Translations of Slavic Poetry in “Russkii Vestnik”

This study examines the publication of Slavic poetry translations in “Russkii Vestnik” (The Russian Herald) within the framework of cultural, sociopolitical, and editorial developments during the second half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Drawing on issues of “Russkii Vestnik” from 1856 to 1904, the analysis focuses on translations from Polish, Czech, and Serbo-Croatian (now Serbian and Croatian) languages. The journal’s inclusion of Western and Southern Slavic poetry is presented as an active contribution to intercultural dialogue within the Slavic world. The article demonstrates that the frequency of these translations correlates with key geopolitical events, most notably the Polish Uprising of 1863–1864, the Slavic Congress of 1867, and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, which sought to liberate Southern Slavs from Ottoman rule. Polish literature in “Russkii Vestnik” is shown to be dominated by translations of Adam Mickiewicz, whose works resonated ideologically and aesthetically with his Russian contemporaries and, for later readers, reflected the legacy of the Pushkin era. Meanwhile, translations and adaptations of Czech and Serbian poetry (including folk traditions) highlight the affinities between Russian and Slavic literary and cultural traditions.

1. Aksakov, I. S. (2025). Collected works: in 12 volumes. The Polish Question and the Western Russian Cause, 3. St. Petersburg: Rostock Publishing House, LLC. 728 p. (In Russ.).

2. Alpukhara (from Mickiewicz). (1857). Russian Bulletin, 7 (1): 205—207. (In Russ.).

3. D* (From the sonnets of Mickiewicz) (“On the path of life, a thoughtful passerby ...”). (1859). Russian Bulletin, 23 (2): P. 681. (In Russ.).

4. Excerpts from Mickiewicz’s poem “Pan Tadeusz” (I. Lithuanian forests. II. Morning in the village. III. Native heaven). (1858). Russian Bulletin, 13 (2): 733—736. (In Russ.).

5. Feoktistov, E. M. (1865). Polish intrigues in the first quarter of this century. Russian Bulletin, 7: 1—55. (In Russ.).

6. From Mickiewicz (1. The greatest artist. 2. Danaida. 3. “Who, having experienced happiness, is at the bottom of his soul...”. 4. K*** ("Don’t look into my eyes, trustfully loving...”). 5. “Although we are innocent — the hypocrite will condemn us...”). Russian Bulletin, 184 (7): 398—400. (In Russ.).

7. From Mickiewicz’s poem “Pan Tadeusz” (“After dinner, the judge and the guests all go...”). (1858). Russian Bulletin, 14 (1): 147—148. (In Russ.).

8. Hawk Eyes (Serbian song). (1857). Russian Bulletin, 7 (2): P. 440. (In Russ.).

9. How the Turkish Sultan gave the Moscow Tsar (From Serbian folk songs). (1871). Russian Bulletin, 87 (6): 372—377. (In Russ.).

10. Katkov, M. N. (1897). Collection of leading articles of the Moscow Gazette. 1863. Moscow: Edition by S. P. Katkova. 785 p. (In Russ.).

11. Katkov, M. N. (1863). The Polish question. Russian Bulletin, 43 (1): 471—488. (In Russ.).

12. Maikov, A. (1867). Serbian Church (Free transcription of Serbian song). Russian Bulletin, 68 (4): 826—828. (In Russ.).

13. Meirima, or the Bosniaks. Drama in five acts by Matija Bana. (1876). Russian Bulletin. Russian Revolution, 123 (6): 745—835. (In Russ.).

14. Morozov, P. S. (1883). The Russian cause in Lithuanian Russia. Russkiy Vestnik, 166 (7): 5—73. (In Russ.).

15. Nikshich (from Nenadovich) (1878). Russian Bulletin, 133 (1): 366—369. (In Russ.).

16. Orlov, A. (1882a). Serbian melodies. (1. “The girl sang a song behind the grove...”. 2. “The nightingale in the forest is like this...”. 3. “The day is sad without the sun...”. 4. “Ivo grazes sheep on the mountain...”. 5. “Hey, Lyubitsa, soul-heart!..” 6. “Blue cornflower...”). Russian Bulletin, 158 (3): 275—277. (In Russ.).

