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Let's Perform a Miracle: The Soviet Yiddish State Theater in the 1920s

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2017

Jeffrey Veidlinger
Jeffrey Veidlinger*
Affiliation:
Department of History, Georgetown University
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Extract

The history of the Soviet Yiddish State Theater (Gosudarstvennyi evreiskii teatr, or Goset) provides an illuminating glimpse into the life of Jewish entertainers and the position of Yiddish culture in the Soviet Union during the 1920s. While Solomon Mikhoels, the theater's star actor and director from 1929 until 1949, is well known for his role in chairing the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee during World War II, and for becoming the first victim of Stalin's anti-Semitic purges with his 1948 execution, little research has been conducted on the theater to which he dedicated his life. Art and theater historians have evaluated the theater's aesthetic approach to selected productions, and Mikhoels's contemporaries have provided anecdotal glimpses into that artist's life by writing biographies of him, but there has not yet been an attempt to assess the theater's relationship to the state during its heyday or to place the theater within the context of Soviet culture of the 1920s.

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Articles
Information
Slavic Review , Volume 57 , Issue 2 , Summer 1998 , pp. 372 - 397
Copyright
Copyright © Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies. 1998

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References

I would like to thank Richard Stites, David Goldfrank, Catherine Evtuhov, Lynn Mally, Zvi Gitelman, and Rebecca Leitman for their helpful comments and suggestions. Earlier drafts of this paper were presented at the national convention of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, Washington, D.C., 26 October 1995, and at the Southern Conference on Slavic Studies, Mobile, Alabama, 18 March 1995.

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14. Efros, Abram, “Evreiskii teatr,”Teatr i muzyka, 28 November 1922, no. 9: 110–11.Google Scholar

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16. Chagall, Marc, My Life (New York, 1960), 159.Google Scholar

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18. Gosudarstvennyi teatral'nyi muzei im. A. A. Bakhrushina, rukopisnyi otdel (GTsTM), f. 584, d. 4 (Aleksandr Granovskii, “Nashi tseli i zadachi,” June 1919).

19. For a general discussion of god–building and millenarianism, see Stites, Revolutionary Dreams, 37–46; Clark, Petersburg, 30–38.

20. This claim, however, has never been fully established. See Zalmen Zylbercwaig, “Iz dos yidishe teater gegrindet in Berditshev losi gor in Konstantinopol?” Literarishe bleter, 24 February 1928, no. 8: 149–50; L. Dushman, “Iz dos yidishe teater gegrindet in Varshe?” Literarishe bleter, 30 March 1928, no. 13: 269.

21. Voskhod, 1900, no. 93: 14. See also, Voskhod, 1900, nos. 17, 36, 61; 1902, nos. 45–48; and Budushchnost', 1900, no. 28; 1901, no. 12; and 1902, no. 32.

22. Rossiiskii gosudarstvennyi arkhiv literatury i iskusstva (RGALI), f. 2307, op. 2, d. 529, 11.1–5 (founding principles of the Jewish Theatrical Society, July 1916).

23. For more on Jewish organic work in early nineteenth–century Russia, see Gassenschmidt, Christoph, Jewish Liberal Politics in Tsarist Russia, 1900–1914: The Modernization of Russian Jewry (New York, 1995).Google Scholar

24. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 530 (protocols of the Jewish Theatrical Society, 1916–1918), 1. 47.

25. Vovsi Mikhoels, Mon pere Salomon Mikhoels, 39.

26. GTsTM, f. 584, d. 7 (list of Granovskii's work, 1920–1930).

27. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 530, 11. 48–52.

28. Gosudarstvennyi arkhiv Rossiiskoi Federatsii (GA RF), f. 2306, op. 24, d. 510 (correspondence between Collegium of National Minorities and Theatrical Section of Commissariat of Enlightenment, October 1918–May 1919), 11.3–4.

29. GA RF, f. 2306, op. 24, d. 510, 1. 35.

30. For an explanation of this process, see Fitzpatrick, Sheila, The Commissariat of Enlightenment (Cambridge, 1970), 139–61.Google Scholar

31. For the Proletkul't, see Mally, Culture of the Future. For TRAM, see Mally, Lynn, “The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Youth Theater TRAM,” Slavic Review 51, no. 3 (Fall 1992): 411–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

32. Irina Avanesian, “Master,” Teatral'naia zhizn', May 1990, no. 10: 17.

33. GTsTM, f. 584, d. 4, 1. 1.

34. See, for instance, Mally, “The Soviet Youth Theater TRAM,” 415.

35. Liubomirskii, Mikhoels, 8.

36. GTsTM, f. 584, d. 128 (autobiography of Solomon Mikhoels).

37. GTsTM, f. 584, d. 129 (contract for E. B. Abramovich).

38. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 436 (posters, 1919–1923).

