A life dedicated to overcoming obstacles between peoples (on the centenary of literary critic Mihály Varga)
https://doi.org/10.26907/2782-4756-2026-84-2-249-257
Abstract
The article is dedicated to the centenary of the Hungarian Russianist Mihály Varga (1926–1997) who made a significant contribution to the study and promotion of Soviet-era Russian literature abroad. Based on archival sources, the article identifies key milestones in the Hungarian literary scholar’s biography. The article systematizes information about M. Varga’s scientific interests and highlights his key literary and methodological works. The Hungarian literary critic’s attention was focused on the period of the 1920s and 1930s. After defending his Ph.D. thesis on the genesis of the socialist realism method, M. Varga devoted his life to returning the literary heritage of this period to the reader. In the 1960s, the literary critic initiated the publication of a series of anthologies on key texts of Soviet literature and criticism. The literary critic focused on poetry, short fiction, and drama. The fate of the two-volume collection of criticism from the 1920s and 1930s was dramatic. The second volume, dedicated to writers’ groups, compiled jointly with bibliographer V. B. Kudryavtsev, remained unpublished. M. Varga carried out his work in close collaboration with academician D. S. Likhachev. In the 1980s, M. Varga initiated the development of a program to teach the history of Russian culture to a foreign-speaking audience. The circle of reviewers of this program allows us to outline the geography of the literary critic’s business contacts. The article proves that the body of educational and methodological literature for Russian as a Foreign Language, developed by M. Varga, is still relevant today.
About the Authors
M. M. Khabutdinova
Kazan Federal University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Khabutdinova Mileusha Mukhametsyanovna, Ph.D. in Philology, Associate Professor, Senior Researcher at the Research Center for Strategic Research in the Field of Native Languages and Cultures
18 Kremlyovskaya Str., Kazan, 420008
S. V. Lukoyanova
Kazan Federal University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Lukoyanova Svetlana Vitalevna, Assistant Professor
18 Kremlyovskaya Str., Kazan, 420008
References
1. Kiss, K. (1995). A magyarországi orosznyelvoktatás első korszaka (1849–1949) [The First Period of Teaching Russian in Hungary (1849–1949)]. 123 p. Debrecen, Kossuth Egyetemi Kiadó. (In Hungarian)
2. Papp, F. (1996). Neskol'ko slov o rusistike v Vengrii [A Few Remarks on Russian Studies in Hungary)]. Russian Linguistics. Vol. 20. No. 1, pp. 65–69. (In Russian)
3. Fedosov, V. A. (2015). Russkii yazyk v Vengrii. Nauchnye issledovaniya. [Russian Language in Hungary. Scientific Research]. 506 p. Budapest, Tolsztoj Társaság – Argumentum. (In Russian)
4. Lyavinec-Ugrin, M. (2019). K voprosu izucheniya istorii russkogo yazyka v Vengrii v XIX v. Nerazgadannyi K. A. Sabov [On Studying the History of the Russian Language in Hungary in the 19th Century. The Unsolved K. A. Sabov]. Slověne = Slovѣne. International Journal of Slavic Studies. Vol. 8. No. 1, pp. 284–327. (In Russian)
5. Paloshi, I., Hegedyush, I., Yasai, L. (2020). Russkoe yazykoznanie v Vengrii na rubezhe tysyacheletii: nauka i prepodavanie [Russian Linguistics in Hungary at the Turn of the Millennium: Science and Teaching]. Vestnik Nizhegorodskogo universiteta im. N. I. Lobachevskogo. No. 6, pp. 161–169. (In Russian)
6. Spiridonov, D. V. (2021). Russkaya literatura glazami trekh pokolenii vengerskikh rusistov [Russian Literature through the Eyes of Three Generations of Hungarian Russianists]. Izvestiya Ural'skogo federal'nogo universiteta. Ser. 2: Gumanitarnye nauki. T. 23. No. 1, pp. 307–315. https://doi.org/10.15826/izv2.2021.23.1.021. Rec. na kn.: Golosa russkoi filologii iz Budapeshta: literaturovedenie i yazykoznanie na kafedre russkogo yazyka i literatury Universiteta im. Loranda Ehtvesha. Pod red. K. Kroo (gl. red.), E. Bona. 274 p. Budapesht, Un-t im. Loranda Ehtvesha, 2018. (In Russian)