17. Orlov, A. (1882b). Serbian melodies. (1. “The Mother of God dreamed of the Most Pure...”. 2. “The Lord took from the mother of his beloved...”. 3. “On Friday, my son quit work...”. 4. “Maritza has nine dresses...”. 5. “The wind blows, the sun shines...”. 6. “Thank you for giving birth to my mother!..”. 7. “In the middle of the field, on the road...”. 8. “It's mine that walks past the windows...”. 9. “Don’t be angry, my soul-maiden ...”. 10. “Girls are a pampering people...”. 11. “And I swore, and I swore ...”). Russian Messenger, 159 (5): 445—450. (In Russ.).

18. Polish propaganda in Volhynia. (1864). Russian Bulletin, 51 (5): 414—431. (In Russ.).

19. Popov Nil. (1866). The Duchy of Warsaw. Russian Bulletin, 61 (1): 5—33. (In Russ.).

20. Povolny, I. V. (1903). From Serbia. Russian Bulletin, 288 (12): 746—769. (In Russ.).

21. Raikovsky, S. A. (1869). The Polish youth of the western territory in the rebellion of 1861—1863. Russian Bulletin, 79 (1): 113—160. (In Russ.).

22. Serbian song (“Svetlolitsa, chernobrova ...”). (1860). Russian Bulletin, 26 (1): 393—394. (In Russ.).

23. Shchebalsky, P. (1867). Former and present pan-Slavism. Russian Bulletin, 68 (4): 830—841. (In Russ.).

24. Slavic motifs (I. From Ed. Jelineka (from Czech) (“Groans are not silent, chains rattle...”). II. From Fran Majuranic (from Croatian) (“It was a clear, warm evening in May...”)). (1903). Russian Bulletin, 284 (4): 653—654. (In Russ.).

25. Slavic motifs (I. The Slain Eagle (from Anthony the Owl, from Czech). II. “We've had enough!..” (from Svyatopluk Czech, from Czech)). (1904). Russian Bulletin, 289 (1): 121—122. (In Russ.).

26. Sokolov, N. (1903). In memory of Jan Hus. Russian Bulletin, 286 (8): 625—627. (In Russ.).

27. Solovyov, S. M. (1865). The Vienna Congress. Russian Bulletin, 2: 375—438. (In Russ.).

28. Song (from Mickiewicz) (“The Queen of the Vilia — Lithuanian streams ...”). (1858). Russian Bulletin, 14 (1): P. 442. (In Russ.).

29. Stolnik Goreshka’s Castle (Excerpt from Mickiewicz’s poem “Pan Tadeusz”). (1858). Russian Bulletin, 18 (1): 147—156. (In Russ.).

30. Tageev, B. (1903). From the Macedonian Memoirs of a Russian volunteer. Russian Bulletin, 288 (12): 770—791. (In Russ.).

31. The Montenegrins. The poem by Ivan Mazhuranich. (1866). Russian Bulletin, 66 (12): 372—406. (In Russ.).

32. The Watch (from Mickiewicz). (1892). Russian Bulletin, 219 (3): 20—22. (In Russ.).

33. Troyansky, A. (1861). Czech village. The village of Gudlitsy. Russian Bulletin, 37 (11): 271—296. (In Russ.).

34. Troyansky, A. (1863). Notes from a trip to Dalmatia and Montenegro. Russian Bulletin, 48 (11): 225—259. (In Russ.).

35. V. <Voskoboinikov, N. N.>. (1866). Pozzo di Borgo’s note on the Polish question. Russian Bulletin, 61 (1): 397—408. (In Russ.).

36. V. S. <Solovyov, V. S.>. (1855). To the tune of Mickiewicz (“Let fate grant us separation ...”). Russian Bulletin, 177 (6): P. 896. (In Russ.).

37. Vodyanik. (1867). From Czech folk lore. The story of K. Ya. Erben. Russian Bulletin, 68 (4): 818—825. (In Russ.).

38. Voisky blows the horn on the hunt (Excerpt from Mickiewicz’s poem “Pan Tadeusz”). (1858). Russian Bulletin, 18 (2): 299—300. (In Russ.).

39. Yovo and Mara. (1859). Serbian folk poem. Russian Bulletin, 29 (2): 921—934. (In Russ.).

40. Alekseev, M. P. (ed.). (1957). Adam Mickiewicz in the Russian press. 1825—1955. Bibliographic materials / USSR Academy of Sciences; Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House). Moscow—Leningrad: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences. 624 p. (In Russ.).

41. Andreeva, V. G. (2024). “Katkov... just right for the public”: correspondence between Leo Tolstoy and Mikhail Katkov in the 1850s and 1860s. Two centuries of Russian classics, 6 (2): 20—39. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22455/2686-7494-2024-6-2-20-39. (In Russ.).

