Moscow-Petushki

The trip to Petuschki (Russian Москва - Петушки, literally " Moscow - Petuschki " ) is the best known literary work of Russian writer Venedikt Erofeev (scientific transliteration: Venedikt Erofeev ). It was written, according to final notice " in the telephone cable laying in Sheremetyevo " in the fall of 1969. It was first published in the Israeli magazine Ami 1973. The first edition in German was published in 1978 by Piper Verlag.

The author himself described his work as " Poem " is actually a proper genus assignment difficult. For the casual observer is the work of a train during the act becoming increasingly drunken protagonist Venedikt ( " Wenja " ) Erofeev dar.

Content

Action

The framework of the story is a day in the life of the author with the same name alcoholic and narrator Venedikt ( " Wenja " ) Erofeev, in which he tried using a suburban train from Kursk station living at his in the small town Petuschki ( Vladimir oblast ) to reach loved ones. In the course of this schedule, the protagonist gets drunk rapidly, and so are the descriptions always surreal. During the trip, historical figures and at the end appear increasingly also monstrous mythical creatures (like Greek Sphinx). Finally, seemingly apocalyptic darkness lowers down, and Wenja who sits unnoticed after the turmoil of the entry and exit at one of the stations on the wrong train, moves back to Moscow. At the start of the trip arrived back, now completely bewildered hero is attacked by four grim -looking figures, brutally abused and loses his consciousness forever.

People

All persons appearing seem to be alcoholics or at least to consume alcohol and dahinzusiechen in the drabness of the Soviet wasteland. The reader they encounter exclusively by Wenja itself, whether through memories or his monolog liable descriptions. The mistress of the hero emerged as illusion -like presentation on his thoughts and through their inaccessibility symbolically the coming communist paradise absurdity.

Form

In the collage-like text both party slogans as well as allusions to art, and in particular the European literature and music are to find, the Christian Bible is often quoted. Form and content faces the reader to an extraordinarily complex and bizarre plant faced, which grants him a deep insight into the mind of the protagonist; Indeed, the reader exits from this at any time. In his mental monologues of alcoholics also describes in a humorous way the Soviet system.

Reception

The work was spread over the samizdat ( private, illegal copying and distribution of copies after the Ponzi scheme ). It was one of the most popular works of Russian underground literature dar. It was officially released for the first time in the Israeli magazine Ami in 1973, followed by translations into French (1976 ), and in German (1978) and into English (1980).

In 2005 was published by Kein & Aber retransmission from Russian into German. The translator Peter Urban laid primarily on the scientifically correct translation and interpretation worth. This is evidenced, for example, a detailed commentary, an extensive afterword, and a brief biographical note of the author. This new translation is, however, aroused controversy. Thus, a criticism, among other things, that " Mrs. Spitz [Note: translator of the first version ] know where a point belongs, to the end of the block Maybe they formulated less faithfully, but in any case original than Urban. ".

Monument

In Moscow, stands on the site of the battle ( Ploshchad Borby, near the intersection of Ulitsa Dostojewskowo and Nowosuschtschewskaja uliza ) a monument to the novel, which was designed by the artists Valery Kuznetsov and Sergei Manzerew.

On the one hand we see a man clinging to a railroad sign that says "Moscow". On the base there is the inscription: " After all, you can even give nothing to the opinion of someone who has not yet come to drink clear his head! "

On the other hand, there is a young woman at a railroad sign with the words " Petuschki ". This is to be read: "In Petuschki never faded jasmine and never silenced the birds singing. "

Expenditure

• Москва - Петушки. In: Ami. No. 3, 1973

• Venedikt Erofeev: The Journey to Petuschki. A Poem. From the Russian by Natasha Spitz. Piper, Munich / Zurich 1978, ISBN 3-492-02363-0; 12th edition: ibid 2008, ISBN 3-492-20671-9.
• Venedikt Erofeev: Moscow Petuški. A Poem. Newly translated and with commentary by Peter Urban. Kein & Aber, Zurich 2005, ISBN 3-0369-5141-5.

• Venedikt Erofeev: The Journey to Petuschki. Recorded live on January 27, 1998 at the House of Literature Hamburg. Read by Robert Gernhardt Harry Rowohlt, Josef Bilous. Translation: Natasha Spitz. Directed and Edited by: Katarina and Peter Blarer Chaag. 4 CDs. Kein & Aber, Zurich 1998, ISBN 3-906547-70-1.