Remember the joy of discovering a new book as a child? That feeling is directly linked to Raduga. Raduga Publishers played a significant role in shaping Soviet children’s literature.
Founded in 1922, Raduga meaning rainbow was a Soviet publishing house. It specialized in innovative children’s books. Raduga quickly became “one of the most important book publishers of its type”. This was during the early twentieth century.
Lev Moisevich Kliachko a Russian journalist founded Raduga. He was once the chairman of the Committee of Journalists. Raduga’s main office was in the Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor building on Nevsky Prospect. The editorial office was in Kliachko’s apartment. It was located at 14 Stremyannaya Street.
Kliachko initially wanted to publish a magazine named Raduga. Instead, he began publishing picture books. These books combined texts and illustrations. Early Raduga publications included works by Korney Chukovsky. His contributions were Moydodyr and Tarakanishche. Chukovsky became one of the most popular children’s poets in Russian. Samuil Marshak also contributed significantly. His works included Morozhenoe, Pozhar! and Tsirk. Maxim Gorky called Marshak “the founder of Russia’s Soviet children’s literature”.
Moydodyr and Tarakanishche featured poetry for preschoolers. I. Annenkov illustrated the first book. Sergey Chekhonin illustrated the second. Kliachko had limited knowledge of poetry. He also invested little capital. Yet, both books achieved “enormous successes”. Each had print runs of 7000 copies.
The Circus and Ice Cream marked a new era. Marshak wrote them. Vladimir Lebedev illustrated them. These books showcased “the beginning of a radically new approach to children’s book design”. Lebedev emphasized “the book as a complete unity”. He used flattened abstract planes and geometrical shapes. These evoked the Suprematism of Kazimir Malevich.
Raduga attracted talented Russian writers. Agnaia Barto, Vitaly Bianki and Elena Danko joined. Many talented artists also contributed. These included Mstislav Dobuzhinsky and Vladimir Konashevich. By 1926, Raduga’s catalog listed 216 titles.
Raduga’s early years coincided with the New Economic Policy. This era was relatively liberal for art and literature. However, around 1925, critics attacked Raduga. Anna Grinberg claimed the designs ignored children’s circumstances. She felt they didn’t provide relevant material for Soviet children. Nadezhda Krupskaya Lenin’s wife echoed these criticisms.
Raduga faced financial difficulties. It had restricted access to printing presses. Authors and artists grew wary of working for Raduga. They feared antagonizing Soviet cultural authorities. They began moving to Gosizdat the state publishing house. They took some of Raduga’s “most valuable literary properties” with them.
The quality and innovation of Raduga’s publications declined. In 1927, the Committee of Children’s Literature prohibited Raduga. The committee banned reprinting 81% of its backlist. They claimed the books were “contaminated by harmful bourgeois ideology”. Competition increased from government-approved publishing houses. In 1934, socialist realism became the only acceptable artistic method.
Raduga ceased operations in 1930. It had published around 400 titles. Raduga’s books gained international recognition. They were displayed in exhibitions in Amsterdam New York and Cambridge.
A new company named Raduga Publishers emerged in 1973. It was based in Moscow. It published series like “Russian Classics” and “Adventure & Fantasy”. During the Cold War, Raduga books were exported to India. They were translated into Indian languages. These books became very popular. Some Indian publishers co-published titles with Raduga.
In 2022, the Raduga website sold video and computer games.
Raduga’s legacy lives on. It reminds us of the power of children’s literature. It showcases artistic innovation. It reflects the complex cultural landscape of the Soviet era.