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A Letter of A.V.Shpak to the Newspaper “Pravda”

A letter of A.V.Shpak, May, 15, 1943. Military Mail 45964-Б

                                 Dear “Pravda”!

Do you know how very popular are the published chapters of the novel “They Fought for Their Country”? In many frontline dugouts I saw press clippings of Sholokhov’s work (the company receives only one central newspaper), and it is read and reread both by the commanders and soldiers. I think no other work of the war years has evoked so much excitement and controversy bringing with them strengthening our faith in the victory of our cause.

I have been at the front since the second month the war began. I know what a huge role the article by Erenburg played. I think that even if Konstantin Simonov does not write anything important, the author of “Wait for Me”, “Kill Him” would retain his place of honour in the history of literature.

A big merit is that of Tvardovsky. Vasily Tyorkin is a favourite of the Red Army men. Tyorkin’s aphorisms have entered into the life of the front. But Sholokhov is incomparable with anyone. The success of Sholokhov’s novel “They Fought for Their Country” reminds of that of the novel “What to Do” by Nikolay Chernyshevsky.

The very realization of the fact that Sholokhov, an artist of such a great talent, lives with us, raises our national pride.

 A.Shpak

 Military mail 45964-Б, 1943.

Shpak Alexey Viktorovich, a captain”.