Subject
VN & The Germans
From
Date
Body
EDNOTE. I was about to suggest that VN's distaste for Germans was not
unconnected with the death of his brother Sergey in a Nazi camp. On
reflection I realized that the Gogol book was written before VN learned of
Sergey's fate. Note well that Nabokov's father was a prominent figure in the
struggle against Russian anti-Semitism. Nazi anti-Semitism was an important
factor in the Nabokovs' departure from Germany and doubtless added to his
dislike of Germans. There are several articles on the Nabokov & the Germans.
On the other hand, Fyodor in DAR (The Gift) ruefully laughs at himself for
disliking a German on a streetcar who proves to be Russian.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alex Fak" <afak@imedia.ru>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (26
lines) ------------------
> By the way, is anyone else puzzled by VN's generalized description of
> Germany and the Germans in "Nikolai Gogol"? I'm not sure if he's also
> written about it elsewhere. It is interesting that someone who once
> derided Dostoyevsky for appearing to mock all Poles, Jews and Germans
> is also the same person who peppered the "poshlust" section of
> Gogol's biography with digs at a whole nation. Does anyone know if
> there is a logic behind this apparent contradiction?
>
> Not to mention that the remarks about wishing Germany destroyed to
> the last beer mug and edelweiss (if I recall correctly) appear
> somewhat broad-handed for such a nuanced writer.
>
> Sorry if this has been chewed upon already (I was awol for a few months).
>
> Alex.
>
> --
> Alex Fak
> Business Reporter
> The Moscow Times
> tel: +7 095 937 3399 ext. 193
> fax: +7 095 937 3393/94
>
> www.themoscowtimes.com
>
>
unconnected with the death of his brother Sergey in a Nazi camp. On
reflection I realized that the Gogol book was written before VN learned of
Sergey's fate. Note well that Nabokov's father was a prominent figure in the
struggle against Russian anti-Semitism. Nazi anti-Semitism was an important
factor in the Nabokovs' departure from Germany and doubtless added to his
dislike of Germans. There are several articles on the Nabokov & the Germans.
On the other hand, Fyodor in DAR (The Gift) ruefully laughs at himself for
disliking a German on a streetcar who proves to be Russian.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alex Fak" <afak@imedia.ru>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (26
lines) ------------------
> By the way, is anyone else puzzled by VN's generalized description of
> Germany and the Germans in "Nikolai Gogol"? I'm not sure if he's also
> written about it elsewhere. It is interesting that someone who once
> derided Dostoyevsky for appearing to mock all Poles, Jews and Germans
> is also the same person who peppered the "poshlust" section of
> Gogol's biography with digs at a whole nation. Does anyone know if
> there is a logic behind this apparent contradiction?
>
> Not to mention that the remarks about wishing Germany destroyed to
> the last beer mug and edelweiss (if I recall correctly) appear
> somewhat broad-handed for such a nuanced writer.
>
> Sorry if this has been chewed upon already (I was awol for a few months).
>
> Alex.
>
> --
> Alex Fak
> Business Reporter
> The Moscow Times
> tel: +7 095 937 3399 ext. 193
> fax: +7 095 937 3393/94
>
> www.themoscowtimes.com
>
>