A Cultural Publicism in London Exile during the Second World War Exemplified by Literary Magazine Obzor
Abstract
The contribution A Cultural Publicism in London Exile Periodicals during the Second World War Exemplified by Literary Magazine Obzor briefly discuss the character of a Czechoslovak exile in London during the Second World War. According to the author of this contribution, the cultural publicism presents integral part of a rich cultural life of Czechoslovak exiles in London.
Firstly, it appeared in the cultural sections of mainly politics-oriented exile periodicals. Secondly, after 1941, the cultural publicism could be found on the pages of newly emergent cultural magazines.
Literary magazine Obzor was found in May 1941 by exile writers associated around Čechoslovák, a weekly closely linked to the Czechoslovak government-in-exile. From 1941 to 1943 the magazine was published as a literary and artistic monthly supplement of Čechoslovák.
Due to the fact that Obzor was an "official" cultural magazine, it was grant-maintained. Although being well graphically treated, Obzor (especially in its early issues) lacked clear program.
Given the criticism of some colleagues in exile (e. g. Ota Ornest) and self-criticism (Editor-in-chief Bohus Benes) the quality of the magazine were to improve from the second volume, due to the new responsible editor Viktor Kripner among others.
Later, in 1944, when Obzor was separated from Čechoslovák as an independent revue of the same name, new editors sought to create some extraordinary cultural magazine but their efforts could not be filled. The magazine perished due to the financial reasons just after the second issue of 1944.
We can conclude that the magazine Obzor was one of the most important cultural periodicals during the World War II in London exile. Discourse regarding original exile artwork and a cultural life of the Czechoslovak exile helped to shape the cultural identity of politically and ethnically fragmented exile.
Moreover, publishing of the reports on Czechoslovak culture helped to promote it abroad.