Romain Rolland (1866–1944) was a famous French writer, public figure, playwright, and musicologist. In his youth, he prepared himself to study the history of music. He released several musicological monographs. He began his literary career as a playwright. During the First World War, he actively collaborated in European pacifist organizations and wrote a large number of anti-war articles. In 1915 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for ‘a tribute to the lofty idealism of his literary production and to the sympathy and love of truth with which he has described different types of human beings.’
He enthusiastically supported the 1917 revolution in Russia. From the 1920s onward, he was in touch with Maxim Gorky. At that time Rolland was living in the small Swiss town of Villeneuve. Konstantin Fedin was in Switzerland in 1932, where he received treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis. Gorky, who helped Fedin get treatment at a Davos sanatorium, suggested he meet with Rolland. In a letter dated 9 April 1932, he wrote to Fedin: ‘…I wrote to Rolland to invite you and I will be very glad if this meeting takes place. For some reason, I think that between you and Rolland there are – apart from a common ideological mindset – also subjectively similar features and that your meeting with him will be pleasant and useful for both of you''.
He enthusiastically supported the 1917 revolution in Russia. From the 1920s onward, he was in touch with Maxim Gorky. At that time Rolland was living in the small Swiss town of Villeneuve. Konstantin Fedin was in Switzerland in 1932, where he received treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis. Gorky, who helped Fedin get treatment at a Davos sanatorium, suggested he meet with Rolland. In a letter dated 9 April 1932, he wrote to Fedin: ‘…I wrote to Rolland to invite you and I will be very glad if this meeting takes place. For some reason, I think that between you and Rolland there are – apart from a common ideological mindset – also subjectively similar features and that your meeting with him will be pleasant and useful for both of you''.
A meeting took place between the writers on 18 May 1932. Rolland made a big impression on Fedin. The verbal portrait created by Fedin in the article Meetings with Romain Rolland coincides very well with the writer’s photographic portrait: ‘… his eyes drawn you to them – his big prominent eyes are so transparent and light blue as a child’s. Their gentle softness combines with a coldness that can appear almost of a sudden. Then it is clear that the pain of this parchment-like, narrow face seems that it would be just as calm, … thin, as an ascetic’s, as concentrated as the face of an investigator. It is unusually mobile. When Rolland speaks, every thought finds its subtle plastic expression on him.’
Fedin wrote an article about this meeting for the newspaper Izvestia published on 13 July 1932. However, the editorial staff distorted some things in the article, which Fedin wrote about in his diary on July 24: ‘The other day – Izvestia, with a distorted story about Rolland. I wrote about this to Maria Pavlovna Kudasheva. It turns out that Rolland is not receiving newspapers now, and M.P. has asked to have the article sent to her. I sent it with the omissions. I was enraged by the shamelessness of our editors’.
Fedin wrote an article about this meeting for the newspaper Izvestia published on 13 July 1932. However, the editorial staff distorted some things in the article, which Fedin wrote about in his diary on July 24: ‘The other day – Izvestia, with a distorted story about Rolland. I wrote about this to Maria Pavlovna Kudasheva. It turns out that Rolland is not receiving newspapers now, and M.P. has asked to have the article sent to her. I sent it with the omissions. I was enraged by the shamelessness of our editors’.
