Sovremennik (Contemporary), journal

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SOVREMENNIK (The Contemporary), a literary (from 1859 literary and political) journal, founded by Alexander Pushkin, who published the first four issues under his editorship (re-printed in 1988), appeared in 1836-66 (until 1843 - four times a year, afterwards - monthly). After his death V. А. Zhukovsky took over its publishing with the revenue going to the poet's [Pushkin] family. In 1838 the journal was acquired by P. A. Pletnev, gradually loosing its writership and subscribers. In 1846 Nikolay Nekrasov along with I. I. Panaev acquired the publishing rights (with A. V. Nikitenko as official editor). From 1847 Sovremennik's orientation was much dominated by works of the natural school representatives; in 1847-48 Belinsky claimed the leading role as the journal's critic, in the later 1840s - early 1850s it was A. V. Druzhinin who took up the part. Among others А. I. Herzen, Ivan Turgenev, I. А. Goncharov, Leo Tolstoy, А. F. Pisemsky, I. S. Nikitin contributed to the Sovremennik. From the mid-1850s the journal published works of N. G. Chernyshevsky and N. A. Dobrolyubov (who from 1858 acted as co-editors), whose articles had much of an impact on the journal's orientation (it was also the time when Druzhinin, Tolstoy, Turgenev, D.V. Grigorovich, A.N. Ostrovsky abandoned Sovremennik, being replaced by writers-shestidesyatniki (the 60s' generation) А. I. Levitov, V. А. Sleptsov, N. G. Pomyalovsky, G. I. Uspensky et al.). In the late 1850s - early 1860s the Sovremennik was much sought after within the radically-minded intelligentsia and youth (in 1857-61 its circulation went from 3,000 to 7,000 copies), and was continuously harassed by the censor. In 1862 the publication of Sovremennik was suspended for eight months. Upon its resumption М. Е. Saltykov-Shchedrin (in 1864 replaced by Y. G. Zhukovsky), М. А. Antonovich, G. Z. Eliseev, А. N. Pypin entered the editorial board. In April of 1866 the Sovremennik was closed after D. V. Karakozov's assassination attempt on Emperor Alexander II. The Otechestvennye zapiski journal succeeded the Sovremennik. The editorial office in 1847-57 was located at 19 Fontanka River Embankment; in 1857-66 - in Nekrasov's flat (36 Liteiny Avenue).

References: Евгеньев-Максимов В. Е. Современник в 40-50 гг.: От Белинского до Чернышевского. Л., 1934; Его же. Современник при Чернышевском и Добролюбове. Л., 1936; Евгеньев-Максимов В. Е., Тизенгаузен Г. Ф. Последние годы Современника, 1863-1866. Л., 1939.

A. B. Muratov. Alexander II, Emperor
Antonovich Maxim Alexeevich
Belinsky Vissarion Grigorievich
Chernyshevsky Nikolay Gavrilovich
Dobrolyubov Nikolay Alexandrovich
Druzhinin Alexander Vasilievich
Eliseev Grigory Zakharovich
Goncharov Ivan Alexandrovich
Grigorovich Dmitry Vasilievich
Herzen Alexander Ivanovich
Karakozov Dmitry Vladimirovich
Levitov Alexander Ivanovich
Nekrasov Nikolay Alexeevich
Nikitenko Alexander Vasilievich
Nikitin Ivan Savvich
Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolaevich
Panaev Ivan Ivanovich
Pisemsky Alexey Feofilaktovich
Pletnev Peter Alexandrovich
Pomyalovsky Nikolay Gerasimovich
Pushkin Alexander Sergeevich
Pypin Alexander Nikolaevich
Saltykov-Shchedrin (real name Saltykov) Mikhail Evgrafovich
Sleptsov Vasily Alexeevich
Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich, Count
Turgenev Ivan Sergeevich
Uspensky Gleb Ivanovich
Zhukovsksy Yuly Galaktionovich
Zhukovsky Vasily Andreevich
Fontanka River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 19
Liteiny Ave/Saint Petersburg, city, house 36
Евгеньев-Максимов В. Е. "Современник" в 40-50 гг.: От Белинского до Чернышевского. Л., 1934
Евгеньев-Максимов В. Е., Тизенгаузен Г. Ф. Последние годы "Современника", 1863-1866. Л., 1939
Евгеньев-Максимов В. Е. "Современник" при Чернышевском и Добролюбове. Л., 1936 1836
1846
1863
1866