39. GTsTM, f. 584, d. 51 (Stroitel', a play by Solomon Mikhoels).

40. Rosenfeld, Lulla Adler, The Yiddish Theatre and Jacob P. Adler, 2d rev. ed. (New York, 1988), 101 Google Scholar. See also Kaufmann, Dalia, “Uriel Acosta le-Karl Gutzkov al ha bimah ha Yehudit (1881–1922),” in Altshuler, Mordechai, ed., Ha Teatron, 205–24.Google Scholar

41. Vovsi Mikhoels, Mon père Salomon Mikhoels, 28.

42. See Fitzpatrick, Commissariat of Enlightenment, 151. Thorpe, Richard G., “The Academic Theater and the Fate of Soviet Artistic Pluralism, 1919–1928,” Slavic Review 51, no. 3 (Fall 1992): 389–410.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

43. Efros, Abram and Tugendkhol'd, Iakov, Iskusstvo Marka Shagala (Moscow, 1918).Google Scholar

44. For the originals, see Aleichem, Sholem, Komedien, in Ale verk fun Sholem Aleichem, vol. 3, bk. 2 (New York, 1942), 135–68, 197–218Google Scholar. For Granovskii's version, see RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 176 (Dray pintelekh), 11. 11–23; RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 301 ( “Agenty “). For an English translation of Granovskii's version of Agents, see Marc Chagall and the Jewish Theater, 164–71.

45. Mikhoels, Solomon, Stati, besedy, rechi (Moscow, 1981), 152.Google Scholar

46. Zagorskii, Mikhoels, 14.

47. Clayton, Pierrot in Petrograd, 235.

48. For an analysis of the role of carnival in the Soviet Yiddish Theater, see Picon Vallin, Le thèâtre juif, 127–38.

49. See, for example, Iantarev, E, “Vecher Sholom Aleikhema,” Teatr i muzyka, 12 December 1922, no. 11: 236.Google Scholar

50. Vayter, A., Far tog (Wilna, 1922).Google Scholar

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52. Ibid., 1. 17.

53. For The Sorceress, see Avrom Gol'dfaden, Di kishufmakherin: Opereta in 5 akten un in 8 bilder (Warsaw, 1905)Google Scholar. For Granovskii's adaptation, see RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, dd. 299–300 (The Sorceress). For Two Hundred Thousand, see Sholem Aleichem, Dramatishe shriften, in Ale verk fun Sholem Aleichem, vol. 3, bk. 1, 151–256. For Granovskii's adaptation, see RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, dd. 302–3 (Two Hundred Thousand).

54. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 1, d. 98 (biographical data), 11. 7–23.

55. National Sound Archives of Israel, uncatalogued.

56. “Brambilla na bronnoi,” Pravda, 14 February 1923. See also “200, 000,” Izvestiia, 8 October 1923.

57. Sandrow, Nahma, Vagabond Stars: A World History of Yiddish Theater (New York, 1977), 238.Google Scholar

58. Gordon, “Granovskii's Tragic Comedy,” 92.

59. Ghelman, Jewish Nationality, 382.

60. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 15 (correspondence between Aleksandr Granovskii and the Commissariat of Enlightenment, 1921–1928), 11. 114–15; GTsTM, f. 584, d. 142 (protocols of the Jewish Theatrical Society, 22 December 1926).

61. RTsKhIDNI, f. 455, op. 1, d. 60, 11. 24–25, 57–58, 82.

62. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 12 (list of employees), 1. 16.

63. RTsKhIDNI, f. 455, op. 1, d. 60, 1. 42.

64. Ibid., 1. 52.

65. Ibid., 11. 45–46.

66. The Union of Artists was composed primarily of nonartistic workers from the former municipal and private theaters. See Thorpe, “Academic Theater,” 398–99.

67. RTsKhIDNI, f. 455, op. 1, d. 60, 1. 160.

68. Ibid., 1. 162.

69. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 26 (correspondence regarding the conflict between Goset and the trade union, 1926–1929), 11.14–18.

70. RTsKhIDNI, f. 455, op. 1, d. 183 (correspondence from the Jewish Section regarding Jewish theater, 1926–1927), 1. 65.

