aredirected epochs while all progressive aresubjective, epochs Goethe:“All disintegrating receding art, socialistclassics of openingthe through quotationthe yet of another of unanimouslythe recognized in achieved was This art. of realm the into it transposing is only he that claimed He discourse. political of the core Zden 108 founded byLeninhistorically narated andhome at by Nejedlý. practicing poetadmiring Sholokhov standingand firmly ontheideological basis too. In all,in firstlinesthe and last Kunderagave anaccount of himself as a of traditions, the Mácha out expropriation of with Nejedlý’s accord inobjective and 19 the of theCzechnational in revivals be as overcome samefashion the was to Fascism age called Dark Czech second greatCzechera.The of postwar the leaders necessary as Communists justify scientifically to intended falling and rising of sequence a by and (1850-1937) Masaryk Garrigue Tomáš of narrative establishedcatchy the reformulate itto used Nejedlý era. a reactionary and a progressive of succesion of the hespoke Thus vocabulary. ideological proper applied Kundera also Of course, it an from dark ageintoessence, toldageof of story a the progression the awakening. Zden with narrative of that Kundera’s resonating a history.outlined Communist, Inheritors The ofGreat Traditions ofCzech Nation 1955, the In plutocracy. Darkagecalled Ecclesiastical the Hussites overcame MilanKundera, “O sporech d Such is the title of a programmatic essay. For the first time published promptly after the war as th century overcame the Dark age called Baroque or the same way as in 14 Č k Nejedlý, k At the first glance Kundera was in a general accord with this master narrative. master with this accord in a general was Kundera first glance Atthe The third device of acceptability was agreement with a codified philosophy of with philosophy a codified wasagreement The of acceptability third device Komunisté -d Č dicivelikých tradic Č dických” [About the Disputes of Inheritance], 78 þ eského národa [Communists – TheInheritors of 109 The Lastof May Nový život 108 Č k Nejedlý. In its In k Nejedlý. was still inthe still was th 12 (1955): century was CEU eTD Collection Plus, a phrase “ Plus, aphrase (political)lackingbut the device of fibula, notspeaking longer of narrativeforms. ‘civil’ rightly poetry realist social Czech arrival, his Until doctrine. realist socialist and poetry epic bourgeois Mácha’s of synthesis the as poem major his fashioned socialistbein finally 1950toIn victorious. came poetry terms Kundera of dialectics, Czech after “30-years’-struggle”, fact that asthe Štoll canonized Ladislav years after May of years ofstruggle” “ of commonplace the confront to intention The essay. the of conclusion the near their inter-war politically incorrect predecessors. What itled Whatwas that… to predecessors. incorrect politically inter-war their of includepackage did weighty not education whose young poets Results are criteria. was aminion purely political of force argumentative its because its illegitimacy, considered amajorconsidered rejected Karel Hynek Mácha. Bourgeois and individualist as it were, his as itand individualist KarelHynekMácha.Bourgeois rejected more then surprisingly, the first Kundera’s historical exemplum was just recently in poetry inmust poetry beby definition isinvoked agreeto on this point.is It said tologically follow that the prevailing genre areobjective.epochs Even Goethe progressive straightforward all aesthetics, Leninst being ofMarxist- axioms “struggle” Because,referring into to beforethe came 1955. Struggle 30 Years of poetry, his stepwastoinfersecond the conclusions that Ladislav Štoll had in come to sphere the of narrative to master historical moved aStalinist Kundera affirmatively when the socialist progressive epoch progressive when socialist the Kundera self-esteem shines through his claim that it was not until his hisitKundera not until shines through claim self-esteem that was 30 But right after the opening, and shortly before the finale, a twist unfolds. After years ofStruggle 50 years of recession of 50 years is beyond any doubt. any is beyond epical became invalid. Kundera argued that no apparent victory victory in noapparent that Kundera became invalid. argued the poem poem of a Czechliterature. were wrong, and here Kundera added a main reason for added amain reason were wrong,Kundera andhere epical ” . The historical evidence came to the fore and fore the to came evidence historical . The was deployed nearthe 79 began. This was yearthe 1955,i.e.five introduction as well as well as introduction May was still was The Last 30 CEU eTD Collection evidence for futilitythe harmfulnessand of any limits of traditon: 1304. 110 a helenght passageAt quoted his from praised poetry. As a hisowngenerally on principle inevitable this prooved Kundera “practitioner,“ Whether it suited them or not and what is more, whether they were aware of it or not. suits the laws of political-economical development of not. as are reffered-to having on astrong andtradition indispensableit impact whether Apollinair, Desnos, Malarmé, Rilke, Valéry, Pasternak, Hora, Holan, Orten and others leftby modernist-bourgeois poets out theory the limitedof tradition. Rimbaud, Inheritance of grounds the such a argumentative strategy,dialectical Intimacy, yes, but bourgeois ways of turning intimatedemand that cultural and politicalinto discourse shouldpoetry, go astray. not anymore.behad profoundly into studiedand to theiraccepted thetradition. This is works a On they though even enemies, among politically were years 50 last the of representatives cultural major though even nostalgia, aesthetic of even kind any for reason not of were there period recession years tothe andlast Even subscribed 50 though the MilanKundera, “O sporech d imagined the emotions ofFu emotions the imagined I when me to appeared images These author. original their not Iam argue could someone Kundera‘s [from passage that in metaphors several is There Good socialistGood realist poemsofmetaphor“ the “culture inherited of excluded. rhetorical the already move foreshadowed JuneConference.Kunderaat the poetry. ofCzech years fifty last the digested not growth, they had not come to terms with something. They had not come to terms and they had withthemes all too contemporary butdealing or simply because political too they were had missed they because something nor in their talented, not were poets these because neither culture poetic Czech of the development historical the as too light. The culture of their verse suddenly appeared as too poor andunder the average of …young poets,who had entered the literature in such a light manner, were suddenly weighted contains plenty examplesof of essential inventions andinfluences of Č dických” [About the Disputes of Inheritance], þ ík, after he was bemused was he after ík, 80 110 . by the strong stroke of the world when And it must be clearly said, that it was The Last May The Last The Last of May About theDisputesof Nový život as the empirical as the ]. I ]. thinkdon’t 12 (1955): CEU eTD Collection works modernistsworks of a deepscrutiny. underwent be overcame if and onlyrecognized as judginggood, his But ownwork. lastthe years “50 of recession“ would if the limits puts forproduction. “newnewclassical of realism“ greathistorical Theodds epoch were on the traditionin its thecultural of wasrefused epical element basis of the absence on the literature were abolished and the 1295. 111 MilanKundera, “O sporech d In sum,Kundera denied in Štoll points. two Progress victory and socialistof poetry. And here, it “spoke through of me.“ development of the years eighty or fifty last the during exactly existence to came these In noway Is of harph? strings sucha modesounding of metaphorisationthe and stemmingwith onlymore fromand my own head? Did churches I of make it up ribs myself?the pigeons, floating a distant images as a little pub, a hanging balcony, houses of The Lesser Side in Prague with he he left the prison. But still: Where is the whole . I was helped by the whole particular culture of metaphor and a poetic vision. And vision. a poetic and of metaphor culture particular whole the by helped I was Č dických” [About the Disputes of Inheritance], 111 81 way of the creationof metaphor, uniting such Nový život 12 (1955): CEU eTD Collection of rejection general a firstHe addedalso structures. realist socialist of the liberalization violated this originally preventive measurebyan call unexpected for an unseen Congress Discussion Congress CSWU.the Especially its Oneof elements scrutiny came underanalytical – a formal president of the SWU. He František momentwhen alsothe was This existence. into (SWU) came Union Writer’s Slovak existence1954). The of Slovakthe Section was disbanded. Inturn, anindependent Writer’s Union 5-6, (April Czechoslovak of the State-Wide Conference The First bourgeois nationalistsfinally held in Bratislava (April Prague 21-24, 1954), hosted isrealism. That tosay, simultaneously almost with long-preparedthe trial against about1954 broughta significantchange in practicalthe dimension Slovakof socialist heinambivalence thing,one through reached from 1956that in1955.For a passage realism socialist of Slovak repudiation definite Tatarka’s leading to out broke change publicfigure.In 1954 achain of became an recognition and onceagain acknowledged in the course nevertheless1953 Dominik Tatarka ofhisregained some lost 1963)] (Trnava: Pedagogická fakulta Trnavskej univerzity,2009): 35. for the2 preparation massive with trials the of political reassessments inherentlyby of against nature realist the socialist Tatarka discourse. political 112 René Bielik, The WoodenVillage, Limited to a degree of conformity in his expressions as never before or after, asneverbeforea degree or inhis Limitedof expressions to conformity Secondly, the next year was determined by the interaction between the the the between interaction the by determined was year next the Secondly, þ Slovenská literatúra po roku 1945 ko became not only a only not became ko alsobut literature leaderof Slovak recognized Contention, Ambivalence, Repudiation held on held magazinethe on platform He Dominik Tatarka 1954-1956 Tatarka Dominik þ ko’s novel, at that time already established asacanonical established already time novel,at that ko’s 112 Later in 1954 appeared the first public contention public in first the appeared Later 1954 82 (1945-1963) [Slovak after Literature 1945(1945- Kultúrny život. Dominik Tatarka Dominik nd Congress of The Pre- CEU eTD Collection a final, unequivocal itsdemand for depolitization. maintained that himmeantthe repudiation of Slovakrealism the spaceof by socialist institutions writerthe andagainst of state the This concept the against speech writer.” a writer I a a state the of bureaucrat. such callapproach quasi-state fundamental became Headopted a bureaucrat. A writer isthis:Czechoslovak quasi-state mistakes want to propagate anarchist 20 The wakeof the moods. “TheConformity” of Demon allegory, was a three-part speechacts these But still, of first The illegitimate. it declared and realism of socialist space Slovak the outfaced I must saythis and charge in itutilized of both key the by meansspeech acts ofwhichhe finally that the essence of our as a joke.down wasturned of structure liberalization Union’s the fell earsandthe deaf initiative on He František with layer, ascompetition pragmatic had claim their of Tatarka’s and intentions the motives the Both agriculture. Slovak of collectivization the for case making the i.e. the perfection of the predominant contemporarymarketmechanismsimplement into Slovak the industry publication madewas to due function of Slovak socialist perceivedthus The nature of as layhis inrealism,hiswell). ambivalence factthat the ideato immediately (and ambivalent essentially also was it such), as perceived immediately was it (and was intervention Tatarka’s radical however Still, novel. realist socialist contribution at The 2 at contribution As a joke about anarchy in the union.Andin springthe of 1956 heup took þ ko came into the open. At the end of the discussion, his practical At end discussion, the of the open. the into came ko nd th Congress of the CSWU. Here he stated: “Trust me. I do not Congress of the CPSU. The second was his discussion 83 , published in CEU eTD Collection Slovenské poh Cake; breaking” “Bonds are appearedonthemagazines. books pages of of both of new fragments the lasted twoprevious years.it Plus,was already in course the of 1953whenthe the that conformity the of repercussion is a content conformist largely their that assuming that he had been working on these texts already in the course of previous