Language:
Russian
Year of publication:
2002
Titel der Quelle:
Параллели; русско-еврейский историко-литературный и библиографический альманах
Angaben zur Quelle:
1 (2002) 123-143
Keywords:
Jewish literature History and criticism
;
Antisemitism History 1800-2000
;
Jews in literature
;
Judaism in literature
Abstract:
A discussion was held in 1926-27, in the sphere of Soviet literary criticism, on "pornography". The party leadership decided to use the discussion as a tool in its struggle against the "left" (Trotskyite) opposition. Critics loyal to the party blamed Trotskyites for disseminating a spirit of sexual permissiveness among Soviet youth, thereby corrupting them. At the peak of this discussion, in 1926, Sergei Malashkin's novel "Moonlight from the Right Side, or an Unusual Love" was published. This work indirectly ascribed the licentiousness of Soviet youth to a Jewish influence on the youngsters. In his novel, Malashkin used a propaganda scheme which could not openly be used by Stalinists: he claimed that the licentiousness of the youth was not simply a result of Trotskyite influence; the Trotskyites, who were Jews, intentionally corrupted the communist youth through habits and customs that were alien to genuine Russians. Despite the accusation of eroticism made by many critics, Malashkin's novel was republished.
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