7. Kroó, K. and Bóna, E. (eds.) (2018). Golosa russkoi filologii iz Budapeshta: literaturovedenie i yazykoznanie na kafedre russkogo yazyka i literatury Universiteta im. Loranda Ehtvesha [Voices of Russian Philology from Budapest: Literary Criticism and Linguistics at the Department of Russian Language and Literature of Eötvös Loránd University]. 81 p. Budapesht, Pátria. (In Russian)
8. Gilyazov, A. (1986). Pri svete zarnits [In the Light of Summer Lightning]. Gilyazov A. Pri svete zarnits. Pp. 7−109. Kazan', Tat. knizhn. izd-vo. (In Russian)
9. Кhabutdinova, M. M. (2018). Vengerskii sled v zhizni i tvorchestve A. M. Gilyazova [The Hungarian Trace in the Life and Work of A. M. Gilyazov]. Filologicheskie nauki v MGIMO.No. 1, pp.104–112. (In Russian)
10. Varga, M. (1948). Avtobiografiya. 24.12.1948 [Autobiography. 24.12.1948]. Arkhiv KGU [Kazan State University Archive]. Lichnoe delo studenta M. Vargi. Rukopis’. Listy 1–2. (In Russian)
11. Studencheskii bilet M. Vargi №48–456. Data vydachi 01.09.1949 g. [Student Card of M. Varga No. 48–456. Date of issue 01.09.1949]. Arkhiv KGU. Lichnoe delo studenta M. Vargi. (In Russian)
12. Zachetnaya knizhka studenta Mikhail Vargi №48–456 [Record book of student Mikhail Varga No. 48–456]. Arkhiv KGU. Lichnoe delo studenta M. Vargi. (In Russian)
13. Fotoal'bom. Istoriko-filologicheskii fakul'tet KGU [Photo Album. Faculty of History and Philology of KSU]. Vypusk 1953 g. Lichnyi arkhiv M. Varga. (Vengriya, Budapesht). (In Russian)
14. Varga, M. (1976). Moe voskhozhdenie na Krasnuyu pozitsiyu [My Ascent to the Red Position]. Mashinopis' na rus.yaz. 2 l. Lichnyi arkhiv M. Varga. (Vengriya, Budapesht). (In Russian)
15. Fotografiya s odnokursnikom A. Karimullinym s darstvennoi nadpis'yu na rus. yaz. (20 marta 1953 g.) [A Photograph with Classmate A. Karimullin with a Dedicatory Inscription in Russian]. Lichnyi arkhiv M. Vargi. Kazan'. KGU. Kazan, KSU. (In Russian)
16. Fotografiya s docher'yu i poetom V. Bobretsovym (1982) [A Photograph with Daughter and Poet V. Bobretsov]. Lichnyi arkhiv M. Vargi. Leningrad. Personal archive of M. Varga. Leningrad. (In Russian)
17. Varga, M. (1958). Útközben. Galina Nyikolajeva regénye [On the Way. Galina Nikolaeva’s Novel]. Kortárs. No. 5, pp. 723–733. (In Hungarian)
18. Varga, M. (1958). Ütközet útközben. Gondolatok egy új szovjet regény olvasása közben [Battle on the Way. Thoughts while Reading a New Soviet Novel]. Kortárs. No. 5, pp. 723–733. (In Hungarian)
19. Varga, M. (1963). Új regény a “Csendes” Donról [A New Novel about the “Quiet” Don]. Nagyvilág. No. 5, pp. 776–778. (In Hungarian)
20. Varga, M. (1965). A “szocialista realizmus” fogalom kialakulása. Fogalomtörténeti vázlat: dokt. dis. [The Emergence of the Concept of “Socialist Realism”. A Conceptual-Historical Outline: Doctoral Thesis]. Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest). (In Hungarian)
21. Varga, M. (Ed.). (1967). Szovjet-orosz irodalmi szöveggyűjtemény (1917–1934): I–II [Soviet-Russian Literary Anthology (1917–1934): Vols. 1–2]. Tankönyvkiadó. (In Hungarian)
22. Varga, M. (1973). A “szocialista realizmus” fogalom kialakulásának kérdéseihez [On the Emergence of the Concept of “Socialist Realism”]. In M. Szabolcsi & L. Illés (Eds.), Meghallói a Törvényeknek. Tanulmányok a szocialista irodalom történetéből. No. 3, pp. 212–239. Akadémiai Kiadó. (In Hungarian)
23. Varga, M. (1977). Ot predystorii – k istorii. K voprosu ob obshchechelovecheskom znachenii Velikoi Oktyabr'skoi sotsialisticheskoi revoliutsii [From Prehistory to History. On the Universal Significance of the Great October Socialist Revolution]. Studia Slavica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. No. 23(3–4), pp. 245–272. (In Russian)
24. Varga, M. (1968). Мihail Bulgakov portretjaһoz [Portrait of Mikhail Bulgakov]. Kritika. No. 11, pp. 41–48. (In Hungarian)
25. Varga, M. (1980). Egy régi vita az író és a kor viszonyáról [An Old Debate about the Relationship between the Writer and the Era]. Helikon. No. 2, pp. 177–191. (In Hungarian)
26. Varga, M., Székely, N., & Szilárd, L. (1973). Russkaya poeziya sovetskoi epokhi [Russian Poetry of the Soviet Era]. 952 p. Tankönyvkiadó. (In Russian)
