Meklējot piederību pēctrimdas laikā. Daži aspekti Indras Gubiņas un Gunara Janovska dzīvē un daiļradē

Abstract

The present article aims to focus on a phenomenon that has received little attention in the context of not only the historical processes but also the Latvian literary process, literature as such, and creative personalities. The attention is centred on the period that was marked by substantial changes on both sides of the so-called Iron Curtain, which had created two separate closed spaces – that of Soviet Latvia and the various countries of residence of Latvian exiles. When Latvia regained its independent statehood, it changed the historical significance of the exile which included the idea of homecoming. For many years, living and working in a foreign country with their thoughts of lost Latvia, waiting for this significant event, the exiles were facing a choice – how and where to live, what was the justification of exile and life outside Latvia in the new situation. This new situation actualised the question of who were the Latvians outside Latvia in such circumstances, clearly understanding that they were no longer exiles. The metaphor of a gateway precisely expresses this feeling – should they remain standing at the gate (in exile) or enter the gate, that is, return to Latvia, the country that has changed, is undergoing change, and, in fact, is being recreated anew. The reality proved to be much more complicated, as nearly half a century had passed since the day when, at the end of WWII, such a great number of Latvians left their homeland. Based on archive studies, the article provides an insight into several aspects of life and creative activity of two exile writers – Indra Gubiņa (1927–2017) and Gunars Janovskis (1916–2000) – in the post-exile period, concentrating on the belonging, the feelings of being between Latvia and exile, and seeking the answers to the questions: what in their everyday life and creative activity was changed (if at all) by the closure of their exile, and if they managed to find in themselves the sense of belonging to the Latvian (cultural) space. The article not only uses the archive studies but also attempts to look for new opportunities for theoretical research; namely, it tries to carry over into the Latvian literature research the theoretical phenomenon of post-exile (Nachexil, Post-Exile) that has entered the German literary study (Bannach, Sarkowsky 2020), and provides a new potential in exile literature study, with the end of exile being the starting point, directly related to the restoration of Latvia’s independence.