42. Baskakov, V. N. (1973). The forgotten translator of A. Mickiewicz. In: Slavic countries and Russian literature: a collection of articles. Leningrad: Nauka, Leningrad Publishing House. 33—46. (In Russ.).

43. Chernavsky, M. Y. (2018). Katkov’s Russian historiosophy: the experience of dialectical conservatism. Notebooks on conservatism: An Almanac, 3: 48—58. DOI: 10.24030/24092517-2018-0-3-48-58. (In Russ.).

44. Doronina, R. F. (2007). Serbian-Russian literary relations at the turn of the XIX—XX centuries. Vojislav Ilyich and Russian Poetry. In: Russia in the eyes of the Slavic world. Moscow: Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 113—127. (In Russ.).

45. Faustova, E. N. (2017). Moskvich Mickiewicz. Facets of culture: actual problems of history and modernity. Bulletin of the Institute of World Civilizations, 8 / 4 (17): 139—145. (In Russ.).

46. Gronsky, A. D. (2018). “The Polish question” through the eyes of M. N. Katkov and modernity. Notebooks on conservatism: An Almanac, 3: 261—273. DOI: 10.24030/24092517-2018-0-3-261-273. (In Russ.).

47. Khorev, V. A. (2000). Pushkin and Slavic literatures. In: Slavic Almanac. 1999. Moscow: Indrik. 4—11. (In Russ.).

48. Komzolova, A. A. (2023). The Polish question under Alexander I in Russian historical journalism of the 1860s and 1870s. Social Sciences and Humanities. Russian and foreign literature. Series 5. History, 2: 28—42. DOI: 10.31249/hist/2023.03.02. (In Russ.).

49. Lapteva, L. P. (2012). The importance of Vaclav Gank in the development of Slavic studies in Russia and Russian-Czech scientific contacts in the 19th century. Slavic Studies, 2: 68—85. (In Russ.).

50. Lipatov, A. V. (2007). Two projections of national perception: Poland through Pushkin’s eyes — Russia through Mickiewicz’s eyes (theoretical and historical issues of interethnic perception). In: Russia in the eyes of the Slavic world. Moscow: Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 79—111. (In Russ.).

51. Lipatov, A. V. (ed.). (2007). Russia in the eyes of the Slavic world. Moscow: Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 356 p. ISBN 978-5-7576-0192-2. (In Russ.).

52. Masanov, I. F. (1956). Dictionary of pseudonyms of Russian writers, scientists and public figures: in 4 volumes, 1. Moscow: Publishing House of the All-Union Book Chamber. 443 p. (In Russ.).

53. Meshcheryakova, A. O. (2018). Political union of poet and journalist: F. I. Tyutchev and M. N. Katkov during the Polish Uprising. Notebooks on conservatism: An Almanac, 3: 385—392. (In Russ.).

54. Notebooks on conservatism: An almanac, 3. (2018). Moscow: Non-profit Foundation — Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Research (ISEPI Foundation). 434 p. (In Russ.).

55. Perevalova, E. V. (2007). Katkov’s journal “Russian Bulletin” in the first years of publication (literary position). PhD Diss. Moscow. 184 p. (In Russ.).

56. Perevalova, E. V. (2010). Katkov’s journal “Russian Bulletin” in the first years of publication (1856—1862). Moscow: MGUP Publishing House. 347 p. (In Russ.).

57. Russia and Serbia. The history of bilateral relations. Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Serbia. Available at: https://serbia.mid.ru/ru/countries/political-relations/ (accessed 21.09.2025). (In Russ.).

58. Russian poetic translation on the pages of the “Russian Bulletin”: bibliography. (2024). In: Literary translation and comparative literary studies, XIX. Moscow: Flint. 385—426. ISBN 978-5-9765-5815-1. (In Russ.).

59. Slavic congresses of the XIX—XX centuries. (1994). Moscow: Institute of Slavic Studies and Balkanistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 144 p. (In Russ.).

60. Voloshina, G. K., Zhukova, M. Y. (2017). “Crimean Sonnets” by A. Mickiewicz as a reflection of the dialogue of cultures. Philological Sciences. Questions of theory and practice, 2 (68): 17—21. (In Russ.).

61. Zhulkova, K. A. (2006). Mickiewicz Adam (1798—1855). In: Literary Encyclopedia of the Russian Diaspora (1918—1940), 4. Moscow: ROSSPEN. 274—276. (In Russ.).