HistoryExtra podcast A Soviet road trip through 1930s America
May 28, 2024
Historian Lisa Kirschenbaum discusses the intriguing journey of two Soviet satirists, Ilf and Petrov, as they road trip across America in the 1930s. From encounters with President Roosevelt to experiencing racism in Jim Crow America, their journey offers a fascinating look at US-Soviet relations and cultural observations.
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Meeting Literary, Film And Industry Figures
- Their US social circle included Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos and many Russian‑Jewish immigrants in show business.
- They also secured audiences with cultural figures like Henry Ford and film directors.
A Trusty Guide Bridged Language And Culture
- Ilf and Petrov hired Solomon Trone, a Russian‑speaking former GE engineer, as their guide and translator.
- Trone and his wife Florence provided contacts, local knowledge and Florence did much of the driving.
Unsupervised Travel Unlike Later Journalists
- The pair mostly operated independently in the US after getting visas, unlike later more monitored Soviet journalists.
- Their freedom let them travel widely and publish reports directly while abroad.