27. Varga, M., Székely, N., & Tétényi, M. (1975). Russkaya novellistika sovetskoi epokhi [Russian Short Stories of the Soviet Era]. 241 p. Tankönyvkiadó. (In Russian)
28. Varga, M., Székely, N., & Szilárd, L. (1978). Russkaya dramaturgiya sovetskoi epokhi [Russian Drama of the Soviet Era]. 712 p. Tankönyvkiadó. (In Russian)
29. Varga, M. (1982). Gorizonty kul'tury (K voprosu o smysle odnogo iz nachinanii vengerskikh rusistov) [Horizons of Culture (On the Meaning of One of the Undertakings of Hungarian Russianists)]. Studia Russica. T. 4/5, pp. 347–375. (In Russian)
30. Varga, M. (1982). Gorizonty kul'tury (K voprosu o smysle odnogo iz nachinanii vengerskikh rusistov) [Horizons of Culture (On the Meaning of One of the Initiatives of Hungarian Russian Scholars)]. Studia Russica, No. 4–5, pp. 347–375. (In Russian)
31. Varga, M. Új ég és új föld. Irodalmi élet SzovjetOroszországban 1917–1932. Válogatás a korszak irodalmi kiáltványaiból és irodalompolitikai dokumentumaiból [A New Heaven and a New Earth. Literary Life in Soviet Russia 1917–1932. Selection of Literary Manifestos and Literary-Political Documents of the Era]. Dr. Varga Mihály emlékoldal. https://vargamihalyarchivum.wordpress.com/uj-eg-es-ujfold/ (accessed: 12.04.2026). (In Hungarian)
32. Fedosov, V. A., Varga, M. (1993). Nekotorye voprosy russkogo i vengerskogo narodnogo yazykoznaniya [Some Issues of Russian and Hungarian Folk Linguistics]. In K. Kinga (Ed.), Harmadik Magyar Alkalmazott Nyelvészeti Konferencia (pp. 395–400). Miskolci Egyetem. Pp. 395–400. (In Russian)
33. Kudryavtsev, V. B., & Varga, M. (1985). Pisatel'skie organizatsii i gruppirovki. 1917–1932 [Writers’ Organizations and Groupings. 1917–1932]. Pisatel'skie organizatsii i gruppirovki. 1917–1932. RO IRL RAN (Pushkinskii Dom). Lichnyi fond V. B. Kudryavtseva. Rukopis'. 1985. [Kolichestvo listov / stranits ustanavlivaetsya de visu]. (In Russian)
34. Likhachev, D. S. (1985). Otzyv o knige: Varga M. Russkaya poeziya sovetskoi epokhi: 1917–1967 [Review of the Book: Varga M. Russian Poetry of the Soviet Era: 1917–1967]. Sb. khudozh. Tekstov. M. Varga, N. Sekei, L. Silard; red. M. Varga. 1973. RO IRL RAN (Pushkinskii Dom). Lichnyi fond V. B. Kudryavtseva. Rukopis'. L. 518. (In Russian)
35. Studia Russica. Vol. IX. Spetsial'nyi vypusk. Kul'tura (1986) [Special Issue. Culture]. 525 p. Budapest, Budapeshtskii universitet im. L. Ehtvesha. (In Russian)
36. Bobretsov, V. (2013). Vtoraya rapsodiya (pamyati Mikhaia Vargi) [The Second Rhapsody (In Memory of Mihaly Varga)]. In V. Bobretsov. Eto samoe. Izbrannye stikhotvoreniya. Pp. 145–148. Helikon Plus. (In Russian)
37. Varga, Z. (2016). Dr. Varga Mihály. Irodalomtörténész, közéleti személyiség [Dr. Mihaly Varga. A Literary Historian and Public Figure]. Pp. 12–13. Hírnök, (Május–június). (In Hungarian)
38. Belyaev, N. S. (2022). Sobranie V. B. Kudriavtseva v fonde Otdela Biblioteki Rossiiskoi akademii nauk pri Institute russkoi literatury RAN [The Collection of V. B. Kudriavtsev in the Fund of the Department of the Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences at the Institute of Russian Literature of the RAS]. Nauka i biblioteka. No. 4, pp. 139–147. (In Russian)
39. Pamyati Vladimira Borisovicha Kudryavtseva (2021, April 8) [In Memory of Vladimir Borisovich Kudryavtsev]. Institut russkoi literatury (Pushkinskii Dоm) RАS. URL: https://pushkinskijdom.ru/2021/04/08/pamyati-vladimira-borisovicha-kudryavtseva/ (accessed: 18.05.2026). (In Russian)
40. Likhachev, D. S. (1974). Ob obshchestvennoi otvetstvennosti literaturovedeniya [On the Social Responsibility of Literary Criticism]. Kontekst-1973, pp. 7–8. (In Russian)
41. Nad', I. (1997). Mikhai Varga (1926–1997) [Mihai Varga]. Studia Russica. XVI. Pp. 377–374. (In Russian)
Review
For citations:
Khabutdinova M.M., Lukoyanova S.V. A life dedicated to overcoming obstacles between peoples (on the centenary of literary critic Mihály Varga). Philology and Culture. 2026;(2):249-257. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.26907/2782-4756-2026-84-2-249-257
Views:
35
JATS XML
Email this article 