Between illusions and reality

Straipsnyje analizuojama rašytojo Petro Cvirkos veikla XX a. 4-ajame dešimtmetyje: plačiai nušviečiami prieštaringi jo santykiai su pogrindine Lietuvos komunistų partijos vadovybe, pristatoma veikla kairiųjų rašytojų gretose, išskirtinis dėmesys skiriamas Cvirkos požiūriui į Sovietų Sąjungą, jo ryšiams su sovietų pasiuntinybėje akredituotais diplomatais Kaune. Ypač gausiai remiamasi archyvine medžiaga (Lietuvos komunistų partijos, Valstybės saugumo departamento dokumentais). Daroma išvada, kad 1940 m. vasarą Cvirka dėsningai tapo sovietų okupuotos Lietuvos naujo režimo talkininkuThe article introduces the activities of Lithuanian writer Petras Cvirka in the 4th decade of the 20th century. It widely describes Cvirka’s controversial relations with the leaders of underground Lithuanian Communist party and informs on his activities related to the leftist Lithuanian writers. Exceptional attention is focused on Cvirka’s attitude towards the Soviet Union and his relations with Soviet diplomats in Kaunas. The conclusion is made that in the first half of 4th decade Cvirka sympathized with the communist ideas attempting to have good relations with Communist party leaders and implement his activities collaborating with the Communist press. But Lithuanian communists did not trust Cvirka because of his wayward opinions and reclusive ideological attitudes, and his journalist collaboration with so-called "bourgeois" press. Cvirka’s activities and events related to the cultural journal Literatūra give basis to conclude that not later than in 1936 leftist writers of Lithuania formed an organized movement, and it reminds of the movement of writers of the Western Europe. The essential features of this movement: a) negative attitudes towards authoritarianism preconditioned by Antanas Smetona; b) hostility towards fascism and nazism; c) unconditioned sympathy towards USSR ; d) admiring of the style of socialist realism, and adaptation of it in their creative work. Those attitudes did not change till 1940. Idealization of the Soviet Union, and close relations with Soviet diplomats in Kaunas give evidence that Cvirka could not evaluate the real political situation. It might have been anticipated that Cvirka and other leftist writers would gain high political status after the occupation of Lithuania, and it was common pattern that Cvirka and other leftist writers were offered high political positions after the occupation. Cvirka became the member of Lithuanian Communist party in the summer of 194