STEFAN ZWEIG'S RELATIONSHIP WITH GEORGIAN-FOREIGN CULTURES

Abstract

In the 20th century, several foreign writers and novelists emerged on the global literary stage, including Romain Rolland, Henri Barbusse, and Stefan Zweig. People avidly read about their works. In the realm of Georgian culture, the writings of Stefan Zweig (1881–1942) were widely read and appreciated. 1927 can be considered as the starting point for its translation into Georgian.

Stefan Zweig's works, such as "Amok" and "Fear," were initially translated from an intermediate language by Leli Japaridze (1895–1934). Later, Grigol Robakidze translated them directly from German, which sparked his profound interest in the life and work of the renowned Austrian writer. L. Japaridze's first translations ("Amok" and "Fear") were also criticized by Platon Kikodze in his publication "Stefan Zweig," ("Amok Translation by L. Japaridze, Publication "Shroma", Tbilisi, 1927). This criticism not only evaluated the quality of the translation from the Russian language but also questioned the work of the author himself, Stefan Zweig, labeling him as a "pure bourgeois and decadent" writer. However, this did not deter Georgian translators from undertaking the task of translating Stefan Zweig's work. His novels were translated. This process turned out to be especially important for the period after the 1940s of the 20th century. It was emphasized by notable individuals such as Vakhtang Betsukeli, Eliso Betsukeli, Otar Khutsishvili, Nona Kalandarishvili, Karlo Jorjaneli, and Archil Ebralidze. Interest in Stefan Zweig continues even in the 21st century. (Tinatin Didebulidze) The translations of Stefan Zweig have been added to the list of classic masterpieces published by the World Literature Series. Zweig's translations (Vol. 76 of the first series) were preceded by an extensive letter by Karlo Jorjaneli about the writer's work, titled "Boundless Humanism." After L. Japaridze's initial translation, Kote Marjanishvili's silent film "Amok" (1927) was released, which received a negative response from the critics of "Singer of the Proletariat."

Stefan Zweig's connection to personal meetings is linked to L. Tolstoy's centenary celebration of writers in Moscow. This was followed by T. Tabidze's "Days of Tolstoy" and Grigol Robakidze's letter of the same name in the "Mnotobi" magazine in 1928. Friendship started there, and the correspondence continued for years. The purpose of the article was not only to describe the history of publications and meetings, but also to present and analyze the reception process. This process was primarily influenced by the translations into the Georgian language, which led to the writer's popularization among generations of readers.

Keywords: Stefan Zweig, translations, reception, Grigol Robakidze.