years,i.e. by schematism,” contemporary the to paid debt the Tatarka books, “With these that is widely accepted It of 1954. course Companionship – redaction (1953): 114 collectivization literary culture). literary (logically his year among limited Still, brought of creators clearly return the cultural debates this in thethemes, borders commonly of realist socialist bundle of the whole reject automatically not does Tatarka knownHowever, the underofficial the umbrella in some which he of of Tatarka’s incorporated arguments 1951 condemnation.the discursive term ‘the construction territory of socialism’. of the Slovak 113 criticism realist socialist 1954 Critique Socialist and Hero thePositive against Tatarka Dominik Contention Dominik Tatarka in the Social and Literary Context], Dominik Tatarka, “Družné letá” [The Years ofCompanionship], Years [The letá” “Družné Tatarka, Dominik Ludvík Patera, “Tvorba Dominika Tatarky ve spole 597-650. A strangely acute letterof an unsigned (givenreader were only initials) arrived to a much longerfrom chapter The third edition of The contention occurred in Tatarka’s theoretical assault on the notion of notion the on assault in theoretical Tatarka’s occurred The contention Kultúrny život. , the sketch the Đ ady, The Wedding Cake The Wedding Tatarka published Tatarka all substantivethree of fiction in books the which is the platform of It was highly praising of this fragment and appeared in one of the October analyzed in the previous section, was the a part of section,in apart wasthe previous analyzed the and critique. It was a reply an Trávní by and critique. It articleto Bohuš The First and the Second Strike First andtheSecond The 113 although although this begsclaim aquestion by assuming , the novel about industrialization about novel the , The Years of CompanionshipThe Years of 84 Slovenskérozh þ Matica Slovenská Matica enském a literárním kontextu” [TheWritings of Đ ady Slovenské poh 1(1994): 33. . 114 , the novel about novel the , If he indeed “paid was inpublished Đ The Years of The Wedding ady, 69, no.7-8 69, þ ek CEU eTD Collection Congress of the CPC], of the Congress 115 Prose of D. Tatarka in Slovenské poh Slovenské in Tatarka D. of Prose character Reptiš. He is a narrow protagonist, he is more pulled than growing. What heWhat than growing. more pulled heis protagonist, is anarrow He Reptiš. character the in faith clear of a deficiency is there already, asserted have in 1950] [Rozner reason given for this and theSecondStrike contention is the lack from Tatarka’s Reptiš of Štefan character was the hero positive insufficient of Reptiš’smost the thereby and first the that fact prolepticis the us for Significant literature. socialist vision:in Slovak hero “As positive of category the of criticsdevelopment progressive a short outlined Turningliterature. his attention post-war to the andperiod novels specifically, he foundof socialist tradition of the to anarrative Slovak quest joined aforesaid the The Stalin Prize“ –mm-, “K próze D. Tatarku v Slovenských poh v Slovenských Tatarku D. “K próze –mm-, Prize“ Stalin The only too well that for example, “Reconciliation”become a Slovak custom towrite about texts from magazines – shortand the stories. Althoughshort we all know prose ofissues: Sándor “Dearcomrade redactor, Nagy Iam writing this letter– largely was due to awardedthe fact that, alas, it has not yet with Bohuš Trávní understand and to reasonable govern the external as well as the internal world.” to reality. wants to nation today attitude The a rationalistic has been adopting nation measure, our Inan isunseen prudence. and rationality It feature. intense very has become anew of “TheJune individual enriched with character and citizens 1954: its 10 theleading of members inhisto CPCat the was greeting repeated – intoactivist Socialist defeatist man from Catholic Slovak the of transformation the – Tatarka's thought ideagoverning of theconsistent ceased. E.g., had suddenly years, persecution. threatof and wellbefore immediate had the been under andcomposed prepared debt”the in itwas in1954, formthe publishingthe of harvest ofhis writings, which Dominik Tatarka, “Slovenskí spisovatelia pozdravujú X.Zjazd KS The incentive to return return The incentive was among provided to cultural debaters open bycritic previous sovocal inthetwo say supportivenotthat to statements, This is þ ek. In his “Notes his in Positivethe “Notes on ek. In Hero Literature” Slovak Kultúrny život . Štefan Reptiš was denied as a true positive character. The positive character. asatrue wasdenied Reptiš . Štefan Đ 24 (1954): 3. ady. The Letter from aReader], from Letter The ady. 85 Đ ý adoch píše nám nám píše adoch Kultúrny život Kultúrny ” [Slovak Writers Greet 10 the 41 (1953): 6. th þ Congress in itate , Trávni The First The Đ ” [Of the [Of ” 115 þ ek th CEU eTD Collection hypothesis is the fact is Františekhypothesis He the successor Tatarka’s that fiction. astheleader Alsosupporting this Dominik Tatarka of socialist Slovak inevaluation Ján toliquidatingcontributed Rozner of 1950 the general recognition of of to own position. Also, he surely remembered how the seemingly innocent rejecting considered Trávní considered he because self-defense, a as predominantly reply his meant have could author The this and this...” in hero fiction be positive should notion:our like general The this assumes particular stilts! hishigh he mounts be when tall how to seems critic wholethe And whyishesoironic? “Aye, the text? in to referred is it to close even come would that nothing when title in the conscience Truth” Slovak cultural press, bitter and immediate. “About the Positive Hero, Conscience and literature. socialist of tradition the from and Truth], and 117 York: Vintage Books, 1965):173. does not confuse blackwith white.” Adam Tertz, and judgments. He firmly knows what is right and what is wrong; he says plainly “yes”or“no” and Purpose and seesthe striveshe which towards with it. Hencedirectness the amazingand precision clarity the are of all of course, his actions, thoughts,important, most The tastes, etc. feelings,etc., sacrifice, hero: ideological conviction, courage, intelligence, will power, patriotism, respect forwomen, self- of socialist realismanalysis (note the seminal irony):the in wrote “It is not easy Tertz) Abram to enumerate (Also theseSinyavsky basicAndrei qualities of destination, the positive clear the Concerning novels. article. First of all, with those claims of article, especially with those applying to material of particular comment that stated that the editorial board of the magazine does not identify with the claims of the Positive Hero in Slovak Literature], novel. Trávní 116 destination.” is aclear lacks Dominik Tatarka, “O kladnom hrdinovi, svedomí a pravde” [About the Positive Hero, Conscience Hero, Positive the [About a pravde” svedomí hrdinovi, kladnom “O Tatarka, Dominik Bohuš Trávní One possibility to get a graspOne get ofhis possibility intentionsto has already beenforeshadowed. Tatarka contended. His older distinctive tone returned to the pages of pagesof returned the to the His tone distinctive contended.older Tatarka as a text is a springboard for the imagination. Why is there a mention of mention a there is Why imagination. the for springboard is a a text as Kultúrny život þ þ ek broughtback thelooming possibility eliminationthe of of Tatarka 117 ek, “Nieko þ ek’s conceptual positivea renewed the narrative hero threat about ek’s conceptual 30 (1954): 8. Đ ko ko poznámok o kladnom hrdinoviv slovenskej [Notesliterature” onthe Aye, in what heights he hovers he heights in what Aye, 116 Kultúrny život In a single paragraph, the critique dismisses the whole 86 29 (1954): 3,6. In the end of the article, there was a The Trial BeginsandOnSocialist Realism , when instead of wings he þ ko was highly praised in ko (New CEU eTD Collection come up with their demands. Truly, we do not have any dictator in our literature, and andconsultants literature, of conductors “Let critics, nationalism:bourgeois of pursuit that Tatarka argueshistorical explanation it Atthisa literary of artifact. shouldsurprise point not anyone historically andbecome isto apurely asserted literary critique socialist the evaluations, Bolshevik implicitly refers of detector insteadpolitical of enemies, productionthe accusingof revelations and to the events of 1951it its inherentpoliticalof dimension.insteadof Thus, critique functioning asa cultural and the deprive to intended He realist critique. socialist of concept thewhole contest speak to to beunconvincingas thereadership.And for well. untrue claimed itwas because illegitimate declared wasthereby hero, positive of the feature and Truth], and 119 Socialist Realism: An Impossible Aesthetics past, which isalways reinterpreted in function of the origin time of October.” See Régine Robin, the historical vectorwith full certainty, blocking the future since it is already known, aswell as the was „blocking all indeterminacy, the unspeakable of language; because it tends to designate forall time 118 balloon little a historical experience and consciousnessits of people –immediately breezes awaylike i.e. concrete the epoch, the of weight the he carries –unless Democracies People's him, will inif Theliterature of touchthe ground. hedoesnot defeat hero positive the core: “With positive heroes in life and in literature it is like with mythical Anteus: of Instead you figure. heroic of the essence anticipatory,optimistic the insistenceon the he rejected He andledtoward started Tatarka with that vector asthe articulated fiction, in Slovak characters of features anthropological the of development progressive Trávní Dominik Tatarka, “O kladnom hrdinovi, svedomí a pravde” [About the Positive Hero, Conscience Hero, Positive the [About a pravde” svedomí hrdinovi, kladnom “O Tatarka, Dominik Régine Robinconceptualizes systematic prolepsis asasubstantial quality of socialist realism that þ However, this is not the main act of the text. Tatarka used the opportunity to Tatarka opportunity usedthe of text. mainthe act is notthe this However, Be it as it may, Tatarka’s intervention refuted the essential idea the refuted intervention Be it behind it the may, essential Tatarka’s as ek’s “Notes”. Kultúrny život systematic prolepsis, systematic and already resides in Communism.” in resides already and 30 (1954): 8. 118 he asserted the positive hero to have apolemical to hero positive the heasserted (Stanford: Stanford University Press): 74. Press): University Stanford (Stanford: 87 119 Systematic prolepsis þ ko. Plus, ko. , a key CEU eTD Collection beginningin March1955,was a reassessmentof againtGejza 1949verdictthe Pavlík, “Superspy” Noel “Superspy” Noel Field in Hungary in 1954. October bourgeois nationalism).linked This priority was with surprisingthe rehabilitation of of trials (concerning construction andfirst unrealized reassessthe was to commission The infirst goal had special Communistparty January of 1955. started the members thepolitical andthe against concerning of reassessment rehabilitation trials of process Thelong wrong.” seriously was something make that itto clear foreign sources from and information had leadershipdomestic 1954 theenough Party Commission ofInquiry 121 120 1955 Collectivization, and for Liberalization Tatarka Dominik Ambivalence critique. realist of socialist legitimacy the against contention by his about came loss this and legitimacy complete their proper hadinsistedsocialist1954 Tatarka must that critique only andcharacters in put texts historicalreliable socialist realist –František He setting. Writer’sa very with itsUnion own wasgiven culture literary Simultaneously, Slovak The discoursenationalists. Slovak a bourgeois sentence against uttered finally Bratislava of socialist realismlook intoa mirror – I mean a historical mirror).” lost for to areable they and themselves concerning so uncritical not are critics (Hopefully, him its bemisled enough not demands. to mature by have hopefully these become we 2007): 1-21. SchlüsselfigurSchauprozesseder Osteuropa, in Ungarn(Berlin: vol.2in Asyl BasisBruck Verlag, See the introductory text in Bernd-Rainer Barth and Werner Schweizer, Werner and Barth Bernd-Rainer in text introductory Seethe Ibid. The threat evaporated. The threat In April three years1954 andafter of imprisonment, the Supreme in Court of “We have 1968 states: shown [already]that in 1953and The Suppressed Report of the Dub The Suppressedof Report þ ko – in itsko – lead. However, alreadyin August 88 120 121 The Czechoslovak response, TheCzechoslovak Der Fall Noel Field. þ ek Goverment’s CEU eTD Collection a vyšet 123 release occurred in February 1956. 