Literary Journal 2021/1. László Németh

On the occasion of the 120^th birth anniversary of László Németh, writer of prose, essays, plays and literary translations, Literary Journal has undertaken to present the rich oeuvre of the author.

László Németh’s creative career is marked by six novels, more than twenty dramas and numerous literary translations, as well as several notable essays that have fuelled significant ideological or literary debates. As a result of these debates, there have often been attempts to stigmatise him, to confine him in the most diverse political pigeonholes, and this has prevented the development of a genuine image of the author.

The aim of the compilation is therefore to give our readers the opportunity to create an authentic portrait of László Németh, in the course of which they can put the individual pieces of the author’s portrait into place, taking into account his true intellectual character.

The editors of the journal talked to three literary historians about the author’s oeuvre: Andrea Ekler was interviewed about Németh’s literary and cultural approach, Imre Monostori discussed his aesthetic perception and critical career, while László Füzi was asked about the philological interests of the author’s oeuvre and the activities of the László Németh Society.

In addition to the analyses of his works, they also include articles on László Németh’s Transylvanian-themed dramas, his conception of Central Europe, his relationship to the so-called ‘népi’ (populist) writers, his ideas on 1956 and his travels in the Soviet Union.

Under the title Inspired by László Németh, poets and literary historians wrote short essays about their thoughts on the author and his life’s work. The issue is illustrated with contemporaneous photographs and works by artists dear to the writer and his family.