“Another Century of Galaktion” (to the new academic edition of Galaktion Tabidze’s poetry)

Abstract

The author's English summary from the article:

Key words: Galaktion tabifze, new academic edition.

More than 40 years have passed since the first 12-volume academic publica- tion(1966–1975) of Galaktion Tabidze. The volumes prepared under the restricted condi- tions of the Soviet regime, where the great Georgian poet of the XX century was wrongly presented due to the ideological pressure, had quite a few faults but it played certain part and does even now for the scientific research of Galaktion’s poetry. The archival 25 volumes printed by Giorgi Leonidze Georgian Literature Museum (2003-2008) is very significant, in which a number of unknown creation of the author, autographs of the verses, photos and letters of literary critics were published.

All these determined a new 15-volume academic publication prepared in Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature – the publication free of Soviet conjunctures, presented without any distortion (quite of few verses of the poet were remade due to cen- sorship or by editors). This is Teimuraz Doiashvili who has managed this project, head of Galaktioni Re- search Center, and created a firm basis with a small group of the scientists in order to start the publication of the volumes, under the consideration of the recent advances. Prof. Irma Ratiani supported Galaktioni Research Center in this great project. Soon the united efforts brought about favorable result and in 2016 and 2017 the first five vol- umes were printed (unfortunately, the number of copies is very little, just 200 of them).

These volumes comprise the path of 30 years (1908-1936) of the poet. The authors texts distorted by a rough editorial interferences are totally restored. Each verse and poem is followed by the most accurate comprehensive comments through which the reader is given an opportunity to better understand a rich spiritual world of the genial poet. The published five volumes make us believe that the rest ones too will be perfect. This unique project by Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian literature will be accom- plished on a very high level.

Published in the journal Sjani, vol. 18 (2017), pp. 325–342. Open the paper