71. Thorpe, “Academic Theater,” 405–6.

72. Gitelman, Jewish Nationality, 330.

73. For recent evaluations of this play, see Gordon, “Granovskii's Tragic Comedy,” and Shmeruk, Rhone, “Ba–lailah ba shuk ha-yashan meat Y. L. Peretz be teatron ha Yehudi be Moskvah,” in Altshuler, Mordechai, ed., Ha-Teatron, 239–53.Google Scholar

74. Gordon, “Granovskii's Tragic Comedy,” 92–94.

75. P. A. Markov, “Noch’ na starom rynke v evreiskom teatre,” Pravda, 13 February 1925; Er., “Noch’ na starom rynke,” Izvestiia, 13 February 1925; V. B., “Noch’ na starom rynke,” Krasnaia gazeta (Leningrad), 11 September 1925; Simon Dreiden, “Noch’ na starom rynke,” Leningradskaia pravda, 12 December 1926.

76. Yidishn glikn, directed by Aleksandr Granovskii, Moscow, 1925 (film). Hoberman, Bridge of Light, 87–102.

77. RTsKhIDNI, f. 455, op. 1, d. 60, 1. 91; RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 15, 11. 18, 37–38.

78. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 26, 11. 1–2, 14–18.

79. Thorpe, “Academic Theater,” 396–97.

80. RTsKhIDNI, f. 455, op. 1, d. 60, 11. 139, 147, 170–73.

81. Ibid., 1. 172.

82. RTsKhIDNI, f. 455, op. 1, d. 183, 1. 136.

83. RTsKhIDNI, f. 455, op. 1, d. 60, 1. 178.

84. RTsKhIDNI, f. 455, op. 1, d. 183, 1. 93.

85. Ibid., 11. 94–95.

86. Ibid., 11. 97–98.

87. Ibid., 1. 10.

88. Ibid., 11. 2–4.

89. Ibid., 1. 5.

90. Ibid., 1. 142.

91. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 126 (137 kinder hoyzer), 1. 71.

92. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 26, 11. 28–29.

93. Moshe Litvakov, “Truadek,” Der emes, 5 February 1927.

94. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 450 (playbill). For an English translation of Mendele's original text, see Abramovitsh, S. Y. (Seorim, Mendele Moykher), Tales of Mendele the Book Peddler: Fishke the Lame and Benjamin the Third, ed. Miron, Dan and Frieden, Ken, trans. Gorelick, Ted and Halkin, Hillel (New York, 1996).Google Scholar

95. A. S. Lirik, “Izrael shpielt mit zayn shaten,” Haynt, 24 May 1928.

96. Grinval'd, Mikhoels, 42.

97. Moshe Litvakov, “In Moskver melukhishn yidishn teater dos tsente gebot,” Der emes, 3 February 1926; “Vegn tsvey oyfirungen,” Der ernes, 4 December 1927.

98. Reznik, Lipe, Oyfshtand (Kiev, 1928).Google Scholar

99. Moshe Goldblatt, “Der ufkum un umkum fun der yidisher teater kultur in sovetn–farband,” Moshe Goldblatt Papers, P–51/21 103, Diaspora Research Institute, Tel Aviv.

100. A. Gidion, “Kolonial'nye postanovki,” Sovremennyi teatr, 1927, no. 15.

101. Em. Beskin, “Vosstanie v Gosete,” Vecherniaia Moskva, 4 December 1927.

102. RGALI, f. 2307, op. 2, d. 26, 11. 28–29.

103. Ibid., 11. 37, 48.

104. Goldblatt, “Der ufkum,” 105.

105. Cited in Max Erlik, “Menakhem Mendl,” Shtern, 1935, nos. 5–6: 180–202 and no. 8: 82–90.

106. Liubomirskii, Mikhoels, 44.

107. I. Kruti, “Chelovek vozdukha,” Sovremennyi teatr, 1928, no. 15.

108. Sh. Shamis, “Mikhoels—Menakhem Mendel,” Der emes, 12 July 1929.

109. Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People, HM/2 7313 (correspondence of Commissariat of Enlightenment regarding Jewish theater, 1926–1928).

110. See Kuromiya, Hiroaki, Stalin's Industrial Revolution: Politics and Workers, 1928–1932 (Cambridge, Eng., 1988)Google Scholar; Rassweiler, Anne Dickason, The Generation of Power: The History of Dneprostroi (New York, 1988)Google Scholar; Siegelbaum, Lewis, Stakhanovism and the Politics of Productivity in the USSR, 1935–41 (Cambridge, Eng., 1988)Google Scholar. This theme is also shared by many of the articles in Fitzpatrick, Sheila, The Cultural Front: Power and Culture in Revolutionary Russia (Ithaca, 1992)Google Scholar; Rosenberg, William G. and Siegelbaum, Lewis H., eds., Social Dimensions of Soviet Industrialization (Bloomington, 1993)Google Scholar.