153-154.Since Pavlík already had years six prison, in wasspent he 1956.Indeed, tobe released in his Dub dokumentech 122 pages the literary of preparatory hadtocontainmagazines conferences, rubric the from numerous reports wide Besides magazines. pagesof on the commence to had campaign thepreparatory unexpected, prevent the to Inorder voices. a become have should Congress Writer’s The 350 Party. of affirmation univocal 350 members of the CSWUPrague. were Accordingto explicitly to the demand in June CPCon of the 29 pledge Department leaders of Cultural the with the platforms of the head allegiance of the department, to magazine literary of the a meeting of editors takenat the was measures structural first Václav Communist Pelíšek, all any of One preventthe results. to unplanned cooperated Union Party Writer’s and the 22-29, 1956.The months between saw anin-depth preparation for this event. The held,March 31,1954. on LacoNovomeskýthat rot in should not jail hadbeenmade before even histrial was a be granted years hewasto serving seven conditional release. years, after and to ten reduced was sentence The elites. of Slovak criminalization initial forthe inprison was misused whose confession aHungarian person the month when the final date was2 for The month determined finaldate when the circles. official Novomeský largely to contributed reductionthe general of sense of the insidedanger (Husák, Holdoš,Horváth, Okáli), reassessmentthe of Pavlík and release the of Even though four more Slovaks were still serving their bourgeois nationalist sentence in 1955. Congress Writer’s December of atthe peakof released the preparation the Jan Vorel, Alena Šimánková and Lukáš Babka eds., Ji þ ek’s Government’s Commission of Inquiry, 1968(Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1971): Ĝ í Pelikán, ed. Ĝ ování zlo Not only was March 1955 the month of it month was also the rehabilitation,Pavlík’s of Not only wasMarch1955the [The Czechoslovak JusticeinDocuments. 1948-1953],vol. 1 (Prague: Ú þ in Ĥ komunismu, 2004): 293. The CzechoslovakPolitical Trials, 1950-1954. 123 After almostfive years of imprisonment, Novomeský was 89 ý eskoslovenská justice 1948-1953 vletech v nd Congress of the CSWU: April The The Suppressed Report of the 122 Plus, the decision Ĝ ad dokumentace CEU eTD Collection the artists‘ owntalent, and thereby creates true and effectiveour of works of orthodoxy art.“ critique pedantic and press,the if from we away had not the concept turns that of artthatof art was maintains concept the itself not with wehad the power if of art, andlaws of concept other categorized as self-defense, broadened to the reinterpretation of the meaning and meaning the of reinterpretation the to broadened self-defense, as categorized – Truth” weeks earlier. Defenseof Poetry” the “For Kupec’s Congress. the way the up to rubric all the to following contributions toinmost of the werereferred Their articles expressed Ivan bypoet Kupec, publishedinfirst November the issue of magazine. the dissatisfaction rousing initial the continued Tatarka Dominik realism. socialist Parochial Republic effective and permanent artisticcreated that values. talents But were it should surely be there saidago aloud thatso long we not Even would notequation? have schoolboyish self-evident talent to politicalhis merits: “Do we not today take the identificationof literature with agitation as a realism mostly as aninstitution, Iprovide only a quotation from Kupec whichin heprefers Tatarka’s purely within the ideological and falls conceptual text his Since plane, and former). this sectionthe my essay defended questions(Kupec poetry civic socialist and intimate between confrontation His argument brought about wide repercussions and was basically a reflectionof theCzech 125 7-32. Writers’ Union. April 22-29, 1956. vol. 1, The Protocol], ed. Bauer, Michal (Prague: Akropolis, 2011): pages of during the Congress. The preparation, however, did not fulfil its function. conferences and functioned discussions, which preclude to anyunexpected conflicts þ Complicity. The II. Congress of CSWU as an Attempt to ResistLiterature” about Contemporaries Power], in protocols1955). The ofspeeches thefourissues dominated of 44) 124 Discussions “The Pre-Congress entitled after the event the after eskoslovenských spisovatel Ivan Kupec, “Na obranu poézie” [For the Defense of Poetry], of Defense the [For poézie” obranu “Na Kupec, Ivan Michal Bauer, “Úzkost Spoluviny.sjezd S II. was a reaction to the preparatory the a was to reaction Tatarka’s firstTatarka’s contention 1954 –“Aboutof Positive the Conscience Hero, and Instead of being the affirming prevention, The Pre-Congress Discussion on the had been equally a response. Back then, his intention could have been have could intention his then, Back a equally response. been had Kultúrny život . , nor Tatarka’s mostTatarka’s in relevantstatementWord 1955 to cultural – “A Stalin Ĥ . 22-29.4.1956, , nor Ondrejov’s short stories, nor stories, short Ondrejov’s nor , turned into a into of space turned the contested heavily that debate – came in turn as a response to Kupec’s essay two Kupec’s essay asa to in came response turn vol. 1, Protokol [The II. Congress of the Czechoslovak the of Congress II. [The Protokol 1, vol. Conference of Slovak Poets of Conference ý 90 SS jako ovzdorv pokus . ” 124 Writers were obliged to speakat Writers wereobliged to Kultúrny život The Visit Ĥþ Kultúrny život , if we had not also some also not had we if , i moci” [The i moci”[The Anxiety of 44 (1956): 4-5 (September 27-28, 125 ( Kultúrny život II. sjezdSvazu . (40-43) The CEU eTD Collection of of SWU.the – theforward liberalization Tatarka’s agendastructures the put of used mainly own to Kultúrny život reappeared only in 1957).Allin all,as with articlethe byKupec, Niž codificationinvoked inpositive figure, theinter-warterms had who been in excluded the of the case where Tatarka first wasthe Literature” about “A Contemporaries to Word that tradition Hronský, awriter livingthen inArgentinian exile, adeath author. Itis of highly probable Slovak socialistwritings in this Backinperiod. 1953he conforming the had called Jozef Cíger matter of Tatarka’s subject the figure among typically not did tradition The issueof realism (Niž 126 genre the fiction, of Kupec’s using wrotehis on Tatarka – Ján follow-upSlovak article However, Smrek). important poet exclusion old for thepost-1948 an Kupecof stake was socialisttradition(at of poetry the of delimitation for the upKupec’s claim Literature” takes about Contemporaries “AWord to Kupec’s Specifically, initial Tatarka’s intensification polemic. an however, is, contention second This critique. realist socialist of practice highly highly popular Niž recently establishedhis just for illustration factual the of features undesirable He compares argument. SWU with the practical system of provocative,publication, but ambivalent, call for the liberalization of the socialist realist space. which the once Dominik Tatarka, “Slovo súk reader’s taste. reader’s Niž a is extraordinaryThis books. a comparedparadoxicalto fact: contemporarywriter, conditions, our in huge are indeed venturingeditions books, into second-rate some and unknownaverage most of our placesEditions in the very same way as extremely small editions of The inter-war success story of author Jozef Niž Jozef author of story success The inter-war Ė anský priorto the warknew muchmore exactly whatto extent he had satisfied his 47 (1955): 6. Ė 126 anský had enjoyed decades before: þ asníkom o literature” [A Word to Contemporaries about Literature], Defense 91 mostly as a springboard for his own Ė anský served Tatarka asa Tatarka served anský Ė anský’s first books Ė anský anský was CEU eTD Collection evaluation of the hero of literature, who should who literature, hero of the of evaluation 127 conference of year. SWUhadthe been the previous Thisphrasepenetrated organized the banner ofwas identified as “the truth of socialistliterature.” It should be remembered that it was quality. The ability Hedemandedcultural by discourse. institutional measuremeans which to this basic of socialist cultural the whole spaceof heevaluated which through become prism had the popularity discourse to attractconflictedbut and significantly – convincing. Attheend of 1955, persuasivenessand and convince the reader factors.” andpolitical by butsolely didactic of interest the determinedby not the reader, are production ofcontemporary Editions hand. at have indicator not approximate “Today this we do time]: one issued at popularity could be evaluated by the edition [the total number of copies of a book change. definite ebb of trials and of political flow the hopeful Congress,the itself to offered been passed its year. previous from Newstatutes the resulting CSWU from the separation only recently and were is thusitsarticle ambivalence. to be discussed basic asit was, the Tatarka’s quality and controversial Provocative Slovak agriculture. again In literature. realism mainagenda inSlovak wasthe 1955, the of collectivization at the Congress. it heideologicalstructures, function supported by affirming dominant ofsocialist the The Ibid. Arguing historically, Tatarka claimed that it used to be the case a case be the to itused claimed that historically,Tatarka Arguing book’s Tatarka’s realist socialist liberalize a to call published Tatarka although Nevertheless, The attempt to liberalize the SWU took advantage of the new situation Truthfulness of Socialist Literature Truthfulness of 92 not 127 have been positive and optimistic, and positive been have Tatarka basically recycled his basically recycled Tatarka under which the founding the which under had CEU eTD Collection today. language Czech the in metaphor living a it is and 1953, December in Stalinist radical serious extremely biscuit,dried cracker, ora bread,freely asa“dry-as-dust”.perhaps accompanied It accusation his of 129 (Olomouc: Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci, 2006): 20. Sociological Analysis of the Aestheticization of Fearand Evil], in estetizace strachu a zla” [The Art of TotalitarianSystems as a Social Phenomenon. About the The demand came about by means of a historical argument, in the context of recent as claim. a coherent but anything was principles market with realism Socialist training. toenjoy steps military of first painful ought drafted teenagers theira demand the that Tatarka’s demand to measure the likeability of literature sounded as illogical as would and invasion unavoidable consciousnessthe of of In infantilethe all, subject. all), butits impact wasthoughttobe reached bya homologic,constant, monopolizing, driving force of socialist realism was notits appeal (it was a figuration of science after famously promoted by promoted famously Kopecký. Václav ideologue Czechoslovak leading hadand value, gained some popularity since 1953,entertainment noticing that could bemadeby Thecaveat socialism. of construction the beart of Stalinist the to 128 of revolution.” be subject an“infantile to designed wasalways discourse of this implied receiver the eye bull’s the hit Petrusek Miroslav Sociologist didacticism. waspolitical stake ultimate its as aesthetic, then andonly Marxism-Leninism) from as of science conceptual the primarily (derived was understood statement Since literary of the totally irrelevant. truth amongpopularity was public reading the wasdiscourse tomake comprehensible political the languageits of butStalinism, realist of socialist purpose Yes, the literature. been hasnever realism socialist mistakes of radical Stalinism. question a the correctas the to culture to Czechoslovak answer how of conceptual Kopecký even enriched the Czech language by his notion of “suchar,” literally translated as as a translated literally of “suchar,” notion by his language Czech the enriched even Kopecký Miloslav Petrusek,“Um Saying that literature must attract and convince is equivalent to sayingthat to is must and equivalent convince literature attract Saying that 128 What infantile subjects of Stalinism found popular was not expected wasnot found popular infantile ofStalinism What subjects Č ní totalitníchní režim 93 Ĥ jako sociální fenomén. K sociologické analýze Studia Moravica IV. Symposiana with his observation that observation his with 129 The CEU eTD Collection already stated, the reader’s respect, taste, and trust became Tatarka’s criterion for the criterion became Tatarka’s andtrust taste, respect, reader’s the stated, already the talk about a cart [ a cart about talkthe expected he if as misunderstanding, of impression an with leave must He dissatisfied. making entering casefor the must farm: acollective into “The leave reader Tatarka opened the exchange with a