Henri Barbusse’s Trip to Latin America: Unrealized Project

Abstract

In 1930s the USSR implements a number of projects aimed at spreading its influence in the world and consolidation of Soviet-Latin American contacts. Owing to the significant sociopolitical authority gained by Henri Barbusse and the popularity of his work in the New World, Comintern leaders make Barbusse a proposal to undertake a lecture-andpropaganda mission in South America to get in contact and forge relationships with the Latin American intellectual elite, literary and political organizations. The journey did not take place: Barbusse contracted pneumonia and died in Moscow on August 30th, 1935. Archival materials published herewith help to reconstruct the intended travel plans, objectives and main directions of Barbusse’s activity during the alleged trip.

Keywords

• henri barbusse
• soviet-western literary contacts
• comintern
• latin america
• ussr