Article

Name: Georgy Maslov and Leonid Martynov: Meetings in the White Capital (Omsk, 1919)

Authors: I. G. Devyatyarova

Omsk Regional Museum of Fine Arts named after M. A. Vrubel, Omsk, Russian Federation

In the section Siberian Writers and Siberia in the Russian Literature of the 20th Century

Abstract:

The subject of this article arose in connection with the study of the cultural history of Siberia during the Civil War (1918–1922). An appeal to archival documents and L. N. Martynov’s memoirs made it possible to reveal many interesting facts from the life of the White capital and recall one of its significant episodes – the meeting of the schoolboy Leonid Martynov with the Petrograd poet Georgy Maslov in the summer of 1919.

They met at the book collection office creating hospital libraries in August 1919. The meeting with the first real poet made a strong impression on Leonid. Young people met often, came to each other’s homes. It is not difficult to imagine how fascinating and informatively rich were he stories of the participant in the Pushkin seminary and the university’s “Circle of Poets” for the Omsk schoolboy. Maslov introduced the schoolboy and his friends N. Kalmykov and V. Shebalin to all the “stray” writers.

Maslov wrote a lot and published poetry in local periodicals, and Martynov was probably one of the first to read them. Maslov firmly adhered to the anti-Bolshevik position, and in poetry on contemporary themes he expressed his high patriotic feelings, calling on his compatriots to enlightenment. These moods influenced the young Omsk citizen. In line with the influence of Maslov on the worldview of young Martynov – a positive attitude towards the personality of A. V. Kolchak. In the spring in Soviet Omsk, Leonid left the gymnasium, which, under the new government, has now become the United Labor School. This decision, formed, of course, under the influence of Maslov, was an expression of protest and a demonstration of Martynov’s attitude to the new government.

At the end of May 1920, fifteen-year-old Martynov went to Krasnoyarsk, where he met with E. Ivanov, who told him about the long, painful retreat to the east, the death of Maslov, showed him the poems he had written on the way.

Returning to Omsk, Martynov meets with Maslov’s friend Tanya Solovyova, with whom they remember the poet and read his poems. At this time, Martynov conceived the idea of a poem dedicated to the memory of a friend – “Harlequinade”.

In May 1922, Martynov is in Moscow, where he meets with the participants of the Omsk literary meetings and participates in an evening in memory of Maslov.

The short friendship between the “Pushkinist and the Futurist” was fruitful for the young Martynov. It played a decisive role in his professional development, the forming of his literary tastes, social guidelines. The name of Georgy Maslov remained dear to Leonid Martynov until the end of his life.

Keywords: Civil War, Siberia, White Capital, Omsk, Georgy Maslov, Leonid Martynov, A. V. Kolchak, literary life, poetry

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