plain rejection of the ways by which He goat ofa trope seem,the might that ridiculous However writers. the two between conflict is a degree debates an to great in exegesis. exercise rhetorical itput to much extrapolated this To morerealist exchange. generally, socialist reading for power positions which was the actual stake inside all theoretical arguments, can be it struggle was the of Stalinism space in Czechcultural that the observation theoretical CommiteeCentral the of members fifteen the of community the by led Slovakia, in realism of the Socialista text. SWU, uncovered probably Tatarka’s inside layer rhetorical substantive was a highly competitive space. In all, Ji Kultúrny život 131 život The Wooden who wrote its isandshallstay Village only reader” 130 DivergePaths he revealedmuchof long-lived intheir competition is personal his“That Where Our idea to liberalize the structures of socialist realismhis state that an to isexageration it that not sosuccesfully argued This timeangered Tatarka He another cause? yet not there was but – institutions literary national the of reforms structural expected as well Dominik Tatarka, “Slovo k sú k “Slovo Tatarka, Dominik František He František played quite a noticeable role in the exchange of insults between the authors the between insults of exchange in the role noticeable a quite played 51 (1955): 4. An anecdote stemming from the agricultural phraseology personal the proves phraseology agricultural stemmingfrom the An anecdote Indeed, and it was also the already observed rivalry with František He with rivalry already observed the it alsoIndeed, and was 47 (1955): 6 þ . ko, “To je to v to je “To ko, ” 130 By quoting an alleged unpublished remark of – “HeTatarka o voze þ asníkom o literature” [The Word to Contemporaries about Literature], about Contemporaries to Word [The o literature” asníkom þ ] and instead was spoken to about a goat[ about instead spoken ] and was to om sa rozchádzame” [That is Where Our Paths Diverge], Paths Our Where is [That rozchádzame” om sa 94 þ ko to the point where – o koze He Ĝ í Knapík’s þ ].” ko most þ Kultúrny ko was 131 þ þ ko. As ko . CEU eTD Collection exact quote from from He quote exact hidden behind bushes caricature showing chubbyFrantišek He that appeared in the daily of the Slovak Youth Union Youth Slovak the of daily inthe appeared that život goat shall conk out. neighbor and he has a goat,Slovak:my “Lord Idon’tGod, want anythingmyself. for whichlook here, But I do not. Please manage it somehow, so that his 134 .þ He František for a for machine,a He field. a for Russian for a sea, aFrenchman for a asked vineyard,a AnEnglishman various gifts. German God Lord the wereasking various nationalities of representatives Paradise where had winning been constantly since 1951. Czechoslovak (K Crowns Tatarka wrote purely out of purely of spite andHe personal envied wrote out Tatarka persuaing the reader to enter a persuaing readertoenter farm. the collective no having andas read, one noaim: that its expected about bringing chance to literature.” as a is regarded because work this in realism our socialist of conquered position literature. is a of our mistake Village typical “The Wooden that maintained openly Tatarka Debate inmessage, Pre-Congress the State Prize.” He 133 132 Since He literature. quality socialist of František He František The name of the author of this article is accompanied with a sizeable sign, “The Laureate of the of Laureate “The sign, sizeable a with accompanied is article of this author the of name The Ibid. s . 51 (1955): 4. The bittersweet exchange reached a finale exchange reached The bittersweet The goat reappeared in The goatHe 132 þ Tatarka referred to the canonical work of socialist literature asafailureliterature socialist of work canonical the to referred Tatarka þ ko. And that goat, that is goat, Andthat that ko. ko, “To je to v to je “To ko, þ ko received the title in 1952 for 1952 in title the received That Slovak man, that is Dominik Tatarka. His neighbor, that is that neighbor, His Tatarka. is Dominik that man, Slovak That þ þ ko’s article was restated. Moreover, under the caricature wasa caricature under the Moreover, restated. was article ko’s in a posture of of forina Slovak anassault, aposture highwaymanready the s). The averages). The monthly salary Czechoslovakiain this attime was 1,050 þ om sa rozchádzame” [That is Where Our Paths Diverge], Paths Our Where is [That rozchádzame” om sa þ ko’s reply threatening ko’s þ The Wooden Village ko could not delivernot could a ko andpopular persuasive 95 þ þ ko punched it with the plea made by a made plea the with itpunched ko 133 ko hiding a goat andhiding DominikTatarka ko agoat .. I find it my duty I findmy it expressmy duty to opinion, He The Wooden Village þ in ko came up with an allegory of a harsh joke on a harsh He . Smena He put forward the ideaHe putforward the that þ .” ko the recognition that he recognition that the ko 134 [The Shift]. Above a , togetherwith200.000 þ ko’s address ko’s I have this I have Kultúrny CEU eTD Collection He He argiculture. In 1955 issuethis was for Tatarka priority the as well for Františekas had imaginedit. The argumentunfolded onthematter of collectivizationthe of of cultural into itKupec aestheticlikediscourse andturn Stalinism Ivan enterprise, the depoliticize to not was intent Tatarka’s however, respect, this In collectivization. of element the was institutions, realist socialist into mechanisms market install to a ripe played was time which the that arecognition, argument inTatarka’s role in space Slovakia. realist socialist nature of on inside debate theoretical the the force astructuring been have to rivalry proves it thereby and recognition), for (competition heights of nationalistitbourgeois proves pursuit), astrong personal antipathy it proves pushingthe of limitsthe of invectivepossible in1955(impossible atthe activity.” Kultúrny expressingits forživot, help gratitude with ofthis revelation the anti-state from The Wooden Village, owns an unregistered goat. CNC sent a letter of thanks to Communist semantics.” Communist meaning it by given again with bareknuckles theresumed andpersuasion true once replaced were kid gloves the leniency, a yearsrelative of “after two time when, He František that out found now only has [CNC] Committe National 136 135 “Clandestine entitled column short (1953-1957) Barnasovský, See Michal region. Prešov the in were 213 which Press, 1961): 402. Between1953-1955, 300already existing collective farms fellapart inSlovakia, of Edward Taborsky, “Zatajená koza” [The Hidden Goat], þ þ ko’s reaction was hardly a pleasing one. “The goat case” may appear trivial, but case” may appeartrivial, goat “The one. hardly a pleasing was ko’s reaction ko and for Czechoslovak political elites. In the progress of collectivization, itwas of collectivization, progress In the elites. political forand Czechoslovak ko The third element, nextto examplethe tradition of andfor struggle the 135 [The First[The Wave of Destalinization andSlovakia (1953-1957)] (Brno: Prius, 2002): 35. Who wasbehindthis jokepractical remains isunknown. Certain that Communism in Czechoslovakia, 1948-1960 136 Smena, Goat:” 31.12.1955. 96 “The agricultural section of of Central section the “The agricultural Prvá destalinizácie vlna a Slovensko (Princeton: Princeton University þ ko, coming ko, CEU eTD Collection Second Half of 1950s] the (Brno: Prius, 2001): 9. 138 Collective Farm that Faltered” innovations and, what is more, it delved also into the aesthetic dimension of socialist As quitethem realism. latter, Tatarka logically for the his intoincorporated rejection of dimension aesthetic the into also delved it more, is what and, innovations ambivalent. remains argiculture promotethe collectivization the to wassuggeste literature of liberalization without was liberal reform demandedBecause the seealsobelow). thelatter (for ago a century a doubt readershalf by well of some as Tatarka’s as today by Marušiak Jozef interpreted meantliterary life, abolish thecontrolof to friendships, circles of writers of circles friendships, of spontaneous revaluation the magazines, hefor new demand asked market of monitoring nextto the realism,and liberalize socialist the spaceof to wanted writers.” among process differentiation hinder the life to and literary of which was the primal cause of its establishment, of being the instrument of the control “this call intendedof Dominikdeprive Tatarka Writer’s to the Union function,of the unspoken suggests that JurajMarušiak historian personal competition,of statement “A collectivizationof Slovak agriculture. To this end dedicatedhe his novel 137 its efficiency.While his contemporary He of measures as realism socialist into mechanisms market integrate to idea his justified moreliterature convincing, more politically andthus how he Thisiseffective. agriculture, was also quite an agile journalist in this respect for plenty of them about the subject: “The Collective Farm is not a Goose to Pluck” Juraj Marušiak, Concerning Tatarka’s biography,1953-1955 was the period of highesthis agitationforthe Collective Farm and Rice will Grow” (Report from Mongolia, November 7,1954) “A Word toContemporaries about Literature” asserted many more Still personally convinced about the legitimacy of the collectivization of collectivization the of legitimacy the about convinced personally Still 137 Tatarka intended Tatarka convincehis theby making issue to readership about Literatúra amocvdruhejpolovici pä (August 25, 1954) , help the construction ofsocialism. etc. But the primus movens of the call was hardly to even though that this how Tatarka’s text is text Tatarka’s how this that though even , 97 “ Our Deeds Speak For Us” (January 9, 1955) Pravda. Ģ þ desiatych rokov ko understood thisko claim as an He published more than twenty articles, twenty than more He published [Literature and Powerthein The WeddingCake, ( December22, 1954) The fact, the 138 , “About a Yes, he , and he etc. , CEU eTD Collection before František He František before 250. officially charged with theorganizing preventive 140 Kultúrny život novel“ unscientific (Tatarka) is ambivalent. statement this also that mention to fit is it space, realist socialist analysisA thése?” logistical. itof call want, you If thisunscientific. “unrealistic, essay is focusedThe Wooden Village mostly First of all,he claimedon it wasnot realism at all,but what he designatedthe as ‘apriorism‘ practical dimension of the Slovak 139 Vladimír Miná thése theteleological, removing suggests Tatarka thisAt point, ownership. collective Previously, already we have seen how Tatarka wanted to install the market to promote of Régine Robin, Dominik Tatarka, “Slovo súk The WoodenVillage, nature of socialist realist novels to achieve the same goal. The signification to excess, asBarthes might say, multivalent readings, all mirroring, allescape hatches forBymeaning. ofvirtue naming the supports itaredetermined by a preexisting purpose. the Becauseblocks of narration this, all á roman unrealistic, a logistic, exactly is It aprioristic, “the i.e. thése, the parable,assent or adherence through his identification. Theprovoking by romaná these, thewhich moral, canor claim a relationshipaction an withof the exemplum,fable, validity of the him convince to but or the apology,manipulate orprogram the a reader: to not only formulas, order aims in to supplythat rhetorical old novel the readerthe wirh to facts, a according story, convince is and persuade The aesthetic ambivalence Tatarka immediately was elaborated by Tatarka The aestheticrecognized ambivalence Suleiman). (Susan narrative super-system that is itself ideological and that evaluates the competing ideologies.