Yiddish literary life in Interwar Kaunas (1918-1939)

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Jidiš literatūra; Kaunas; Laikotarpis iki II pasaulinio karo; Leidyba; Organizacijos; Rašytojai; Tarpukaris; Žydų literatūra; Kaunas; Lithuania; Organizations; Pre-WWII; Publishing; Writers; Yiddish literature.

ENThe article offers a general overview of Yiddish literary activities in the city of Kaunas, the capital of interwar Lithuania and one of the lesser known European centres of Yiddish culture at the time. The creation and diffusion of local Yiddish literature is analysed in the context of the not particularly favourable socioeconomic and political situation of the newly independent Lithuanian republic. The career path of most Yiddish writers in Lithuania was uneven: they could hardly support themselves from writing, were forced to look for other occupations and often eventually chose emigration. The two most prominent Yiddish literary groups active in Lithuania, “Vispe” (Islet) and “Mir aleyn” (We alone), emphasised the ideas of abandonment and isolation even in their selfdefinitions. Despite quite a considerable output, the Yiddish book publishing was equally plagued by financial difficulties. Therefore, the daily press of different ideological leanings became an important channel for diffusing the local Yiddish literary production in Lithuania. Institutional support for Yiddish literary activities was also fragmented, not least because of Communist radicalisation of some Yiddishist organisations that brought them into conflict with the authorities. Connections to the Lithuanian cultural milieu remained rather limited in spite of attempts of mutual cooperation. Links to the Yiddish cultural actors abroad were also irregular, especially due to the lack of any contacts between Lithuania and Poland until 1938 as a result of an unresolved territorial dispute over Vilnius. [From the publication]