The present-day Literaturnaia gazeta claims its origins to be in the early 19^th century. The first newspaper under this title was published between January 1, 1830 and June 30, 1831 by a literary group led by Russian poet and journalist Anton Antonovich Delvig (1798-1831) and a world-famous Russian poet, playwright, and novelist Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799-1837). It was a literary newspaper that published works of Russian and foreign writers and poets. The original Literaturnaia gazeta was not permitted by the authorities to address political issues. Pushkin, who published some of his most famous works in it and de facto edited the first 13 issues, wanted it to be an independent literary and political publication. However, he unsuccessfully petitioned the authorities to allow political content. Delvig was banned from editing for his responses to the July Revolution in France (1830).

The newspaper was revived and published again from 1840 to 1849, including a supplement Zapiski dlia khozaev. In the subtitle it was advertised as a Messenger of Sciences, Arts, Literature, News, Theater and Fashion and in addition to texts by Russian and foreign writers, published review articles on history, literature, and art, biographies of contemporaries, as well as bibliographical reviews, and reviews of books. During its second publishing period, it was the first to publish works by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol (1809-1952), a world-famous Russian novelist, short story writer and playwright of Ukrainian origin.

Literaturnaia gazeta was re-established for the third time on April 22, 1929, with the support of the “father of Soviet literature,” writer Maxim Gorky (1868-1936). It was first published as the official organ of the Federation of Unions of Soviet Writers and since 1932 as the official organ of the Union of Soviet Writers. The Soviet Literaturnaia gazeta set itself the task of implementing the principle of free competition between different groups and trends in the field of fiction. The publication was suspended in 1942 and 1943 and only eight issues were published in 1944.

After the war, Literaturnaia gazeta was transformed into what Pushkin wanted it to be more than a hundred years earlier, a newspaper with literary, social, and political content. While all editors-in-chief left their lasting mark on the newspaper, it was Alexander Chakovsky (1913-1994) who beginning in 1967 orchestrated a major transformation of the newspaper. It became the first Soviet “thick” newspaper (16 pages) which was most popular with an intelligentsia that fondly dubbed it “Literaturka.” Often described as the only newspaper of its kind in the USSR it eventually reached the press run of 6.5 million copies while covering a wide range of topics from literature and art to domestic and international politics. Prominent Soviet and foreign authors published in it. Chakovsky led Literaturnaia gazeta until 1988.

In post-Communist Russia, the newspaper continues to publish literary works, literary criticism as well as reviews of books, theatrical productions, and movies. It includes texts by writers, journalists, scholars as well as activists and political figures both Russian and foreign. The editorial board stresses that Literaturnaia gazeta is now the only periodical, culturally uniting the former republics of the USSR and that it pays great attention to the literatures of ethnic minorities.

Literaturnaia gazeta from 1929 to the most recent full calendar year is now available from NYPL with your library card. For current issues of Literaturnaia gazeta please see PressReader, also available from NYPL with your library card. The main Literaturnaia gazeta database will be updated once a year.

Bibliography

• Н. Ю. Богатырёва, “Литературная газета,” Большая российская энциклопедия
• Н.Л. Шилова, “Литературная газета.”
• “О газете,” Литературная газета
• “Литературная газета (XIX век),” Wikipedia
• East View Information Resources, “Literaturnaia gazeta Digital Archive From 1929”

Other works about Literaturnaia gazeta

• Kuda: Moskva, "Literaturnaia gazeta," 1980-1990: Liudi i sobytiia / Iziumov, IUriii Petrovich (Moskva: "Literaturnaia gazeta" : U Nikitskikh vorot, 2015).
• "Literaturnaia gazeta" 1840-1845 godov / Talashov, G. P. (Sankt-Peterburg: Roza mira, 2005).
• "Literaturnaia gazeta" A. A. Delʹviga i A. S. Pushkina / Blinova, E. M. (Elizaveta Maksimovna) (Moskva: Kniga, 1966).
• Die "Literaturnaja gazeta" A.A. Delʹvigs (1830-1831): Studien zur russischen literarischen Publizistik unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Literaturkritik / Lutz P., Michel (Münster: Aschendorff, c1982).
• Sovetskaia pressa: za "chistotu iazyka" : 60 let borby / Basovskais, Evgeniia Naumovna (Moskva : RGGU, 2011).
• Die Sprachrubrik der Literaturnaja gazeta von 1964 bis 1978 : Dokumentation und Auswertung / Dagmar Christians (München: Otto Sagner, 1983).
• Tri veka "Literaturnoi gazety" / Igorʹ Panin, redaktor i sostavitelʹ (Moskva: OAO "ID 'Literaturnaia gazeta'", 2011).
• Vospominaniia o neproshedshem vremeni: Moskva, 1961-1981 gg. / Orlova, R. D. (Raisa Davydovna) (Ann Arbor, Mich. : Ardis, [1983], ©1983).