Futurians

The Futurians were an influential group of science fiction fans, editors and authors, which existed from 1938 to 1945. The Futurians came mainly from New York City and had a great influence on the development of science-fiction literature and science fiction fandom.

Origins

According to Isaac Asimov's autobiography, In Memory Yet Green, the Futurians of the Greater New York Science Fiction Club split (then chaired by Sam Moskowitz ), because the Futurians advocated a more open political setting. Other sources indicate that Donald A. Wollheim strongly made ​​for a stronger left-wing setting of fan culture, which Moskowitz refused. Then left Wollheim the Greater New York Science Fiction Club and founded the Futurians, while others under Moskowitz founded the Queens Science Fiction Club.

Frederik Pohl wrote in his autobiography The Way the Future Which in turn, that the origins of Futurians were in the Science Fiction League, which was a subset of the Brooklyn Science Fiction League ( BSFL ). Wollheim, John Michel and Robert AW Lowdes were also members of the BSFL. Together with Pohl they called themselves the " Quadrumvirat ". Pohl commented that time with the words: " The four of us walked from Brooklyn to the sea, leaving a wide swath of burned clubs behind us. We changed the clubs as often as were changed in Detroit car tailfins, ... " ( " we four Marched from Brooklyn to the sea, leaving a wide scar of burned out clubs behind us. Clubs We changed the way Detroit tailfins changes, ... ").

There were different names for these clubs until finally the Futurians were founded. In 1935, the East New York Science Fiction League ( ENYSFL ) was founded, later the Independent League for Science Fiction ( ILSS ). The International Cosmos Science Club ( ICSC ) in 1936 was lifted out of the eaves, the Will Sykora also belonged.

Pohl commented that " probably took in retrospect Cosmos slightly more space than was justified, so we changed the name to International Scientific Association (it was not international, but on the other hand it was not scientific ) ." The ISA was then renamed New York Branch International Scientific Association ( NYB - ISA).

In 1937, after Will Sykora and others had left the club, the members went out to establish the Futurians. Will Sykora then founded with Sam Moskowitz and James V. Taurasi the Queens Science Fiction League. Later, the QSFL was renamed New fandom. Pohl said, New fandom and the Futurians were " addicted to conflict ," and " ever fought neither the CIA nor the KGB have so valiantly for the soul of a young state, like New fandom and the Futurians done it for the science fiction have " ("No CIA KGB nor ever wrestled so valiantly for the soul of an emerging nation as New fandom and the Futurians did for science fiction" ).

Most group members also had professional interests within the science-fiction and related fields. At a time in the early 1940s were almost half of all editors, issued the science fiction and fantasy magazines in the United States, a member of the Futurians:

  • Frederik Pohl at Fictioneers, Inc. ( with Astonishing Stories and Super Science Stories )
  • Robert Lowndes at Columbia Publications ( known for science fiction and Future Fiction )
  • Donald Wollheim at Albing Publications ( with the magazines Cosmic Stories and Stirring Science Stories )

Many of these magazines had therefore directed only low budgets and had to text donations from other Futurians.

Political inclinations

While the Futurians were founded, Donald Wollheim was strong communism devoted and believed science fiction supporters " should actively work for the realization of the scientific world state as the only real justification for their activities and existence " ( "should Actively work for the realization of the scientific world -state as the only genuine justification for their activities and existence " ). This was for Wollheim also the reason to found the Futurians, and many of its members had some interest in political use of science-fiction literature.

Therefore, the association comprised supporters of Trotskyism as Merril, and others who were ranked extremely far left of that time as ( Pohl was from 1936 to 1939 member of the Communist Party). On the other hand, there was also moderate or apolitical members, and with James Blish even a possibly right-wing author. Damon Knight suggests in his book "The Futurians " that Blish regarded fascism as interesting theory at the time. Solidere evidence, the fact that Blish was an admirer of the work of Oswald Spengler.

Members of the Futurians ( not exhaustive )

  • Isaac Asimov
  • Elise Balter (also known as Elsie Wollheim )
  • James Blish
  • Hannes Bok
  • Daniel Burford
  • Chester Cohen
  • Rosalind Cohen
  • Harry Dockweiler (aka Dirk Wylie )
  • Jack Gillespie
  • Virginia Kidd
  • Cyril M. Kornbluth
  • Mary Byers (also known as Mary Kornbluth )
  • Walter Kubilius
  • David Kyle
  • Herman Leventman
  • Robert A. W. Lowndes
  • Judith Merril
  • John Michel
  • Frederik Pohl
  • Leslie Perri, a pseudonym for Doris " Doe" Baumgardt
  • Jack Rubinson
  • Arthur W. Saha
  • Larry T. Shaw
  • Richard Wilson
  • Donald A. Wollheim
List of science fiction authors Central Intelligence Agency
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