“ eitherby the characters of by the nattator’s voice: “Any ideological conflict is resolved by a monosemic, perpetually seeking to disambiguate. Its value system is always clearly signified, roman áthese 47 (1955): 6. þ Socialist Realism . It was Miná þ ko put his pen to paper, Miná his to put pen ko 140 is said to be wrong in its conceptual core, it is said to be claiming that it was not a socialist realist novel proper. Why? proper. novel realist a socialist not was it that claiming is a novelof demonstration, then,an illocutionary novelseeksthat to þ , asníkom o literature” [A Word to Contemporaries about Literature], that all great socialist realist novels are by definition: þ : who was in June, as editor in chief of An Impossible Aesthetics 98 teleological the romanthe áthése þ had retorted with “The his article hadretorted . Its entire story and the narrative that (Stanford: Stanford University Press): University Stanford (Stanford: Pre-Congress Discussion , a readable text, ismonologic, 139 Even though the though Even Kultúrny život, . Even á . CEU eTD Collection Conference infront of audience.the Intendingtorefuse publicly torespond on from quotationshis read of whichTatarkaobviously own articles, at the aloud lengthy hereadded to beauty were of andnature perception on observations the Kultúrny život Tatarka], of Dominik Speech The Fiction. on Conference Slovak the at Discussion the [From Tatarku” 143 142 avant-guarde. in priorities which Kupec and Tatarka suffered was the same as some of the members of the inter-war allegiance to Communistthe party Bolshevizationits after in1929.Miná second issueof preparatory place atthe took and personal ideologicalrevenge confusion darknessof the authoritative he against quotations. accusation Hisdefense that the intohadventured device andits socialist of discourse use realistopportune Stalinist branch:the of its utterance. of very moment atthe wavering and inconclusive, asambivalent, confused, was understood statement Tatarka’s that is mistaken but episodes declare that to thereupon realism, and socialist of defender as anorthodox is a claim Tatarka to in terms contradiction decide whether or not or whether decide denique fines –beyond borders certain isthere only darkness.” artistic– sunt materialism,certae behind realism. theborders of But of aesthetics though rightfully criticizing the present state, are looking for solutions outside of the Comtemporaries”.in“A Word Miná to Tatarka’s argument The conflict known as 141 Crisis of Criteria Dominik Tatarka, “Z diskusie celoslovenskejna konferencii o próze. Diskusný príspevokDominika Vladimír Miná The title is an implicit reference to the greatest inter-war debate inside Czechoslovak Left culture. Left Czechoslovak inside debate inter-war greatest the to reference implicit an is title The What Tatarka employed to vindicate himself was a was himself rhetorical vindicatecommon most to employed Tatarka What Conference about Prose Conference 2 (1956): 3-4. þ , “Kríza kritérií” [The Crisis of Criteria], . Kultúrny život Kultúrny ” 141 The Crisis of Criteria The Wooden Village Throughout the text he asserted “the confusion” inside the “theconfusion” he asserted the text Throughout conceptually in 1956. a couple months and later was inpublished the : (also as The Wooden VillageThe Wooden “Some Comrades [Kupec with Tatarka], even with [Kupec “SomeTatarka], Comrades 99 143 is true socialist realism.is It only noticeto The Generational Discussion) Lenin’s praise Tolstoy’s praise Lenin’s Kultúrny život þ pinpointed the fact it the pinpointed þ may contain some good thus thathinted disorder the 49 (1955): 6-7. 142 The point is not to is not point The revolved around and Marx’s CEU eTD Collection no time to waste with joking.”crossed the borders of the space of socialist realism. Štítnický’s reply: “I think there is had individuality andfeedback allegedly the thefrom public,writer, of Tatarka of increase spontaneity andthe decreaseof of the socialization, suggesting the control realist space.Following Miná Štítnický publicly addressedsituation.” Tatarka’sitwas seriousmoreover that problem “most ofpre-Congress and “forefront”; the our call to collision initsbetween elites of the wasanunfortunate very literature Slovak liberalize the structures of socialist February February 2, 1956. The chairman of the Union statedŠtítnický. Ctibor by it at preparation the meetingyearlong the of summary the in of stated the was Committeeconclusion of the SWU on Kultúrny život 2 the of Success the function was of expectations the of subversion serious still brought about amajor clash between these two writers and as such was taken as a 145 Kultúrny život Tatarka], of Dominik Speech The Fiction. on Conference Slovak the at Discussion the [From Tatarku” 144 a single argumentin the text, therefore nothing to discuss: He CtiborŠtítnický, “Za úspechII. Sjazdu Dominik Tatarka, “Z diskusie celoslovenskejna konferencii o próze. Diskusný príspevokDominika þ ko’s article “That is Diverge” “That WhereOurPaths article ko’s What Tatarka had presented as a threat was here explained as a clash. Finally, as aclash. was hereexplained asathreat had presented Tatarka What Even if Even He literature. socialist of prosperity the toward effort shared of our part bea to efforts author. Iguess Idon’tthat have to provide evidence Ihave that always considered my literary the from anexplanation Idemand accusations, and threats the Regarding preposterous. them threats. And if you allow me – I won’t let anyone scare me. I refuse all accusations. I find Regarding the article by František He František by article the Regarding 7 (1956): 3-4, passim. 2 (1956): 3. set in measureset June 1955asa forpreventive 2 nd þ Congress of CSWU,the forthe Continuous Prosperity of Slovak Literature], 145 ko’s article was without arguments and filled only with threats, it andfilledonly threats, arguments with waswithout article ko’s In the published report, Štítnický said that what happenedwhatŠtítnický that said Inthepublished report, þ Then he went on to clearly restate the ideologically the to clearly on restate he Then went ’s lead, Štítnický ’s lead, awarning By assumed Štítnický position. þ s. Spisovate þ ko, I cannot discuss it. There are no arguments. Only arguments. no are There it. discuss I ko, cannot 100 Đ The Pre-Congress Discussion,The ov, za , ć alší rozkvet slovenskej literatúry” [For Tatarka argued that there is not there argued that Tatarka nd Congress. Congress. This 144 which CEU eTD Collection after1945 (1945-1963)] (Trnava: Pedagogická fakulta Trnavskej univerzity, 2009): 37-38. were rather rare. See René Bielik, René See rare. rather were Unionis an event of delegitimization, but rejecting remarks from the Slovak space ofsocialist realism the production of novels that would be would that novels of production the wasaskinga) realism socialistfor of its author demand, was adoubleandambivalent of literature, not its 146 an influence as the aswell Congress), Writers’ (the Union Writers’ Czechoslovak controversy.” of incase especially literature, about opinion public of creation for form the better imagine any cannot – least but– I but, temporarily aboutliterature avote itcasts that prizes areaquestion)by whenstate and Union (mainly seem the governs decrees that might it “Often SWU: as the such institution realist a socialist of functions assigned exact wording was influenced by the the by influenced was wording exact 2 The of approach his Speech, Khrushchev’s Secret a of by reception created Czechoslovak fermentthe Even haddelegitimizedthough inpublicly Tatarka Dominik socialist realism move. this a of as identified be cause necessary cannot single Congress) Party (the a The 20 itwas, factor important however But ambivalence. of conceptual his state overcame Tatarka month, In this 1956. April Congresses, the Two Between Tatarka Dominik Repudiation in “we would drown anarchy.” collectivization, accelerated instead of an that however proclaimed Štítnický agriculture. Slovak collectivization of This is not an exclusive statement. Of course, The 2 market principles What Tatarka wanted, though, wasan though, wanted, Tatarka What April 1956:the April repudiatedmonthrealism. socialist whenDominik Tatarka creation ; what shouldbe the result, he argued, wassmoother . All in all, “A Word to Contemporaries about Literature” toContemporaries about All in“A Word all,. Slovenská literatúra po roku 1945 th Congress of the Communist Party of Soviet Union interesting reading, 101 nd account Congress of the Czechoslovak Writers’ Czechoslovak the of Congress of of public opinion about and b) the implementation the b) and (1945-1963) [SlovakLiterature nd Congress of the 146 CEU eTD Collection 1962. 1955, and removed1962. only The in highest mountainSlovakia in was calledStalin’s peak, also until Czechoslovakia: The world largest sculptural group with Stalinwas erected inPrague, finished only in 148 1960] (Prague: Argo, 2009):295-298. Meaning of Revolution: The Conceptionand Beginnings of RevisionismCentral in Europe, 1953- smyslu revoluce System Agents, and 1948-1956] (Prague: Libri,2006): 270. Kulturní politika,její systém aakté was now believed to have negative consequences on –many writers official on them of havenegative consequences was nowbelieved to was present. And his Congress. theSoviet of discourse revelations the about attendees took a new criticalbefore the Writer’s inCongress Prague, Antonín Novotný at lengthinformed direction againstweeks andthree already a in Moscow There, 1956). Party Congress the month after the cult, which to organize alarge meetingscale impending official 29-30, aboutthe changes (March Geschichte eine Epoche des Totalitarismus?” in Totalitarismus?” des Epoche eine Geschichte 147 predominantly young members of Party.the Kope Michal Ji in Bohemia, Congress. Miloš Havelka seems to consider it an impulse for the end of totalitarianism some role in Tatarka’s overcoming of his previous position. older poem written by Jerzy Walcyk. It seems that a Polish factor that played at least Czechoslovak elite. Czechoslovak ideology officialthe and greatalarm Soviet caused among long the established partlast of breakthrough,Tatarka’s “The Demon of Conformity” Novotný, the General It was February a day 1956. Antonín 27, delegation (except aCzechoslovak after Secretary) left Moscow and two months before the third and Atrivial, but inthis respect illustrative, remark about the hesitant nature of de-Stalinizationin Miloš Havelka, “Vergleich des Unvergleichbaren. Oder: Gab es in der neuesten tschechischen neuesten der esin Gab Oder: Unvergleichbaren. des “Vergleich Havelka, Miloš It is neither desirable nor possibleunderestimate to the importance of the Party The phrase was uttered for the first time on March 7. It was a new banner of banner was anew It 7. March time on first the for uttered was The phrase . Zrod apo þ ek sees it as the launch of an identity crisis of of crisis identity thousands of itan launchof as the ek sees Ĝ í Knapík speaks of it as a reason for a general crisis of ideology, forof ageneral crisis ofit as a í speaks reason Knapík The cult of personality. The cultof þ átky átky verevizionizmu st Ĝ i,1948-1956 [In the Captivity of Power: Cultural Politics, its 102 Bohemia Ĝ 147 It took the Party It Party another weeks yet three took the ední Evrop Khrushchev Khrushchev heldhis secretspeech on 2(2009). Ji MichalKope Č , 1953-1960 [The Search, 1953-1960[The for a Lost 148 CSWU president Jan Drda Ĝ í Knapík, , þ was published. ek, Hledání ztraceného V Zajetí moci: CEU eTD Collection 153 LiteratureCzech of the 1950s] (Prague: Akropolis, 2009): 309. let 20.století [Implications of the Labyrinth: The Codificationof the Ideologic-Aesthetic Norm in sjezd Svazu 152 kultury, 2008): 132. Communistthe Regime in Czechoslovakia 1950s] inthe (Brno: Centrum prostudium demokracie a See Ji reintroduced ý Barrandov.a At certainofpoint,[Minister [Minister Culture]Kopeckýof Defense] National and all of that were true news for them. Mainly some of these meetings are very tumultuous a numberof othercimes. It is interesting to observe how Party members react at these meetings – asif is said to have ordered the executionof his whole military officers corps Churchill had warned him, but Stalin ignored thiswarning and caused innumerable loss on life.Stalin executions and falsemeetings, even though not yet ina trials.newspaper,they begin to speak openly about Stalin’sAbout tyranny,even about that part of the latter isenough the to shock most Party-members.fact that organized.whole The speechof parts of Novotný,theKhrushchev’s and are distributed. speech However, tragic beginning of the war was Stalin’s fault; that Chorváth. Date:April 22,1956(the opening day of Congress):Writer’s the “ 151 26. Writer's Union. April 22-29, 1956, vol.1, The Protocol],ed. Michal Bauer, (Prague: Akropolis, 2011): þ Complicity. The II. Congress of CSWU as an Attempt to Resist Power], in 150 Power: Cultural Politics, its System Agents, and 1948-1956] (Prague : Libri, 2006): 255. “With the utmost boldness, The 20 address of president Writers’ Antonín Czechoslovak stated: The Congress. Zápotocký year of it same fermentation.” was a the from “ideological – October time of remark Kundera’s is Milan theatmosphere me of a grasp exact to most what seems consistency with a Now, long-reigningof personality. cult of the and effect decisiveness larger Tatarka’s “The Demon of Conformity ( 149 1950s wasthusdeeply disturbed. cultural for thegreatestevent year-longof the Party.the preparation thorough The CSWU from newest/changing/chaotic the werecontinuously instructions receiving awards.” state of mere “hunters into allegedly turned eskoslovenských spisovatel epi AntonínZápotocký, Opening “The Speech of II. The Congress Delivered on April 22, 1956” in MichalBauer, The following illustration of the horizon of experience comes from a diary entry ofprofessor entry diary a from comes of experience horizon of the illustration following The Michal Bauer, “Úzkost Spoluviny.sjezd S II. Ji þ Ĝ ka were said tobe murderers. The complaint was voiced: our ‘Why red has aristocracy í Knapík, VZajetí moci: Kulturní politika, její systém aakté Ĝ í Pernes, í The negative notion The negative notion of cultstraightaway in vigorously appeared the opening þ manners which a real aristocracy had abandoned already in the last century?” last the in already abandoned had aristocracy a real which manners , eskoslovenských spisovatel Leninist principles of Party and of Soviet life need to belife developed.” needto Soviet of Leninist of principles andParty Krize komunistického režimu v Souvislosti labyrintu Ĥ . 