Padomju Krievijas Latviešu kreisās mākslas frontes liktenis – sliktenis
The Unkind Fate of the Latvian Left Front for the Arts in Soviet Russia

Summary/Abstract: Surveying the materials from Latvian periodicals in Soviet Russia and several newly discovered sources, the author of the article reconstructs the Latvian Left Front, or Krefs (from the Latvian name kreisā fronte). The use of historiographic and comparative critical approach makes it possible to uncover the Krefs’ heterogeneity, which, similar to LEF, was established to defend leftist cultural production, yet had the opposite effect on the Latvian public – provoking conflicts. Like LEF, the term ‘Krefs’ mostly applies to literary circles, yet, among the Latvians, this movement was adopted not by experienced futurists but brave autodidacts, from whom Soviet functionary Andrejs Ronis-Kantovskis (1895–?) was the most important member of the group. Although at the first presentation of The Left Front of Literature he only took part in discussions, Ronis later became the most consistent initiator in the association: he wrote Krefs’ poetry, gave thematic talks, organised the Latvian Actors’ Studio under GITIS (The Russian Institute of Theatre Arts) and maintained an active interest in the left front in Latvia. While several events from autumn 1923 until summer 1924 are identifiable with Krefs, conceptually, the earlier Latvian Agitation and Propaganda Theatre or Aģitteātris (Agit-theatre) and its magazine Skatuve un Dzīve (The Stage and Life) also belonged here. After Krefs’ decline, the innovations that the association had fought for survived in stage design and biting criticism.

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