From the history of the series ‘Literary Heritage’ [‘Literaturnoe nasledstvo’]. I. Zilberstein and S. Makashin: the scholars’ relationship

Abstract

It is a known fact that the relationship between I. Zilberstein and S. Makashin, two celebrated editors and publication supervisors of the renowned scholarly series ‘Literary Heritage’ [‘Literaturnoe nasledstvo’] founded in 1931, deteriorated to a bitter conflict in the years after WWII. The strife gravely impaired the operation of the project for decades. Yet neither memoirists nor researchers have so far succeeded in discovering the actual cause of the two scholars’ mutual resentment. The article features previously unpublished documents related to the history of literary studies that shed light on this conundrum and uncover new facts about the history of the ‘Literary Heritage’ publications. Zilberstein’s speaker notes for the ‘Prague meeting’ of 1958, quoted from the author’s manuscript, prove a unique treasure trove of biographical facts about the scholars at the heart of the conflict and the history of literary studies in general. Relying on documentary evidence, the article reveals that Zilberstein intentionally credited himself as the sole founder of ‘Literary Heritage,’ consigning the names of his co-founders, protectors and colleagues in the 1930s — most notably, I. Ippolit (I. Sitkovsky), to oblivion.