22-29.4.1956, . Kodifikace ideologicko-estetické normy v Ĥ th . 22-29.4.1956.. 150 Congress of the CPSU pointed to an unpropitious Change was in the air, vol. 1, Protokol [The II. Congress of The Czechoslovak The of Congress II. [The Protokol 1, vol. A Tractate about theEndofanEpoch A Tractate ý ý 103 eskoslovenskuletech 20.století v50. SS jako ovzdorv pokus Vol.1, Protokol [The II. Congress of the It has a hair-raising effect. At these 149 Ĝ i, 1948-1956 [In the Captivity of Since then on, Drda/the , and Ĥþ 151 i moci” [The i moci”[The Anxiety of allegedly he committed in the subtitle of subtitle in the Aktívs þ eské literatu II. sjezdSvazu , [The Crisis of e.g. the one at of CPC are 152 ),” Ĝ e 50. and 153 II CEU eTD Collection April 22-29, 1956. Vol. 1, Protocol],The Michal Bauer, ed. (Prague: Akropolis, 2011): 37-41. spisovatel 154 Akropolis, 2011): 37-41. Czechoslovak Union. April Writers’ 22-29,1956.Vol.1.The Protocol], Michal Bauer, ed. (Prague: which has not been adressed in our discussion so far.” isinvasion a schematism cameabout...that Whyhow the of drought. and question personality I consider tobe some kind of natural disasterlike disastrous frost or cultof culturalintoschematism nor “Neither space atall: this concept incorporate is heto What more, washesitant sphere. of contemporary cultural wrongs the Writers’The at contribution discussion his In reservations. certain Congress,without not although he refused to memberscirca 1000 of accept cultural delathe crème crème. this in frontof speaking Party-State of inof president name single the state ruling the the new notion revision.as Ata the openingjustification of the Writers’ tobeinneed of wasopenly diagnosed march forward greatStalinist the moment Congress this call for change camefor fromdiscourse, i.e. withthe “the great and brightfuture“ in allwaiting and beto foughtfor, at this realist Stalinist/socialist of essence the with hismessage ended fact that the Despite addressed in this essay thus far. Bourgeois nationalism. Collectivization. Socialist Collectivization. nationalism. Bourgeois far. thus essay in this addressed a reinterpreted number of heproblems had faced most since 1949, of which have been Tatarka interventions, two these In Congress. Writers’ the at contribution discussion Conformity lengtty allegoricall-satirical pre-Congress the texts: intertwined in two TheAnswers heprovided appear herose. complementary questions of pair Dominik Tatarka, “DiscussionContribution, April 26, 1956,“ in It follows that Immediately, in thought. Tatarka’s wasaccomodated The cultpersonality of Ĥ . 22-29.4.1956. publishedin Vol. 1,Protokol II. Congress [The of CzechoslovakThe Writer's Union. why not Kulúrny život socialist realism and realism socialist (15, 16, 17)and(15, aforementioned the concise 104 154 how to II. sjezd Svazu overcome it formed it a overcome The Demonof þ eskoslovenských CEU eTD Collection political. The case of bourgeois nationalism and its transplantation into culture was fundamentally inconsistent. Why? Becauseidentified is it with discoursethe ofthe realism. space of socialist whole of repudiation the the beforepublished shortly Congress the whereinit started, served as a springboard for a not only was his confession own in text ofnecessity.matter the This happened that revealed he and Congress, the at crimes political about speak to not chose Tatarka his “rehabilitation” in1952. publishedonlyafter section confession was this of of pursueofbourgeoisthe nationalism.As noted in ashort previous the chapter, intentions of Tatarka’s personal confession, which he was made to give at the accusers.height Imyself convinced them thatyes, I am an enemy, a dangerous enemy.” I I confession this that outdidIn a acknowledged was people. the of traitor knowledgein but namemythe holyof I conviction, had publicly guilty pled and had a to itlikened He Conformity.” “Iwreckage: of Demon bestmy Against wrecked. to omit not “Thevery in opening the his 1951persecution place of experience the did Tatarka However, a Hrubín. František and Seifert by Jaroslav made newjustice and a for call beliefs, religious and their political regard to without writers persecuted unexpected an as known generally of rehabilitation unrestrained for demand 155 suprise about The Conformity.” of Demon “The in covered the substantively was it although absenceCongress, is due to the fact that the 2 socialist realism in a comprehensive fashion. Let us go through it one issue at a time. spaceof the He repudiated Rivalry. Personal Liberalization. hero. Positive Critique. Dominik Tatarka, “Démon Súhlasu” [The Demon of Conformity] Demon [The Súhlasu” “Démon Tatarka, Dominik This total This total rejection is uponapremise:unfolded Socialist realist discourse probablyinto theMost statementgives original usavalidinsight opening this Bourgeois nationalism was suprisingly ignored in Tatarka’s speechatthe in ignored Tatarka’s wassuprisingly nationalism Bourgeois 105 nd Kultúrny život Congress of the CSWU is 15 (1956): 9. even my even 155 CEU eTD Collection fickleness of socialist realism leads tofrequent changes of evaluation bourgeois– http://arts.anu.edu.au/sss/apsa/Papers/bahnisch.pdf Association (Canberra: AustralianNational Studies University,Political Australasian October ofthe 2002): Conference 6. Jubilee Stream Theory Political ofthe part as presented paper refereed political,” ofthe essence the and Schmitt “Derrida, Bahnisch, Mark criteria.’” violence to Schmitt’s language, an empty signifier) which definition’ norone ‘derivedfrom othercriteria’ —ineffect itis a “ be never should they that insisted but mistakes, some of explanation an as them respected He schematism). and personality of (the cult past Stalinist the criticize usedto categories new of adoption the Tatarka even hadimprovisations” sointolerable become the that dismissed “frequent of practice the Now political distinctions. of contemporary interests had the served discourse cultural where cases many among be one to light in this seemed exclusion existing cultural discourse 158 157 156 realism. socialist of he) calls he (as “fickleconsistency” illegitimate the prove to writers” nationalist “bourgeois “The Demon of Conformity”he uses his own experience with pursue/rehabilitation of signifiers. by produce works empty of friend/enemy,definedof of pair this art to distinction political diffuse to subordinated definition by was which discourse cultural rejects and a his vice allies,conformity” versa.Tatarka andendangering previous always submitting to the latest ideological order, always submitting to the “demon of another, as after is portrayed cliché He political accuser. one of foremost herald nationalist [obviously Novomeský]. The same person (Mataj) later became his isbeenMataj, shown once having as a mainspeech-writerbourgeois of leading the in“Theof Demon Conformity” character antagonist used as an illustration to explain this assertion. To be more specific, the main Dominik Tatarka, “DiscussionContribution, April 26, 1956,” ... 408. Dominik Tatarka, “DiscussionContribution, April 26, 1956,” ... 409. “The political distinction of friend/enemy has no ‘substantial content’. Itis not “ Frequent improvisations coined by Tatarka at the Writers’ Congress. His own ” 157 was the yet another descriptve label of the of label descriptve another yet the was implemented into the aestheticimplemented realm. 106 (accessedMay 21, 2011). is the excess of other ‘relatively independent ‘relatively of other excess the is , writer and politician Valizlos politician and writer contentless antagonism (orto do an ‘exhaustive an ” 158 156 In A Ģ CEU eTD Collection Štefan Reptiš, i.e. the main protagonist of of Tatarka’s i.e. main the protagonist Reptiš, Štefan was insufficiently politically correct, positive, or proleptic. Tatarka replied not only not replied Tatarka proleptic. or positive, correct, politically insufficiently was generalized. In 1954, literary Trávní critic Bohuš literary 1954, In generalized. one. cogency.” “moral gainednew definition: a It persuasiveness. andpolitical aesthetic more as coined 161 Half 1950s]of the (Brno: Prius, 2001): 14. previous been had ambivalence overcome. thereby farms, intocollective forcing peasants of experiences his He recollected open. attitude however, hisownwrong Tatarka openly confessed was namely Slovakincluding writers, done by Tatarka, in Party the March 1956. The itselfParty collectivizationhisof went about evaluation publicstatements also againstthe of Marušiak, 160 159 in silencelaw orevenexplicitly.” either capriciousof trespasses defended state policiesI have.I atI not conscientiously that a should bureaucrat something moments defended state when I should havereinterpreted critized as a wrong enterprise for a writerthem. to be a part of: “Not I as a writer,agreed but as interventions of andof wasnewly collectivization 1953-1955 the agriculture with cultural is the improvations, moralize.discourse challengedto The spacerealism behad of socialist to disbanded it? toovercome How practice. scandalous this of instance only one was nationalism Dominik Tatarka, “DiscussionContribution, April 26, 1956,” ... 405. A selection from the meeting of the Ibid.Central Committee of the CPC (March 7, 1956) quoted in Juraj 161 Collectivization fell from agenda. the The rebuff of the positive hero and socialist critique was intensified and Tatarka turned his back against his own vehement pro-collective-farms vehement hisown his backagainst turned Tatarka Literatúra amocvdruhej polovici pä critical The qualities of a writer and his“moral qualities” were identified as of too vehement actions of in writers actions vehement of too of regard. this Ģ 107 desiatych rokov þ The truth of our literatureThe truthof ek asserted that the character of character the that asserted ek The Firstandthe Second Strike in toto [Literature and Power in the Second the in Power and [Literature of the last six years at the . Instead of the political the of Instead . 