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[WHILE ERNST GLAESER WAS WELCOMED IN THE USSR] Rik Narodzhennia 1902 [i.e. Born in 1902]

Glaeser, E.

Item #2803

Kharkiv: Literatura i mystetstvo, 1932. 206, [2] pp. 22,5x15 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Spine restored, otherwise very good and clean uncut copy.

First and only edition. One of 5200 copies produced.

First Ukrainian edition of “Jahrgang 1902” by Ernst Glaeser (1902–1963). The book was published soon after the author’s visit to Soviet Ukraine.

Glaeser became a pacifist, and perhaps vaguely flirted with Communism. In 1928 he published “Jahrgang 1902” [Born in 1902], a novel that was translated into 24 languages and earned him an international reputation. Jahrgang 1902 is an autobiographical novel about youthful political and sexual awakening in a small German town before and during World War I. Left wing intellectuals viewed his novels as progressive. In 1930 he was invited to attend the Second International Conference of Revolutionary Writers in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Wikipedia) “Jahrgang 1902” earned the author the ostracism of the German right, so that after the National Socialists came to power, Glaeser’s book was among those burned on May 10, 1933.

His estrangement from anti-fascist circles and his return to Germany in 1939, along with his publications in the official press of the Third Reich – all of this demonized him in the eyes of the сommunists. After WWII, all of his works were included in the list of banned literature in the Soviet occupation zone in 1946. His Soviet publications likely met the fate of being locked away in the restricted library storages.

The cover design was created by Ukrainian artist Boris Kriukow (1895-1967). He was one of the most prolific Ukrainian illustrators, contributing to over 500 books of large Ukrainian publishing houses. During WWII, he moved to Lviv and then emigrated to Argentina where he proceeded to illustrate books.

Not found in Worldcat.

Price: $700.00