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The First Publication of the Short Story “Science of Hatred” by M.A.Sholokhov Has Turned 70

On June, 22, the short story “Science of Hatred” by M.A.Sholokhov has turned 70 since its first publication. It was published in the newspaper “Pravda” (No 173, June, 22, 1942) on the first anniversary of the war.

Next day the short story was published in the “Krasnaya Zvezda”(No 145,June,23,1942). Later “Science of Hatred” appeared in the journal “Politprosvetrabota” (Nos 21-22, 1942) and was issued in pamphlet form in the series “Biblioteka “Ogonyok”. The booklets spread around the front. In  general, during the war the story was reprinted dozens of times.

In its artistic form “Science of Hatred” is a story in a story. The work is based on real life events of a war veteran Zinovy Yakovlevich Ferdman, who told about the hardships of war, ordeals suffered by him in the German Nazi captivity. But the writer used a fictitious name for his hero as he did not want to lock in a private destiny.

The image of lieutenant Viktor Gerasimov is one of the first generalized images in the literature of the war period. Love for the Motherland and hatred for the enemy are the main characters of Gerasimov. M.A. Sholokhov psychologically finely traces, how indomitable hatred is born and grows in the heart of the Soviet man and how, simultaneously with it, a sense of filial love for his Motherland gets stronger.

Sholokhov compares Gerasimov, aged 32, grey-haired, to a mighty oak. The lieutenant is broken down by all he has suffered, but his life force is not broken. And so is the entire nation possessing the greatest vitality and strength.

Sholokhov worked over the short story “Science of Hatred” in Kamyshin early in June of 1942. It was the time, when our Army fought against the German Nazi at the Caucasus, Stalingrad fought up to the last-ditch, Leningrad was overwhelmed by blockade, long-suffering Rzhev was bleeding. With strict accuracy the author described the most important thing in the world view of the Soviet people that summer: “…They have really learned how to fight, to hate and to love. On such a whetstone as war, all feelings are perfected… I utterly abhor the fascists for all they have caused for my Country and personally for me, and at the same time I love my people with all my heart and do not want them to suffer under the fascist yoke… It is these two  feelings put into effect, that will bring us the victory…”.

Very quickly the work was highly appreciated. The line from the story “…We always carry our hatred on tops of our bayonets”, became a catch phrase and it was repeated like a password all through the war years.

Alexander Fadeyev called  the story “Science of Hatred” an important enrichment of the literature, where a successful and deepest image of the new man is given. He underlined, that “The short story is reprinted by a number of newspapers. This is not only a policy of war and life, but it is a well-known figure in our literary life. So, the time for it has come”.

Poet N.Tikhonov noted a great popularity of the short story:  ”Science of Hatred” was read by the whole Army, and our Army today is armed people”. A veteran of the Great Patriotic war A.Y.Bogodyuk wrote in his letter to M.A.Sholokhov: “I personally listened to my brothers-soldiers  reading  your “Science of Hatred” in the intervals between battles and campaigns”. The work is not big,  but  what a great force of effect it has!...”.

In his  short  story ”Science of  Hatred” M.Sholokhov gave a complete and comprehensive revealing of the soul of Russian man – his national honour, dignity, courage, selflessness,- and proved in the most severe days of the Great Patriotic war, that the people full of life and will to fight, imbued with a holy hatred for their enemy and ardent love for their Motherland ,are invincible.

Galina Smirnova

Nadezhda Sidorova