159 This modification This 160 In April, In was no was and the , CEU eTD Collection creating a new group of enemies who would have been guilty, this time guilty of the of of timethis been guilty guilty, wouldnew who creating have enemies group a mainly with historical explanation on the whole space of cultural discourse. Instead of congress hegeneralized his premise previous be thatcritique concerned should optimistic. Finally, Tatarka arguedagainstTrávní Finally,optimistic. Tatarka factby the pointingeven his that to ownconclusions weretoopositive and too 1954, heintensified to at least verisimilitude. hispoint some quality Butcompared of had in novel back thatthe implicitly1951, assumed Tatarka of his novel, character the at all.” work there to refused freely also they butinto acollective farm, entered village ‘freely’ whole Surely, the hero from same. life Štefan Reptiš. himself asa have real- met amanintroduced claimed to Their who Tatarka countryside, the occupation and their situation in 1945 were essentially the 162 Reptiš named leader the Tatarka Party. leaderthe local of by a exploited thoroughly been have to said was man real-life The been. had they as criticized fictional hisaccounts, moremuch than were dissatisfactory 1948 developments parts that resonated with the two-year old debate with Trávni between recognized and writers. excluded form literary of and itcritique rejected as instrument foran drawing apolitical line communistmoretoward but importantly, utopia,he contemporary challenged the rebuffing notion herounconvincingly the andhis linearof positive the development Dominik Tatarka, “Démon Súhlasu” [The Demon of Conformity] Demon [The Súhlasu” “Démon Tatarka, Dominik 162 Since he was approached by a real life person who claimed to beclaimed aversion of who to areallife Since approached by person he was “The Demon of Conformity” as well as the discussion contribution contained contribution discussion the as well as Conformity” of Demon “The a From From listening realman’s tothe later experience, inferred Tatarka his that Figurine The First Strike The andtheSecond in Figure’s hands: “A great hero turned into a ludicrous fool. 108 was actually was þ ek’s idea of socialist critique. Ata critique. socialistek’s ideaof Kultúrny život too þ positive, and that post- ek. During his stays in Figure, 15 (1956): 10 and real-life and CEU eTD Collection his speech, Tatarka objected that literature is his speech,literature likeplannedobjected that industry, Tatarka But he stripped it of its original assignment to help the construction of socialism; in with an hishint diagnosis itimplicit inadequacy.was again of again, and connected 164 163 of Conformity” personal competition with František He state-planned. Practical for suggestions liberalization their involved alayer of mistakenly weredecried as literature of Czechoslovak institutions The problematic and why cultof personality, at the hisspeech Congress about wasstructured questionsthe Tatarka’s personal conflict with the leader of Slovak literature underwent a change. underwent literature of with Slovak leader the personalconflict Tatarka’s Literature” a He hysteric (and be collectivization)literaturenot either or would intelligentthought about and thinker He the 1955polemic, (in be aninnovative leaderwould implied the that evenmentioned here Tatarka respect, world literature. Franti literature. world who weredefined bepoets, universalleaders – as of ledbynatural authorities great to literature wassupposed Incontrast, leadership. thedeathof after Stalin –collective ideological concept upheld another discarded heagain Inthis leaders. perspective charismatic by individually magazines, emancipated by be taken to was lead the on point agendawasthethe quality of literature. newthe leadership Institutionally of editionspracticalimportantforwardbook mostcameleft and as was what out, the Dominik Tatarka, “Démon Súhlasu” [The Demon of Conformity] Demon [The Súhlasu” “Démon Tatarka, Dominik Dominik Tatarka, “DiscussionContribution, April 26, 1956,” ... 409. First it appeared in 1955, wedged into the larger theme of largerthemeitintoin of the collectivization. 1955,wedged appeared First One thing can be ascertained with a high degree of certainty: The nature of regarding the present situation presentliterature. the regarding of Czechoslovak was generally ashysterical). was generally read he compared it to a subordinated army. a subordinated itto he compared þ ko’s reaction on Tatarka’s “A Word to Contemporaries about Contemporaries to “A Word Tatarka’s on reaction ko’s þ ek He ek þ ko as a leader was definitely not one of these. In this these. In of one not as a definitely ko leader was þ ko had been presented as unable to come up with an comebeen asunable upwith had to presented ko 109 þ ko. In In 1956, Tatarka keptko. repeating his Kultúrny život 164 The of burningquestion 163 in “The Demon 15 (1956): 9. what CEU eTD Collection It is noteworthy that in thewas that of “violets which samedo not smell, but everyone claims they smell wonderfully.” section Wazyk‘s Conformity” of Demon “The in both used Tatarka “The Poem for Adults containing metaphor basic Secondly, the same referent. speaking of the not terms, connotative and indenotative both doublets analogical an create abstraction and conformity abstraction. Tatarka himself explicitly quoted himselfTatarka “a quoted explicitly essential has are forthat Augusttext. It Tatarka’s themes only topoi and 19,1955. on “The Poem for Adults” by Adam Wazyk. Thelatter work was publishedin Poland Conformity” of “The Demon because impropable, himself claimedthat original the idea existedalready in 1954. 166 ý 165 of April in the 15 speaking, first the part of “The Demon of Conformity” was in published half first the late 1955and sometime between literature early 1956.Chronologically of Polish help the with ambivalence he overcame is that answer possible The him? reach it did when and impulse the was what 1956: April in Tatarka Dominik of move intellectual know. However, the personal in aversion detected 1951 was(quietly) reinforced. speaking himselfTatarka he about when spoke a needof anew for leader? We donot 1956, they now hadopposing Were goals. personal ambitions theexception, and was In means. of one was conflict the and ends same the at aimed both had they Before, eská Dominik Tatarka, “DiscussionContribution, April 26, 1956,” ... 409. Tatarka] of Dominik Fiction Reflective [The Tatarky,” Dominika próza “Úvahová Olonová, Elvíra And therein lies the tropological likenesses: the demon and the vultures and the and vultures the and demon the likenesses: tropological the lies therein And Finally, twoquestions remain regarding unanswered significantthe literatura 5 (1969): 510. ” 166 th issue of Kultúrny život Polish poet who spoke of 110 . However, almost ten years later the author later the years ten almost . However, and in the opening of his speech openingof and inthe bears a strong resemblance with a bears resemblance strong 165 This is highly is This the vultures of the CEU eTD Collection the wingsthe ofindependentmagazines and natural leaders. been made to move the cultural discourse out of the political and into the moral, on 2 is in politicalthe ofcultural April 1956,atthe published Thistwist discourse. nature asensegives its of and timing the exact of wording. source developed. Ifitis nota explanation of his whole act of repudiating socialist realism, it his newattitude how andwhen of understanding received the alternative to “The Evenit Demon of involves seems Conformity.” speculation, a probable though of part first the as number same very in the in Slovakia time first the for published fact that the motivically analogous text by Jan Kott – “Mythology motivically fact analogous byJanand Kott the Truth” text that the from also inferred be can realism socialist of view Tatarka’s of modification in the historical, factors.” primarily related ethnic and to cultural, worldthe Poland that wasmovingachieving along apath...toward independence that Polish poet. influencethe of possible the underscoring limonade, again seawater as of metaphor the to similar strikingly seems smell not do which violets the of metaphor Tatarka’s 167 wearing no clothes. Wazyk said this not triumphantly,but with disgust” introduces a also his “vultures” “drawnmetaphor was fable:the from emperor an old 168 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006): 407. of 1956 nd Marcy Shore, Marcy Philip Skardon, Philip Writer’s Congress probably under a significant Polish influence. The attempt have attempt The influence. Polish a significant under probably Congress Writer’s vomit. not? They drink seawater / and cry out –lemonade! They return home furtively / to vomit / to Fourier, dreamer,the charmingly foretold sea /that the would flow with lemonade. And does it (Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse,2010): 60. Most of the problems of socialist realism were addressed and twisted against twisted and addressed were realism socialist of problems of the Most “The Poem for Adults” is also said to be “the first clear-cut sign received by clear-cut first be“the isAdults” forsaidto also “The Poem Caviar and Ashes: AWarsaw Generation's Life andDeath in Marxism, 1918-1968 A LessonforOur Times: How Kept Peacein theHungary-SuezAmerica the Crisis 111 168 Lastly, the Polish factor Polish the Lastly, 167 : – was CEU eTD Collection Rozpravy, 1986):Introduction, pagination unknown, 1945-55 Soviet foundation (1932-1934) repeated itself in forSoviet Thus repeated example foundation Czechoslovakia? (1932-1934) of history” was serious, original, and long-lasting? What if the pattern of its sudden Czechoslovak late inter-war andearly culture. inter-war late Czechoslovak postwar inandlocalized of Czechoslovak Stalinism combined the two the roots the life-changingagenda from programs. avant-garde movements of the 19 national European Central the from stems writers’ of authority and commitment political postwar that fact, the continuity, stresses Abrams beBradley an to answer. of socialist realism, though,is usually not counted among them or is seen as too trivial be thequestion. seemsto actually that power the writers what gave socialist But it. isnoabout question made there history, Writers as theharbinger is intextbooks Spring.The 1967 presented Prague the of one of consummated this essay as the first great attempt to repudiate the era of Stalinism. culture.” See Antonín Brousek, SeeAntonín culture.” radical communists brought from half-Asiatic USSR, only and thereby ourraped ‘Central-European’ 170 Aesthetic Dictatorship, and Beyond (accessed June 2, 2011). socially established cultural norms.” See Boris Groys, avant-garde originally –outsideaspired the museums andart history set fromtraditional apart and and 169 “[Stalinism] does not begin aslate February It1948. is not some kind of usurped import that “Thus [today] socialist realism (like Nazi art, forexample) finds itself the in positionto whichthe What if, however, the Czech and Slovak socialist realist “attempt to jump to out “attempt realist socialist and Slovak Czech the however, if,What The high status of writers under state-socialism had many reasons many had state-socialism under of writers status high The Today, Writers’ the of Congresses milestones.1956 and1967are The firstone [Wondrous Wizards: The Readerof CzechStalinism inVerses, 1945-1955] (Purley: th century. Boris Groys traces the ambitions of the socialist realist Podivuhodní kouzelníci (Princeton: PrincetonUniversity Press, 1992): 7. [Socialist realist] agenda boiled down to the defeat of modernism. Conclusion Its utopianism lay in its attempt to “jump out of history….” 112 Evgeny Dobrenko, Evgeny http://www.sorela.cz/web/articles.aspx?id=28 : ý ítanka The Total Art of Stalinism. 169 170 þ Antonín practically Brousek eskéhostalinismuv The Making of the State Writer State of the Making The ĜHþ . Thenature Avant-Garde, i vázané z let CEU eTD Collection 2000): 295. Jahren,” in 171 Tragedy.” occupation were and Stalinism as was evaluated an “cultural vindication blossom.” Theand exemplary Nazi andoverby andvindicated over new Czechmodernisttradition the achievements, ideology.Marxist-Leninist Kundera Incontrast, is maintained be thatnationhood to was denied its status of justification force, sodeeply ingrained indominantversion of truth.” a self-evident not isnation of the existence defeatmodernism.to At Writers’the in Congress 1967, he proclaimed that“the them from leastat as late1954 to as 1969. address and imprinted 1949-1952, they to continued occasions inthe wereperiod these both on addressed they themes of bundle The himself. excused Tatarka ingrained conceptagainst the culture since1950.Dominik intheofficial of tradition socialist Writer’s space.Atthe realist Congressin1967,it up was Kundera whostood features of the structural the unsparelingly against spoke Tatarka speech. Dominik new, andinits beginnings alsovery attractive? something by writers of capital the enrich and self-esteem modify not it Did tradition. be, deterministicallyfrom Isuggest, preparations cannot derived any pre-1949 Theimmenseinto1934). factof itsthat concerns Partywereinvested months-longthe realism in 1934 (TheFirst All-Union Congress Soviet Writersof in AugustMoscow, socialist with together being to came which instution, an is Congress Writers’ the Ivo Bock, “Kultur und Macht. Wandlungen des tschechischen Literaturbetriebs in den sechziger den in Literaturbetriebs tschechischen des Wandlungen Macht. und “Kultur Bock, Ivo Let us look how Kundera’s thought was defined by a socialist realistwas byasocialist attempt thought defined how Kundera’s Let uslook deliverhis Kundera declined to Milan 1956, Writer’s Congressof At the Der Geist der Unruhe. 