Prishvin and Kalinin: the image of the “All-Union Headman” in the writer's diary

Abstract

The subject of this research is the history of relations between Prishvin and Kalinin – a prominent revolutionary and party leader of the Soviet era, who was the head of the state for many years after the October Revolution. The author observes that the biographical material about communication of Prishvin and Kalinin contained in the works of the writer and the memoirs of their contemporaries is sufficiently studied, while his diary notes that significantly change the representations on the true nature of their relationship are yet to be researched. The article employs the method of historical reconstruction of the ideological-political context of the Soviet society, which gives a better outlook on the peculiarities of the writer’s attitude towards the political activity of Kalinin. The novelty of this research consists in introduction into the scientific discourse of the new facts from the 18-volume Prishvin’s Diary (1991-2017), which was published only in the post-Soviet period. This revealed new facts and aspects of his relations with the state leaders during the Communist Era. Using the specific examples of communication of Prishvin and Kalinin, the author demonstrates that the role of the latter in addressing the important state problems was quite limited, which was predetermined by the country’s governing principles , i.e. the decision-making monopoly belonged to the highest political leadership of the ruling party represented by Stalin.