Gerangl: 1917-1929 (Struggle)

Kharkiv: Tsentrfarlag, 1929. First edition. Hardcover. vg to vg+. Octavo. 297pp. [7]. Original illustrated blue-green, yellow and black paper boards with white lettering on the covers. Separate Yiddish and Russian-language covers. This massive collection of poetry by the acclaimed Russian Yiddish-language novelist, children's writer and poet Leib Kvitko (1890-1952) is comprised of a total of 134 individual poems, organized into three "books" in six parts. The collection was published during what is considered the poet's most productive period while living in Kharkiv with his family, and includes a final controversial cycle of of 7 poems titled "Sharzun" (Exaggerations) in which he sharply criticizes a numbers of fellow Yiddish literary and leftist cultural figures, including Moyshe Litvakov. This controversy (often referred to as the Kvitko Affair) begins the period of cultural campaigns against Kvitko and his work and a falling out between him and more conformist elements in the Soviet Union. This in turn marks the beginning of his more outspoken anti-authoritarian work. He infamously was a target and executed along with a number of other prominent members of the Soviet-Jewish literary community (also fellow members of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee) by Stalinist authorities during the events known as the "Night of the Murdered Poets" in 1952. A full table of contents and publisher's ads are at the rear.

Text throughout in Yiddish, with an additional cover in Russian.

The covers have been professionally restored along some cracks and creases. Minor rubbing along edges and some minor cracking along the hinge of the spine on the Russian cover remain. Interior with minor age toning to pages throughout. Binding in very good, interior in very good+ condition overall. Protected in modern mylar. Scarce. Yiddish title: געראנגל
Author: קוויטקא, לייב.