Hemingway in Soviet Latvia: A Study of Cultural Memory and Ideological Translation

• In Event: Guilt and Responsibility: Memory Politics and Cultural Transfer in Soviet and Post-Soviet Culture

Abstract

This presentation re-examines the translation of Ernest Hemingway’s works in Soviet Latvia, focusing on how these translations served as a complex interplay of cultural memory and ideological adaptation. Hemingway, known for his stark portrayals of human struggle and existential themes, offered Soviet censors both challenges and opportunities. This study delves into the Soviet strategies of literary selection, modification, and the promotion of Hemingway’s works as they navigated the tightrope of allowing Western cultural artifacts while enforcing ideological conformity. By analyzing the reception and interpretation of Hemingway’s narratives in Soviet Latvia, this paper highlights how translations were manipulated to reinforce or reshape collective memories, aligning foreign texts with domestic ideological goals yet inadvertently fostering a dialogue with Western notions of individuality and moral responsibility.

Author

• Evita Badina, Daugavpils U (Latvia)