1968 im Vergleich, 171 Kundera’s 1956 “About the Disputes of “About the Kundera’s Inheritance” 1956 merged into a single period designated as “25-years of 113 Reiner Rosenberg ed. The tradition of national collective national of tradition The (Berlin: Akademie Verlag, with its “50-years its with CEU eTD Collection socialist was founded realism on more nationalistic practical and itsgrounds than Reflections] (Bratislava:Nadácia Milana Šime on ideaof on the he worked Later, from early 1950s. the thought this of major theme becomehad the happens.” write resolution itas afittinghalf ayearbeforeprudent to actually Congress and wise is so no one that showed clearly Congress “The he summarized: over, was Congress After the organization. realist socialist of the practices planning collectivist the words, other In started. Congress before the year a taken measures preventive himself forillness. Itis more than probable that what made him sick were, as in 1955, opening 4 the PragueSpring actof the at Congresses? Writers’ its continuity, limited of theory its space, realist with longCzech socialist interaction the without outcome intellectual 172 Central written Europe,” already in French (1984) and Forgetting. in Kundera the theme kept endangered. provided, had Czech Fate” “The tradition, national of apologeticnarrative a great, value of at the time,outsider of socialist realistwhen space. Havel did not understand either the need or the the written at Christmasmost 1968, opening with ita significant debate with Václav Havel, the pressing daily assault. of the worthy necessities of recession” and rights were Dominik Tatarka, Dominik Structures, in other words the practical dimension of socialist realist space, realist socialist of words practical in the dimension Structures, other In contrast, Dominik Tatarka stayed home. In 1967, he did notcome see to the Kundera went on in keeping the theme. He moved through “The Czech Fate” “The Czech through in Hemoved on keepingthe theme. wentKundera 172 was only intensified – Štoll’s intensified only was Culture, Finally, he elaborated it into the most famous essay “The Tragedy of Kultúra ako obcovanie. his distinctive mark in the time of his markinthetimeSpring. distinctive of Slovak Prague the þ Výber z úvah [Culture as Consorting. A Selection from Selection A Consorting. as [Culture z úvah Výber ku, 1996): 235. Life is Elsewhere Life 114 th Writers’ Congress. Officially Officially heexcused Congress. Writers’ 30 years of Struggle 30 yearsof . Would there be such an and The Bookof Laughter was still a narrative still was , CEU eTD Collection the hero, also from alsofrom hero, the Kundera’s the 1950sthe1930s.Sincethe 1920s the late importance theundeniable of Novomeskýbe represents that said 173 realism. of socialist space Slovak Czech and between the borders in crossed my Novomeský Writers’in Congresses, essay caseof the both natureAnd, sameas indeterministof the andlong-durée realism.socialist effects Novomeský reflects of Laco 1949, personality the after literature andcontrol of power writers who joined the normalized Slovak of judgments harsh giving movement, adissident of members few the of one shortly asalready victim pursuitof the of bourgeois nationalistsin 1951. Hebecame experienced had he which literature, Slovak of tradition the from exclusion second decidedTatarka leave to theParty his own(October24,1969).on caused That his invasion fameinFrance. of the After of Kundera’s armies Milan WarsawPact the the leaving andfull personalbitter of of experience comparingexclusion, himself to didTatarka leavenot Slovak territory.his But institution. cultural important condemned in vision 1951)and of Hronsky’s autonomy of financial the mostof this he (whom Hronský J.C. leader wartime its of rehabilitation television); and (radio foundationstructures; its publishingof houseandown its multimedia own platforms liberal for program just his notice Letus fact. of is this work a reflection Tatarka’s Czech neighbor. Writings Despite my idea of the value of the political of unprecedented account apuzzling give Congresses If Writers’ Kundera,Milan to contrast In sense. broader in a also “home” stayed He is the title of mosthis important text written incourse of 1970s and 1980s. Matica Slovenská Matica The Last of May The Lastof establishmenton nationalistic grounds. 115 , he had with cooperated Július Fu (1968): total from total (1968): Party separation the ingenuity ) in magazine the platform Writings of socialist realism, it first must first it realism, socialist of 173 are full of idea of are full the of continuity Tvorba. þ ík (Fu between The þ ík CEU eTD Collection own country. Novomeský was charged of the newly constructed notion newly bourgeoisown waschargedcountry. of of constructed the Novomeský opportunely digesting along-standing issue and cultural personnel. and by its all event Czech man invented core, this motivated an of accidental Slovak nothing limited continuity codified continuity limited of theory his And history.” of out “jump realist socialist the of the version Czech Vít group of Party.unprecedentedmeasuresthe theyhadmocked guardtook old The after radical younger the with collision unpredictable after the only experience ideologues’ but the decision to codify the narrative of Czech poetry appeared in the horizon of the agenda from 19 the agendafrom the Stalinism ingeneral. question The Czech identity,of whichhadbeen continuously on is for Czech socialist realism as defining as the phrase the as defining as realism socialist Czech for is Czech tradition he helped to create. He madecreate. He hehelpedto upa Czech tradition phrase inter-war the of legitimization As a he proposed generation, older the member of 1950s. the about predictability any mean however, not, did 1930s the with continuity of matter 1934 and experiencedthus foundation the of very insocialist person. realism The in in August Writers Moscow Soviet of Congress All-Union The First at were present Nezval and Novomeský that fact the mention to Not anti-modernists. i.e. Stalinists, in Journalist war the 1929 –after founders of modernism Czech story of Č slav Nezval, the leading Czech poet. The speech Štoll gave after this impulse was Suddenly, from in becamefrom thevictim Slovak his Suddenly, accuserin Prague, the the The Slovak Novomeský coined the founding idea of Czech socialist realism. socialist Czech of idea founding the coined Novomeský Slovak The ). The point is the genuine indeterminism of socialist realism. In 1949, a 1949, In realism. socialist of indeterminism genuine is the point The ). Tvorba is also the story of the continuity. th century ( selection F.X. Šalda and given over to Czech Communist ý Tvorba eská otázka eská of the inter-war Left Culture (radicals accepted (radicals Culture Left inter-war of the 116 became the platform of the most radical ), surely prefigured its significance, prefigured ), surely It wasfoundedby oneof the the construction of socialism construction of 30 yearsoftradition, which for CEU eTD Collection leadershipin 1951 duetohis bourgeois nationalism. was it hecultural in from experienceda excluded the Slovakmountains, the you wherehave experienced Tatarka history. theUprising? question Since The was: within. upon delineated The linesof conflictthe were experience and personal enemy the with show-trial the of construction first the to connection direct a with period? inter-war generational layers. The question was: when were you born youand remember do the opportunely with connected Also,Slánský’s group. lines the of conflictthe copied were who Stalinists radical against campaign the joining by career his began politics, it even atthe though culminated show trial with Slánský.Milan Kundera was aquestion of cultural moreIt much contained. The Czechversion was conflicts. on a number of times. Novomeský was arrested under these charges, theblame alsofell on Dominik Tatarka a was anything of autonomy forLaco the ask To taboo. political organization. Czech case – itin the than arena political immediate the nearerwas much to It founded. was was realism a ban on Slovaka socialist Slovak between, time In the 1951). of (end one purely Czechoslovak nationalism into itinternalized by Thenotion on was replacedstage on Zionism. international the and the imperativeLater bloc. Eastern whole permeated the a a while for conceptthat (1949-1951) short of centralistthese issues in the two cultural spaces were quite different. Bourgeois nationalism was into bindingturned a long-existing of about definitions although problem, nature the offoundation was The pattern analogical. unpredictable political was conflict The discourse. realist socialist Slovak in the central and particular concept a nationalism, Both local versions of socialist realism were therefore spurredby unexpected therefore local versionsrealism were socialistBoth of The Slovak version was less differentiated from the political process 117 CEU eTD Collection process deserves attention and those fruits, Ibelieve, even respect. the fresh eventoday. are Thereby process fruits of repudiation the its regulations, joinedbelieved inspace to according its creed,andbehaved its ranks, and those who in the center of ongoing question institutional cultural tradition of of and the Slovak question autonomy, stood debates. No matteryears, Czech the next12 the it binding.For was politically writers. But these two how one evaluates the socialistpersuasive methods of bringing peasants into a collective farm (1955). realist the most recognized writers of the Czech lands, for example arguing about of thecase in the conceivable been hardly would same The was. realism socialist Slovak silences to his exotic ideas uncovered how more practical and profoundly personal from 1955. As a from 1955. represent then hewould study case paper, asdocumented inthe present standpoint, his pro-liberal and continued thus Reflections] (Bratislava: Nadácia Milana Šime leave country the foreign armies after place only been precededbya haveshould haveitshouldin taken And anycase, plebiscite. “Federalization inJanuary 1969: Czechoslovakia federalization of welcome the not Miná environment of Slovak was cultural moremarginaldiscourse Kundera’s.than Unlike leastsocialistintoin Tatarka’s revisionist development 1969). (at realist until the 174 Kundera a as represents argument. critical study case poet’s socialist realism Czech of theme and defining the were culture Left inter-war the to referring modification Kundera’s particularity was in the succinct form of the young Dominik Tatarka, Dominik þ , Chorváth, Novomeský, Matuška, and most of the Slovak intellectuals, he intellectuals, did andmost Slovak of the Novomeský, Matuška, , Chorváth, In 1956,the original Kundera’s thought developed more typically than Tatarka’s. Innovations and Innovations Tatarka’s. than typically more developed thought Kundera’s Kultúra ako obcovanie. ideology of of Socialist Realism was no more legitimate for Výber z úvah [Culture as Consorting. A Selection from Selection A Consorting. as [Culture z úvah Výber þ ku, 1996): 242-243. 118 , ” 174 insisted Tatarka ininsisted Tatarka interviewan a marginal typical . Responses and conversion of a CEU eTD Collection Writers Greet The 10 The Greet Writers Tatarka, Dominik. "Slovenskí spisovatelia pozdravujú X. Zjazd KS 1954 Kultúrny život Tatarka, Dominik. “Rozžali sa svetlá na Orave” [Lights in Orava were Turned On]. 1953 Tatarka, Dominik.Tatarka, sa “Putá trhajú” [Breaking Bonds]. Meeting of the Slovak Section of the CSWU]. Šefranek, Július. In The Parochial Republic]. Martin: Matica Slovenská, 1951. Laj 1952 Problems of Our Literature].Bratislava: spisovate Slovenský Oktavec, František. Oktavec, Tatarka’s New Novel NewNovel Tatarka’s Critique].and about “Verejná diskusia o Tatarkovom románe a kritike” [The Public Debate about 27 August,1949, 8. cenyna 1949”[The národné “Slovenské 1949]. Slovak rok Prizes National Kultúrny život the Higher the ideovos Laj 1951 -----. “Spove -----. život Tatarka, Dominik. “Spisovate First and the Second Strike”]. and Second the First Rozner, Ján. "O Tatarkovom románe “Prvý a druhý úder” [Of Tatarka's Novel “The 3.(1950): Matuška, Alexander. “Tri nové romány” [The Three New Novels]. Tatarka]. Chorváth, Michal. “Nový Román Dominika Tatarku” [The New Novel of Dominik 1950 Sources Primary Slovak Bibliography þ þ iak, Milan. “Správa ozasadnutí slovenskej sekcie S iak, Milan . “Proti buržoáznemu nacionalizmu akozmopolitizmu, za vyššiu 14 (1950):1. Ģ našej literatúry” [Against Bourgeois Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism: For Cosmopolitanism: and Nationalism Bourgeois [Against literatúry” našej Kultúrny život Ideovost ć 19 (1953):3. 24 (1950):11. die Niektoré ideologické problémy našej literatúry ĢDĢ “Doslov.” In Dominik Tatarka, of Literature]. of our th a svojej doby” [The Confession of the Child of the Epoch], the of Child the of Confession [The doby” svojej a Congress of the CPC]. 9 (1950):5. Pravda, Đ ako kolektív” [The Writer as Collective]. 30 September, 1950,8. Kultúrny život 119 Kultúrny život Kultúrny život Kultúrny život Farská Republika 13 (1951):1. Kultúrny život ý SS” [The Report of the 20 (1950):5. Đ 24 (1954):3. 6 (1952):1. , 1951. 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