The Orange Circle Literary Brigade and the Literary Movement of Chelyabinsk in the Late 1930s

This article considers the short period of existence Orange Circle literary brigade in Chelyabinsk (1939–1940). Sharing belief building communism, team developed outside Union Soviet Writers and relied on aesthetics Silver Age their work. was probably due to influence its leader Alexey Bykov, a writer who began his career St Petersburg early twentieth century published novel Thistle (1907). Unfortunately, lack publications loss manuscripts, as well scarce number archival materials make it difficult reconstruct social practices group. However, very fact appearance such an “alternative” association era Stalinism provincial town with meager sociocultural base which received impulse for development only during first five-year plans gives rise scholarly reflection. The birth took place history USSR, had embarked unprecedented path socialism. inconsistency process institutionalisation new system gave previously unfamiliar conflicts at all levels, were especially acute artistic environment. author demonstrates that over many years, branch able organise full-fledged frequent change leadership, including repression members, reorganisation management Union’s branches, predominance non-professional authors, shortage “old” personnel, editors, interaction between writers regional authorities, scarcity pre-revolutionary tradition, poverty prose poets, beginners often used this structure selfish purposes.