Re: [Cz-L] GQ magazine: "Chernovtsy was a kind of notorious backwater"

Mimi,

you are absolutely right: Czernowitz was definitely not a backwater in
1910 or 1930, nor was it in 1970 or 1980. The Philharmonic seasons
were extensive and rich, with at least several top world class
musicians (including David Oistrakh, Leonid Kogan, Emil Gilels,
Svyatoslav Rikhter among many others) performing every year. Local
musicians and the city theater were quite good too. Some of the best
theaters from Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev and other cities were bringing
parts of their repertoire every summer. Many distinguished scientists
with international reputation worked at the university and the
medical school. Chernovtsy was a popular filming destination for
Soviet movie industry. Etc., etc.

However, this entire discussion is somewhat beyond the point. The
quote in my original posting did not compare Chernovtsy with Cernauti
or Czernowitz. It reads: "in Soviet context, Chernovtsy was a kind of
notorious backwater", i.e., it states that Chernovtsy was a "notorious
backwater", compared to other Soviet cities. And this is simply and
plainly not true.

Iosif

On Tue, Nov 29, 2011 at 10:52 AM, Miriam Taylor <mirtaylo_at_indiana.edu> wrote:
> Czernowitz in 1910 or 1930 was definitely not a backwater. A backwater
> is a place in which none or few of the newest cultural developments occur
> or are noticed.
> Had Czernowitz been a backwater, Huberman would not have given
> a performance in it. The math Dept. at the university would not have
> included highly acclaimed mathematicians. Joe Lewis would not have visited.
> The first congress about the Yiddish language would not have been held in
> it.
> World renown poets, sculptors and scientists would not have lived or been
> born
> and received their early education in it. I mean: Paul Celan, Eminescu,
> Chargaff,
> Porumbescu, Reder, Rizzori, etc.
>
> Mimi

-snip-
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Received on 2011-11-29 12:30:31