Celestial Bliss and Earthly Brutality
In the tumultuous years following the 1917 Russian Revolution, criticism of literary works was not uncommon. One such instance involved Semjon Budjonny, a military leader, and Isaak Babel, a prominent Russian Jewish writer, over Babel's book "Red Cavalry." Budjonny expressed his disapproval in an open letter to Maxim Gorky in 1928 [1].
However, Babel's life took a tragic turn during Stalin's Great Purge in 1939. On May 15, he was arrested by the Soviet secret police, the NKVD, on fabricated charges of terrorism and espionage [1]. His arrest and subsequent execution on January 27, 1940, occurred amidst the brutal purges of the 1930s, during which thousands of intellectuals, writers, and perceived political enemies were falsely accused, arrested, and often executed or sent to labour camps [2].
Babel, best known for Red Cavalry and Odessa Stories, fell victim to the widespread atmosphere of fear and repression orchestrated by Stalin's regime, particularly under the NKVD's expansive powers after its reorganisation in the mid-1930s. His charges were completely fabricated, a common tactic used during the purges to eliminate dissent or those considered politically suspect without legitimate evidence [1][2].
Gorky, who later wrote that Babel had been poorly read and not understood, defended Babel against Budjonny's criticism. Maxim Gorky stated that he could not share Budjonny's opinion of "Red Cavalry" and protested against Budjonny's assessment of Babel [1].
Babel's works, often short, featured lovers, warriors, poor Jews, criminals, rogues, and dreamers. His stories described war, pogroms, and the processes of agricultural collectivization with fantastical brevity and precision [1]. Despite Budjonny's allegations that Babel made up stories, smeared his dirt over their best commanders, and lied, Babel was, in fact, a poet among prose writers, known for his romantic style, wit, and irony [1].
Budjonny claimed that Babel hung around the army's "backyards" and only told "women's gossip," dealt in "women's stuff," and reported with "feminine horror" on the actions of hungry Red Army men. He also accused Babel of not accurately portraying the glorious deeds and victories of his men, stating that Babel could not have been an active soldier of the Red Cavalry [1].
Despite the unfounded accusations, no credible evidence supports the charges against Babel, and his execution is considered a miscarriage of justice reflective of the era's political terror. His fate is emblematic of the thousands who suffered similarly during Stalin’s purges, underlining the Soviet regime's brutal suppression of dissent through false accusations and assassination [1][2].
Two volumes of Babel's works, "Wandering Stars" and "My Tavern," have been edited by Urs Heftrich and Bettina Kaibach and translated by Bettina Kaibach and Peter Urban [1]. These works serve as a testament to Babel's talent and the injustice he faced, reminding us of the importance of freedom of speech and the dangers of political repression.
References: [1] Heftrich, Urs, and Bettina Kaibach, eds. Isaak Babel: Collected Stories. New York: Vintage, 2015. [2] Getty, Robert W., ed. The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression. New York: A HarperCollins Publishers Book, 1999.
In the span of Babel's life, his works, encompassing themes of lifestyle, love, and war, were subjects of both literary criticism and unjust political repression. Semjon Budjonny, in 1928, expressed his disapproval over Babel's book "Red Cavalry" in an open letter, but Babel's talent was further showcased in books such as "Wandering Stars" and "My Tavern," edited and translated by Urs Heftrich and Bettina Kaibach.
